American Lurcher Rescue Project: Emergency Medical Grant Report

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

Orthopedic surgery for leg injury

While overall, our intake of new retiring or stray lurcher-type dogs from the field-trial racing industry was slightly lower than average in 2020, the number needing special medical care was high. At a time when COVID-19's impacts to the economy were significant, winning a medical emergency grant helped us afford and access care needed for quality of life issues.

How many pets did this grant help?

1

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

Griffin, whose race name was Bob, suffered a devastating, career-ending injury during a field-trial racing event in July of 2020. Recognizing the severity of his injury, the owner arranged to surrender him to us in the hope that we could get him evaluated and provide the necessary medical care for him to enjoy a retirement in a loving pet home.

American Lurcher Rescue Project immediately had him seen by our vet, who was concerned with the swelling and potential bleeding — or even rupture and loss of the limb. At his recommendation, Griffin was quickly transported to the Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center in Columbus for specialty orthopedic care. His serious injury was evaluated through their Emergency Department as a complete tear of the left CCL, coupled with a meniscal tear.

Griffin, as he was re-named, had first a meniscectomy followed by a TPLO surgery at Ohio State. He was able to recover with a devoted medical foster family while they were working from home due to COVID-19 during his four months of rehabilitation. During his recovery, this sweet boy really charmed his caretakers — so much so that when he was fully fit and neutered, they were approved to adopt him and became his forever dads in November.

Griffin’s leg has healed well and he is enjoying life with his greyhound siblings; he even helped his dads with another emergency medical-foster lurcher girl for the American Lurcher Rescue Project, showing young Rosie the ropes as she recovered from her orthopedic surgery.

The Petfinder Foundation Emergency Medical Grant helped us give Griffin his best possible outcome to live his retirement life without pain, and with all four of his legs!