Update - Friday, May 16th, 2008, 11:30 p.m. - Well, as I predicted, once Rosa was listed as available for adoption she didn't stay long!! Rosa was posted as available on May 5th and was adopted and went to her forever home on May 6th!!! She is now living with a nice family in Boise, Idaho. We hope to have her Happy Beginnings Story and some photos of her with her new family soon! Once we post her Happy Beginnings Story we will take down this special page. Thanks again to everyone for all you did when we asked for your help! Without you, rescue would be impossible!
Update - Tuesday, April 21st, 2008, 11:30 p.m. - My apologies to one and all for the delay in this update. After taking Rosa to the vet yesterday for a re-evaluation, I had a but of an emergency situation at home that has taken my mind to other places.
The vet was truly amazed at how well Rosa was doing, even walking and putting weight on her leg in his office. After taking new x-rays (and my seeing the first x-ray) we have determined that the injury was caused by a rifle, not a shotgun, as first reported. There are still some bullet fragments in her leg, but the vet says it's not a problem and it is best to leave them in as they are in soft tissue and not causing a problem. Thankfully her leg was extended when she was hit and the majority of the bullet passed through, if she were standing still the bullet would have entered her chest and struck her heart. That is one LUCKY GIRL! And now a few words from Beth White, President, DRCI:
GREAT News! Rosa, the lovely young female found in the country with a broken leg is doing better than ever imagined! Finally, the vet returned, the original x-rays were received, and we were told that due to the extended knitting of the bone (comparing current x-rays with the old) , that the best thing is to let the bone heal as it is doing. Rosa is one very lucky girl that didn't have infection from the bullet that caused the break nor from the duration of the condition. The vet was amazed at how well she was doing. He said that had she been available for treatment earlier that he would have suggested surgery, but she doesn't appear to need it now. We are so thankful!
We thank everyone SO much for their generous donations to Rosa's cause and feel that we want to offer a refund if it is desired. OR, you know that we will definitely put your donations to work for the next dog like Rosa or other dogs in the system already. We have one dog completing heartworm treatment; two needing further chiropractic adjustments to help them become sound; one requiring extensive therapy for a bad back, and several on medications that are not cheap. Not to mention ever increasingly expensive spays and neuters. Two dogs also have separation anxiety and they are receiving supplements to help them accept their new homes. We invested nearly $1800 in one lovely young lady whose precancerous condition required removal of all of her mammary glands. The vet bills are never ending so we will definitely use your support in other ways if that is acceptable to you.
If you would like a refund from Rosa, please contact our Treasurer and we'll happily to send it to you. Thanks again for caring enough about Rosa to help us so!
Beth White
President, Dalmatian Rescue of Colorado
Update - Saturday, April 19th, 2008, 10:02 p.m. - It has been a little while since we have given an update... but there's a reason. Until today, there hasn't really been anything to tell you. Rosa has just been patiently waiting as only a real trooper can do given her sad situation. We were in contact with the vet and we can't do anything until we can put down a 50% deposit.... we are almost there... but still need a little more help. We can come up with the remainder of the money somehow, yet right now we need to get to the half way point first. Rosa is scheduled for a 'pre-op' consultation with the vet on Monday morning, April 21st at 9:50. At that point we will be able to tell you more about the procedure that will be done and what kind of rehabilitation she will have to undergo. And then hopefully soon thereafter we will be able to give the go-ahead and get her surgery done.
We want to send a super special thank you to all who have donated to help her already, and an advance thanks to all who will donate in the next few days to put over the half-way mark so we can get her the treatment she needs. Again, either I or Rosa will have an update on Monday afternoon for you so you'll know what she's facing in the coming weeks.
Special Rosa Update - Monday, April 14th, 2008.
It's me again... Rosa!
I just wanted to let everyone know that I have left my 'landing pad' and am now at my temporary foster home. I really enjoyed my landing pad, they were all very nice to me and we generally got along fine. Every once in a while I would get grumpy with the two foster dogs already there when they got too close to my leg as I was resting. A quick bark and they got the message to back off! I never really thought of myself as the bossy type before, but I guess maybe I can be. I don't really want to be, but I have to look out for myself so I don't get stepped on or kicked by accident.
