Limbs Are Accessories, Until It's Yours.

This is Oscar. 

He is a Rottweiler mix who was found by Harford County Animal Control and brought to the Harford County Humane Society on May 6, 2014. He is about 8 months old, unneutered, unmicrochipped and had an obvious swollen and poorly functional right hind leg. 

There are a few dedicated veterinarians who generously give their time to help the unwanted, forgotten, and lost dogs and cats at the shelter. It is a difficult, often depressing, and sad task to see all  of those sad, anxious, afraid, or desperate for a moment of your time pets. I will be the first to admit that I cannot do it. I cannot face the pets housed there. I will only go to take a pet home, help on a fundraiser day, or to aid in a specific pets care. And, there is a small matter about how I think things should  be done, and my inability to keep my mouth shut. If there is a sick, injured, emotionally suffering pet I demand attention for them. I am not interested in logistics, lack of available funds, overcrowding, or any other encumberence or reality about the difficult predicament and situation that a shelter must exist in.

Upon delivery to the shelter Oscar was processed which  includes scanning for a microchip, assessing for injuries, behavioral problems, and any evidence of where he might belong. Pets are  also vaccinated, de-wormed, given a flea preventative and placed in a cage with an arrival date. Pets that are found as strays have 5 business days to  be claimed or they become the property of the shelter and can be either placed in general adoption or euthanized. Pets are euthanized for a large variety of reasons;

1. Not adoptable. (Definition defined by organization, labeled by staff who may or may not be trained adequately to do so).
2. Not enough room. Most shelters have contracts with the local community to keep open spaces for incoming animals. If they do not adopt out enough pets as new ones come in they have to make room by removing the less adoptable, or longest resident, or whatever the staff decides.
3. Behavioral concerns. Any pet who might be deemed a threat to people is euthanized.

With the small amount of information we have already I am afraid. 

Here's why;

1. A young dog in a shelter is at considerable risk of contracting a contagious disease. Of greatest concern is parvovirus, distemper, kennel cough, respiratory infection and the cascade of complications any one of them can cause.
2. Unneutered and concerned about this being synonymous with unvaccinated. Add number 2 to number 1 = recipe for disaster.
3. Obvious injury makes likelihood of happy ending more elusive.
4. Broken bones are expensive to treat, and shelters have mouths to feed and already very difficult decisions to make about the healthy uninjured pets.

Oscar is a young sweet gentle boy so he was sent to a local veterinary clinic for an examination to assess his leg.

Even with his gentle nature and the small amount of information we have already I am afraid for him. 

Here's why;

Oscar's radiograph quickly revealed the source of his lameness and swelling.

Oscar has what we classify as a distal diaphyseal fracture of the right femur. A radiograph can give us some answers to a few questions, but Oscar still holds a few. We don't know how long he has been injured, and we don't know if there are other injuries that we can't see so easily. For instance bruising of the lungs, tears or bleeding of internal organs, etc. 

On the lateral (side) view there is a concern about the bottom (distal) part of the femur bone having been pulled up (towards the pelvis) and back due to the muscles that run along the femur. When the bone is no longer rigidly intact the big thick muscles of the leg and thigh will contract or pull the end of the femur up.

Oscar's life was being determined by the vet who saw him initially and the staff at the Humane Society, until Dr. Hubbard saw him.

Dr. Hubbard, our resident Humane Society savior was at the shelter and inquiring about Oscar. She called me to say that the Humane Society was looking for a surgeon to help Oscar or they were going to take the advice of the original vet who stated that it would be cheaper and easier to amputate his broken leg. I have been down this road before. There are very very few instances when cheaper and easier is the right decision. This is an 8 month old dog, and this is a Rottweiler. There is a terrible chance that this boy will need an extra leg by the time he is 8 years old and has osteosarcoma on the left rear leg. Save his right leg as a spare. Rotties need spare legs. (Related article; Kelso's Christmas Wish).

Cheaper? Well, I am going to argue that one too. Seems the estimate the other vet gave was $1,000 to amputate. Someone hand me a paddle. I'll take your $1000 to give this dog fewer options, a longer recovery and I'll fix it for half. I got a little heated. Why are we seriously debating taking a leg off of a puppy without trying our damnedest to fix him? 

Dr. Hubbard and I were on a two woman mission to save Oscar's leg. Dr. Hubbard wanted me to fix it, (in whatever pathetic haphazard way I could). But, I know Oscar needs a bone plate which I do not have, and I leave for a weeks long vacation in one day..Oh, and in that one day I have to pack and celebrate Mothers Day, AND,,, still..I feel obligated, and stressed...very very stressed!!..(oh, yeah, that's why no one else volunteers for these).

Here is where the flood of anxiety, frustration, and feeling of "oh, god, what am I getting myself into this time begins?" For some reason I have yet to understand, I feel as if I am the only vet who is willing to throw my hat in the ring and help. To work for the simple satisfaction of trying to do the right thing for a pet. When did that become such a scarce commodity? I have the same training as my peers, I have had to learn by jumping in the ring. By being comfortable with uncomfortable surgeries. and still, no one else will even try??!! It's incredibly frustrating. 

