On Saturday, September 6, 2025, Charlie was involved in a hit and run accident. I've tried to block the memory of the accident as much as I can. A neighbor describes the accident as:

"[On] 9/6 approximately at 10:30P | witnessed an older van driving westbound on long bridge st that was not slowing down while two neighbors and their dogs were in the intersection. The pedestrians were yelling stop while trying to pull their dogs back. Unfortunately the larger dog was struck and dragged. We were all screaming at the top of our lungs to try to stop the driver but they kept on going without even braking or even looking back. l've filed a police report already. The dog owners rushed off to the [emergency] vet... Please be careful crossing the streets here, drivers do not stop. This is the THIRD incident this month of a hit and run on Long Bridge St. "

After alerting my dog parent group chat of the incident, a fellow neighbor and dog mom reached out to me directly and introduced me to a Veterinarian who specializes in integrative medicine and mobility issues. The doctor has at least a year waitlist. My neighbor emailed her directly on my behalf on Tuesday, 9/9 and after having an email exchange with the Vet and reviewing videos I sent of Charlie's injury, she was able to diagnose what’s going on:

“She has Radial Nerve paralysis, and we can make improvements with E-stim, acupuncture, and therapeutic exercises but she also likely needs a supportive orthotic-to keep her from knuckling and help her learn to bear weight on it again in the proper paw position- it can take time- and sometimes we can get the full function back- other times- they continue to knuckle and we use assistive boots or devices to keep her paw upright and protected…”

Charlie had her first appointment on Thursday, 9/11! Charlie got an e-stem treatment and electric acupuncture. Charlie will be starting water treadmill treatment next week and will be fitted for an orthotic the following week.

During the treatments we could see that Charlie has feeling at her shoulder and tricep. She doesn’t have feeling in her forearm or foot, which is why she is buckling at her wrist. The Vet is optimistic and thinks Charlie will make a significant recovery even if she has to wear an orthotic indefinitely, as shown below.

Charlie will be going to the practice 2x a week for her treatments - water treadmill, e-stem, and acupuncture. She was sent home with a harness, boot and ankle strap to help correct her foot positioning. The Vet also sent us home with some at home therapies- red light therapy and an Assisi Loop that uses targeted Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy to reduce pain, promote nerve growth, increase blood flow and decrease inflammation.

I’m feeling optimistic and hopeful that Charlie will have a good outcome, but unfortunately, none of these treatments are cheap. Thankfully, I do have insurance, but that doesn't cover everything. Any donation is a step closer to giving Charlie close to a normal life again.