Paulie

Updates

Paulie just from the shelter before surgery

Paulie 6 weeks after surgery getting ready for the underwater treadmill during a physical therapy session

 

Paulie..... We were notified on Tuesday 4-25 that a Shih Tzu that had been hit by a car had come into the Ft Worth shelter but he had to stay at the shelter the required 3 day hold for strays so his owners could have a chance to find him. It was thought that he had a broken leg. On Friday 4-28 we were asked to pick him up ASAP and get him to a vet. Unfortunately it was discovered that the little boy had a shattered pelvis and open wounds. We immediately did x-rays and started him on antibiotics. It was decided he would need to see an orthopedic surgeon to evaluate his injury and determine if he could be saved. On Monday, May 1st, we got him in to see Dr Radasch at the Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center. After examination and more x-rays Dr Radasch determined that his pelvis could be surgically repaired and he would have a very good chance of being able to walk and live a normal life. Surgery should have been done right away for the best chance but Dr Radasch feared an infection in the open hole in his hip due to his 3 day stay at the shelter without antibiotics. He was also missing all skin and muscle was exposed on that hip and leg. Paulie will stay on antibiotics and hospitalized for a few more days before attempting surgery.

Please keep Paulie in your thoughts and prayers. If he should come down with any shelter diseases before surgery it will be very detrimental to a good outcome..

• Updates
  
  5-5-06 Paulie had his surgery this morning and Dr Radasch says it went very well! He will, of course, need to remain hospitalized for about another week. Dr Radasch would like him to at least be able to stand before releasing him to go to a foster home. We will keep you updated on Paulie's progress! We have used the funds in our Sweetie fund account for paulie's surgery but more is still needed! If you would like to help us help Paulie please click on the "Make a Donation" button below.
  
  

• 5-12-06 Paulie continues to do as well as can be expected. He is on complete crate rest for at least another 2 weeks. He is still unable to stand on both rear legs but he is trying! He is able to go outside to do his business as normal and this is very good news given the severity of his injury. He will get his stitches out around the 22nd and at that time he will also start seeing a physical therapist to help him recover as much and as quickly as possible.
  
  

• 5-23-06 Paulie is still mostly on crate rest and is doing well but he is not as far along as Dr Radasch would like him to be at this point after surgery. He has a little use of his left rear leg for standing but is not anywhere near ready to walk yet. We are still hoping he will eventually be able to use that left leg. His right rear leg is doing very well and is ready for walking if only his left leg would cooperate!. He will be going for physical therapy the first week of June. That is the earliest they can start PT after this type of surgery. We will determine then how much PT we can afford to do for him. In addition he got a really nasty bladder infection during the first week after the accident. This is a particularly nasty bacteria and there is only one antibiotic that will get rid of it. Unfortunately, it has some bad side effects possible with its use... kidney failure, or irreversible hearing loss and loss of balance (just what he needs!).We are doing ROM(range of motion) exercises 3 times a day with him and I hope we see more improvement soon. He is also getting the antibiotic injection daily for 2 weeks for his bladder infection. The antibiotic only comes in injectable form,,, On the plus side... he is a really, really sweet boy and he has been a little angel through all of this!
  
  
• 6-16-06    NO, he's not an "otter", he's a Shih Tzu!
  
  Believe it or not! This cute little guy is Paulie, who was hit by a car in early May and had severe damage that required major surgery. Not only has Paulie gone from a frog to an otter (oops! that's a prince), but he is just a GREAT little guy. Despite all the pain he has endured, he remains a sweet, loving, good little tzu. And those big, beautiful, brown eyes will just melt your heart. His physical therapists love Paulie and call him their "little otter". Paulie has some nerve damage to one paw but with physical therapy Paulie is making progress everyday towards walking on his own. He has physical therapy twice a week at the orthopedic clinic and daily with his foster mom at home. We have scheduled physical therapy for Paulie through the month of June, at a cost of $57. for each 30 minute session, with 2 sessions a week.
  
  
• 7-30-06 Good News for Paulie! He is now ready for adoption! He has done very well and is walking on his own :-) He will never be a dog that can do a mile walk with you but he does very well getting around the house and outside to do his business. If you are looking for a special dog that loves to sit with you then Paulie is the one for you! Paulie is very affectionate and loves tummy rubs. Paulie is a favorite at the rehab clinic and everyone there loves him. We call it Paulie's "Spa Day" :-( He especially likes the rub downs he gets while there! Paulie no longer needs rehab terapy and now this special boy deserves a special lap to sit on and a family to love him. Come out to one of our meet and greets and I guarantee you will fall in love with this boy! He is a quiet, dignified little man looking for a home that will appreciate all of his good qualities.
  
  We want to thank all of you wonderful, generous people who have helped to turn Paulie's sad saga into a heartwarming success story. Without your contributions to Paulie's fund, and your prior contributions to the Sweetie Fund, Paulie would not have had a chance to either "live" or walk again. Unfortunately, Paulie's surgery depleted our "Sweetie Fund", which we keep for emergencies, and WE DO NEED HELP FROM YOU, OUR "GENEROUS FRIENDS" AND BENEFACTORS ONCE AGAIN!
  
  I know you all get asked to contribute to charities everyday. BUT HELPING TO SAVE ANOTHER SWEET LITTLE TZU LIKE PAULIE IS TRULY A WORTHY CAUSE FOR ALL OF US WHO LOVE ANIMALS,,, AND WHOSE HEARTS ARE TOUCHED BY THEM! SOMETIMES (usually) WE ARE THESE DOG'S "LAST" CHANCE!! ANY SIZE DONATION HELPS!!! THE "SWEETIE FUND" WAS MADE UP MOSTLY OF SMALL ($10, $15, $20) DONATIONS CONTRIBUTED OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS. WHATEVER THE SIZE OF YOUR DONATION, IT WILL BE "MUCH APPRECIATED" BY OUR PRECIOUS LITTLE BALLS OF FLUFF IN NEED.
  

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