Introducing our little golden weenie, Beau!
Beau is a cream miniature long-haired dachshund puppy. Think of a golden retriever but shrunk down and elongated. Despite his small sausage-like stature, he definitely brings big dog energy. He is incredibly courageous and tenacious, greeting everyone he meets. He has an affectionate personality; in fact, you are guaranteed kisses on the first date. Beau is a happy and intelligent boy, always ready for a game or adventure. A true testament to the adage “Good things come in small packages”.
Unfortunately, at around 6 months of age, we noticed Beau had a funny looking right hind leg, it was twisted inward. We consulted our regular vet who said we need to reach out to a specialist. Without any hesitation, we chose SASH. We felt confident with our choice as SASH is known for their high-quality services and care.
We had an appointment with Dr Martin Havlicek and his surgical team, where they completed a full assessment of Beau’s health and his little leg. Beau had an x-ray under sedation and was diagnosed with Pes Varus in his right hind leg. The name is a little cooler than the condition. In Latin, pes means foot and varus means inward. Commonly seen in dachshunds, pes varus is a genetic deformity where the distal tibia is turned inward toward the body. Without intervention, this can cause pain, lameness and osteoarthritis with older age. The solution is a word no pet parent wants to hear… SURGERY! We were so scared that our perfect little pup would need such a big operation. Dr Martin’s knowledge of Pes Varus was very reassuring. The surgical team provided us with a very detailed explanation of the surgical plan to fix his leg so he could enjoy life like the playful puppy he is.
On the 25th of July 2023, our little Beau had a surgery, specifically an osteotomy on his right hind leg. This is where they cut a wedge out of his tibia bone to correct the deformity. It required 2 metal plates, 9 screws and a bone graft to straighten his little leg. Nothing the SASH surgical team couldn’t handle. After the longest hours of our lives, surgery was a success! Phew, what a relief. During his hospital stay, we received calls and text messages from the surgical team with updates. The surgical team were fantastic, Beau couldn’t have been in safer hands. Beau was already able to weight bear on his leg after surgery. They told us he was a very good boy and received lots of cuddles from staff. After 3 days of around the clock care at from the experts at SASH, it was time for beau to come home to his very anxious mum, dad and meowy brother. But the journey does not end here…
Beau was in for a long recovery and luckily, SASH has an awesome Rehab team. We met with Rehabilitation Therapist, Allana who provided us with an individualised management plan to strengthen his leg. This included lots of bed rest, gentle exercises, medicine and plenty of cuddles. The surgical and rehab team closely followed Beau’s recovery, providing us with advice along the way.
To improve mobility and speed up recovery, Beau signed up to SASH’s very own Hydrotherapy where he got to exercise in the underwater treadmill. Beau visited SASH weekly to walk, trot, run and swim. His love for Hydrotherapy helped him get stronger and stronger. His leg has never looked better! A few months later, we had our post op x-ray and got clearance from the surgical team. Beau was so excited by the news. Thanks to his new leg, zoomies are next level and he is as fast as ever.
Beau loves SASH so much. We still visit SASH weekly for his Hydrotherapy sessions. We have had the most amazing and supportive experience with all the staff at SASH. We can’t forget about the amazing Client Services Team who always greeted Beau with a smile and pat every time we walked through the doors. To everyone at SASH, we are eternally grateful for your commitment and knowledge. Thanks to SASH, Beau will live his most happy and best life.
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