Dog With 5-Foot Rod Stuck In Body Makes Miraculous Recovery

When a yellow Lab named Espen went to play in his backyard on Monday, nothing seemed out of the ordinary - until he returned with a 5-foot-pole impaled through his body.

Warning: Disturbing image below

Five-year-old Espen was with his pet sitter when he somehow he got the pole lodged through his chest and out his abdomen, a truly horrifying sight. His family was out of town and had to come home to the nightmare. It's obvious that Espen likely ran into the pole, but no one will ever know for sure what happened.

When he was brought into the Hope Advanced Veterinary Center in Vienna, Virginia, many feared that Espen wouldn't make it.

The rod punctured Espen's lungs, diaphragm and even a little part of his liver - but somehow, he survived the surgery that removed it. Even his family was shocked at how well he made it through, and began calling him "Wonder Dog" and even "Miracle Dog."

"His recovery is going great," Hope Advanced Veterinary Clinic posted on its Facebook page only two days after Espen's accident. "He's been transferred to a more comfortable house and is feeling much better. We're hoping that when his mom visits later today, she can entice him to eat!"

Only 80 hours after being impaled and nearly losing his life, Espen was finally able to go home. As staff said goodbye and his family came to get him, one thing was very clear - everyone had been touched by Espen's story, and his amazing will to live.

"Words can not describe our gratitude to all the staff at Hope Advanced Veterinary Clinic for all the love they have given our Espen the past couple of days," Stacey Muscarella, Espen's owner, commented on Facebook. "He has not let me out of his sight since we have been home but now, this guy is finally tuckered out!"