Meryl the German Shepherd Mix

Update…

Meryl (now Haley) was just spayed and has recovered 
beautifully from her pelvic fracture.  She’s had an awesome foster 
home with Jackie and is now ready for a forever home.

 

Meryl was found on the side of the highway and picked up by Animal  Control.  The officer carried her in to EVHS and told me  she  couldn’t walk.  We immediately tried to relieve her pain with  medications.  On examination, it was obvious  something was broken,  but in spite of her pain she was very gentle. She’d whimper loudly  every once in a while as she changed positions in her cage, but when  you stroked her or talked to her she wagged her tail with vigor.  We did our best to address the pain and hoped someone would come to  claim her, but no one did.   After 48 hours of complete rest and  meds, I thought I’d try to determine what exactly was broken if she’d  let me. Some of her caretakers looked on as she actually slowly  stood, hobbled out and then whimpered and collapsed.  We all cheered.  There’s hope!  On day 3 she walked even farther and enjoyed a few 
minutes outside.

I’ve seen a lot of dogs with broken pelvises.  Virtually no one in  Espanola can afford the $5000 plating surgery which is of course the  best medical option.   95% of these dogs are sent home with anti-inflammatories and extreme R&R for 4-6 weeks as the bones heal - not  in perfect alignment, but well enough to support walking and even  running again. 

Meryl is less than a year old which works in her favor.What we need to save her life is someone who will commit to the 4-6  weeks of TLC.  This will require confinement to a small area and some  potentially intense nursing for the first week (helping her stand,  carrying her outside if she won’t walk, cleaning up after her). 

Once she is walking well again, we will spay her and try to get her a  home locally or in Colorado on one of our transports.If someone will commit to this, we will arrange for a pelvic x-ray to  determine exactly what the problem is.  I just don’t want to put her  through that if….   With our kennels bursting with dogs, we can  only keep her for a few more days.  Let’s make our blue-eyed beauty a  winner this Oscar weekend.

Please forward this [information] to folks you know.  If anyone can foster  her, please call the Espanola Valley Humane Society at (505) 753-8662.

Thank you so much,
Gretchen Yost DVM and Meryl