Veterinarian helps Miami police K-9 suffering after injury on duty

MIAMI – Breacher, a Miami Police Department K-9, fractured his elbow while on duty and it developed into painful arthritis.

Dr. Mario Cabrera gave the department hope with new injections. The veterinarian and surgeon said the therapy is known as radiosynoviorthesis, a technique to restore joint fluid with targeted radioactive agents.

“To do this treatment we need to be under general anesthesia,” Cabrera said. “We need to put the needle into the joint specifically where the joint fluid is and then we inject the treatment in there.”

Cabrera met Breacher on Monday morning to inject him with “Tin-117m” at the Animal Care and Surgical Hospital, at 8376 SW 8 St., in Miami-Dade County’s Westchester neighborhood.

“It’s basically taking away all the inflammation and the different factors that cause pain,” Cabrera said.

Breacher will have better use of his leg with the treatment of his elbow, Cabrera said. He also wants Breacher’s case to educate other police departments and pet owners about what is possible.