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Maxx - Northridge, CA ESRA 2003-255CA Age: 8 yrs. |
This brave handsome boy, abandoned in a shelter near Riverside, California, has charmed one and all in his quiet, sweet way. Despite VERY severe hip dysplasia, (a few tears were shed when the vet and the technician recognized how serious it was, and how much he must hurt), Maxx does NOT complain one bit, and his wonderful gentle personality shines through. And, though he can hardly walk, he still wants to play! Maxx has been described as "John Candy in a springer suit" - big, sweet, loving, funny and gentle. Foster mom says all you have to do is look in his eyes to see his devotion, and how much he wants to please.
It is Maxx's shining temperament that won him the committment of ESRA volunteers, and a generous vet surgeon, to ensure that funds will be raised for the hip denervation surgery he needs. He's WAAAY too far gone for anything conventional. The normal things just won't work in Maxx's case. Euthanasia is the only other option.
Denervation surgery is the selective severing of the pain transmittal nerves, resulting in basically a femeral head removal without removing bone. The result is the same, allowing the dog to regain its pain-free mobility.
Maxx is great with kids, other dogs, cats, and loves the outdoors. He knows some commands and appears crate trained and house trained. Maxx needs to lose a few pounds, and will need to keep his weight down, for life, after his surgery. (Poor Maxx, can we all relate?)
He will not be available for adoption until several weeks after his surgery, when he has recovered, but interested parties are encouraged to apply.
Maxx is looking for sponsers to make this new chance in life possible for him. Its hard to imagine that someone abandoned this good, patient, boy in his time of need - - but Maxx has shown that he is WELL WORTH the investment! You can help!
Surgery: May 29, 2003:
On the left you'll see a dislocated hip
with no cup and a jagged femoral head. On the right you'll see a femoral head & cup...barely. Now you know why we're
doing this. The surgery requires delaminating the bone so the nerve serving it can be severed. That means the surgeon must
seperate through the muscle without
cutting it. Maxx is kind of a porker so he had a lot of fatty tissue to go through.
Update May 30, 2003:
This AM's update is that Maxx will only eat
out of the hands of our tech's little boy. Mikey is 3 and according to his mom, made his breakfast and sat there and hand
fed it to him. He's getting wise to his antibiotic & pain pills and spits them out. He was very thirsty as is the norm
with surgical patients who haven't been allowed water for 24 hours.
It's 8:40 AM and so far he hasn't pottied or peed. Jill slinged his midsection to provide stability and took him outside
but he wasn't interested. She said he's still dopey and many times pain medications will
effect bowel movement.
His activity needs to be held to a minimum for a week but somehow I don't think Maxx will allow that.
Update May 31, 2003:
The power of healing and
veterinary medicine is amazing. We just brought Maxx home and he walked in under his own power. In fact, we're having a
hard time keeping him sedentary. He actually wants to run!!!! He's enjoying the smells & other dogs, not to mention a
filled bone or two.
He's still on pain medications and will be for a while. Sutures come out in one week. They're getting itchy already so he's wearing a cone so he can't tear them out.
Update June 3, 2003
Here's Maxx after he figured out how to take the collar off. He is doing great and wants to run and play. What a sweet boy. Boy, can he talk a lot! Talks and barks out a song for his diet dinner! He is so sweet and fun!
Update November 5, 2003
Maxx is all healed from his surgery and his fur is growing back. He has learned to walk and play with his limitations. Maxx will have his hip dysplasia for life as his damaged hips could not be repaired. But he is mostly free of pain thanks to the surgery, and able to take short walks around the block. He gets around the yard and house without any pain. He has a very sweet personality and just loves to talk! He loves biting the feet of the other dogs as they run by to get them to play. Maxx gets up very early in the morning and loves to greet me as I stumble to the bathroom and needs a scratch and a hug before going back to bed. He just loves to be the center of attention. Maxx loves a ride in the car and a trip to the mailbox. \
Update January 11, 2004: Maxx is great! We have a new foster Sam who is blind and Maxx and Sam play all day long. Maxx loves him. We went to the vet and he thought Maxx was doing just fine. He still has not lost much weight, and we need to work on that, but so do I! We took Maxx to the dog park last week and he had a great time. He is one happy boy!
UPDATE September 16, 2005: Some of you have asked that I
update you on Maxx. Maxx continues to do well in long term foster care. Unable to walk long distances, Maxx still enjoys an
occasional trip to the dog park. Maxx loves dinner, and it's his favorite part of the day. His beautiful big eyes still
require tummy rubs and kisses on his head! He has several favorite dog beds around the house, and he specializes in early
morning wake up calls!
Maxx is a love, and thanks everyone for your help with his special needs, and he loves that you ask about him!
Contact: Caryn Pola, rescuespringers@hotmail.com
 Steve & Lori Griego |
In honor of hard working ESS rescuers everywhere |
| Jamie & Ed Balazs |
A gift from Mickey and Zack |
| Belle & Terry Sprague |
In remembrance of Yo-Yo and Bobby |
| Kathy Engberg |
In memory of Thatcher |
| Rosemary Elden |
In memory of Holly, my Beautiful Girl |
| Beverly Lynch |
In memory of Mo-jo, Ted, and Josey |
| Lori & Mike Sala |
In memory of Our Suzy |
| Pamela George |
In memory of Baxter |
| Judie & Lee Lemsky |
In memory of Penny & Princess, our first springers |
| Anne Laboulais |
In honor of Jesse's 2 years in France |
| Sue Schulte |
Commemorating Boo's 2nd birthday |
| Karin S. Kramer |
To celebrate Maxx and Dylan's successful hip surgery! |
| Nancy Ringe |
A gift from your buddy, Chester, aka "Cowboy" |
| Edward & Patricia Nahin |
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| Soori Bell |
In honor of Circle Games Burnt Sienna & |
| Gary & Bernadette McGuire |
In memory of Cody Bo Baxter. We miss him terribly |
| Heather Bremus |
To honor my own sweet rescue Springer, Whittaker |
| Thomas D. Bohlmann |
In memory of Lucy. |
| Roger Allison |
In memory of Lucy. |
| Gregory Acres |
In memory of my Muckity Mo, Miss Kylie and Eddie. |
| Gerg and Kathy Honegger |
Thank you for your good work! |
| Katrin E. Owen |
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| Isabel Sheeter |
May you never have to suffer again. |
| Denise Ehner |
In memory of Springer Max Dakota, age 2. |
| Bretagne Gurley |
In memory of Bud. |
| Carla Meyer & Chuck Arnold |
In memory of Casey, Cluncy, Barkky, & Gem. |
| Rhonda Mix |
In memory of Riley dog. We all miss you. |
| Dorine Lunceford |
In memory of Mackie. |
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In gratitude for our new Jasmine & Oliver. |
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Happy Birthday Caryn. For all the Special Needs dog you care for. |
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