Noelle

My parents lost their dog Maggie this past year. It was Maggie's time. My parents offer a pet a wonderful life in an outstanding environment. Maggie lived well and offered my parents many smiles in return.

At the same time as Maggie's passing another dog suddenly entered their lives. A dog breeder showed up at the veterinarian's office in Myerstown with a Bichon Frise. The dog had a birth defect. It's one back leg was completely out of the hip joint. The breeder was asking the vet to put the dog to sleep.

The vet decided against putting the dog asleep. Perhaps it was the way this dog seems to smile. Perhaps it was the way this dog expressed so much energy and kindness. Perhaps, as the vet said, he just needed some surgical practice.

The vet performed surgery on this little white puffball of a dog, to try to place the leg back into the joint. Even with a successful surgery it would take much time of rehabilitation for the dog to use the leg properly.

As my Mom visited the vet one day, the doctor came out carrying the Bichon puppy, plopped it in my Mom's arms and said, "I have your new dog for you."

New dog?

With every dog that has passed my Dad says, "No more dogs." My Mom's not listening to him. lol

There was some kind of strange electricity between my Mom and that dog. She decided to take it home and make it theirs. She named it Noelle. Despite my Dad's reluctance, Noelle's favorite spot in the world is on his lap.

Unfortunately Noelle's paw recently became infected. It was the paw on the leg that surgery was performed on. It was bleeding and pussy. Noelle had a little boot to wear to protect it. But she would regularly chew it off and pick at her paw.

The infection was bad enough that it could have spread and been very threatening. The vet recommended amputating the leg.

My Mom says she regrets letting the vet taking this action. But it very well likely saved her life.

My Mom feels terrible. They now have a three-legged dog.

She doesn't feel bad that she has a three-legged dog. She just feels bad for all the things this poor little dog has been through in its short life.

But my Mom, and the vet, have saved this dog's life twice now. I'm proud of her. She cares far more than the breeder, to whom the dog was just a paycheck and little else.

How many people would take this little puppy on?

Noelle's going to need lots of rehab. This is major surgery, of course, and it's going to take many months to recover. It's a traumatic experience for both Noelle and my Mom.

I'm sure Noelle will be just fine. Even with three-legs the puppy still seems to be smiling all the time, and the tail just wags and wags.

From here, we just have to give Noelle some quality time on my Dad's lap.