Look who’s walking: Little puppy takes giant steps toward recovery
Steve was one of six puppies surrendered to the Monmouth County SPCA.
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First one tiny paw, then another — and suddenly, Steve was walking on his own for the first time since being taken in by the Monmouth County SPCA.
Steve, a German shepherd mix, suffered a fractured vertebra and was unable to walk on his own. According to the Monmouth County SPCA, the pup was one of six dogs surrendered to the agency in July, all with various injuries and ailments.
“Six 8-week-old German shepherd mix puppies arrived at the MCSPCA after what was believed to be an ordinary surrender,” the MCSPCA wrote on Facebook. “But instead of happy, healthy puppies ready for adoption, our medical team was met with an emergency: Half of them couldn’t stand, walk or even lift their back ends. They were feverish, weak and in severe pain — whimpering with every touch.”
Veterinarians at Vogel Veterinary Hospital performed tests and determined that the puppies were suffering from severe bone density loss due to the “extreme malnutrition” they experienced before being surrendered. The MCSPCA said their bones were so fragile “that even a small step or gentle play can cause them to break.” Some had fractures in their legs and hips, while Steve had a spinal fracture, the MCSPCA said.
It took weeks of care and treatment for Steve to reach this milestone. But with determination, the moment his caregivers had hoped for finally happened as he stood up and took his first solo steps. The MCSPCA lovingly refers to Steve as its “little miracle pup.”
Since the dogs were surrendered, most have been placed in foster homes to continue the rehabilitation process until they are healthy and strong enough for adoption, the MCSPCA said.
In the meantime, a GoFundMe has been established to help raise money for the puppies’ continued care. Recovery does not happen overnight. Sometimes, it happens one shaky paw at a time.
