Blood donor dog that has saved many canine lives now needs surgery

Sawatsky Sign-Off: Caring Canine “Everybody loves Norman!” Adam finds out why a gentle giant with a habit of helping other dogs is now asking for help himself.

Nanaimo, B.C. — Norman, a large mastiff from Nanaimo that has been credited in saving the lives of at least 16 dogs with emergency blood donations, is now in need of help himself.

Norman, whose exploits were featured in a CTV News story back in 2017, needs surgery. His owner Jeff King is asking people to give back.

“He’s like my kid,” King says. “He’s like my baby. He’s my big red shadow.”

King noticed Norman limping a couple of weeks ago and took him to the vet. That’s when it was discovered that the 85-kilogram “gentle giant” had torn his cranial cruciate ligament in his left hind knee.

The injury makes the dog’s knee very unstable. It has already become very swollen and arthritic.

“When he walks, it doesn’t bend the normal way, which causes a fair mount of discomfort,” says Ken Langelier, a Veterinarian with VCA Island Animal Hospital in Nanaimo.

The four-and-a-half-year-old mastiff needs a special surgery called a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy, which will stabilize the knee.

“If surgery is not performed, it will become more arthritic and probably lead to a lot shorter life span,” adds Langelier.

“Seeing him in pain makes me want to cry,” says King. “It’s heartbreaking. I haven’t slept and worry constantly.”

The surgery cannot be done locally and Norman has to be referred to an animal hospital in Victoria or Vancouver to see a specialist who is approved by the board of certified surgeons.

The procedure will cost King around $8,500, which will include a long recovery process.

“Any help that I can get will make it a lot easier,” says King.

A GoFundMe page has been setup to help cover the cost of the surgery.