Daisy's Story

Daisy is a 1-year-old black Labrador Retriever mix. She was destined to be euthanized by her former family simply because she suffered from allergies. Sweet Daisy is lucky to be alive and she knows it. She came into our foster home at 10 months old hairless and scared. After a few weeks on a quality food and fish oil with vitamin E, Daisy doesn't even resemble the frail, timid creature she was previously.

When Daisy was only a few months old she was hit by a car. This accident left Daisy with two mangled front legs. One was badly fractured and the other suffered extensive soft tissue damage. Her previous owners refused to pay for the necessary surgery and treatment which may have restored Daisy's legs to normal. As a result, Daisy learned to live with her badly deformed and painful legs.

After visiting a local orthopedic specialist we learned that Daisy could benefit from surgery to correct her foreleg injuries. Daisy was referred to University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville. The veterinarian at UT confirmed that surgery would greatly improve Daisy's quality of life and save her from an almost certain amputation of her right front leg in the years to come.

Daisy will undergo two surgeries. The first will correct her previously fractured right leg - the most badly damaged leg. During this surgery, the orthopedic surgeon will also try to correct some of the damage to her right elbow. The stress of her deformed forearm has put an unnatural strain on her elbow - causing severe pain, scar tissue and arthritis.

After six weeks of healing, Daisy will return to UT for surgery on her left leg. This leg suffered extensive soft tissue damage during the accident. Because of her young age when the accident occurred Daisy's growth plates were not closed. As a result, she has suffered permanent damage to the development and growth of her leg. The surgeon will need to repair her twisted forearm to alleviate the stress it is putting on her already weakened wrist.

Daisy's first surgery was completed on December 11, 2008. She is recovering nicely and will return to her foster home on December 17, 2008. I will update as soon as Daisy is back with us. The veterinarians at UT have told me what an angel Daisy has been! Just one day after her painful surgery she was trying to play. Daisy is definitely a trooper. I believe we can all learn something about forgiveness from this sweet girl.

Daisy's surgeries will be very expensive. The estimates range between $5,000 and $7,000 for both legs. Without them, Daisy will not be able to live the full, happy life she deserves. We are asking for help for this sweet girl. We are accepting donations to Daisy's PayPay account at help4daisy@gmail.com. Please pass her story on to your friends and family. We desperately want to show this gentle soul how wonderful life can be!