FAYETTEVILLE, NC.....We were contacted by Cumberland County Animal Control to see if we could help them save a one-year-old Beagle. Snoopy had been hit by a car and was picked up and brought to them. He was taken to the Vet in the area since he was in Shock when he arrived. This poor pup had numerous broken legs and a head injury and needed to get to a Critical Care Specialist, or they were going to have to put him down.
Snoopy arrived just as they had described only in much worse shape than we had anticipated. He had to go right into ICU because he was definitely in shock from his poor little-broken body. I am sure the shock was mostly coming from the unimaginable pain he was in. Snoopy spent the weekend in ICU while they did everything they could to get him stable. Once he had been stabilized for several days, only then could they begin the repair process of putting this pup back together.
Dr. Michelle Nanfelt took over his Surgical Care this week. She had to do all of his repairs in several different procedures over the course of several days to get him used to using one leg before they did the other leg. Snoopy's left upper lip (above his canine tooth and incisors) had an avulsion of the gingiva and tissue off the underlying bone but does not appear fractured on exam. Dr. Nanfelt reattached some of the tissue with a few sutures. Because the left radial fracture was proximal and his growth plate here is likely newly closing, she used a wedge plate to be able to get three holes on the top fragment without encroaching the joint and avoid the radial nerve. We allowed several days for Snoopy to recover from this procedure and get better hydrated before doing the left tibia on the other leg.
It was a rough couple of days for Snoopy, but his pain meds and nausea medication have finally kicked in and he is feeling much better. Dr. Nanfelt did not want to wait too long to do his other surgery since it was a fresh break and his best chances are when it is new.
Snoopy was able to finally have his second surgical procedure to repair his left tibia on his other leg. The proximal tibial fracture is an unusual site and care had to be taken to avoid his several open growth plates in this region when placing a plate/screws to align. He may have damage to the growth plates themselves in either the left forelimb and left pelvic limb from the original injuries. Sometimes compressive or subtle shearing injuries can occur and show up later as an angled limb or limbs of different lengths. Dr. Nanfelt felt like Snoopy would have a good outcome but wanted us to be aware of what could go wrong down the road.
Adorable Snoopy is one of three we have in ICU that are all broken up because their Owners did not keep them safe in a fenced in area and allowed them to run free. Dogs are dogs and love to run and chase other critters. Beagles will follow their nose wherever it takes them, even if it is into traffic.
We are not here to take care of everyone else's dogs, but it sure seems like that lately. If you are going to have a dog, then keep them safe and if they get hurt, DO NOT abandon them. Work out something with your Vet. Good, honorable Vets want to help, and if you say you are going to pay them, well pay them so they can help other pets.
Our little Heartbreaker has had all of his surgeries and is now recovering. He has started to use both of the repaired legs and is winning over the hearts of everyone he meets. His bills are very high because of the complicated procedures and the fact he had to stay in ICU for so long before we could even begin the surgical process. Please, Donate whatever you can, and if you can't, please forward to all of your Dog loving or Beagle friends, so they have a chance to Donate toward his Medical Care. Thanks for caring and helping this sweet pup Heal and find Love.
