'Hailey

Hailey was rescued from a local shelter. Hailey has a crushed right rear foot and will need surgery. If you can help, please donate to Hailey's Medical Fund. This is the type of unexpected expense that we just can’t say no to. There was no way we could leave her at the shelter to be euthanized because some careless owner did not take her to the vet right after her injury and before the infection set in. We will update again when we know more. Right now Haley is resting in a foster home.

After being examined by our orthopedic surgeon we’ve found out that the primary nerves for Hailey's injured leg are not functioning. The good news is that she is not in pain. The bad news is that the leg does not function properly and that she will re-injure and infect the leg continuously. The very bad news is that odds are against being able to save the leg. Some or all of the leg may have to be amputated. However small the odds, we want to give Hailey every chance for saving the leg. We need funds for the next few weeks of medical management. If there is improvement, there may be a chance to save the leg. Surgery will likely be needed. Please contribute as generously as possible to Hailey's help fund via the link above.

February 29, 2012

Less than two weeks after surgery, and Hailey’s foster mom describes her as “doing awesome”.   Hailey’s foster mom is very experienced with dogs who have had surgery, and she says she has never had one heal as fast as Hailey is healing.   Her challenge today is the same as it was before surgery, keeping Hailey from running around like the wild child that she can sometimes be.  Her second challenge is keeping Hailey’s cone on.  So far she’s gone through three.  Hailey doesn’t see the cone as a nuisance, just a chew toy that someone was nice enough to put close to her mouth.   For anyone worried that losing a leg may deter Hailey’s ability to jump, no worries.  She springs onto the couch as easily as she has ever done.

For Hailey’s forever home, Hailey wants you to know that while she may have lost a leg, she is definitely not broken.  She is still the same German Shepherd puppy that she has always been, sweet, loving, “innocent”, high energy, and mischievous, always looking for the next adventure.  She is going to need a home that can be firm with her and give her the training that any German Shepherd would need.