We started this series on “Special Needs” dogs in our last Blog.
Today’s segment introduces Blue who is listed for adoption on the Hope 4 La Paz website
What can I say about Blue besides “She Is Beautiful”? Our best guess is that she is part Border Collie and part “purebred” Mexican street dog! What a great combination that turned out to be.
She is listed as “Special Needs” because of her hip condition. She will likely require supplements and perhaps hydrotherapy to keep her muscles strong as she ages.
Her mother was rescued from the garbage dump when she was about to give birth. Mama was very malnourished since all she was eating was garbage and whatever she could scrounge from the nearby neighborhood. Yet she was able to give birth to some healthy puppies.
Blue and her brother Ali came into our Baja Dogs La Paz system when they were only a couple of months old. Blue was of course was the Belle of the Ball with her distinctive black and white coat and spunky attitude.
Blue is super smart and as a young puppy, she needed some mental stimulation and socialization with new people and new surroundings. We got Blue when she was about four months old, she and Ali assimilated into our pack very well.
She got some room to roam in the yard and new dogs to play with. We introduced her to new people, especially men whom she was initially afraid of.
Blue was quickly adopted, but with Covid, transportation was an issue. She was actually at the airport ready to fly when the flight got canceled. She was rescheduled for another flight when we noticed that she was limping. We quickly had her x-rayed and discovered she had bi-lateral hip dysplasia. That is a genetic condition where the hip sockets do not develop well, and the hip tends to dislocate easily. Over time without treatment, the cartilage in the hip joint wears away causing pain and discomfort. Often surgery is recommended once the dog is old enough and stops growing. Given her condition, the adoption did not proceed.
In the last couple of months, we are treating Blue with collagen builders, glucosamine, and chondroitin. She is getting appropriate exercise including walking on her hind legs and swimming to help build up her muscles. Good news, it is working! She has very few occurrences of dislocation now and definitely has more strength in her hind end. All that with no pain meds required.
None of this has changed her attitude. She is still a spunky, vocal, smart puppy who loves to play and torment her siblings. She loves her toys, and we are working on sharing her toys. She walks well on a leash, loves to swim, and go to the beach.
Blue will not be a candidate for running marathons or climbing mountains,
but she will have a good quality of life for the right family who loves her.