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TROOPER is a 2 year old black & white, semi rough coated Border Collie. He came into rescue with a badly broken leg (see Trooper's story below) on August 15th. Surgery was performed, which was successful. The screws and rod have been removed, and he is on his way to a full recovery. Trooper has been such an excellent patient, very sweet and tolerant throughout his ordeal.
He gets along with most of the dogs, though he has issues with two of the numerous males here. I am not sure why he has a dislike for these two. Trooper is very good with our cats and the small Papillons (including the males). He knows how to use a dog door. We understand he came from a home with children but we have not had the opportunity to evaluate him with little ones, as of yet.
Troop loves to ride in the truck, making him a great travel companion. He really loves tennis balls and started a game on his weekly trip to the vet. He would toss the ball to the front and wait to have it tossed back to him. I would not recommend traveling with loose tennis balls, however, as he can be relentless with them! (I was simply attempting to give him some fun after all he had been through.) He has a medium activity level and will be easily exercised with his ball drive. All around, Trooper is a very nice boy that will make someone a very special companion.
Trooper's story follows: | |
This young male has found his way into rescue, busted up and in need of immediate veterinary care. His chances of being adopted by the public were pretty slim to none. BCIN committed to bail him and make him whole again.
08/15/08
On the trip from the shelter to our vet, the tell tale odor of infection filled the cab. It is unknown when his splint and bandaging had been last changed at the shelter, but obviously not recently. His leg was infected so badly that the infection had spread to the bone. His dressing & splint were changed after he was heavily sedated, antibiotics and pain meds prescribed, and surgery scheduled for 8/19/08. |
08/16/08
The splint has started to slip below his elbow. An ER trip to the clinic is arranged, but before we could leave, the splint slipped completely off. Farm-raised, it takes a lot to do this, but what I saw sickened my stomach. His paw just dangled like a pendulum, but it was the level of pain he was enduring that churned my stomach. Poor boy. He has to be rewrapped without sedation as the doctor was not in. Muzzled, he laid his head in my hands and was so tolerant of what had to be extremely painful. That was the moment he received his name. He is indeed such a Trooper. |
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08/17/08
Trooper returns to the vet to check his dressing. His doctor immediately hospitalizes him on IV antibiotics. His condition is very serious. He so dehydrated, they have a hard time finding a vein to set the IV. In addition to antibiotics, he is given IV fluids. |
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08/18/08
Trooper undergoes 3 hours of surgery to repair his leg. His doctor reported, "It was a bitch!". The ulna was fractured, but that was the least of his injuries. The radius, including the tendons and ligaments has been torn from the carpus (wrist bone). It is as if someone attempted to rip his paw off. The injury is old. |
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There is a possibility the radius will not stay in place once the pins are removed because it has been torn so long. Trooper could be facing a second surgery for further pinning and wiring of the joint. Dr. said the carpus will fuse, though, and he will have his leg and learn to run once again. Now it is the wait. Trooper will see the Dr. every week until he deems the pins can be removed.
08/19/08
Trooper is released to come home. His the the most lively I have seen him since his bail last Friday. The fact that he is more active makes me believe that now the bones are pinned, the pain is lessened. Picture, if you can, a handsome Border Collie with an E-collar trying to stick his head out of the window...LOL. Keeping this boy quiet might be as challenging as nature healing his leg.
08/29/08
Trooper went in for his weekly check-up today. We managed to make it through the week without him tearing at the bandaging via a e-collar, which he hates. He continues to feel better now that his paw is stabilized. He is jumping up on me regularly and so wants to go and play with the other fosters. Of course we can't let him. The wait will be long for us all, we humans in the hopes he heals with the least amount of fusing, Trooper in frustration and bounding energy to go romp and play.
09/01/08
Trooper has graduated out of his e-collar. He seems so much happier and is no longer running around getting hung up on things. As long as he does not try to chew his bandages, he can be a free man. They used elastoplast instead of vet wrap on the outside this time, even though he had not chewed. I think because the vet wrap has slipped at each wrap over the area of the external screws & rod. His activity level is high. Even when he was on the Acepromazine (tranquilizer), it barely phased him. Now he's just on pain meds and antibiotics. This will be a long haul for such an active boy, but he remains such a sweetheart through it all.
09/06/08
Trooper went in for his weekly check-up/bandage change Friday. The sloughing tissue was less this week, yet the wound is still too sizable to be left unwrapped. They wrapped him a bit differently this week...no splint. The tech explained as I watched her finish his wrapping that the serum and pus was draining down into his foot and pads. It has started to erode away his large pad a bit. With his foot open, there will be less incidence and the pad can heal. I asked her to inquire of the Dr when he thought the pins and rod might be ready to remove. To my amazement, Dr said 7-10 days. There is no movement in the joint and he is pleased with the healing. There is still a strong possibility this will be too soon. We just have to wait another week to see.
Trooper was quite sore from the cleaning of the wound and not accustomed to having his foot free to walk on. The Torb also makes him a little whiney, which is his nature. He avoided using the foot yesterday and this morning. If past weeks are any indication, he will be setting the foot down in a day or two. He continues amaze with his sweet nature and he seems genuinely grateful.
09/14/08
Dr had thought he might remove the hardware at Trooper's weekly bandage change on Friday, but decided to wait two more weeks. He wants to be certain the radius will stay in place and avoid a second surgery.
Dr. was not at all happy that Trooper has consistently dropped weight. Trooper is on Nutro Holistic food and fresh water free choice. I suggested maybe the antibiotics were wrecking havoc with his digestive tract, as he has been on them for 5 weeks now. Dr. told me to stop the meds and put him on puppy food.
A kind gentleman offered to buy the dogs a bag of food at our PetSmart adoption event Saturday. I requested puppy food for Trooper. Thank you so much, sir! Trooper will also go on Missing Link, which was donated by the company representatives at the Best Friends Adoption Fair this Spring. Thanks you, Missing Link! If my hens will get back to laying rather than moulting, I can also add an egg to his food.
Troop continues to set the paw down at times and I'm sure it is still quite painful. He has been such a model patient and a real love. Once he is healed, someone is going to get the opportunity to know and love him as I have.
10/04/08
Trooper had the hardware removed from his leg on Friday 10/3/08. All went well and Dr is happy with the progress. He goes in for a check up in two weeks and could be released at that time. Look for Trooper to be available for adoption soon.
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BCIN is a federally recognized 501(c)3 non profit charity and, as such, all donations are tax deductible. BCIN is comprised of an unpaid volunteer staff, therefore, all donations are 100% spent for the benefit of the border collies in our rescue program. If you would like to help Trooper, no matter how small your donation, please send your checks to:
Border Collies In Need
Attn: Trooper's Surgical Fund
PO Box 293084
Phelan, CA 92329-3084 |
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| On behalf of Trooper, Border Collies in Need would like to thank the following special guardian angels who have contributed to his surgical fund thus far: |
- Karen B. from Long Beach
- Hillary and Derek M. from West Lake Village
- Sue & Larry H. from Riverside
- Lindsay R.--Moreno Valley
- Dylon W.-Aliso Viejo
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