When Milo first arrived at Lollypop Farm in early May, this tiny 4-year-old Chihuahua was sporting a painful injury. Milo had been transferred from another local shelter that was unable to repair a severe break in his front left leg, in the hopes that we might be able to help him. Our clinic found that Milo had a complete displaced fracture of his distal radius and ulna, and would require a complicated surgery beyond the scope of what could be performed at Lollypop Farm, or an amputation.
Lollypop Farm’s veterinarian Dr. Cristina Cadavieco advocated for Milo to have the difficult surgery. “It is a beautiful leg, it would have been a shame to not do everything we could to save it,” she said. It was decided that Milo would have to go to Cornell Animal Hospital to receive the necessary surgery – an insertion of a plate that would reinforce his broken leg, and spare him from amputation. But, the cost of that surgery would be around $1,500, a high sum when so many pets require critical veterinary care.
A plea to #HelpMilo was sent out to friends and supporters of Lollypop Farm, and in just a matter of hours, the Rochester community came together and not only raised the $1,500 necessary to offset the costs of Milo’s surgery, but in fact close to $5,000 that went directly towards helping other pets in need.
After the enthusiastic response to the Community Care Alert, it was time to schedule Milo’s surgery! On May 21, this little pup travelled all the way to Cornell, and after a successful surgery, finally had his much needed repair.
Before surgery, Milo was likely in pain, and was frightened when meeting new people. But after surgery and while in foster care, he started to come out of his shell! With the help of a little bit of cheese (Milo’s favorite special treat), he has mastered new introductions with both people and other pets, dogs and cats alike. In his foster home, he loves to snuggle up on the couch and steal toys from the resident cats who tower over him in size. “Milo has made such huge strides in the last few weeks,” said Milo’s foster mom. “His personality has really started to blossom since his surgery, he’s like a whole new dog! We can’t wait to see Milo’s progress as he heals. It will be so wonderful to see him run across the yard some day!”
Milo’s recovery will be a long one, with several weeks of rest to come, followed by rehabilitation. It won’t be easy, but without this surgery and help from friends like you, Milo’s future would have looked a lot different.
Lollypop Farm relies on donations from community members like you to save pets in need. In fact, 75% of the shelter’s general operating support comes solely from charitable gifts. It is only with the support of our generous donors that we can continue to provide the very best possible care for pets in need like Milo.
Would you like to make a gift that supports critical care for pets in need like Milo? Donate now:
Milo is currently in foster care and unavailable for adoption, but here’s where you can meet all of our available dogs: https://www.lollypop.org/animals/dogs/
