Sophie – Kansas City, MO
ESRA Special Needs Springer
ESRA #2010-543 KS
Age: 8 years
Gender: Female
Color: Black and white
Sophie was rescued from a shelter a day before she was scheduled to be put down. When we went to get her, her entire face was so swollen we weren't even sure she was a Springer. It turned out that she was suffering from ear infections so bad that her whole face was affected. We were also told at the shelter that they thought she had an old leg injury but that it didn't appear to be causing her any pain.
As soon as we got Sophie settled in to her foster home, the first priority was to begin treatment for her ear infections. She responded well, her ear issues are taken care of, her face is now as cute as we expected it to be and, yes, indeed of course she IS a Springer!
Sophie was settling in to her new safe environment very well, enjoying the opportunity to get some much needed rest and delighting in showing what an all-around great Springer she is now that she was feeling better. Her foster mom, however, soon noticed that Sophie reacted strangely if her back side was touched. She was immediately taken to the veterinarian for x-rays, and it was discovered that Sophie had most likely been hit by a car, and the injury to her hind leg, which had gone untreated, was indeed causing her great pain. The vet was amazed at how well she was getting around. (In retrospect, we now think that the pain she had been suffering from her ear infections was probably masking some of the pain she felt in her hind quarters!) She was immediately put on pain medication and is already feeling better and trying to use that leg. But just "feeling better" is not our goal for Sophie — we want to make her as good as new and help her forget the heartlessness of people who let her suffer through the pain of such a bad injury! Right now, Sophie has to be left behind when her foster siblings get to go romp at the dog park — she deserves to go play too!
To repair the damage to her hind quarters, Sophie needs to undergo Femoral Head Ostectomy, an expensive surgical procedure but a necessary one to put an end to her pain and improve the quality of her life. Surgery is scheduled for June 25 and will be followed with a recovery period filled with TLC and a regimen of gentle physical therapy to encourage a full range of motion in the hip. When she has fully recuperated from this surgery, she will be almost as good as new and will be ready for her Forever Home.
The Midwest ESRA team is reaching out to everyone they know asking for donations to help ESRA pay for Sophie's surgery. If you would like to help them give Sophie full use of her leg again, you can donate by filling out the online donor form at http://www.springerrescue.org/donate/donation.html. In the "earmark this donation for" section, just be sure to specify that your gift is for Sophie 2010-543KS. Sophie will appreciate your help and will see that you receive a personal note of thanks!
6/26/10 UPDATE FROM SOPHIE'S FOSTER MOM:
Sophie underwent her FHO surgery on Friday, June 25. The vet kept her overnight for safe keeping and I have just brought her home from the vet today where she is already sleeping peacefully. Dr. Hodgson said the surgery was a complete success and has nothing but high hopes for her recovery. She is already putting weight on the leg — I think she is putting more weight on it now than before the surgery. She is quite a little trooper.
Thanks to all who have helped our sweet Sophie get a second chance to run again … and thanks to ESRA for supporting Springers who need a little extra help. We are proud to be members of this rescue!
7/1/10 UPDATE: Sophie's first post-surgical check suggested her hip was a little more tender than the vet expected it to be. Turns out that, now that she is experiencing nearly pain-free days, she has overdone it a bit with her exuberance. She will need to be kept on all fours and refrain from jumping for the next three or four days so she will be kenneled when not under the watchful eyes of her foster mom.
The vet will remove Sophie's stitches on July 8 and make sure she is giving her hip the time it needs to heal without too much movement. She's doing fine — she just needs to be a little more conservative in her convalescence.
7/8/10 UPDATE: As planned, Sophie's stitches came out today. The vet says she is doing great and should be completely healed in three to six months! Since she did not use the injured leg for so long, the muscles in that leg had become very weak and need time to strengthen to guarantee they can support the hip and the playful romping Sophie can enjoy in her new active life! She will be ready for her Forever Home pretty soon!
By the way, while at the vet Sophie went up to all the vet techs wagging her tail so they would pet her! No one could resist! What a sweet dog!
7/14/10 UPDATE FROM SOPHIE'S FOSTER MOM: Sophie is doing SO WELL it just amazes me. She is quite a trooper! I can already see a slight change in the muscle tone in her left hip area. Her bones don't protrude out like they did before and she is putting almost full weight on the hip! Her incision looks great and she is getting up and down the two steps I have out to the garage. She has yet to jump up on anything since the surgery but I see her sleeping back up on the bed soon. She loves to ride in the car and was an angel for the three hour trip home to Springfield last week. Everyone who meets her loves her! Keep in touch!
9/9/10 UPDATE FROM SOPHIE'S FOSTER MOM: Sophie is doing wonderful. She recently went to the lake with me and my dogs and was perfect. She stays right around the house and comes when you call her and wave your hand to "come". She is jumping and running and her limp is almost gone! She loves to ride in the car and gets so excited to "go". She has barked a total of five times since I took her in. She is just a quiet girl who follows me around wagging her tail and looking so sweet with those big brown eyes! She just wants to be loved. I massage and stretch her leg every morning like the vet told me to and she has full range of motion with that leg now. She is definitely ready for her Forever Home.
Contact: Heidi Thomas-Dunn at mo_rescue_esra@yahoo.com if you want to hear more about Sophie.
CLICK HERE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR SOPHIE
| SOPHIE’S GENEROUS SPONSORS TO DATE: | |
|---|---|
 Kathryn Schulte |
To help Missouri's Sophie with her leg surgery |
| Heidi Thomas-Dunn |
For Sophie, who is rescued and loved by the Midwest ESRA team |
| Carolyn Molloy |
Sophie, may you run pain free at the park with all the dogs soon! |
| Anne Solak-Tennant |
For sweet Sophie from her Illinois ESRA family |
| Robert Lasar |
We are so fortunate to have Springers, the greatest of dogs. |
| Sharon Staso |
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| Penny Richardson |
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| Sidney Jacobson |
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| Chauncey Park |
To help with cute little Sophie's surgery |
| Mary Dobbins |
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| Verlin and Shelley Snouffer |
We hope Sophie makes a complete recovery and joins her Forever Home soon. |
| Linda Craycraft |
A little help and a lot of love for Sophie in memory of all the beloved pets who've come in and out of my life. |
| Diane Rash |
In memory of our greatly missed Barcley and Willy |
| Marty and Scott Teare |
Good luck, Sophie! |
| Penelope Richardson |
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| Ray and Monica Smith |
Good luck, Sophie! |
| Laurel Hunt |
In honor of all the wonderful ESRA volunteers who save lives every day |
| Cassie Utsey |
Thanks for all the wonderful work you do! |
| Karen S. Horton |
In memory of my sweet Talley. Thank you for sending me Sophie! |
| Judy Henck |
In memory of my beloved Lucky |
| Robert Knell |
In memory of Samantha, Joshua, Abigail, Rose and Brady |
| Melinda Bustamante |
In memory of Jessie who will always be my baby girl! |
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