
Help Darwin Get Back on His Feet!
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Let me tell you Darwin's story:
About six and a half years ago, on the streets of Sacramento, CA a tiny woodland-like creature with giant ears and long legs was found and placed into a kill shelter among hundreds of other stray dogs and cats. Luckily, this particular little critter was picked out of the batch by Lil'Monsters, a family-owned animal rescue from Brooklyn, NY. He made the long journey across America, going by the name Tarro, and showed up one evening, shortly before Christmas 2011, at an adoption event in a Petsmart in New York City. I happened to be stopping by that very store to pick up a Christmas present for my sister's dog, Candy, when what appeared to be a baby fox with giant ears and long legs caught my eye. Two hours later I was walking home with my new best friend tucked warmly in my jacket, safe from the cold winter winds blowing down Broadway. I named him Darwin.

It might be cliche to say that Darwin rescued me that night, but I wouldn't be who I am today without him.
He’s been through every event in my life, major and minor, for the past five and a half years and we’ve become bonded together. There is no hyperbole when I say that I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t find Darwin that snowy day in New York; he’s helped me to become a better, stronger, and happier person, and in exchange, I promised to take the absolute best care of him I could.

Last summer, Darwin started limping on his left front leg. Being a dog who loves to run, jump, take flying-squirrel-like leaps off the back deck, and perform his famous "piggyback" trick with his best friend Candy, I figured he must have sprained his wrist. The x-rays didn't show a break and with pain medication and rest he was running around like normal within a few weeks.

But a few months later Darwin started limping again and this time the medication and rest didn't help. New x-rays showed the damage: no cartilage between the wrist joints and damaged ligaments. The first vet recommended a second opinion with the likelihood of surgery. The second vet recommended amputation, surgery, or a carpal brace with life-long pain medication. The third vet recommended surgery or a brace, and the fourth vet strongly recommended surgery.
Unfortunately, a normal brace does not seem to be supportive enough for him and surgery or a custom brace are the next options to ensure he can comfortably resume his active lifestyle for the many more years we have left together. The surery procedure is called Carpal Arthrodesis, a surgery that will fuse the joint together and make it immobile. It will cost between $4100 and $4400.

Throughout the process of getting many second, third, and fourth opinions on his wrist, Darwin was hopping around on three legs like nothing ever happened, until he began holding up his back left leg, too. Determined not to let anything stop him from being an active beast, he attempted to run around on two legs - on the same side! But knowing he was running out of legs, I took him back to the vet and after a second opinion, he was diagnosed with a torn ACL. The recommendation was also surgery.
The procedure is called Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO). In this procedure, a portion of the tibia is cut, moved, and reattached to a different portion of the tibia using plates and screws. By changing the conformation of the tibia, the joint is stabilized. The surgery would cost between $4100 and $4800.
UPDATE- March 2018- After many months of restricted activity, Darwin's ACL has healed on its own!!! If he gets too active he will occasionally favor his hind leg, but for the most part he is comfortable to move aroung with both back legs normally! This means we will NOT need the TPLO surgery! However, his front wrist is still a problem.

I am in communication with the Veterinary Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Group (VOSM) which is located outside of Baltimore, MD and came highly recommended to me by some excellent veterinarians here in Philadelphia who unfortunately don't do these procedures themselves. The surgeons at VOSM will need to actually see Darwin for a consultation before making their final decisions about the procedures, which will require a $250 consultation fee and more x-rays which will range between $200 and $800.
I have spent over $1400 in the past few months getting x-rays and multiple opinions which have gotten me to where I am today; knowing that he will need more x-rays, and either a surgery or custom brace. I wish I could say, "no problem, let's schedule the procedures right away", but the cost is much more than I can afford.

It tears my heart in half when I see how sad he is, unable to do much other than sleep or be carried outside to use the bathroom. He wants to be running, jumping, and piggybacking again, I just need some help to get him there. He needs you now, and I do too. Just a little bit from enough people can make sure Darwin gets back on his feet.
Thank you so much for your time and consideration in helping Darwin and me through this difficult time. It means so much to me to have the help of my friends, family, and fellow animal-lovers to get my best friend running by my side again every day.




If you want to see more pictures of Darwin doing all the things he loves, or for updates on his current medical status, check out his photos on Instagram @kattieyk or #darwinthemutt.
Organizer
Katarina Kirby
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA