Coda's Surgery

Meet Coda. She's 7 months old, a rescue, and my very first puppy. Coda was saved from a kill shelter in rural West Virginia and 2 months ago found her way into my home and heart with the help of a local rescue organization.

Coda is sweet, smart, and LOVES carrots. She is also a dedicated stick collector, an admirer of squirrels, a social butterfly, a loving family dog, and has the most beautiful eyes and fur you will ever find.

Coda also needs help. Three weeks after adopting her - around the time of her first growth spurt - she began a subtle limp. The limp has continued to get worse. After multiple doctor visits, consultations, and x-rays we now know that Coda requires an extensive and VERY costly surgery.

The growth plate in Coda's left forelimb has shut down. In simplest terms this means that her radius is stunted while her ulna continues to grow. This has essentially crippled her leg and it will continue to do so as she gets bigger and bigger.

More than 7 veterinary orthopedic surgeons have refused her case due to the extensiveness of the procedure and the complexity of the rehab process. Fortunately, Dr. Sherman Canapp, a surgical specialist at VOSM, is well versed in treating this issue and has high expectation that with proper treatment, Coda will be close to perfect post surgery and rehab.

Here's what will be needed to fix Coda's leg:  her radius must be cut through in two places. A custom made external fixator ring must be attached to her leg and bones. Every day this ring needs to be turned 1/2 millimeter in the morning, and 1/2 at night, extending the gap between the cut bones and essentially lengthening her leg to keep pace with her healthy one. Coda will require the fixator ring until she reaches full grown maturity - roughly five months from now.

Just the surgical cost alone is $4,500.  Post surgery she will require bi-weekly x-rays and check-ins at a cost of roughly $400 per month. When all is said and done, getting Coda well will cost more than $6,000. My fiance and I have already absorbed $1,000 worth of medical care and consult.

I have wanted a dog of my own for as long as I can remember. Some people have suggested that this was just bad luck, and maybe I should just start again with another dog... but I don't want to give up on Coda.

I know I can help her... I just can't do it on my own. A community of family and friends say fundraising can work... I surely hope so. If you find yourself on this page, please consider a donation to Coda. A little bit from each of us may be enough to heal her, and give her a long healthy life.

With love and high hopes,
kim & coda