CHEROKEE COUNTY, Texas — A Cherokee County Sheriff's Office K-9 recently died after about two months on the job.

K-9 Zable passed away on July 21. He was a 1 ½ year old Dutch Shepard, who had come from Hill County Dog Center after he was purchased using drug seizure funds. Zable and his handler trained for five weeks together in Pipe Creek, Texas before coming back to Cherokee County to serve the area. Zable was trained in narcotics and apprehension, the CCSO said.

Zable suffered a medical emergency after his shift ended on July 21. He was rushed to an emergency vet in Tyler, where he was pronounced dead, the sheriff's office said.

The dog was taken to Texas A&M University for a necropsy. Experts determined he died from myocarditis caused from Chagas Disease, which is caused by a proto

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