With his skin condition fully resolved, Niko has been with our friends at the Animal Medical Center while he continues to rehab his hind legs. While he is there Niko receives daily physical therapy to strengthen all his legs with a special focus on regaining mobility in his hind legs. Niko also received extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) – a special technique which uses acoustic energy directed to target his muscles and enable healing.
Niko has also gotten some new wheels! As part of his physical therapy Niko has been fitted with a hind limb assist cart to improve mobility and help strengthen his left hind limb to bear the weight of his body. As you can see from this video Niko is picking it up quite well, thanks to the help of his dedicated Rehab Team.
Niko survived a traumatic injury to his hind legs in Turks and Caicos, and he continues to show us his fighting spirit. As we reported earlier, Niko had been living on the street and learned to get around on his fractured limbs, causing them to heal in abnormal formations. Unfortunately, it appears that Niko is now going to face continued challenges to his mobility. But you can help ensure Niko gets the medical care he needs.
Dr. Mark Verdino, Animal League America Chief of Veterinary Staff, reported, “The orthopedic specialist we consulted concurred that due to the advanced healing of the fractures, surgery to repair them is not possible.”
While Niko’s left hind leg is functional, his right hind leg is locked in full extension. The next step for Niko is to see a rehabilitation specialist, who will examine him and determine if physical therapy could improve the function of this leg. If not, it is possible that amputation would be advised. While Niko could lose one of his hind legs, we know that there is no stopping him! And we won’t stop doing everything we can to give this sweet puppy the life he deserves. Will you be there for him, too?
We want to let Niko know that life won’t always be a struggle. Niko’s mobility may be in jeopardy, but we know he will prevail, and we will be there — along with supporters like you — to help.
Our shelter partner, Turks and Caicos Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TCSPCA), reached out to us to help a hurt pup needing medical care beyond what they could handle. We quickly mobilized our rescue team, and brave Niko was soon on his way to the safety of our Port Washington, NY campus.
Rescued from the streets, homeless and vulnerable, this eight-month-old pup had suffered severe fractures to both of his hind legs, likely the result of being hit by a car. Despite the pain he endured, Niko managed to fend for himself for weeks. By the time he was found by the TCSPCA he had figured out a way to scoot around on his broken limbs. Unfortunately however, this meant his bones began to mend in abnormal configurations, and it has created a complex orthopedic challenge.
Dr. Marina Tejada, Animal League America Supervising Veterinarian, conducted his initial examination and explained, “In Niko’s case, the fractures happened so long ago that the bones have started to heal in a side-by-side formation. We will be evaluating Niko’s updated x-rays and consulting with an orthopedic specialist to see what his options are.” At the moment, the prognosis for Niko’s legs is unclear. In addition, Niko also has a painful skin infection called Demodex. This is caused by mites that are typically found on dogs, and in times of stress or illness these mites can overgrow on the skin causing itchiness, skin irritation, and hair loss.
Your support makes it possible for animals like Niko get the care and compassion they need and deserve.
While Niko is receiving medication for his skin infection, his doctors have scheduled an orthopedic consult to determine the best treatment plan for his legs. All through his challenging journey, Niko’s spirit continues to shine. He has been exceedingly tolerant of all the hands trying to help him, and meets every visitor’s eyes with a look of curiosity and tenderness. We want to let Niko know that life won’t always be a struggle. Niko’s mobility may be in jeopardy, but we know he will prevail, and we will be there — along with supporters like you — to help.
