TAMPA, Fla. – After a retired Police Department K-9 suffered a near-fatal emergency, his handler and partner on the force, who currently serves, rushed to save his life.
Officer Keith Padellaro adopted his K-9 partner Xavier, a male German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix, after Xavier’s retirement in 2022.
Xavier served as a dual-purpose patrol and bomb detection dog until his retirement. Padellaro says Xavier served with honor and was responsible for numerous heroic accomplishments during his career.
But on June 20, Xavier, now age 9, suffered a horrible emergency and was rushed to The Veterinary Emergency Group of Tampa.
Read: Hillsborough County Sheriff: Tampa Man Wanted After Violent Domestic Battery
Xavier had developed a critical condition called Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus, more commonly referred to as bloat, and during the emergency, Xavier’s stomach had flipped over inside his abdominal cavity, cutting off circulation throughout the body and preventing blood from returning to the heart.
Without immediate treatment, the condition is 100 percent fatal.
Acting fast to save his partner and friend of nearly a decade, Padellaro rushed Xavier in for emergency surgery.
After Xavier was treated for bloat and after his spleen was removed, he remained in critical condition for two days but is now on the road to a full recovery.
Read: Woman Arrested For Aiding Brother In Hit-And-Run Of Hillsborough County Deputy
“I am continually amazed by the care and empathy our officers extend to members of the community each day,” said Brandon Barclay, President of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association. “Every day on the job, their first instinct is to help. I’m not surprised at all to see the lengths Officer Padellaro went to in order to save Xavier’s life.”
However, Barclay said, Officer Padellaro racked up extensive bills for Xavier’s life-saving surgery, and Barclay is asking for members of the community to help the officer out.
Xavier’s surgery cost $9,300, which Officer Padellaro paid for out of his own pocket.
“If anyone is interested in donating to help Officer Padellaro with the costs of Xavier’s care, they can donate by giving to the Tampa Police Benevolent Association at tampapba.org or by visiting the GoFundMe page, which was created to help offset the costs of Xavier’s surgery.
Help support the Tampa Free Press by making any small donation by clicking here.
Android Users, Click To Download The Tampa Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our free newsletter.