Yogi Rescue amputee dog story..

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threehappypaws
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 1:31 pm

Yogi Rescue amputee dog story..

Post by threehappypaws »

This is Yogi’s Story: Yogi belonged to another owner back in 2014, In January 2015 aged just 4 months old Yogi was hit by a car and his leg was fractured in several places. His owners took him to the vets and he had two major operations to put the leg back together. He spent most of his days in a cage as he was not allowed to move around much. In March of 2015 the owners could no longer cope with him and contacted a rescue centre asking for their help, they said if they could not help, the owner would have no choice but to dump him somewhere. The rescue centre of which I was a member and already had adopted one dog through them called Pudsey a Lhasa apso. Agreed to help and told the owner to take him to Vets for Pets in Hull. The owner took Yogi there and just left him with one teddy... The rescue centre contacted me and asked if I would like to foster him temporarily I jumped at the chance as I wanted a friend for Pudsey. Little did I know I would fall madly in love with him and adopt him.
I went straight to the vets to meet him that night just 1 hour after the owner had dropped him off, the vets wanted to keep him overnight in yet another cage and now without his owners. (I have a short video of me meeting him in the surgery for the first time which I have attached for you to see.) I asked if I could take him home there and then as he looked so sad and lost. Thankfully they agreed providing I brought him back the next day for a check-up and x-rays to see exactly what was wrong with his leg.
I took him home bonded with him straight away and just knew I had a very special little soul in my presence. My other dog Pudsey sniffed him and walked away sulking, Yogi just wanted to be friends with him lots of treats and gentle play with them both ensured that they both got on. At bed time I made him a special bed next to mine and he just lay next to me getting up several times in the night to sniff me and make sure I was still there.
The next day when the vet x rayed him the damage to his leg was a lot worse than first thought, the pin in his thigh had embedded itself into the back of his knee cap unabling him to bend it, or stand on his leg. He needed another operation to fix it. This was going to cost a lot of money, money that I or the rescue did not have. We decided to try and raise funds so he could have the operation, we contacted the local press, The Cockapoo Owners Club Uk, The rescue centre had a shop so lots of a posters where put up asking local people to help. Yogi even made in on to the television of Look North, The money came flooding in so many lovely people helped to raise the money to this day I am eternally grateful to them all thankyou !!!!
Yogi had his operation performed by a specialist orthopaedic vet surgeon at Vets for Pets it took 3 hours to perform. Whilst under sedation his knee cap was so badly damaged part of it shattered and had to be rebuilt using wires. The care and treatment Yogi received from Vets for Pets was outstanding and I also can’t thank them enough.
When I went to pick him up later that day he was so poorly, I brought him home wrapped him up in blankets and laid next to him the whole night comforting him I had to keep changing his bedding as he just urinated were he lay. It was an awful night and hearing him whimpering and crying was the most distressing thing I have ever had to deal with, as try as I could I couldn’t relieve some of his pain.
The next morning however he woke me up licking my face and was stood above me wagging his tail, I couldn’t believe it, was this same dog I had seen crying a few hours ago? I could tell he needed the toilet so I carefully lifted him under his tummy and carried him outside and supported him whilst he went to toilet and wow what a big wee he had bless him. Because he had had such a major operation he had to have cage rest for 6 weeks. I hated putting him in the cage I could see his little face look at me as if I was the cruellest person alive; it had to be done though as it was not good for him to be walking about as he needed to rest. I would bring him out the cage several times every day and play with him I massaged his legs and of course he had lots of treats... Every night though I would carry him up to his bed next to mine and he would just lay there all night and occasionally I would wake up with his lovely little face looking at me, at least for 9 hours he was not in his cage. He had Several visits back to the vets for check-ups, on one occasion however I took him back and they x rayed his leg to see how it was healing and the news was not good in fact it was terrible news his leg was not healing properly they sat me down and explained that the muscles and bones were not strong and were so weak after 3 operations that the best chance for him to live a normal and happy life was to have his leg amputated.. I felt sick I blamed myself did I play with him to much? Should I have had him in his cage at night? So many questions, the vets reassured me it was not my fault and that everyone involved with Yogi had done their best and given him the best chance at keeping his leg. They didn’t want to waste any time and wanted to amputate his leg the next day as they said he was suffering and it was causing him pain. It was not an easy decision I was frightened for him, would he be able to stand would he be able to run would he be happy, the thought of him been in pain though was unthinkable I didn’t want him to be in pain and the vets they knew best. So with a very heavy heart I agreed for him to have it done.
The operation took a couple of hours and when I first saw him I was so shocked I cried my heart out, his little face was so happy to see me despite his leg missing his tail was wagging like mad as if to say its ok mummy I’ll be ok, we will be ok.. His leg looked shocking I’ll be honest it reminded me of a chicken plucked, that had been sewn together. I took him home and once again laid him on a bed of softness made up of spare quilts I had. I expected a really bad night with him like before, but to my astonishment he seemed a lot brighter, this time he just fell asleep with me next to him stroking him and talking to him.
The next morning when we both woke up I was astonished that he could stand up with no help, it really didn’t seem to bother him, he was a bit wobbly and unsteady while he seemed to adjust to the lost limb. I honestly could not believe it, I did carry him out to the garden though for his first wee, and supported him under his tummy whilst he went and then carried him back to his bed to rest, but he didn’t want to rest oh no he wanted to play with his raggy taggy toy, can you imagine how I felt? I couldn’t understand why he wanted to play and he wanted to stand up! I was scared that he would hurt himself and wondered if the medication was masking his pain, I just went with Yogi and his natural instincts to walk, which he did all around the house just fifteen hours after major surgery. I had already bought in lots of treats and I could tell he was really hungry so I gave him a bowl of chicken which he wolfed down. From this moment on he just got better, better and better!!!!!!!
Caesg
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2017 1:47 am

Re: Yogi Rescue amputee dog story..

Post by Caesg »

Thank you for sharing your lovely story! How long ago was all this?
threehappypaws
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 1:31 pm

Re: Yogi Rescue amputee dog story..

Post by threehappypaws »

Hi this happened in March 2015..
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