Santa Ana police Officer Luis Galeana and Dr. Lisa Gould walk K-9 Officer Puskas out of Yorba Regional Animal Hospital in Anaheim on Tuesday, Feb 27. Gould was one of the veterinarians who took care of the dog after he was injured capturing a suspect in Irvine. Puskas lost six teeth when he hit the pavement while capturing the suspect after a police chase.(Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Santa Ana police Officer Luis Galeana leaves Yorba Regional Animal Hospital with K-9 Officer Puskas in Anaheim on Tuesday, Feb 27. Puskas lost six teeth when he hit the pavement while capturing a suspect after a police chase.(Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Santa Ana police Officer Luis Galeana hugs Dr. Lisa Gould as he leaves Yorba Regional Animal Hospital with K-9 Officer Puskas in Anaheim on Tuesday, Feb 27. Gould was one of the veterinarians who took care of the dog after he was injured capturing a suspect in Irvine. Puskas lost six teeth when he hit the pavement while capturing the suspect after a police chase.(Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)



A badly injured Santa Ana police K-9 dog left the hospital Tuesday, Feb. 27 after undergoing surgery hours after helping officers dramatically chase down a fleeing carjacker — a pursuit and ensuing struggle that knocked out several of the animal’s upper and lower teeth.

The 8-year-old Dutch shepherd, named Puskas after Hungarian footballer Ferenc Puskás, assisted officers Monday evening in a pursuit involving a carjacking in which the suspect tried to elude pursuing officers as he drove from Santa Ana to Irvine. When the suspect finally emerged from the vehicle, Puskas swiftly chased him down as he tried to flee on foot.

Police have arrested a man wanted for assaulting a police officer after he carjacked a woman and hit at least one other vehicle during a pursuit. https://t.co/FFqetv7z6M pic.twitter.com/VQwx095Lpv — NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) February 27, 2018

Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department said the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Antonio Padilla Jr. of Riverside County, had a 30- to 40-foot lead on Puskas and was running toward an open business. Given the suspect’s dangerous behavior, officers had deployed the K-9. Puskas quickly closed the gap, but police think the dog’s face collided with the concrete while taking the suspect down, knocking out six of his smaller teeth but leaving his canines, the most important teeth for his job, Bertagna said.

Puskas immediately was taken to Yorba Regional Animal Hospital, where he stayed the night and underwent surgery Tuesday morning. Tuesday evening, he left the veterinary hospital with his handler, Officer Luis Galeana.

Doctors had to fully extract each of Puskas’ broken teeth and stitch a large cut on his face, Bertagna said. He added that the teeth Puskas lost won’t stop him from doing his job, and that he should be able to work again after a few weeks off.

Padilla had been wanted in Garden Grove for assault with a deadly weapon on an officer on Feb. 18. In that alleged assault, authorities said, Padilla tried to run over an officer with his truck during a traffic stop. He was also wanted for a parole violation in Riverside County and has been under Post-Release Community Supervision, which means he was under the charge of probation authorities, according to Garden Grove police.

Staff photographer Jeff Gritchen contributed to this story.