Duke, the young cattle dog abandoned in bush near Dungog who survived an eight-week ordeal that included a dislocated hip, a torn cruciate ligament and a bullet wound, was in fact shot three times, X-rays have revealed.
The discovery adds a grim new chapter to Duke's story, after the Newcastle and Hunter rescue group caring for him, Milly's Search Trap & Reunite (Milly's STAR), first revealed last week that a spent .22 calibre bullet had been pulled from between his shoulder blades.
In an update posted by the group, carers said imaging taken ahead of Duke's femoral head ostectomy surgery last Thursday showed he had sustained two further gunshot wounds beyond the one already discovered, one lodged in his jaw and another near the base of his tail.
Several bullet fragments remain in his body and cannot be safely removed, particularly the one in his jaw, carers said.
Despite his injuries, Duke's hip surgery was declared a complete success.
He stayed overnight at the clinic before being discharged the following day, and, according to his carers, was already "charming everyone he met" by the time he was picked up.
Duke's foster carers said his reunion with his foster mother and fellow foster dogs lifted his spirits immediately, and he settled back into their home with ease.
A specialist has told carers to give Duke short, slow walks on flat ground to help rebuild strength in his leg and encourage him to use it properly.
They said his mobility was ahead of what was typical for dogs recovering from the same operation, given everything his body had been through.
Perhaps the most notable change has been behavioural. Duke has begun initiating play with other dogs in his foster home for the first time, something carers had not observed before. He is described as increasingly relaxed and playful as he settles into life away from the bush.
Duke is due back at the vet in about a week to have his stitches removed.
His recovery will then move into rehabilitation focused on strengthening the repaired leg, ahead of a second surgery for a torn cruciate ligament in his other hind leg once he is able to put weight on it.
Milly's STAR's GoFundMe appeal, launched to cover the cost of Duke's treatment, has raised more than $18,000 of its $20,000 target, up from $7000 when his surgery was first announced last week.
Nobody has come forward to claim Duke, who was not microchipped, and rescuers say no missing dog reports match his description.
