There's a family who's holding on in desperation each day..
Guardian: Aigo, you like it, Momo?
Seems like they're having as much fun as the other ordinary dogs having a walk..
Momo holds up a moment and soon tries the posture to relieve herself
Guardian: She tries this every meter until we reach home
Though she didn't even take a step further from where she tried, she tries posture once again
It looks like she's having a problem relieving herself...
As if she's unable to let it out, she keeps groaning for a while.. fidgeting
By the consecutive attempts.. she soon falls on the ground as though she's worn out
Guardian: You sank to the ground again, didn't you? Feel tired, Momo? Huh? Are you tired?
Guardian: As she doesn't have an anus, she can't let the feces out through the anus, but through her genital
What does it mean by 'has no anus', how on earth can this happen..?
The first time the owner saw Momo, was at the shelter
Guardian: At first, my eldest daughter suggested keeping Momo for a month or two, and to send her to a new family
After I came back from work, and touched her for the first time, it almost felt like I'm touching a living skeleton
Thought she was extremely skinny and was in a bad shape at first,
but as I looked into her closely, she doesn't seem to empty the bowl properly
So we went to the doctor, and the doctor said, she wasn't born with the anus
The family was in massive shock by the news they've got while fostering.. but
But they couldn't send him back to the shelter, especially when he's carrying such disability
Guardian: Momo must have had her own family..
Um.. they found her difficult to raise, and that could probably be why they had to part
As Momo was diagnosed with imperforate anus, that broke my heart even more
Born with a disability, and mercilessly abandoned..
The lady felt for Momo's misfortune, whom must have endured all the pain alone in the dark
And decided to share the pain
Came to visit the doctor, so as to help Momo bring back the ordinary life
First, multiple tests are carried out to see whether it's feasible to reconstruct her anus
Vet: At the stage of pregnancy for 7 weeks, a fetus grows the tail and that divides urinary tract, intestine, and rectum along the way
There'd be a location where there's a hole, and that forms a thin membrane, and that eventually becomes an anus
But in the case of imperforate anus, an issue comes up in the progress and causes a congenital deformity
According to AVMA papers, only 0.007% of dogs are born with the anus deformities
Born without anus means.. They can't carry out any form of bowel movement, so they can't live long due to such condition
Yet, how could Momo hold on this long?
Vet: Most of the others pass only after 3, 4 months after birth,
Momo not only has the imperforate anus, but has a path coming from the rectum, out to the vagina
which isn't usual at all. This is also a malformation, but that's what sustained Momo up until now..
The reason why Momo could live 3 years is because of another malformation which connects the rectum and the vagina..!!
Vet: Thanks to the malformation, Momo was able to hold out this long, but if the feces pass through the vagina, that can infect
the urinary path in reverse, and this can lead to death by sepsis
As it carries a high possibility of infection, surgery is in urgent need
However..!
Vet specializing in imaging diagnosis: From the part it ends blunt, out to the anus, it's 6cm long
Vet: 6cm has a lot of limits to carry out the common surgical method
Normally, it's logical to connect the anus and the rectum directly for such cases,
but it's not feasible for Momo as the length of the rectum and anus is relatively longer
Vet: Since Momo has this special structure, why can't we use that..
Vet specializing in imaging diagnosis: What if we pull this part all the way here? Wouldn't it work?
The experts concluded to make use of Momo's deformity as a way to connect the anus in order to overcome the distance limits
Hoping this brilliant idea comes to fruition..
The surgey has finally begun
As it's a comparatively challenging case, the medical staff are being more careful
The moment when the surgery's progressing in tension...!
Vet: Ah, this part, it's too stiff even from the inside. Reckon, fibrosis has progressed a little
Vet: it was a challenging decision. If we preserve the fibrosis part, that could increase the possibility of not being able to excrete
On the other hand, if I remove that the fibrosis, that could also cause anal incontinence
Commonly, it's right to remove the fibrosis. However, that could also eliminate a sphincter, which is why it must need thorough consideration
Vet: Well, I should leave it for now
That is how the surgery began to speed up..
And finally, they succeed in securing the passage for bowel movement...!
The three-hour-long anal reconstruction has finally come to an end
Momo, who withstood such a delicate operation, is moved straight to the recovery room
As the anesthesia slowly wears off, Momo bursts out her cry meanwhile
You held on tight, well done Momo
When the owner stretched out her hand towards Momo..
She drags her body, still in pain, to come nearer to her owner
Guardian: Aww.. Momo, it hurt, didn't it?
Give yourself a good sleep Momo, you'll be alright Hold on just a little bit more
Momo must have withstood all the obstacles, pains, caused by what she's born with..
The lady who watched the pain Momo'd been suffering from, sheds tears in relief
Along with a desperate praying, three weeks of time have passed
Guardian: Hello! AH!!! MOMO!!!
Momo whom they met..
is glowing even from the distance!
Vet: Up to this time, the feces coming out from the anus just fine
Thankfully, we've checked that the strength of her sphincter's slowly coming back
I'll watch you and Momo having a walk, as well as Momo relieving herself along the way
By the news that said, Momo's now able to excrete just like the others..
Not only are the guardians excited, but Momo as well tee-hee
Guardian: Aww You like it~~
At that moment..!
Momo, pluck up a bit more..!
Guardian: Oh!!! It fell!!!
Guardian: Woahhh Well done you!!!!
Guardian: Aigo, well done you Momo, you really have done a good job, my girl~
Momo's looking 'refreshed' as well lol
Guardian: My Momo, you're eating better and pooping better~
It's just so surprising, and makes me feel happier than ever
Guardian's daughter: Thanks for giving us an operation!
Everything feels so surreal...!
It seems the only thing left is to live happily ever after
Vet: The deformity caused in crucial parts, they can hardly get consistent treatments,
as they often don't have guardians around, or too young to build a bond with the owner
even the deformities found in early ages
However, I just wish people not to give up on those lives or abandon them
'Cause, living beings are important, no matter what
Hope people won't throw away that easy, just because they were born different..
Hope Momo can live an ordinary life, just like the others, ever after..!