Wheels wants to get on a roll, but until the border collie mix’s hip was dislocated she’s remained stuck in park.
At he end of last month, the 12-week-old dog arrived at the Squamish SPCA branch with her mother. The two dogs were in poor health and were transferred from an area north of Pemberton during an animal cruelty investigation, branch manager Marika Donnelly said.
“[Wheels’s] mum was extremely thin,” she said. “She was in foster care for three weeks with us trying to plump her up.”
Wheels was dragging her right, hind leg behind her. A veterinarian discovered that the puppy had a fractured and dislocated hip. The dog’s injury was determined to be two to three weeks old. As a result the veterinarian was unable to fully repair the damage, Donnelly said. The veterinarian opted to do a femoral osteotomy, surgically removing the head and neck of the femur.
“In simpler terms, it’s the removal of the ‘ball’ part of the ball and socket that makes up the hip joint,” she said, noting the surrounding muscles and scar tissue work to support the area and act as a false joint.
With the operation came a bill of approximately $1,000. As a non-profit organization, the BC SPCA relies on public donations to help the province’s most vulnerable animals, Donnelly said. The Squamish SPCA is asking for the public’s help to cover the cost of Wheels’s treatment. You can donate online at www.spca.bc.ca/medicalemergency or in person at 39901 Government Road.
It’s not a common injury, but Wheels is doing well after surgery, Donnelly said. She was also spayed last week. Wheels will be ready for adoption in October.
The dog’s prognosis is good, as veterinarians believe she’ll have a pain-free life.
“While she’ll never be a regular running partner or agility dog, she’ll be able to enjoy strolls around the neighbourhood, runs on the beach and easy hikes,” Donnelly said. “This cute little girl is such a sweetheart. She has a bright future ahead of her.”
