Three Legged Dog Club
Cassie's Club Members
 
Dexter

My poor little Dexter just got out of surgery.
She is a small brown cocker spaniel that I adopted from Louisiana where she had been found as a stray.
She has a cataract and probably got booted out of a puppy mill because of her obvious defect. She traveled up to New England in a huge rescue truck with other dogs and got stuck in that Storm of the Decade a few weeks ago. I drove 4 hours each way to get her because the truck couldn't go any farther in the weather.

My biggest surprise when I met her was how small she was for a cocker. When I got her home with my other 3 rescue cockers I was surprised by her energy and speed!! I couldn't get a picture of her because she moved too fast. 

She knocked over lamps, water dishes, and people.
She jumped on my head all night and chewed on my hands.
She is as cute as she can be but more of a puppy than a dog.
And more of a Dexter than a Lilly, the name she came with.
But we were all adjusting and she was getting to be buddies with my girl Ruby. This morning I was in the front yard with all he dogs, picking up frozen poop with a shovel when I heard a thud and a yelp. I immediately thought it couldn't be one of my dogs, because they were in the fence with me. Then Dexter came running, howling all the way and slid right between the slats of the white picket fence! She jumped up in my arms crying and waving her crushed front leg. I had no idea she could slip through such a small space!
I wonder how many times she had done it before as I have a dog door and they are all in and out as they please.
  So tomorrow morning, after I get off work as a critical care nurse, I will pick her up and take her to another animal hospital where they will look after her while I work 2 more shifts. Wednesday I will bring her home and I will have 8 days off to nurse her back to health and help her learn to walk on three legs. She lost the front left leg.
What a hard life that dog has had so far! I hope she doesn't have too much pain! I'll take any advice you've got.
Yep, she went between the slats and got hit.
The guy kept on driving, which isn't nice, but I have to say I blame myself more than him. Who can stop faster than a darting dog?  And Dexter can dart. 
The driver is probably home wracked with guilt, punishment enough. Dex is her old self already, according the the vet, eating and running straight out to pee instead of using a splint.  I get her back Wednesday.
She can run around and hop up on things, but mostly she sleeps.
The first few days her sleep was quite restless, but today she has been out like she is in a coma. I think the pain is under better control now. Good thing I have 2 weeks off work.
Also a good thing I am a nurse, so I know she isn't really in a coma!
Dex is up and around more, but still has a lot of pain.
She wakes up wailing several times a day. I feel so bad for her.
She must wish she was still a stray in Louisiana.
She started on Neurontin today. I hope that helps.
It is still so hard to get a good picture of Dexter because she moves so fast every picture is a blur. But I finally got one! with my grandaughter Melissa.

Mary Callahan
Thursday May 27, 2010

 
Jasper

Hello,
Attached please find pictures of my pooch, Jasper. I adopted Jasper exactly 2 years ago, when he was just 6 months old. My parents had both passed away the year before and really needed something to bring me joy in my life during a very difficult time. I was about to buy a new house and I got a job that allowed pets in the office. I had a cat, named Bucky, and figured it was time to adopt a new "baby." I'll never forget watching a segment on the Today Show in May of 2008 about the man who created the "wheel chair" for dogs. He loved his pet so much, that he was determined to not give up, so he found a way to bring comfort to his pet and extend a happy life. It moved me to tears. Several days later, I stopped at a local restaurant to pick up some take out with a friend and saw a posting from Ken-Mar Rescue to adopt an old Chihuahua named Teddy. I called them to inquire about Teddy, and they told me he had been recently adopted. Ken, one of the founders, suggested I look on their website to see if I found any other pup that caught my eye. I did just that.

I almost looked past Jasper. He was listed as a Jack Russell mix. Now, my brother has a pure Jack, and she is really nuts. So, I didn't really look into Jasper until I saw that he was listed as a "baby." I read his profile, and learned that he had a bum leg that would never heal back to normal. Remembering the story I saw on the Today Show, I thought "This is my dog." I called back the rescue organization and spoke with Martie, she's the other founder of Ken-Mar.

Martie informed me that for the past month they had raised money for several surgeries, but there was no fixing the leg. They had to amputated that very morning. She asked me, "Would you still be interested in adopting him? Martie would later remind me that I replied, "Oh God, I want him even more."

Martie had rescued Jasper from the pound a month earlier when he was flagged to be put down. No one knew exactly how his back right leg had been fractured, but everyone could attest to the fact that he was a very determined little pup. Three days after I called about him, Jasper was brought to my door. I had a few friends over and everyone was fawning over how cute my new dog was. I barely got to be near him. He was still groggy from the anesthesia and his amputation was still very fresh. He had wire stitches, still bled a bit, and did not seem comfortable. Everyone kept saying, "he's so lucky." It wasn't until I was alone with him later that evening, looking into his little caramel colored eyes when it hit me so hard, "I'm the lucky one."

That thought rang so clearly in my head, and it's never changed. Two years later, he is the most spoiled dog ever. Jasper, being part Whippet, runs like the wind. My boyfriend, Joel, takes him running when he skateboards, and Jasper loves it. We hike a lot, run at the park everyday, and he spends most of his day with me. A year ago, I entered Jasper in the mixed breed dog show, Nuts for Mutts. He won 1st place in the "Most Handsome Small Breed" category and 3rd place in "Best Physically Impaired." Though anyone will tell you, Jasper has no idea he's "physically impaired" at all, and in my eyes, he's not. I forget he's missing a leg most of the time, until people stop me in the street and marvel at how fantastic he is. My puppy runs like the wind and is the owner of my heart.

Thank you so much for starting your organization.
It means a lot, especially when you understand how deeply wonderful these special dogs are.

Best Regards,
Natalie Ballesteros
Saturday May 29, 2010

 
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