MORE ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GIRL, "MUFFIN"
from her foster mom, Jackie Harris
Muffin was turned in to Wharton pound in September this year. The reason for being dumped is unknown, though I could hazard a few guesses. She is around 3 or 4 years old and has had a least one litter of puppies, probably more. The first thing you see with Muffin is her adoring stare and beautiful brown eyes. She is smiling at you. Resistance is futile and you will love her immediately. Which is why no-one noticed her weak back end at first.
When I met Muffin for the first time, I was supposed to be taking her home to socialize her for about a week before she headed up north to find a lovely family to live with. She fitted straight in at home – she was friendly and polite to my two dogs, adored everyone in the family, was happy in a crate when left, and has never had a single accident in the house. This one was going to be the easiest adoption ever.
After a few hours at home, I began to think something wasn’t quite right. Muffin was too calm from the start, and I realized that she wasn’t running around with my dogs because she physically couldn’t. She was stiff when she moved, and she didn’t want to lie down and sleep because getting down was sore. When she finally gave in to her tiredness, she lay down in the middle of the kitchen where she could see me, and didn’t get up again all evening. She was in too much pain. But even when she was tired and sore, those eyes still adored me, and the tail never stopped wagging.
The next day I watched her more carefully – she would either stand or lie, but couldn’t comfortably sit, and moving from one position to the other was clearly painful. She could not run, get in and out of the car, or climb stairs. Her front end, shoulders and neck were powerful and healthy, but her back end, hips and even her tail lacked condition. Her hips, particularly the left one, turned out unnaturally.
I called Sally and shared my concerns – there was no way this girl could be cooped up for the road trip up north, she would seize up completely. On Sally’s advice, I got an appointment for the Monday morning to see Dr Pappan, an orthopedic vet, to have her hips and back x-rayed.
I dropped her off in the morning, leaving her with all the vet nurses cooing over her – she worked her magic on them all. When they did the initial exam, even with 2 nurses and the vet all holding her down and pulling her about, the tail never stopped wagging.
The news that evening was dire. Muffin has severe hip dysplasia in both sides, and arthritis in the left side. In addition, they found a total of 4 BB gun pellets embedded in her thigh, shoulder and foot. Amazingly, these are not troubling her at all and have been there for some time. I can only imagine the pain she must have had when she was shot 4 times for some sick joke.
Muffin’s choices then were not good. She would be very unlikely to find an adopter if she was facing a life on painkillers – too expensive and further trouble down the line.
Dr Pappan’s only other suggestion was an FHO (femoral head osteotomy) on both sides. Basically, this involves surgically removing the head of the femur, the ball joint which sits inside the hip socket. This procedure is done on one side at a time, with several weeks recuperation in between, and with the right therapy and post-op care, great results have been achieved. Dr P has seen dogs live out a pain free life and even go back out hunting after full rehab. However, of course, this procedure is radical and far from cheap. Muffin has no owner to foot the bill, and LAB Rescue’s resources are stretched to provide and rescue so many other dogs every week.
Sally spent a long and agonizing week trying to decide what to do. If Muffin had shown the slightest behavioural issues or any other negative traits, then sadly we would have had to decide on no treatment and the inevitable sad final visit to the vet for her. But her temperament and kindness have saved her – she is just so loving and adorable that we all feel she is a dog worth saving, whatever it takes.
When Sally told me that we are going to do the op, a huge weight was lifted off all of us. A guardian angel has donated the cost of one hip’s surgery, and I will keep her at home and nurse her and do all the necessary rehab.
But here’s where we need all your help – so many of us have had so much joy in our lives from these rescued dogs – could you repay some of that joy and make a donation towards Muffin’s vet bill? We can’t let other good dogs go un-rescued because we have depleted LAB Rescue’s coffers on this surgery. Please dig deep and let’s see how much we can raise towards the $1200 that she needs. TO DONATE, CLICK ON THE "DONATE TO SAVE A DOG IN NEED" TAB ON OUR HOMEPAGE. You may donate by check. Make your check payable to L.A.B Rescue, and mail to:
L.A.B Rescue
c/o Sally McAninch
10779 Bridlewood
Houston, Texas 77024.
ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE.
Since the diagnosis, Muffin has been on anti-inflammatory drugs and has responded really well – she has been swimming, walking and generally enjoying life to the full while we try and build up her muscles before surgery. She LOVES her morning walks and plays lots now with my dogs. It is heartwarming to see her enjoying life now that her pain is being managed, and I know she is going to be a wonderful member of someone’s family once she has completed her long and difficult journey.
Jackie
Muffin’s Foster Mom
