A couple of years ago i noticed a plea on one of the lists i am a member of.
Labrador seeks urgent home...
the story was at 6 months of age willow was knocked down by a car, her owners took her to the vet and it was discovered she had fractured her lumber vertabrae.
She has numerous other injuries but obviously this was the main one, she was insured so she was reffered to a vat hospital where her spine was plated.
She was also speyed. (thankfully).
She became a firm favourite of the nurses who cared for her, never moody always up beat a true optimist.
She had lost the use of her hind limbs and tail but with a lot of tlc, physio, hydro and time it was hoped she would regain some sensation and mobility.
It was at this point the owners decided to have willow put to sleep. The insurance had ran out and she was obviously going to requier lots of ongoing treatment costing money and time
The nurses at the hospital could not bare the thought that after everything she had gone through it was going to be in vain, they asked the bosses and gained permission from the owners to allow them to take her on with a view to finding a suitable home where her care and progress may continue.
This is where i see the plea for help.
At the time I as working as a hydrotherapist for a lady (who bred labs) so i mention Willows dillema.
She set the wheels in motion for Willow to come and live with her and her 8 labs.
She arrived and looked nothing like a lab but her strong will and happy go lucky personality had everyone won over. The nurses clubbed together and got her a dog cart to aid her mobility.
She swam everyday (loves the pool
) but we found that as she had compensated the lack of hind legs by going like the clappers with the fore limbs so unless we restrained her in the water the hinds rarely got used. But it was a great excuse for a daily bath...as u can imagine a double incontinant dog is a smelly dog!
Armed with boots to protect her feet she easily kept up with the other dogs and was always at the centre of any interesting activity with the other labs.
The mobilty trolly is kept in the out house now...never gets used, the daily swimming sesions are history.
Milly as she is now know may not have full use of her limbs and may still have the odd toilet accident but nothing and no one get in her way of ensuring she enjoys her life to the full.
She can now walk and her sheer stuborness to keep up with her friends means she will never give up.
added a link, more pics and verification that is a true story.
http://www.homealabrador.net/happyendings/willow.php