Success Stories

Noah, November, 2000

This 3 year old chocolate male was brought to the shelter in Cullman Alabama as a stray. His rescuer noticed him and she knew right away that she had to help this sweet boy. Noah's back leg was hurt, it was swollen and apparently very painful; Noah could barely get up to greet her at the chain link door. His rescuer suspected that he had been hit by a car. Noah was also extremely emaciated; she suspected that he was unable to find much food as a stray because of the injury.

Since strays can stay at the shelter for only 7 days and will be euthanized if not adopted, the rescuer had to act fast to save Noah. Another rescuer told her about LABMED and she applied for funding to get Noah's leg taken care of. She took Noah from the shelter and had him seen by her vet. X-rays showed that Noah had a dislocated hip and a chip fracture of the head of the femur. The vet recommended an FHO - an operation where the head of the femur is removed. The tendons in the joint compensate for the loss of part of the bone and strengthen to form a "false" joint, thus giving the dog full mobility without pain.

LABMED quickly approved funding of Noah's surgery. The pre-surgery bloodwork showed that Noah was in good enough overall condition to undergo surgery - he was even heartworm negative!

The surgery went well and Noah recovered quickly. His rescuer went to see him right after the surgery. Noah could not use the leg but he insisted to be taken outside to relief himself. He needed to stay at the vet's for a few days and then got to go home with his rescuer. She will foster Noah until he is ready for his forever home and tells us that home will have to be very special. She has come to care very much for Noah; he is such a sweet, gentle boy.