When Whitney first visited Ruff Start’s vetting team for her spay surgery, our team noticed during her physical exam that she seemed to favor her hips while walking, likely due to some pain she was experiencing. They determined it was best to send her to a partner vet, Granite City in St. Cloud, to do a full x-ray. They found that she has arthritis/spondylosis in her back. This disease is caused by abnormal growth of bone in the spine and will lead to progressive weakness and pain. They weren’t sure how long Whitney had been dealing with this pain. The best way to help would be to perform a TPLO, Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy, on her left knee. This surgery will repair the cruciate ligament and alleviate the excruciating pain she has been dealing with. She also received a dental procedure while she was there.
Whitney is now awaiting her surgery day in her new foster home. Despite her upbringing, Whitney has been coming out of her shell and showing her goofy, loyal, gentle, playful, happy, and stubborn self. She loves to play in the snow, even to the point where she can’t help but get the zoomies around the yard! Inside, she has been getting along great with the other dogs and cats in the house, enjoys tossing toys around, and when she has worn herself out, she loves to lounge with her foster dad. She is learning all that she can experience in life and enjoying it all.
Once Whitney’s knee is fixed on February 27th, she will need to maintain a lean weight to help her back. She will be on joint supplements long-term as well as pain medication as needed. The current estimate for her time in our care is $2,500-$3,000. Whitney has had a tough life and deserves the absolute best future. Donate today to help this sweet Akita.
The Story of Whitney
Posted: February 8, 2023 by Kelli Hanson
When Whitney first visited Ruff Start’s vetting team for her spay surgery, our team noticed during her physical exam that she seemed to favor her hips while walking, likely due to some pain she was experiencing. They determined it was best to send her to a partner vet, Granite City in St. Cloud, to do a full x-ray. They found that she has arthritis/spondylosis in her back. This disease is caused by abnormal growth of bone in the spine and will lead to progressive weakness and pain. They weren’t sure how long Whitney had been dealing with this pain. The best way to help would be to perform a TPLO, Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy, on her left knee. This surgery will repair the cruciate ligament and alleviate the excruciating pain she has been dealing with. She also received a dental procedure while she was there.
Whitney is now awaiting her surgery day in her new foster home. Despite her upbringing, Whitney has been coming out of her shell and showing her goofy, loyal, gentle, playful, happy, and stubborn self. She loves to play in the snow, even to the point where she can’t help but get the zoomies around the yard! Inside, she has been getting along great with the other dogs and cats in the house, enjoys tossing toys around, and when she has worn herself out, she loves to lounge with her foster dad. She is learning all that she can experience in life and enjoying it all.
Once Whitney’s knee is fixed on February 27th, she will need to maintain a lean weight to help her back. She will be on joint supplements long-term as well as pain medication as needed. The current estimate for her time in our care is $2,500-$3,000. Whitney has had a tough life and deserves the absolute best future. Donate today to help this sweet Akita.
Category: Azure's Article, Cats, Mission, Rescue Tails, Resources Tags: animal, dog, education, ruff start rescue