'Possum came to live with us as a 4 month old puppy just before Christmas, 1999. His owners had let him run loose and he was hit by a truck in front of his house. He was unable to use his hind end, and had a small hernia in his abdomen. His owners did not feel they could afford x-rays to find out what was wrong or if it was fixable, so they chose to have him euthanized instead. Despite his injuries, the puppy was wagging his tail and kissing everyone trying to help him. I worked for the vet he was brought into, and received a frantic phonecall from the technician who was on duty, begging me to help. I spoke with the Doctor responsible for his case just in the nick of time -- she already had the euthanasia medication in the syringe and was heading into the exam room to put him down. I agreed to take responsibility for him, and his life was spared. We named him 'Possum because he'd almost been a fatality of the road.
X-rays showed that 'Possum's pelvis was pretty well busted up. A consultation with an Orthopedic Specialist indicated that the extent of the injuries was probably beyond surgical repair, and that allowing him to heal on his own was the best course of action. Surgery reparied the hernia, and the rest of his recovery was up to crate rest and pain medication. For 4 months, I carried him out to the yard to relieve himself, then carried him back to his crate. I kept him busy with chew toys, and located his crate in our living room so he could feel like he was a part of the action. His injuries healed and he went on to live a fairly normal, active life,
The plan had been to help him heal, and then find him a permanent home. However, when we started looking for a home for him, we discovered that there's not much demand for a Pitbull, regardless of how sweet and wonderful he is. Sadly, 'Possum never found a home of his own. His last summer was a difficult one for him, as massive arthritis began to set into his damaged pelvis. Around the time of his 6th birthday in September, we released him from his pain. 'Possum has finally gone to his permanent home. |
