Meet Goose. Goose is the most adorable Golden Retriever puppy, just eleven weeks old. He is full of charm, mischief, loves cuddles and loves to play, just like most puppies his age! But sadly, Goose was born with a very rare deformity that will seriously impact his quality of life if not attended to. Goose was born without bones in his front right paw.
After extensive investigations with our vets, the only viable option for Goose is to amputate his leg. Currently, the limb is unusable to him, it impacts his balance, and when he gets tired the limb drags on the floor, making it sore. The limb also appears to be frustrating for poor little Goose, he often tries to ‘shake it off’ and the vet thinks this may be due to nerve issues in the limb bothering him. We hate to think how this might impact him if it continues for much longer. It could also impact development of his other muscles and joints, as he is constantly compensating for this leg.
Goose is too little for anesthesia at the moment, and so the surgery will be done when he is approximately 5-6 months old. But we simply cannot wait any longer than that, as Goose grows the leg will become more bothersome, and the risk increases of him developing painful sores, and possible infections. The vets advise this time frame will be the best for him, and he will be able to better adapt to life on three legs at this age. They are confident that he can live well on three legs, and that this is the best shot at giving him a good life. Of course, all surgery comes with risk, but if we have a chance to give Goose, still just a baby, the chance at a happy, pain free life, we must take it.
Goose’s surgery, and aftercare, which will include physiotherapy and hydrotherapy at a minimum to help him adjust to life on three legs, will be extremely costly. But we must do this for him. We know times are hard for everyone, but if you are in a position to support Goose’s surgery costs, and the costs of caring for all of our dogs, and the many dogs like him in the future who will need us, please do.
*** We are not currently accepting adoption interest for Goose, but we will be within the coming days, if you are interested in rehoming him, please check back for updates as we will announce when he is available. ***