Help Cooper Keep His Leg

Cooper has had a tough start to his short life. He was found as a young puppy, abandoned in a drainage ditch and left for dead. He had a broken leg and lacerations to his side. We will never know exactly what happened to him as an innocent little puppy. He was brought to Wisconsin through a local rescue and placed in a loving foster home. He had already been through more trauma and injury than most experience in a lifetime yet it never broke his spirit.  He greets everyone he meets, people and animals alike, with a wagging tail and lots of kisses.  I fell in love the moment I met him.

The treatment he received upon arrival to Wisconsin included: mending his broken leg, stitches for his lacerations and one set back with the splint which caused a deep gash to his leg and elbow.  His leg was thin and weak but we were hopeful that he only needed a healthy diet and time to build the muscle mass; all of which I was more than willing to provide for him. 

As the weeks passed he became more confident on his leg which had been immobilized for most of his young life. He had a noticeable limp but tried his hardest to not let it slow him down.  

Several trips to the vet and orthopedic surgeon revealed that while the break in the bone had healed, the impact of his injury had damaged more than we originally thought. Cooper's two main leg bones and his wrist had suffered from the impact too.  One of his leg bones is growing normally, but the other is not.  This has caused his two front legs to be uneven, requiring his body to compensate for the difference in length by limping and overusing the rest of his body to walk, run, and play.

Surgery is necessary to correct this problem. His pronounced limp, if left untreated, will result in many long term issues including dislocation of the elbow and shoulder.  Eventually it will damage his spine, too. 

Even with his current discomfort and pain, he is still the sweetest dog you will ever meet.  All he wants is to do is play and cuddle and of course eat as much puppy food as possible. Cooper means the world to me and all I want for him is to be happy and healthy. That's why I adopted him. This surgery will allow him to move on from his horrific start to life and let him live the life he deserves.   

Thank you so much for reading. Whether you can donate or not, please consider sharing Cooper's story. I will be sure to update with any new information.