Pecan

A 5-month-old pup with a fracture

When a pet is injured, it can be difficult to keep them in bed rest – when it is a 5-month-old puppy it’s a feat!
 
Pecan was abandoned, lame and alone – but not for long. After the Dog Warden scooped him up and brought him to us, we acted. 

A radiograph for his leg shows a tendon avulsion fracture on his hind right leg, usually seen after a fall or other sudden impacts. Our options include:

1. Amputation  - but he will be a big dog and that will be a lot of weight to bear on his other back leg.
2. Surgery to pin the fracture – this is expensive.
3. Bed rest - this needs months, and is not very successful for young, growing dogs. 

We choose surgical repair – a double pin and tension band holds the loose bone in place as it fuses. It means 2 weeks strict crate rest, followed by 6 weeks of mostly best rest with an extremely slow lead walk for a wee. We're talking a shuffling rate! 

Puppy energy

In kennels he requires a lot of our team’s time and monitoring him is difficult, even with cameras on him. He is the brightest he has been since admission and can be very bouncy. 

Our behaviour team make sure he has a program of enrichment that breaks his boredom but protects his healing leg – fresh toys with different textures and sounds, food puzzle toys like Kongs, lots of visits from the team and volunteers, trips in a buggy for new sights and smells.

A change of pace

About a month after his operation, he is now partially weight-bearing on the poorly leg which is good, so he goes back to Rosemary Lodge to have his implant removed. He's a growing boy – and then some!  

Luckily now we have found him a foster home, to get that much-needed monitoring and much-wanted attention. He also gets to experience the sounds and smells of a household – important moments as a puppy discovers the big world.

Foster report

Here’s what his foster homes have told us:
•    He likes to follow you around the home, but he will settle when given some enrichment like a Kong or chew
•    He loves to play with soft toys
•    He loves the rain!
  
Pecan’s start isn’t ideal, he’s been missing some key milestones other puppies get, but he’s a sweet boy who will quickly learn how to fit in with some understanding and training. 

The best festive present

And we're pleased to say Pecan was adopted just before Christmas to a lovely family with a dog who can help Pecan grow, and is settling in with our support.