NORTH AUGUSTA, SC.......We were contacted by an individual that wanted to know if we could help a sweet dog that lived in a trailer next to her in North Augusta, SC. The dog appeared to be in lots of pain and had lost the use of her rear legs. We explained this is not what we do since all we do are abused animals. After several phone calls and lots of e-mails, I decided the pain and suffering this incredible little dog was going through was too much to sit back and do nothing. Her Owners were fined for not seeking medical care after Elle was hit by a car 8 days prior. Her only hope was for us to take her or she was going to be picked up by Animal Control and put to sleep. We had her taken to our vet in Columbia, SC where she was thoroughly evaluated. Elle’s spine was broken in several places. She still had some deep pain in her legs and had some bowel and kidney function. We immediately had her transferred to our Neurologist in Charlotte, NC to be thoroughly evaluated. An MRI was done and sweet Elle went immediately into surgery to have her spine repaired. Pins were put in to stabilize her spine. Elle is still paralyzed in her rear section but has regained enough nerve function for her to stand up once we get her in a standing position. This little girl can scoot around like a seal with her front legs pulling her faster than most dogs can walk. The hardest part we have had with her is that she is so fast that when we put her back in her kennel, she slides though our legs before we can get the door closed. Elle is a delight and a blessing to behold. Nothing seems to hold her back. She is getting extensive rehab to keep her legs from atrophying. We had her evaluated at NC State to see if she was a candidate for Stem Cell Therapy. Because she has metal in her spine, she cannot have an MRI done which is required to know exactly where to inject the Stem Cells. They have recommended another treatment which is very new to see if we can restore the nerves in her spinal cord that were damaged. That will begin in one week. Elle is the most loving little dog. She is a 1 1/2 year old Spaniel Mix and looks like a miniature Golden Retriever. We have had a cart made for our little girl to keep her legs moving. Elle has a long road of recovery ahead. We are hopeful we can restore her ability to walk. Whatever happens, she is not sitting around being sad. She keeps everyone on their toes and has the best can-do attitude I have ever seen in a dog.
