I wanted to introduce you to the first member of my “Circle of Friends” club! This is Jacob and he is one really nice boy! He needs a lot of help from us, but I told him to hang in there…he is surrounded by angels! I know this firsthand!
Jacob came into the world with the chips stacked against him. Jacob was the product of a backyard breeder’s desire to make some “easy” money. As most uneducated breeders discover- often too late and at the expense of the animals in their care- bringing puppies into the world is not a way to get rich! For reasons going all the way back to his parents genetics, prenatal care of his mother, proper nutrition and lack of veterinary care throughout, it was inevitable that Jacob’s litter was going to struggle.
Jacob was born to a litter of 6. Out of the 6 puppies, 3 were still born and 3 survived. The 3 surviving puppies all have had serious and numerous health concerns. The puppies made it into rescue, but their struggles were not over. One of Jacob’s litter mates had to be euthanized because of severe health concerns that he could not overcome. Jacob’s sister was deaf and diagnosed with other serious health concerns. She was taken in by Wisconsin Doberman Rescue in hopes of finding a forever home through them. Jacob came to DRM to begin his journey- and what a journey it has been!
Jacob suffers from Cerebellar Hypoplasia. He tells me that it is a condition where part of his brain was not fully developed at birth. As a result he has difficulty moving like a “normal” dog. He experiences jerky and uncoordinated movements. There is no treatment for this disorder so DRM is faced with management in an effort to keep Jacob safe and happy.
While not the most graceful, Jacob loved walking. He loved it so much that he developed the stamina to go 2-3 miles a day. He told me that when he was out walking he felt great…just like he was one of the other dogs in the neighborhood. Unfortunately all of that walking, which was so good for his balance, has led to torn ligaments in his knee that required a very expensive surgery. Surgery was performed in mid January and now he is in the process of daily physical therapy. His recovery is slow, but he has a wonderful foster mom to help guide him. Donations have come in to help him, however he still has a 1500.00 balance that needs to be be paid. Scarier yet, he told me that the Dr’s said that if one knee has difficulty it is quite possible that the other knee with have difficulty as well. Jacob is scared…he doesn’t know how a little guy like himself will be able to take care of all his debts- current and possibly future. I told him to focus on his recovery and let me reach out to those angels I know. Can anybody help my friend Jacob?
Love,
Benny