Siggi is a small Rat Terrier that was born with a physical defect. His front paws were upside down, and she was forced to learn how to walk using her elbows. This made life rough for her, especially since she didn’t have any owners who could give her the medical attention that she needed. Her flaw is also what is preventing her from getting adopted.
Despite having this rare condition, congenital luxation, and dislocation of the bilateral elbows, Siggi is an active and playful pooch. She doesn’t see anything wrong with herself and cheerfully plays with other dogs. Her sunny character made it difficult for her carers to watch the tiny pooch suffer as her flaw is taking a toll on her body.
Life-altering surgery
Using her elbows for walking, running, and jumping took a toll on the dog’s shoulders and spine. The shelter staff of Dallas Dog – Rescue, Rehab, Reform, a nonprofit dog rescue organization, exhausted all means to find Siggi help. Thankfully, they found an article about a dog with the same condition.
An animal surgeon from Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine named Dr. Erik Clary successfully performed surgery on a dog named Milo with a similar dilemma. The doctor said that for some reason, the elbows came out of their joints while still in the womb and rotated completely. This turned their paws upside down.
The remedy is an operation that involves intentionally breaking the joint and rotating the leg to its normal position.
Three months
The staff of the rescue group got in touch with Dr. Clary and told him about Siggi. The kindhearted surgeon gladly accepted the pooch as his patient. An operation was scheduled, and the dog underwent surgery. The medical procedure was a success, and she returned to the shelter with her legs wrapped in an orange cast.
Three months after the surgery, a checkup showed that her legs had healed entirely. Siggi started therapy, learning how to walk again. The dog is now living in a foster home, waiting to recover and be put up for adoption.
Source: Dallas Dog – Rescue.Rehab.Reform via Facebook