Dr. Hubbard and I called every surgeon we knew to get Oscar's leg fixed. The  best we got was 10% off the standard surgeon cost of $3,000. Did I forget to mention that this dog is not owned? And is a resident of the Humane Society? UGH!

Now I know I am ranting. Vets get asked every single day to work for free. It sucks, and it is unrelenting. (See previous rant on Compassion Fatigue). 

After numerous frantic calls back and forth, Dr. Hubbard and I decided that, no matter what we were going to;

1. Try to save Oscar's leg. 
2. We were going to try to find someone to plate the leg and give him the best possible chance at healing. 
3. We were going to get him out of the shelter ASAP.
4. We were going to find this boy a forever home after.

I called a dear friend, client, a fellow Rottie fan. In that one phone call the myth of feeling like Dr. Hubbard and I are the only ones who cares was shattered into tiny pieces. 

I explained Oscars plight and our quest. He said to me, "I just saw Dr W (our local orthopedic surgeon) yesterday with Heidi. He has done surgery on both of her knees and was the surgeon for her sister too. Call him and tell him that Oscar needs this surgery and that I am helping to pay for it. It's only money and this dog needs help."

I cried, I seriously cried. All of the stress, the guilt, the terrible turmoil about going on vacation when there was a dog at the cshelter who needed help slipped away. 

"Oh, Mr. H, that's so incredibly generous of you. We are going to do our very best to help you with this. Jarrettsville Vet will donate, and No Kill Harford will pitch in too. And we will keep asking for help from everyone." I said, trying so desperately to get a clear Thank-You out as I choked down tears.

And then I went back to joyful tears and called Dr. Hubbard to share the news.

Oscar is expected to have his femur repaired on Tuesday. 

We will keep you all posted on his saga and hopefully there will be a happy ending to his tumultuous beginning.

And, just for the record again, amputation is not an option for quick and cheap.

If you would like to help Oscar you can send a donation, or even a Thank-you card care of "Oscar's Fund to Jarrettsville Veterinary Center, or No Kill Harford. Any funds received will go to help a pet in need to help them live a long, happy and healthy life.

May the memory of those we leave behind inspire us to do better for those we have yet to serve..

If you have a pet question, a story to share, an inspiration to help another pet and another person please meet me on Pawbly.com. Pawbly is all about pet people helping other pet people, and Pawbly is free to use.

Or find me at the clinic, Jarrettsville Vet, or on Twitter @FreePetAdvice.

P.S. Nina's Not a German Shepherd

At my clinic, Jarrettsville Vet Center, do a lot of work with rescues.

It comes from my roots in pursuing veterinary medicine and my deep belief that you should use your talents and abilities to pay it forward. I strongly believe that we are all responsible for the world in which we live in. The more you contribute the better all our lives will collectively all be. I rarely look inward, it makes you jealous, bitter, and defeats any productive purpose. It's not about what I take with me, for me, it’s about what I leave behind.  So if I can help I jump in.


Very early on in the ownership of JVC I was approached by the former owner, the beloved, Dr. Wilson, and asked if I was interested in meeting with a German Shepherd Rescue volunteer? 

I remember him muttering something to the effect of “the smell of new meat”. I was sure that he was referring to me, and the rescue was the predator in his inaudible euphemism. 

I was excited about the opportunity to join forces with a rescue group. I thought it would be a marriage of the best of both worlds. I could help pets who really needed me, feel like I was giving back, and at the end of the day I didn't have to look for a home for them. After all, I had already come to a resolve that this job isn't about the money. 

I met with a few of the Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue volunteers later that week.

Now that I recall that first meeting I remember Dr. Wilson also passing on a few other pointers to me. He said such things as; “You know German Shepherds can be aggressive, you might want to think about whether the staff can handle them?” and, “You know you are opening the hospital up to disease if they come from a shelter,” and lastly “Why wouldn't you pick a breed like labs?”. 

Well, I thought, I guess because Lab Rescue didn't come to me? And, besides, I grew up with a great sweet protective German Shepherd, and I am not afraid of German Shepherds. (Ahh, ignorance is bliss).

A few days after our meeting, (which really consisted of nothing more than a handshake, and introduction, a tour of the facilities, and some quick jots of prices), the first German Shepherd arrived at JVC. Actually the first two dogs arrived at JVC. One qualified as a German Shepherd, the other was clearly using the definition very, very loosely. 

This second dog is the point of this blog.  That second dog was a Rottweiler. Albeit, a mangey, hairless, scabby, emaciated Rottie. She was found in the same home as the GS, in Puerto Rico, and by the grace of the goodness of the saviors who found her, given a companion departing plane ticket. Her name was Nina. 

Now lets go and review our geography; JVC is in Northern MD. Maryland is far, like really far, away from Peurto Rico. About 2000 miles far. (I didn't put it in the navigator, this is a guess. But you get the point). I don’t really understand how they landed at our facility? But, there they were. Our first rescues. 

I was shocked and appalled when I saw them.

