A starving shepard mix with eight puppies was found shot in the shoulder and leg by a shotgun last week in a rural area west of Galt. (Courtesy photograph)

Shepherd-mix dog that suffered rifle shot wound west of Galt recovering

The shepherd mix that was shot by a rifle near Galt last week is recovering after two and a half hours of surgery Monday afternoon, according to two officials at the Animal Friends Connection in Lodi.

The dog, which gave birth to a litter of puppies more than a month ago, is resting at a local veterinary hospital after having four rods installed in its left front leg. Animal Friends Connection President Patricia Sherman said the dog will remain at the hospital until it goes to a "foster" home.

"We have someone who is interested," Sherman said.

The dog may be taken to its temporary home on Monday or Tuesday, she added.

The dog was found with eight puppies on April 8 in a field off Orr Road, between Galt and Thornton, Sherman said.

The puppies are at the Animal Friends shelter on Cherokee Lane. Sherman would like them adopted, but not for a few more weeks so they can be vaccinated and spayed or neutered.

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The six male and two female puppies would normally nurse for five to eight weeks, but since they are separated from their mother, Animal Friends staff are feeding them a mix of puppy milk and dry food, said Jasauna Vigil, a veterinary technician for Animal Friends.

"Their teeth are just starting to come in," Vigil said.

The puppies each have gained between 4 ounces to 1 pound, but two of them are being treated for pneumonia, she added.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.