Money is being raised for Maggie, a New Brunswick dog who has already overcome so much, but still has a long way to go.
Maggie was rescued by Nicole Thebeau, who rescues animals in New Brunswick’s Kent County. Thebeau was responding to a call of two neglected dogs about a week ago, when a third dog appeared.
“My friend said, ‘oh my god, look at your left,’” she says, “and there was this dog coming to my left and she was dragging herself on her chest, pretty much on her front leg trying to come to us.”
“Her eyes were just pleading for help.”
Maggie was taken to the Riverview Animal Hospital where it was confirmed the injuries were fresh.
“The hind leg is inoperable – it needs amputation,” says veterinarian Francis Arsenault. “The front leg is paralyzed so it will never use the leg.”
Maggie went into surgery on Thursday for a double amputation.
“We seldom amputate legs because we can fix them and that’s our priority,” says Arsenault. “If we have to amputate one leg, most cats and dogs do great. But when you talk about a double amputee, that’s not something we see very often.”
Several discussions have already happened about what Maggie’s quality of life will be post-surgery.
“Those are very difficult discussions because we certainly have to focus on the patients and what’s best for the patient,” says Arsenault. “She is a great girl and has a great attitude.”
Thebeau says money has been raised to help fund Maggie’s surgery.
“I want to try and teach her how to walk again so if that’s not possible, we’ll have to go with the wheelchair,” she says.
A sad story that many, including Maggie, hope will have a happy ending.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Nick Moore.