TOBY UPDATE (FLORIDA) Good news & bad news. Toby is our 4 month old pup without the proper use of his back legs, being fostered in Clearwater, FL. Here is his newest video showing how he walks: youtu.be/nGKUC4GA46A He just had his first visit to the specialist and were in a tough spot. Tobys legs are so extremely rotated, the doctor says he only sees 1-2 cases/year this severe, and each one is very different. The surgeon says, although it will be a significant challenge, he thinks he may be able to fix Tobys legs!! Hooray! There is no guarantee, and it may take more than one surgery per leg, BUT how great would it be if Toby could stand up and/or walk on his own for the rest of his life?! The bad news... this could be even more expensive than we thought. Best case scenario, with everything going perfectly, his surgeries will be $4,000. It could possibly reach as much as $6-7,000! Some people may recommend a wheelie cart instead of surgery. Understandable. If you were a young kid and your legs could be fixed, would you rather have the limits of wheels your whole life? Some may also point out how happy he is now... Here are a few things Toby cannot do: Cross a threshold. Tobys back legs get hooked on door frames and it can hurt and be really scary. Hed really like to just run inside like the other pup, but he has to stand and wait for someone to lift him over every bump and step. Go potty without struggling to do a handstand. Toby tries SO hard to keep his legs clean. When he has to potty, he balances all of his weight on his 2 front legs while his back legs quiver and dangle, hovering as much as he can manage (about an inch off the ground). Thats hard work! Scratch his own ears. Poor Toby rubs his ears with his front legs as much as he can, but it doesnt do the trick. When his ears itch, he has to ask for help from Foster Mom or Foster Dad. These may seem small, but Toby is such a young puppy, has so much life ahead of him, and he wants to be independent & free to explore. Wouldnt it be great if we could at least TRY to give him the gift of walking? If you have any questions please email the foster mom at uyr.kelly@gmail or to apply to adopt the website is uyr.us
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 09:02:23 +0000