Nemo's Road to Recovery
Nemo is a 2-year-old Whippet mix who was surrendered to us about 6 weeks ago after breaking both front legs when he jumped off of a table. His owner was not able to afford medical care so they brought him to us for help. On presentation, he seemed to be in pain and unable to bear weight on either of his front legs.
X-rays were taken at a local vet hospital which confirmed fractures in both front forelegs so we started pain medication and placed splints on his legs to provide him comfort and support. We were hoping the bones would heal with the splints alone, but unfortunately after 6 weeks of rest and stabilization, his bones are not healing well. After consultation with an orthopedic specialist it was determined that surgery was necessary for him to heal properly and be able to walk.
The surgery included putting him under anesthesia, removing the parts of the bone that are not healing, adding a bone graft and then placing external fixators or plates and screws on the bones to stabilize them while they heal. He will also need to be on antibiotics and strong pain medications for several weeks after the surgery.
His foster home has nothing but good things to say about him. Here’s a note from his foster mom:
“This little guy has had to adapt to wearing splints on his front paws for several weeks and has done an amazing job of moving about the world while maintaining as normal a life as possible.
He is cuddly at home, loves to burrow his nose and wrap himself in blankets during his quiet-time. Sometimes he’ll lay in his dog bed and other times he wants to sit with his people. His expressive face makes clear what he wants at any given time.
While on short walks outside he is a heart-breaker and everyone falls in love when they meet him. He is friendly when greeting new people and always happy to meet other dogs for a little play.
During playtime at home Nemo likes to engage in a gentle tug-of-war and other games that he can play with his humans. He also will entertain himself for a time with his toys, chewing or chasing, always moving in ways to accommodate his splints, but not letting them get in the way of his having fun.”
Nemo's surgery and recovery will be very costly, totaling an estimated $6,000-$6,500. However, because of his young age and his sweet and loving temperament we want to try and help him as much as possible. Nemo is going to make a someone very happy as their pet someday. Please consider donating to Nemo’s journey!
Please check back as we will provide updates as they become available!