Duchess – Atlanta, GA
ESRA Special Needs Springer
ESRA #2012-387 LAAge: 4
Gender: Female
Color: Liver and white
Duchess is a four-year-old Springer who spent her early life in a Louisiana puppy mill birthing litter after litter of puppies. Puppy mill mothers are often in bad physical shape because they rarely fully recover from one pregnancy before the next and they often suffer from neglect. They seldom get regular exercise and often spend most of their days in kennels or crates without enough room to live comfortably. Lucky for Duchess, her life changed dramatically when orders from the local sheriff removed her from her environment and ESRA came to her rescue. She was diagnosed and treated for mange and intestinal parasites and began a new life where she found good food, a warm clean bed and lots of love.
In foster care, under the watchful eyes of a caring family, a more serious physical issue quickly became apparent. Duchess has hip dysplasia, not just in one hip but both! Years of being used for breeding and not getting proper exercise early in life exacerbated a condition she was born with but ordinarily would not have begun to cause real trouble until much later in her life. Watching this four-year-old Springer wobble when she runs, you might think she was a senior! If only one hip were bad, there might be other options to consider, but ESRA and her caretakers feel that Duchess needs a bi-lateral hip replacement in order for her to be able to live her life the way she fully deserves!
Click on this short video clip and you can see a little of her mobility issues — she's clearly not completely hampered by her condition but she's just a little wobbly and awkward. Notice too that when she sits she has learned to "round" her hips enough to tuck them under and sit just a tad sideways which alleviates the pain of having her full weight on her hips.
This photo also shows how she carefully protects her hips when she stands by rounding them to relieve the pressure on the joints. (The cute little fellow in the photo with her is her son Prince — the last pup in the last litter Duchess will ever be asked to bring into this world. He was in ESRA's care also and on October 24 found his a Forever Home! Click here to meet Prince!)
Duchess is a lucky little girl to now be living "the good life" with ESRA and we promise her love and TLC for the rest of her days. We are also determined to make her life free of pain so we will work tirelessly to raise the funds needed for her expensive surgery. We know our ESRA family and friends will step up to help. Please share her story and help us build her a huge network of supporters!
UPDATE 4/25/13 Duchess is ready for her surgery. She has completed her heartworm treatment and will be visiting the surgeon this week to make plans for her future.
Contact: Sue Schroer at sueschroer@gmail.com if you want to hear more about Duchess.
CLICK HERE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR DUCHESS
| DUCHESS’S GENEROUS SPONSORS TO DATE: | |
|---|---|
 Mike Freeland |
A gift for Duchess from Grace, the new member of the Freeland family in memory of Annie and Molly |
| Alisa M. Runyan |
In memory of Scooter and Dottie |
| Sue Schroer |
In memory of our beautiful Pepper |
| Cathy Scheffer |
A gift from Buddy so Duchess can have the chance to run like Springers should run! |
| Tracy Torma |
In memory of Emily |
| Ray and Monica Smith |
In memory of Chance, Benji and Bailey Smith |
| Laura Nagel |
For Duchess from your Duke |
| Carol Sanderson |
In memory of my sweet boy, Amos |
| Sheila Krawchuk |
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| Sandi Henderson |
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| Deborah Reed |
In memory of Dancer and Rosie |
| Betsey and Jerry Freyberger |
In memory of Pete and our current ESS Olivia |
| Nita Watson |
In memory of Max and Dottie |
| Jennifer Nelms |
In memory of Daisy |
| Marilyn Gorman |
A gift for Duchess from my two irreplaceable ESRA dogs, Cookie and Daisy |
| Kathleen Engberg |
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| Toni-Marie Partridge |
Good luck to Duchess on the bilateral hip replacement Duchess! My dog Ellie is a fellow Doguroo pack member in the small yard and I hope that they get to play together! |
| Angela Kindzia |
In memory of Montana and Cheyenne |
| Amelia I. Hudson |
In memory of Coco and Shane |
| Patricia Schaedler |
Happy Birthday to Sue Schroer |
| Anthony Piscionere |
In memory of Cosmo |
| Jim Beddow |
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| Bob Knell |
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| Zippy and Charles Cooper |
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| Joy Patton |
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| Dana R. Hanlon |
In memory of Keno |
| Kelli Schandel |
A gift for Jen Cobb in memory of Packer Schandel. I hope this little bit can help you get some new hips, little girl! |
| Akitsu Kimoto |
For Duchess from ESS lovers |
| Jennifer R. Pickett |
In memory of Mud Puddle |
| Pat Ryan |
In memory of Shelley and Lacey |
| Randi King |
In memory of Mistie and Emmie |
| Deborah J. Reed |
In memory of our late Springers, Dancer and Rosie |
| Diane Nagel |
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| Eric Criscuolo |
In memory of Duchess — from one Duchess to another |
 DogPound Printing | |
| Barbara and Gary Stonewall | |
| Carl and Allison Kannenberg | |
| Deborah Cooper | |
| Pat and Allen Olson | |
| Virginia Saunders | |
| Charles and Diane Brantley | |
| Terry and Belle Sprague | |
| Lee and Ruth Olson | |
| Jean Hilbig | |
| Terri Lambing | |
| James and Shannon Lambert | |
| George Border | |
| The Community Foundation | |
| Betty Daunhauer | |
| Laura Clarke | |
| Emily Pike | |
| Melissa Underwood | |
| Pat and Allen Olson | |
| Susan Phillips | |
| H. Wayne and Linda Phears | |
| Margaret K. Ford |
Merry Christmas, Dad! |
| Melissa Johnston |
A gift for Kay Trice in memory of Ginger |
| Eileen Parker | |
| Robert Marascalco, MD | |
| Lynn Marascalco | In honor of ESRA Volunteers and in memory of Keno, Sassy, Oliver, Delphi, Mr. Lola, Tex and all past Marascalco family animals |
| Jonathan Palarca | |
| Tracy McMahan | |
| Tyler Brennan | |
| Matthew Hambright | |
| Liz Cernadas | |
| Shannon Humphrey | |
| Tracey Maples | |
| Steve Lambing | |
| Diana Hansen | |
| Shala Broadway | |
| Ferm Brazda | |
| Sandy Mills | |
| Shawn and Tom Whitehouse | |
| Maureen Williams |
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| Kim Brammer |
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| Michael Todd |
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| Rebecca Lawrence |
Best of luck to Duchess with her hip replacement. |
| Maureen Bryan |
In memory of Sebastian |
| Jody Bower |
A gift for Kim Bent Harris in memory of Cassie Marie Harris, beloved rescue. You are missed, sweet girl! |
| Andy and Isabel Sheeter |
In memory of Hoover and Sadie Sheeter |
| Phyllis Chan |
In memory of Nita Watson's Pebbles |
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