Meet Red...
On January 28, 2011, one year old Red’s life changed for the better. She was rescued by ARF and given a second chance. This happy, loving dog hasn’t been able to tell us her story, but here is what we know of her. Red was spotted running down the highway west of Calgary. She was limping badly and clearly injured. Each time she was approached, she bolted. Scared and in pain, Red hid under a truck and was then taken in by ARF’s dog coordinator.
It was immediately evident that Red was going to need extra help. She could not put weight on a hind leg and ARF suspected it was broken. She was taken to Banded Peak Veterinary Hospital where she was examined and x-rayed. At that point, our vet determined that Red had a fractured tibia. Our brave little girl had been suffering on her own for over a week in this state.
Red is one of the very lucky dogs. Once in our care, ARF does everything we possibly can to help a dog. In this case, an orthopaedic surgeon was called in to operate on Red. Initially, ARF and the vet assumed the break wasn’t too bad, however this break is severe and the damage was extensive. Red’s surgery took over three hours, adding to her risk of infection and complications.
We are so excited that Red has made it through this first challenge. The leg has been pinned and splinted and she has a fun yellow cast to show for it. Now, ARF is keeping Red as comfortable as possible while we wait for her to heal. She will be in a foster home recovering for a number of weeks before she is available for adoption. Already having spent over a week at the vet clinic, we expect this next phase of her recovery to take over eight weeks and will involve multiple vet visits.
None of this trauma has stopped Red from showing everyone her wonderful heart. She is a very sweet grey-brown merle who continues to be trusting and affectionate to all who meet her. Red’s journey isn’t over yet, and we invite you to follow her on her path to finding a forever home.
You can help. ARF rescues several dogs every year in similar situations to Red’s. We need your help to ensure we can offer these animals the best chance possible. Please donate now and help us help them.