KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A first-of-his-kind patient is scheduled to return home after being airlifted to the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center. Six-year-old Luca was the first K9 officer to be flown by helicopter to UTVMC.
Luca, a Belgian Malinois from North Carolina, is improving, according to a post from Erlanger Life Force Air Medical Thursday afternoon. His sense of smell has been restored, and he is “well on his way to a full recovery,” Erlanger said. It added that he was scheduled to head home at 2 p.m. after his final dose of medicine.
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“Luca is going to have to take a couple weeks’ worth of sick days to fully recover with some medication a few times a day,” Erlanger said.
Luca is a full patrol K9 for the criminal investigation division of the Clay County Sheriff’s Department in North Carolina. 6 News previously learned that he had been in an enclosed space when an ozone machine was accidentally turned on, causing respiratory distress and vomiting.
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The dog was evaluated in a North Carolina clinic before being sedated and airlifted to Knoxville by Erlanger Life Force Air Medical…