Furry Kids' Refuge: Emergency Medical Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

The grant money was used to pay for femoral head ostectomy [hip] surgery and pin removal on Sidney, a shepherd mix who had been hit by multiple cars and left for dead.

Grants like this are such a welcome relief to our group, as our veterinary costs continue to increase while we care for so many animals with atypical medical issues. Donations and adoption fees can only cover a portion of the costs incurred, so without the generosity of organizations like the Petfinder Foundation, we would not be able to rescue as many wonderful animals as we have. So THANK YOU, Petfinder Foundation, for helping us continue our mission of rescuing abandoned and homeless animals.

How many pets did this grant help?

1

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

Sidney, a shepherd mix, was hit by multiple cars prior to being found by a Good Samaritan. He had been left for dead with multiple fractures in his hind legs. He taken to a vet who performed surgery, resulting in intramedullary pins in his left tibia and his right femur. After this surgery, Furry Kids’ Refuge was asked to take him in. We had him evaluated by our vet. It was determined that the right femur had fractured at the distal growth plate, but the pin completely missed the fracture and extended far too distal below the femur, causing local loss of bone where it was digging into the caudal tibia. Additional x-rays also showed that Sidney’s left hip has a fractured femoral neck and needs FHO surgery to remove the fractured piece in the socket and more of the femoral neck. This surgery prevents the pain of bone rubbing on bone and allows a fibrous joint to form over time. After several months, dogs perform almost completely normally.

Sidney’s right femoral head was found to be completely dislocated and the entire bone rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise. The bone pin was removed from the right femur as it wasn’t doing any good. Sidney’s right leg is fixed in position there is nothing to be done at this time on the right side. He is able to use the right leg as a “peg” to walk on and will need it while recovering from FHO surgery. After he heals from the FHO surgery and pin removal on left hind leg, it will be decided if he needs his right leg amputated or if he can live with its limited use.