Success Stories

Moose2, January 2002

This big black male Lab from Pennsylvania did not yet have a name when LABMED received his application. He came into a shelter with a nasty leg injury. The shelter staff worried that he would have to have his leg amputated without treatment, but they did not have the funds to have him checked by a vet and contacted a local rescue group who in turn contacted LABMED for help.

The friendly Lab was named Moose and he was taken to a vet to have his badly infected leg checked. The vet believed Moose had sustained his injury from a chain that wrapped around his leg. He had some concern that Moose had damaged the radial nerve and consulted a surgical specialist about the course of treatment. Both vets were in agreement that the leg did not need to be amputated at this time even though there was no nerve response in Moose's paw. Moose would need to undergo repeated bandage changes - under sedation at first - while his vet and rescuer waited to see if the nerve would regenerate itself. LABMED funded a part of this treatment.

But it soon became apparent the nerve was not regenerating. A neurologist was consulted to find out if a nerve graft was in order. He determined that Moose's injury was too severe to attempt a repair and recommended amputation. Moose's rescuer was reluctant to proceed with the amputation since hip x-rays had shown that Moose was dysplastic as well. She wants to keep on trying to save the leg.

Update, May 2002

Moose has found his forever home and he's doing great. He uses his injured leg more and more. He occasionally gets tired and will limp a little but he runs and plays like any other dog. Moose still gets to see his rescuer; he goes to his former foster home whenever his new owner is out of town. His rescuer told us that Moose definitely knows the sound of a Harley and a tight grip on the leash is needed because he believes he should go with the bike. Moose now weighs 110 pounds and is in great shape.

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