ACL Repair Surgery for Indie Rae

Indie tore her back left ACL in April when she landed wrong after hopping off the bed. We were given two options: she could have surgery done to repair it and would have a full recovery, or I could keep her medicated and it would never fully heal, would eventually develop arthritis, and her other leg would give out in time. Obviously, this meant there was only one option.

Estimates for the surgery are running at $3,500. The plan was to save as much as possible, but Covid has made this incredibly difficult since I’m working part time doing distance learning with my preschoolers. I’ve been supplementing with babysitting to try to help speed up the process, but  when Indie re-tweaked her leg it became clear that I needed help to get my baby pup the surgery she desperately needs.

Because she’s a two year old pit terrier mix she has LOTS of energy, and trying to explain to her that she needs to rest, go easy, and be off that back leg isn’t going so great. I would really love to have the surgery scheduled by the time I head back to work full time with Open Door Preschools on July 6th both so she can start living a normal, pain free, puppy life again as well as for my own peace of mind in heading out the door every Monday through Friday to care for my preschoolers.

Any help you can give would mean so very much to me, and I can’t begin to thank you enough!

Indie Rae’s Story

Indie was first rescued along with her brother Oski in Houston a week before Hurricane Harvey hit. The team had been sent to get Oski who had gone blind from a bacterial infection in his eyes as a result of neglect only to decide to also bring along Indie since she had been found guarding over her brother helping to make sure he got what food and water was available. When Harvey hit, the shelter the pups were being kept at flooded, and so they traveled to Austin for foster care.

Meanwhile, my ex-husband and I had recently moved back to Texas after he had finished getting his Masters. As a giant “thanks for sticking with me”, he told me I could get any dog I wanted. What he’d forgotten was that I had been dead set since I was a kid on wanting a Corgi. So I searched every rescue place in Texas then Corgi rescues nationwide - no Corgi. I finally decided to look at breeders, found a reputable one, and was first in line to pick from the litter. The Friday before my ex asked me if I could check Austin Pets Alive one last time. Nothing. The next morning opened my browser to find it still on the APA page, so I decided to scroll through one last time...

One look at that little face and I was done. I’d wanted a Corgi. I got an Indie. It was the best decision of my life.

But the story doesn’t stop there. Another reason we wanted a pup was because I have severe PTSD that led to a condition called psychogenic nonepileptic seizures, or PNES, and on a good week would have three episodes a week with about two to three seizures per episode. Because of this I had been unable to work and was home by myself more often than not. The first time I had one in front of Indie she comes over, licks my face causing me to actually come out of the seizure, runs to get my ex, then comes back and snuggles up next to me every so often giving little kisses on my hands which kept me from going into another seizure. It was the first time I’d ever been able to break out of a seizure, and from then on we were able to use water (or puppy kisses) to help bring me out more gently which made for a faster recovery time. I learned to listen when, at 3-4 months old, she would shepherd me towards the couch or bed or would sprawl across my body like a weighted blanket because I was about to have an episode.

After my husband left, Indie has been my best friend and constant support, and it’s now been five months since my last seizure and just over 100 days without one before that. I owe so much of my learning my tells to her, and I’m so beyond grateful for the ways she’s been my guardian angel through it all just like she was once her little brother’s protector.

Now it’s my turn to be her support and be there for her just as she’s always been there for me. Any help is beyond amazing, and we seriously can’t thank y’all enough!