We are in a flurry of excitement over our Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday and you would think in the midst of starting our new practice and preparing for this fun party that adding one more huge, life changing task to the list would be a bad idea. Well, it was the best idea ever! And so... Michael and I adopted a "special needs" puppy this week. DeeDee has a new little sister.

She likes to crawl under this table, then lay there and look cute.

On Monday I went with Ronnie, the Dog Foster Coordinator from Animal Rescue and Care Fund, for a physical therapy evaluation of our special needs puppy. I had originally met the puppy when Ronnie brought the sweet girl to a Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon clinic that I was volunteering at. She had just had her right front leg amputated and had an abnormal gait on her hind legs. That left her with 1 good leg! She had her front leg amputated after she was found running down 82nd Ave with a horrible injury to her leg and missing toes. I examined her and invited Ronnie to bring her in for x rays for Friends and Family Day. Michael met the puppy that day, fell in love and promptly noted that this was a really bad time to get a puppy. So the little girl went home with Ronnie, her foster mom. We kept in touch, receiving regular updates and the last one we got was about her physical therapy appointment coming up and Ronnie's heartfelt worries that everyone was in love with this puppy but no one was willing to take her on and it was looking like it would be very difficult to find this sweet girl a home. I was at the clinic with Michael late on a Sunday night and forwarded him the email. I was working away on my computer when I got an instant message from somewhere inside the clinic asking about going to play pool at the Backstage - our normal Sunday night ritual. The next message offered if I won 3/3 games we could keep the puppy. Game on!

Now I have to tell you that in all of the games of pool we've played since the building of this practice... I usually lose. My wins are 50/50 on legitimate wins vs. Michael scratching on the 8 ball! I do have some very wonderful wins under my belt and I am always close on Michael's heels but fact is he's better than me.  So we played our first game and I won. Yay! The second game was so close, luckily Michael took his last shot on the 8 ball and scratched. Yippee another win - I'd take it anyway I could. Wow 2 in a row - a record. Then came the 3rd game and Michael won fair and square. I think he was a little disappointed to have won. After a second beer he proposed that we find out what she's going to need and evaluate whether we could keep her. 

That brings me back to Monday's visit. Boy, she's a mess. She has bilateral bowed femurs that we need to try to align properly for her continued growth and proper knee alignment (correcting this may reveal hip dysplasia which will require further action). She has bilateral femoral nerve weakness, an arched back from walking so funny on her hind legs and abdominal muscle weakness - again from walking so funny. The visit with Dr. Shaw at Back on Track was really great. Dr. Shaw is incredibly skilled and put the puppy through a series of exercises and the little girl was so resilient. At first she would hesitate a little - especially when the assistive device was placed on her hind legs or when she was in the underwater treadmill - but then she'd look like, "ok, what do you want me to do now?". It was a little heartbreaking to watch what this puppy is going to have to do but her lively personality and sweet nature makes her the perfect candidate. I knew Ronnie would be overwhelmed with these exercises at home and her 5 other dogs to attend to as well so we made plans, if Michael gave the go ahead, we'd get her on Tuesday.

Mojo all drugged up for her x-rays	She swears the paper towel was already ripped up on the floor like this when she got there. I'm pretty sure she's lying, but I don't have any proof yet.

I met Michael out at Belmont Station for a beer and went over the plans. He was really concerned but being her best prospect said yes and she's been with us since Tuesday. We're working through the normal puppy things - potty training and learning what's ok to chew on but she's smart and picking it up fast. We brainstormed names on Tuesday and on Wednesday her name was Mojo. (She has had a slew of names - Marsha from the shelter, Blanche from North Porltand Animal Hospital, and Lacey from Animal Care and Rescue Fund). DeeDee does not like being the new play toy but Mojo is pretty respectful and DeeDee is even starting to play ever so slightly. She also finds refuge on the couch where Mojo can't reach her. 

Are we crazy to take on this special case? Probably but when she snuggles up at night and rests her head on your pillow it's like nothing else matters and everything is just perfect.

Come meet Mojo at the Open House - I bet she'll capture your heart too!