Help Fix Forest!!
Donation protected
He's a "broken puppy", they said.
"Put him down", they said.
"Who's perfect?", we asked.
Forest is a 4mth old German Shepherd whose first and only vet visit was to be euthanized last week. Fortunately, the vet refused and the "breeders" turned him over so we could get this sweet boy the proper care and help he needed.
Forest was born with multiple front leg issues.
His most troublesome of joints seem to be his wrists.
His left wrist has tendons that are contracted and make the joint buckle under with each step he tries to take. He cannot physically extend the joint because of this.
His right wrist has the opposite problem and there is too much laxity or looseness in that joint.
We have a plan!! He has already had his first consult with a specialist and will be undergoing surgery on his left wrist to release those tendons giving him so much trouble. He will then be fitted with a brace for that loosey goosey right wrist. Only time will tell if bracing it alone will resolve the laxity as he grows. Fusing that joint may be a possibility in the future...
He will start rehabilitation as soon as his skin heals from surgery. He will likely need to be fitted with a new brace every 4 to 8 weeks because he is a growing puppy and will outgrow them fairly quickly.
Forest likely has issues "upstream" in the shoulder joints but we are not looking for perfect, just functional. He currently appears pain-free, but his joints will not be able to handle his adult weight in their current state, and this is why we are doing everything we can to help him.
We just want to give Forest the best shot at being a dog. Goals are: going for walks, holding his own chew stick between his paws (boy does he get frustrated!!), going down stairs (going up he has mastered), and keeping up with his furry friends.
We are raising money for ongoing medical care but more specifically, rehab therapy and the multiple braces he will need.
Thank you very much for helping Forest!!
Sincerely,
Nikki Brook and Forest
"Put him down", they said.
"Who's perfect?", we asked.
Forest is a 4mth old German Shepherd whose first and only vet visit was to be euthanized last week. Fortunately, the vet refused and the "breeders" turned him over so we could get this sweet boy the proper care and help he needed.
Forest was born with multiple front leg issues.
His most troublesome of joints seem to be his wrists.
His left wrist has tendons that are contracted and make the joint buckle under with each step he tries to take. He cannot physically extend the joint because of this.
His right wrist has the opposite problem and there is too much laxity or looseness in that joint.
We have a plan!! He has already had his first consult with a specialist and will be undergoing surgery on his left wrist to release those tendons giving him so much trouble. He will then be fitted with a brace for that loosey goosey right wrist. Only time will tell if bracing it alone will resolve the laxity as he grows. Fusing that joint may be a possibility in the future...
He will start rehabilitation as soon as his skin heals from surgery. He will likely need to be fitted with a new brace every 4 to 8 weeks because he is a growing puppy and will outgrow them fairly quickly.
Forest likely has issues "upstream" in the shoulder joints but we are not looking for perfect, just functional. He currently appears pain-free, but his joints will not be able to handle his adult weight in their current state, and this is why we are doing everything we can to help him.
We just want to give Forest the best shot at being a dog. Goals are: going for walks, holding his own chew stick between his paws (boy does he get frustrated!!), going down stairs (going up he has mastered), and keeping up with his furry friends.
We are raising money for ongoing medical care but more specifically, rehab therapy and the multiple braces he will need.
Thank you very much for helping Forest!!
Sincerely,
Nikki Brook and Forest
Organizer
Nikki Brook
Organizer
Fairfax, VA