Poodle and Pooch Rescue of Florida: COVID-19 Operation Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
Poodle and Pooch Rescue used the $500 grant funds to contribute to three special-needs dogs' medical procedures in order to get the dogs to an adoptable state so they can find their forever homes.
1. VEGAS (first five photos): a 1-year-old special-needs Chihuahua/terrier mix boy -- we contributed $300 towards his leg amputation.
2. MOLLY MAE (sixth photo): a senior Yorkie girl -- we contributed $100 towards her senior blood tests and x-rays on her bad knees.
3. JOYA (seventh photo): a special-needs senior Havanese/Maltese mix -- we contributed $100 towards the surgery she needed to remove mammary tumors.
Poodle and Pooch Rescue specializes in taking in a high percentage of special-needs and senior dogs. These dogs have higher medical costs than healthy dogs. Outside of the basic spay/neuter procedures, on average, basic veterinary services for each “healthy” dog is about $200 and vetting for each special-needs/senior dog on average is an incremental $300 on top of that (typically for additional diagnostics such as extra blood tests, x-rays, heart evaluations, orthopedic exams, checks for mammary tumors, etc.). The diagnostics alone increase the overall average vetting cost per dog, and most require serious medical treatments in order to get them to an adoptable state.
The grant funds helped replenish some of our special-needs medical fund, which then allowed us to take in more dogs with medical challenges from our local shelter and keep up with the procedures they needed. With these extra funds, we can focus on rehabilitating our rescues emotionally and physically, rather than worrying about the incredibly high medical bills they have.
How many pets did this grant help?
3
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Vegas is a 1-year-old, 14-lb. Chihuahua/terrier mix who came to Poodle and Pooch in poor health (first photo). His back right leg had an older break that was not taken care of and healed incorrectly. His right front leg was atrophied and his paw was knuckling over. We immediately got him to our vet and found out that his right front leg would have to be amputated.
However, before that we needed to get him to a specialized surgeon for his hind leg. After doing the preliminary surgery procedures, the surgeon informed us that Vegas’ kneecap was running into his femur. Once the surgeon started the surgery, she found that she could chisel just enough bone down to pop the kneecap into place. This gave Vegas range of motion in his back leg. She took the remaining bone fragments and used them to fill in other hairline fractures that were present and that did the trick! Soon after this surgery, Vegas had to have his front leg amputated; it could not be repaired, so that was the only option.
Next Vegas went into foster care and he made his foster fur-sibling, Lucy, his absolute best friend. He loved going between dog beds and blankets, snuggling up in them. Because he was so young, Vegas recovered quickly and was loving his new life! He did need extensive physical therapy for his back leg.
He just kept getting happier in his foster home. When he first arrived at his foster home, he was uninterested in everything. He didn’t want to play with his toys and hated peanut butter. This situation totally changed for the better after his second surgery. He starting loving his toys, actually hoarding them, and he got wiggly all over when he saw the peanut butter jar.
Vegas was next listed for adoption and it didn’t take long for this adorable, sweet boy to find a happy forever home (second photo). This handsome boy made the best companion. Although he only has three legs, that doesn’t slow this guy down. Vegas is a happy-go-lucky boy who loves to play with his toys and other mild-mannered dogs.
