By Michele Brown | July 22, 2019
This is a remarkable story between a man and a dog. Last month I sat down with Dr. Nghia and his famous machete dog known as Nau. In 2018 Dr. Nghia stunned specialist vet surgeons around the world when he successfully reconstructed the dog’s face after it was sliced into two after being struck in the head by a man with a machete.
A dog had been hacked in the head with a machete, slicing his face down the middle from his eye, down his snout and right through his nose. The dog wandered the streets for around five days, as infection set into the critical injury. We cannot begin to imagine the blinding pain this dog was forced to endure as he staggered through each day and night, with no pain relief and no help.
The rescuer said the dog ate two plates of rice, but with great difficulty because it’s jaws were sliced in half down the middle and infection has set into the entire wound area. The dog survived by some sipping water each day, but was very weak and malnourished.
The dog was in critical distress when he was rescued by Vietnamese husband and wife Hoang Nhon and his wife Truc Linh Vo. The attack took place in Xuyen Moc – Ba Ria Vung Tau, a rural province out of Saigon.
The husband drove 50 kms to Vung Tau to take the dog to the nearest vet clinic for the wound to be disinfected. Due to the gravity of the injury the man then drove the dog another 100kms to bring the dog to Dr. Nghia, at his Saigon Pet Veterinary Hospital.
Dr. Nghia is an internationally trained vet surgeon. After the dog arrived at his hospital he immediately he consulted with his international team of five specialist surgeon colleagues based in London, France and America. They each felt the surgery was impossible for the dog to have a good outcome.
After lengthy consultations with his colleagues, Dr. Nghia told me he sat down with a pen and paper and painstakingly drew out each part of the surgery on paper. He then took the critically injured dog into surgery.
Dr. Nghia successfully reconstructed the dog’s face!
From the time the dog arrived at the hospital he was clearly depressed. After surgery he remained depressed. By now the dog had been named Nau. As his healing progressed it was hoped he would be adopted into a loving family. But Nau had other plans!
Nau had no intention of being adopted and bit everyone who thought about adopting him. The only time Nau’s eyes lit up and he smiled was when he saw Dr. Nghia. It quickly became evident he would only let Dr. Nghia be close to him. When he was with Dr. Nghia he laughed and was an affectionate normal dog.
Dr. Nghia fell in love with Nau the same time Nau fell in love with Dr. Nghia. To everyone’s delight Dr. Nghia adopted Nau and they’ve remained inseparable. Nau goes to work every day with Dr. Nghia. Nothing has changed. Nau only allows Dr. Nghia to cuddle him. He’ll bite anyone else who tries. A truly remarkable love story.
Vietnamese vet surgeon Dr. Nghia dedicated to helping Vietnam’s animals. As well as his passion for complicated life saving surgery, he also has a keen desire to help educate local animal lovers learn to better care for their animals and be responsible pet owners. Dr Nghia is the vet for our Fight Dog Meat dogs and cats. Thank you Dr. Nghia for all you’re doing!
Fight Dog Meat will continue to bring you reports from dog and cat meat countries and the wonderful work their rescuers are doing despite no animal protection laws. Turning away or sitting quietly does not end the trade. We’ll keep exposing what is taking place to these animals. We’re helping local volunteers have a louder voice on a world platform. Ultimately it’s the voice of the country’s own people whom their government will eventually be forced to listen to, for positive change for animals.
Thank you for reading,
Michele Brown
Founder,
Fight Dog Meat.
Others:
FDM Doggie Ranch Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vietnamfdm
FDM Doggie Ranch Website: https://www.fdmdoggieranch.com/
(Photo not credited to Fight Dog Meat)
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2021 was a tough year for people everywhere around the globe. We all grappled with covid and the way it
It’s a shame those Drs or people as a matter of fact are so quick to judge & give up without even trying. Kudos to Dr Nghia for going the extra mile. Anything is possible if you try
Ses yeux ont été heureusement épargne
C’est pas rien
OMG YOU A HERO SIR, THANK YOU DEARLY ???? FOR SAVING HIS LIFE
Dr Nghia is our hero. Meticulous surgeon who closed Nau’s horribly brutalized face. He consults colleagues and makes a decision about the surgery. In this case a precious life was saved. Honest courage!