Help Sally Walk Again

UPDATE – 6/28

On 6/28, Sally had her sutures removed. Dr. Norman examined her left knee and hip and said everything is as it should be, pins have held! He said that Sally can walk on her own and doesn’t need any help! He did caution that she should not do stairs just yet, as that puts too much pressure on the surgical areas. She still holds her left leg up but uses it for balance when she potties. Dr. Norman said that in the next couple of weeks Sally will toe-tap more and more until she realizes it isn’t too painful to put weight on her leg. He advised letting her decide how and when. Sally seems in great spirits and is just happy to be done with her donut (at least temporarily). She goes back to see Dr. Norman in two weeks (7/12) for x-rays to be sure everything is still perfect. Dr. Norman said she will need to be using her left leg normally and increase muscle mass in it before we do the second surgery. He said it will probably be no sooner than September.

As always, a huge thank you to our donors who have made her surgery possible!

Update – 6/21

The first 3 days were very painful and hard on Sally, even with heavy-duty pain meds. She now seems to have turned the corner! She wants to be out in the yard running around, which is not allowed. Sally has two sets of sutures, one on her knee and the other on her hip. She started licking the sutures on Day 3, so now she sports a donut until the sutures are removed. Sally is eating like a champ and getting around pretty well on her right leg. She is able to hold up her left leg (which is what she needs to do). She is mostly confined to her bed and/or crate and only allowed to walk around outside to potty. Because Sally’s bones are brittle, Dr. Norman had to insert extra pins to hold everything in place. We knew her left leg would be a tough go, but we are all cautiously optimistic. Sally’s sutures come out on Day 14 (June 28th) and I will start exercising her leg to keep it from becoming stiff. On Day 28 (July 12th), our vet will take x-rays to see if everything held. The goal is to get Sally bearing weight and using her left leg well enough to support her body for her second surgery on her right leg. That’s all we know for now. Thanks again to our exceptional donors who made this surgery possible.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sally is a beautiful 13-year-old Pomeranian, the sweetest senior you’ll ever meet. Sadly, Sally can barely walk; she needs two expensive surgeries to have a quality of life. These surgeries are Sally’s last hope because the medication is no longer managing her pain. Is she too old, you ask? Her blood work is outstanding, her heart is strong, and she is a fighter. Sally deserves this chance to live out her golden years pain-free. Because Sally’s hip joints are now bone-on-bone, she will need Femoral Head Osteotomy (FHOs) surgeries. This is the surgical removal of the head and neck of the femur (removal of the “ball” part of the “ball-and-socket” that makes up the hip joint). Once the femoral head and neck are removed, the surrounding muscles and developing scar tissue work together to support the area and act as a false joint. Our vet will fix Sally’s luxating patella (this is where the kneecap slips in and out of the socket). Sally’s left leg is useless, so this is the leg we are going to operate on first. This way, her right leg (weak as it is) can support her weight while her left leg is healing. Once her left leg heals, Sally will go back to surgery for the same procedures (FHO and luxating patella) on her right leg. Even with a rescue discount, the surgeries are expensive ($1,300 each or $2,600 for both).

Sally’s first surgery is scheduled for June 14, 2021. Her second surgery will most likely be scheduled for mid-August. Please help us give Sally a pain-free future by donating today. CAWS appreciates any size donation.