The Great Raymundo Fundo
We are looking for your help to raise funds for Raymond the Labrador.
Raymond has a condition called Elbow Dysplasia and requires corrective surgery, my Dad (also Raymond) has re-homed him and would like him to have the life changing surgery he deserves.
Here is their story....
This is Raymond.
Raymond is a 8 month old Black Labrador, he was bred as a potential Police Search dog and was named after my Daddy...Raymond.
Raymond is a stunning young man with a fantastic nature. He is full of life and loves nothing more than to play ball and smother people in cuddles. Raymond had everything going for him, his Police training was going well and he had an extremely promising career ahead of him.
When Raymond was 6 months old he started to experience bouts of lameness, they would come and go erratically and despite some fantastic care from the 'The Rowley House Vets' in Cranleigh and lots of TLC from his amazing foster family it was becoming obvious something was not quite right.
In March 2020 Raymond was referred to Anderson Abercromby Veterinary Referrals in Warnham, where a CT scan confirmed Raymond had elbow dysplasia in both of his elbows. Despite careful breeding Raymond had fallen into the small minority that could still be affected by this disorder regardless of having health screened parents and Grandparents. This devastating news had ended Raymond's career as a Police dog before it had even begun.
There is nothing pleasant about elbow dysplasia, it is a painful condition which causes the elbow (in Raymond's case both) to develop abnormally, this results in long bouts of lameness, general discomfort and an early onset of arthritis. His quality of life without surgery would certainly be questionable.
Raymond now had to find a very special home, rehoming a dog with life long health condition in such a young age was never going to be an easy task.
Enter Raymond number 2...my Dad!
For those of you that don’t know my Dad, he is one of the kindest men you could ever meet. He has worked hard his whole life, is an amazing Father, loyal Husband and a superhero 'Pops' to his 4 Grandchildren and 2 Grand-dogs! In general he is one of life's 'good eggs'. I phoned Dad one evening on my way home from work and told him of Raymond's tale. Dad listened quietly to the heart breaking story and it wasn't long before he had hung up to have a very long and life altering discussion with my Mum.
On Sunday 3rd May 2020 Raymond the Labrador became the second Raymond in the Faulkner family, a twist of 'name fate' had led to my Mum and Dad committing to give Raymond the Labrador the best life they possibly could. Despite his potential need for surgery (and the ultimate name confusion!) they invited him into their home and have not looked back.
There was some hope that Raymond's condition would be manageable through careful exercise and physio, but sadly his lameness persists and his discomfort continues to grow. Raymond returned to the specialist this week and it was confirmed the fairest option for him would be surgery.
Raymond requires something called an 'Elbow Arthroscopy'. A keyhole type surgery which allows the surgeon to magnify the joint and shave off abnormal bone growth. This surgery will allow the joint to move more freely and develop in a corrected shape. This procedure will delay the onset of arthritis and give young Raymond a real shot of a 'relatively normal life' . The surgery itself is fairly simple but the recovery will require 6 weeks crate rest followed by gentle and careful physio in order to rebuild the muscle around the joint.
Raymond's surgery is now booked for Thursday 11th June.
As you have probably gathered by this page we are looking for some help, Raymond's surgery is set to cost £2200. We are calling on our friends and family to donate what they can towards Raymond's surgery, ALL contributions will be hugely appreciated.
Help shine some light on these two 'Rays' of Sunshine!
Lots of Love & Woofs xx