01/29/05 - Update

It has been 3 months since Marshall's surgery. He is FINALLY out of his splints. He is walking a little strangely because his wrists are frozen. In less12 months all the metal you see in the X-rays will have to be removed.

Marshall has been a wonderful patient through this whole experience. We will now start to set money aside for his next surgery.

His post op x-rays and splint changes cost our rescue $1000.00. That is even with donated bandage materials.

If you can help please mark your donation (check or PayPal) "Marshal" and it will be set aside to help finish his care.

MARSHALL – STANDING TALL AND PROUD

We received a phone call from another rescue about a sweet young puppy with a very bleak future.  We were told that his name was Marshall and he had a problem with his legs.  It seems as though Marshall was brought into the vet’s office by a puppy mill operator and because of his leg problems, the mill operator couldn’t use or sell him.  The mill owner agreed to sign Marshall over to a vet tech at the veterinary hospital.  Unfortunately, the tech kept Marshall for several months but could not afford to treat Marshall’s legs and was hoping that our rescue organization would help.  We agreed to take Marshall without hesitation.

Marshall was picked up in PA by Beth Ely, a volunteer that works closely with Dawn (PA Boxer Rescue – now part of AABR).  He was brought to Jamie (NY Boxer Rescue - now part of AABR) and to the Meadow Veterinary Hospital in NY.  No one was prepared for what we saw.  This beautiful boxer baby had the most deformed legs any of us had ever encountered.  Whether due to neglect, abuse, or a birth defect, we’ll never know, but what we did know was that Marshall needed our help – now!  Due to the shape of Marshall’s legs, he was forced to walk on his wrists – not only can this be painful, but eventually, the skin on his wrists would break down and Marshall would then be forced to also deal with painful infections.

Because of his wonderful personality, Marshall became quite a hit at the hospital – for three weeks, Marshall enchanted each member of the staff and they in turn, gave him the love and care that every dog deserves - stopping during the day to walk him, give him love and reassurance and hold him when he needed it.  Jamie, with the help of Cindy (on one trip) and Jenison (on the other), transported him to two separate board certified orthopedic surgeons. The diagnosis: Marshall must have surgery on both legs and the surgery had to be performed before the skin on his ankles began to break down.

So on Sunday, October 3rd, Jamie and Lisa (another NY Boxer Rescue volunteer) packed Marshall into the car and off we went – to Dr Sean Aiken, DVM, MS, DACVS in Manhattan.  Marshall’s surgery was scheduled for the next morning and we wanted to get him settled in and relaxed before his surgery began.  The plan was to straighten Marshall’s legs by placing a steel plate (held by screws) in each wrist (after the wrist was surgically straightened), that would stabilize Marshall when he used his front legs.  The next day we got the call from the surgeon that we were hoping for – Marshall’s surgery went very well and although the surgeon found his legs to be much more damaged then anticipated, Marshall’s prognosis was wonderful – after an 8-12 week recovery period, Marshall should be able to run and play like every other boxer baby.

When they brought Marshall out to us for the ride to his foster family, he was a little dopey from the pain patch he was wearing and both his front legs were casted up to his armpits.  But in true boxer spirit, we were greeted with a little boxer happy dance and too many kisses to count.  Lisa and Jamie loaded Marshall into the back of Jamie’s car where he proceeded to put his beautiful head on Lisa’s lap and enjoy the ride ‘home’.  When we got back to the Meadow Veterinary Hospital, where his foster family was to meet us, the entire staff came running out to welcome Marshall home.  One after another the comment was made, “look how tall he is!”  At that moment, we realized that for the first time, Marshall was able to stand tall and proud.  Once that realization hit home, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house – there was Marshall in his bright green casts as proud and as beautiful as every boxer is meant to be.

His foster family (dad and mom) had the arduous job of keeping an 11-month old boxer quiet for the next 8 to12 weeks – and if you’ve ever tried to keep an 11-month old puppy quiet, you know what a comedy of errors that is.  Marshall wanted so much to try out his new, long legs! 

His foster family has to bring Marshall to their vet every week for his splints to be removed and placed back on with new bandaging material. We cannot thank them enough for the amazing commitment they made to this boxer boy.

In case you’re wondering, Marshall’s first recheck x-rays show his legs are healing but he needs his splints on for at least another 4 weeks. At the next x-ray check we will update this story. Marshall’s foster home reports he is a very content and happy dog. Betty his boxer companion thinks he is worth all the work. 

Marshall’s post op care will be about $800 to $1000.