Save Sport’s Paw
Donation protected
A few weeks ago while playing in our local park that is frequented by paddle boarders, kayakers, jet skiers and animals, our 7 month old puppy, Sport, jumped in the water to retrieve his ball. When he came back out we noticed his paw was bleeding heavily.
Turns out, somebody had littered a glass bottle that broke and sliced two very large chunks of Sport's pads off of his back right paw.
The injury was so extensive that he had to undergo surgery to repair the pads effectively. Being a Border Collie, Sport is a very active dog and because of the surgery, he required strict instructions for no activity other than being let out to the bathroom and even then we had to carry him to his preferred spot.
After a few weeks of antibiotics, pain medicine and weekly dressing changes, the vet assured us that everything looked great and that Sport was on the mend. Unfortunately, things got much worse. Just two days after a dressing change Sport started limping even more so than usual, not putting any weight on the paw at all and we saw blood coming through the dressing. We immediately took him back to the vet to see what had changed and it turns out that an abscess had rapidly formed, bursted open and caused some major issues.
Unknowingly, the lake he was playing in was home to a really awful antibiotic resistant bacteria. This stubborn bacteria stuck around after many dressing changes/cleanings and began to quickly eat away all the healthy skin on the top of Sport's paw above the site of the original pad injury. It started at just the digit they had already surgically repaired but after just two days, his whole paw was infected, exposing tendon and bone. Our vet referred us to a specialist that works through the local animal hospital and we went immediately.
Sport now needs more antibiotics, pain medicine and bedrest as well as daily dressing changes through the specialist until healthy tissue is formed. After the healthy tissue is present, Sport then has to undergo another surgery to get rid of the stubborn dying tissue that is still holding on as well as the possibility of needing multiple skin grafts.
Sport has been so sweet and so amazing throughout the entire process, cone of shame and all. He's just a puppy and all he wants to do is play and adventure with us like he loves to do so much.
We have pet insurance for him BUT the grace period was not over before the injury took place, meaning nothing related to this paw is covered. We are asking for some help because we want to be able to provide him alllll of the care necessary to get him on all fours as soon as possible. His frisbee and skateboard miss him!
We are in the process of speaking to the managers of the lake so we can spread the message of the dangers that are present in the lake, both littering and bacteria. Any funds that are left over after the many surgeries coming up will go to providing signage in the area surrounding the lake and other means of spreading the word so that no other puppy or human will suffer from the same tragedy.
We really appreciate you taking the time to read our story and to consider helping Sport out. Even spreading the word would mean so much to us.
THANK YOU!!
With so much love,
Sport, Kelly & Zack
Turns out, somebody had littered a glass bottle that broke and sliced two very large chunks of Sport's pads off of his back right paw.
The injury was so extensive that he had to undergo surgery to repair the pads effectively. Being a Border Collie, Sport is a very active dog and because of the surgery, he required strict instructions for no activity other than being let out to the bathroom and even then we had to carry him to his preferred spot.
After a few weeks of antibiotics, pain medicine and weekly dressing changes, the vet assured us that everything looked great and that Sport was on the mend. Unfortunately, things got much worse. Just two days after a dressing change Sport started limping even more so than usual, not putting any weight on the paw at all and we saw blood coming through the dressing. We immediately took him back to the vet to see what had changed and it turns out that an abscess had rapidly formed, bursted open and caused some major issues.
Unknowingly, the lake he was playing in was home to a really awful antibiotic resistant bacteria. This stubborn bacteria stuck around after many dressing changes/cleanings and began to quickly eat away all the healthy skin on the top of Sport's paw above the site of the original pad injury. It started at just the digit they had already surgically repaired but after just two days, his whole paw was infected, exposing tendon and bone. Our vet referred us to a specialist that works through the local animal hospital and we went immediately.
Sport now needs more antibiotics, pain medicine and bedrest as well as daily dressing changes through the specialist until healthy tissue is formed. After the healthy tissue is present, Sport then has to undergo another surgery to get rid of the stubborn dying tissue that is still holding on as well as the possibility of needing multiple skin grafts.
Sport has been so sweet and so amazing throughout the entire process, cone of shame and all. He's just a puppy and all he wants to do is play and adventure with us like he loves to do so much.
We have pet insurance for him BUT the grace period was not over before the injury took place, meaning nothing related to this paw is covered. We are asking for some help because we want to be able to provide him alllll of the care necessary to get him on all fours as soon as possible. His frisbee and skateboard miss him!
We are in the process of speaking to the managers of the lake so we can spread the message of the dangers that are present in the lake, both littering and bacteria. Any funds that are left over after the many surgeries coming up will go to providing signage in the area surrounding the lake and other means of spreading the word so that no other puppy or human will suffer from the same tragedy.
We really appreciate you taking the time to read our story and to consider helping Sport out. Even spreading the word would mean so much to us.
THANK YOU!!
With so much love,
Sport, Kelly & Zack
Organizer
Kelly Marie
Organizer
Denver, CO
