Michelle will become available on Tuesday, September 1st. There will be a raffle held if more than one party is interested and of course willing and able to follow through with her medical issues that are explained below. If interested, you will need to present at 1200 sharp on that day. Please be prepared to fill out a short questionnaire and our Kennel Staff will be screening adopters to ensure that a good match is made and that Michelle will get the medical care that is required. Thank youIf interested, you must read below: Michelle will need continued medical care:Michelle has a history of previous orthopedic injuries involving her?right elbow(front leg), right knee/stifle joint (rear leg) and left ankle/tarsus(rear leg) joints. X-rays showed old, healed fractures of the lower right humerus (elbow area) and lower right femur (knee area) that healed in an abnormal position (malunion). She currently has some stiffness and reduced range of motion in the right elbow and right knee, as well as a persistent limp that is more noticeable in the right rear leg. There is some stiffness and swelling in the left ankle joint, as well. An orthopedic specialist was consulted and offered two approaches for the right hind leg:surgical correction of the healed femur fracture or conservative management. The orthopedic specialistâs expectations for surgery on the right rear leg are that it will improve range of motion in her knee joint but it is likely to require significant physical therapy to undo the damage the chronic injury caused. There is scarring in the thigh muscle that is further limiting her range of motion. So, even if the angle of her leg is corrected, physical therapy will be required to improve range of motion in the leg. The specialist gave an estimate of about $10,000 for surgery. Recovery is expected to take about 2-3 months until the bone is fully healed but full recovery may take several additional months of physical therapy. She is very likely to develop arthritis in this joint, regardless if surgery is pursued and will require ongoing management for that. The right elbow is currently recommended to be managed conservatively rather than with surgery. Surgery is unlikely to improve long term prognosis for the right elbow and will need to be managed for arthritis that is developing in the joint. What this means for an adopter:Michelle is expected to have some ongoing orthopedic limitations and may not have completely normal movement. Her care will likely involve monitoring her comfort and mobility, maintaining a healthy body weight, and using pain/anti-inflammatory medication as recommended by her veterinarian. This means she will require an ongoing relationship with a veterinarian on a regular basis. Currently Michelle is being managed with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, carprofen, twice daily. She is mobile but there is an obvious abnormality to her gait. She is unlikely to be a dog that is capable of significant athletic activities, such as long hikes or agility training. Orthopedic surgery of this nature is outside the scope of what Burbank Animal Shelter can provide and will need to be pursued by Michelleâs adopter, if elected.