So, I am going to stay at my temp foster home with my foster mom and some of her 'fur kids' while I wait for my appointment with the Doctor. I hope I'm going to like it here. I get along with everyone so as long as they like me, I'll like them back.
Before I have to go, I want to thank everyone for holding me in their thoughts and for the generosity that you have shown to me.
Woof!
Rosa
Update - Monday, April 14, 2008, 3:05 p.m. - We have talked with the orthopedic specialist who says that we are looking at somewhere between $2,500 and $3,500 to fix Rosa's leg. Of course that is all dependent on whether or not it is able to be fixed. We were cautioned not to rule out the possibility that amputation might be necessary. Of course we are going to try everything we can to avoid that and save her leg if it is at all possible. We still have a couple days before anything can be scheduled, so we are also checking with some other doctors to see what they think, based on her x-rays. Regardless, this is obviously not going to be cheap. We also learned that the injury to her leg was in fact caused by a shotgun as they saw several peices of buckshot in the x-rays.
With the pain meds, she is doing okay. If not for the broken leg, you would think she's a perfectly happy and healthy dog. She is mobile, getting around quite easily by doing the three-legged hop. Here's a couple shots of her in the back yard earlier today.
Please keep her in your thoughts for the next couple days as we determine the best course of action to take for her overall health and well-being.
Update - Sunday, April 13, 2008, 10:00 p.m. - Just to keep everyone informed on what's going on with Rosa, I figured a little update was in order. Rosa is here with me in Colorado Springs and the introduction with my other fosters went very well, for the most part. We had a few growls from Rosa when they got too close while she was laying down... completely understandable given the pain she's in and not wanting them to step on her leg or bump into it. But all in all, they are doing good given the circumstances. For the most part, Rosa does the three-legged trot when she moves around - which she does quite well. Occasionally she'll forget and put her right front foot down a little too hard and then quickly lift it up. She can bear a little weight on it, which makes me think that it's already started to heal - improperly. Right now she's just chilling out on the dog bed by my chair as I type this.
I am going to call the vet down in Trinidad tomorrow morning and get the name of the orthopedic specialist here in the Springs so we can figure out the best course of treatment and actual expenses we are going to be facing. I will update everyone after we find out what's what.
Hi Everyone!
Thanks for reading my story. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rosa (though I don't really know it yet)! I was injured about a month ago... I really don't know how my leg got broken, but it really hurts bad. I was found by some nice people as I wandered and limped along the road near Trinidad, Colorado. These kind folks took me home and tried to make me comfortable until they could get me in to see a person they called a veterinarian. When I got to see the doctor, he took some pictures of my leg - boy I didn't know you could take pictures of the inside of you! He didn't like what he saw and sent the pictures to someone in Colorado Springs to see what he thought. This new guy, they called him an orthopedic specialist, said that it would require expensive surgery or maybe even amputation. I'm not sure what that is, but it really doesn't sound fun! The people who took me in couldn't afford to pay this man, so they took me to Noah's Ark Animal Welfare in Trinidad. It's a really small rural shelter. They lady there said they didn't have the money to fix me up either. I overheard her talking to someone else there and she said that if Dalmatian Rescue of Colorado couldn't help me that they would not have a choice other than to put me to sleep! That sounded so permanent the way she said it. So I prayed real hard that Dalmatian Rescue of Colorado would help me get better. And I think my prayer was answered. Because I am now in Colorado Springs in a nice house... but it's a little too active here for me since I haven't been to see the orthopedic specialist yet. I could really use a place to lay my head that isn't quite so busy until the doctor can see me and fix me up. Then on Sunday, April 20th, I can catch a ride north to go to a place they called a 'rehab' home so I can rest and recuperate from my surgery.
The people here at Dalmatian Rescue of Colorado have been so nice to me so far, but they say that they will need everyone's help with my vet bills. I know, from hearing them talk, that times are tough and budgets are tight... but that's not letting them stop me from getting the help I need. So, I need to ask you if you can find it in your heart to help them! Any amount of money you can spare can help me to possibly save my leg and live a long healthy life.
THANKS!
--Rosa
P.S. Don't forget to check back regularly to see how I am doing!!