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Daisy - Chandler, AZ
(ESRA# AZ-2001-209) (06/08/2001)
ESRA Case Manager: Karen Williams

• Age = 5 years old
• Gender = Spayed Female
• Color = Liver/White
• Variety = Bench/Show-Bred
• Weight = 45 lbs

This sweet girl sat in the shelter with a leg that is fractured in three places since Monday June 4th. She had apparently been hit by a car. FINALLY, she is home with me now, being given sub-Q fluids, is heavily sedated and on mega-doses of anti-biotics to combat the horrible infection she now has. They feel it's best for the infection to be cleared up before they do surgery, so she is scheduled for surgery on Monday morning. Due to the amount of damage done, she will need plates, pins and screws in her left femur. She has been x-rayed, poked, prodded, driven in two different vehicles, carried from the shelter to the car, from the car to the vet, back and forth in the vets office for x-rays, and from the vet and to my house. As much pain as she is in, she did not even let out a single whimper. With as much as she has been through, she never even looked sideways at any of us. This girl is truly special.

6/13/01: Daisy the day after surgery. She is making a fast recovery.

Daisy's injured leg needed extensive surgery. Help if you can and sponsor this brave young lady.

6/08/01: She and I had an adventure today! When I went to check on her this afternoon, she was standing on 3 legs wagging her tail like mad! She wanted to go outside and potty and so we did. I led her right outside the door and she walked over to the gravel and peed. She smelled the trees and plants and looked like she enjoyed every second of it.

Then we came inside and she laid back down and I began to clip some of the fur that had been sunbleached, blood-soaked and urine soaked off of her. She was full of burrs and horribly matted. We didn't do a great job, but we got most of the ugliness gone. She wagged her tail the entire time and even turned over so I could do her other side. I then gently bathed her and she kissed my face throughout her entire bath. I carefully dried her off, put down fresh, dry sheepskins, and she plopped down and went right too sleep. She had some cooked chicken and rice for lunch today, which she ate with a gusto.

The pain meds are helping, and the swelling in her leg looks like it's going down a bit. I am still giving her sub-Q fluids three times a day, even though she is drinking water on her own. What a sweet, sweet girl she is!

6/11/01: Daisy is undergoing her surgery as I type this. The estimate given this morning was $1808.75 - $1927.91 for her. The surgery is estimated to be 3 1/2 to 4 hours, LOTS of screws. plates and rods in her leg. The break is in a very tough place to fix, but the specialist gave her a pretty good prognosis. Since she is such a fighter and is up and moving around, he feels she'll do well. Her recovery will be long, she'll have to do extensive physical therapy with me, but he feels confident she'll do well. He took three more x-rays this morning when she was sedated, he wanted to see he lungs to be sure they were uninjured and he also wanted to see her leg extended. He is also running a blood screen to make sure there are no hidden problems. He is giving us a $450 discount that is NOT included in the above figure, PLUS, "Saving Arizona Animals" is kicking in $250 as well.

More after her surgery.

6/11/01 PM: After a somewhat lengthy consult with the surgeon, I have given him the OK to amputate Daisy's left rear leg. He found considerably more damage to the bone and muscle once he opened up her leg. The breaks were very close to her hip joint and her knee, which makes it difficult at best for the rods, plates and screws to stay together. He was very concerned that any type of stumble, fall or jump during her 8 - 12 week recovery would cause the hardware to collapse and significantly more damage to her leg. While he has seen a few dogs recover with breaks such as this, he has seen far more end up losing the leg shortly after the initial surgery. He assured me her life as a tri-pod would be happy and she would actually be more comfortable later in life. The certainty of severe arthritis in her leg was also a key factor in my decision. She will be coming home tomorrow morning, I will update again when she is home. Keep her in your prayers tonight.....

6/12/01: Daisy came through her surgery with flying colors and was soooo happy to see me when we picked her up. Her tail hasn't stopped wagging and her butt hasn't stopped wiggling with joy! It's as if she knows she is safe now, there is a glow in her eyes and a spring in her step. Even though she is on pain meds, it is obvious she is glad to be free of her horribly injured leg. She has been out to potty, had lunch and is now resting comfortably on her bed. She goes back in ten days to have the staples and sutures removed. The vet left a small part of her upper leg and her hip so she will be more comfortable sitting. Daisy was the office sweetheart, charming everyone there with her happy-go-lucky Springer personality.

6/13/01: This girl is incredible. I took her out back to one of my grass doggie runs so she could potty and all she wanted to do was play! She was sniffing and trotting and bouncing around being so silly! She started rolling around in the grass woo-woo-wooing and I swear I could see her smiling. She is so happy to be alive and pain free she is absolutely glowing with joy. She is getting spoiled getting special food for breakfast and dinner, but she does need to build up her strength. She is such a joy to have around, wanting only to be by your side. She is a leaner, and just wants to be loved. From the second she got home, her tail has never stopped wagging. She is beginning to sit now, and she lays on her surgery side, so I know she is healing up well. I took some pictures of her outside. Look at that happy face and blurry tail. What a precious girl she is!!

6/26/01: Daisy continues to thrive and she is quickly adjusting to her life as a tri-pod. She is getting along very well with dog, is fine with cats and has very nice house manners. She is a velcro Springer, always wantinng to be by your side. Daisy likes to go for rides in the car and is beginning to enjoy her leash walks. She needs to build up her strength and stamina for longer walks, but you can't tell her that! She wants to go and go! This sweeet girl is a tribute to the loving temperament of Springers and she is going to be a wonderful addition to the lucky family who adopts her!

DAISY'S GENEROUS SPONSORS TO DATE:
Kim Koski	In memory of Peggi, Mallory and Kelli
Lisa Stanford
Deborah Werner & Leslie W	Thanks to Karen for being such a special foster Mom!
Sherry Lankin	In memory of Coco our beloved Springer Rescue dog.
Jim Meyer	In memory of Higgins
Cathy Teff	In memory of Maddie