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April 9, 2004: He arrived home today from his leg surgery on Tuesday. He will have to remain quiet for 8 weeks. He will go back for x-rays in approximately 5 weeks, I think, and then go back for more x-rays at 12 weeks. He will need physical therapy and the foster mom is eager to learn what she has to do to get the muscle to lengthen and get his knee to bend. I took some pictures of him tonight. She bought him this huge wire crate because he can’t bend his knee and is wearing a collar. I bought him this huge pillow so he will be comfortable in the crate. He is the nicest puppy ever! The vet techs called him the “Miracle Dog” because only 2 hours after surgery, they asked an assistant to carry him outside to urinate. Maxwell tried to stand on his newly repaired leg which was astonishing to the vet techs. He is a puppy so he will heal just fine, I think. The orthopedic surgeon, who was highly recommended by both vets at the office, worked very hard to get the bone straight. An attending vet tech said he was going to set it once and wasn’t satisfied, so he filed more bone down, and set it again. The x-rays show the leg is very straight now with the rod and the four pins! Maxwell has been a very good boy through it all.

Update, May 24, 2004: Maxwell saw the vet today for his post-op x-ray and evaluation. We received great news! Max is doing very, very well and everyone is pleased with his progress. The x-rays show that the fracture is 90% mended. The vet believes that Maxwell will have good range of motion and a pretty normal gait when he gets used to using his leg fully again. I think that when his coat grows back, you might not even know that his leg was so badly broken! Max does not seem to care that his leg is still healing - he wants to go, go, go. The vet wants a few more weeks of limited activity to ensure the best outcome possible.

Max has been crated for seven weeks now and is a little stir crazy I think - he will destroy anything with any stuffing in it. We have definitely learned a lesson about that! We will do our best to keep him quiet for a little longer, but we are definitely looking forward to letting him burn up some of that puppy energy very soon. Max has gone from being a poor, homeless, skinny little puppy with a badly broken leg to the wonder dog! The past hurt Max very badly, but the future is now bright for this guy - I can only say thank you from the bottom of my heart on behalf of Maxwell. He is truly a sweetheart.

Contact: Kathy Raidt braidt@minn.net

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MAXWELL'S GENEROUS SPONSORS TO DATE:
Diane Stirewalt	In memory of Dutchess
Cathryne Slaughter	From Maggie and Mr. Barney
Betty Swanson	In memory of Sadie, 11-06-2001
Gary Hanes	In memory of Little Maddie from Texas - never forget!
Bonnie Nichols
Mary Dobbins	In memory of Lilly, on her birthday.
Mark McGraw	In memory of Katie, 11/5/2004