I am always amazed at how resilient and forgiving a dog is. They will lift their head and wag to greet you, even at the precipice of doom, despair, and death.  She was the poster child for the t.v. info-mercials about animal cruelty and neglect that I still can't sit through. Actually all of those mangey, hairless, crusty dogs almost always have the same problem. You, (yes, you), can diagnose them on sight. Feed them, apply flea and tick control, treat for superficial mange, (aka scabies), skin scrape for Demodex, look at the poop, and control the itch without destroying the gut. Remember, that a dog that is fragile on the outside is also fragile on the inside, (but now I am giving away part of the story).  

We started our treatment plan. It included multiple medicated baths per week, oral antibiotics, oral gastro-protectants, ear cleanings, and a high quality recovery diet. 

Everyone got really attached to Nina quickly. Being a veterinary care provider for many of us is a maternal calling that evolves and takes over the most primitive part of our brain. It is soo deeply seeded in human beings that it can convince us to make irrational decisions. The DVM inside of me placed her odds on survival at less than 50%, but the staff was rooting for her and I was afraid to publicly admit my defeatist odds.

One of the reasons I believe that the rescue groups are an important part of our JVC family is that we get to spend long periods of time with these rescued pets. It reminds us on a daily basis that every animal is an individual.  It keeps us from putting up a justifiable, all too common defensive mechanism that becomes a shielding emotional shell and just seeing them as a “thing”. I don’t ever want any staff member to see our patients as just a 'dog', 'cat', etc. Should you ever  become the patient confined to a hospital bed at the mercy of being cared for by someone else, you will want to feel like an individual. A unique complex person who matters. 

About 1 week into Ninas treatment and stay with us, she became very depressed. Her belly was very tender and she was reluctant to eat. If you could coax her into eating she vomited it all back a short time later. 

"Crap," I thought, "here it is, the consequence of having hit her hard with all of the medications she needed to fight all the disease she was carrying." 

I took an x-ray and my fears were confirmed. She had fluid in her abdomen! 

I looked around at my staff. They were now crying and cuddling with her on the floor. I told them that I had to open her up to see why she had fluid in a place it didn't belong. I knew that she probably had perforated something organ somewhere. 

They asked me what I was hoping they wouldn't. “Will she live?” 

I was honest and told them that "I didn't know?" 

I knew she had been just barely holding on since she had arrived. I knew that if I didn't open her up she would be dead by morning. Within a few minutes she was under general anesthesia belly up on the surgery table and I was gloved, gowned and taking deep breaths. Under that gloved, gowned green shroud I whispered that "I wanted to be doing this in another  zip code." I didn't want all of those teary eyes watching me,,, as if I wasn't worried enough? So much for building bonds with the animals, now I have to feel responsible for breaking hearts too?  

I made a ventral mid-line incision into her abdomen. In the laymen’s terms we call it a stem to stern incision. Or, medically, from xyphoid to pelvis. It is essentially the longest abdominal incision that one can make so that you can really get your hands in there and inspect everything completely. The leak can be a pinpoint and there is a lot of stuff in the belly to root through. Ever try to find a hole in a tire? How about a hole, in a hole, in the dark, while your patient is rhythmically heaving up and down as they breathe?

When I opened up her belly the first thing that I saw was free floating ingesta, (or her stomach food and juices). We suctioned out the fluid and started our tedious inspection of her internal contents. 

Sure enough the stomach had a large perforation in it by the pylorus (bottom of the stomach). A few layers of suture and the hole was closed. I moved on to check the rest of her abdomen. Everything else looked remarkably good. She was doing well through the anesthesia and the inquiring heads stopped poking in with worried tear stained faces. She was almost out of the woods and the clinic was returning to its normal busy day hum. 

Like every veterinary hospital the staff has its own internal public announcement system. The surgical technicians are very good at keeping the news wires flashing, which I much prefer that they provide than me. I need to concentrate when I am in surgery. It is the only time I am not talking and multi-tasking.

Nina made it through surgery and she recovered quickly. We had to taper her medications back significantly. Which let her remaining scabies residents have a little fiesta again. We whacked them hard a month later when her body had healed enough to go back on her mite killing meds. She stayed with us at the clinic for about 6 months. It took her scarred over taxed body that long to recover. Needless to say over that time she became an integral consistent part of our team. Many of our clients got to witness her recovery first hand. She was a fixture behind the receptionists area. When it came time to place her in foster care one of our receptionists applied to adopt her. She had nursed her, cared for her, walked her and hugged her through 6 months of treatment, recovery and care, and she was attached. We all were.

Nina lived for 5 more years and thrived. She was loved every day. She reminded all of us that life is full of miracles.

I want to thank MAGSR for bringing Nina home from Puerto Rico even though she was obviously not a German Shepherd. They brought her to us, paid for 6 months of care and then let her go home with the person who loves her most in the world. Amazing things happen everyday,  and sometimes they happen right under our roof.


Nina in the early days of recovery:

At the clinic keeping a dog recovering from surgery company.

Nina at her new home;

Nina and her mom.

Nina smiling a big Thanks!

If you would Like more information on the Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue 

If you would like to learn more about Jarrettsville Vet 

If you have any pet related questions you can find a whole bunch of helpful people to answer them at Pawbly, or follow me on Twitter @FreePetAdvice.