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BENJI
Benji was abandoned. It might have been the best thing that ever happened to him.
Benji’s owner left him in boarding — but as the days went by, he never came back. When the boarding staff tried to call the man, they realized they were given the wrong number.
Benji was in dire state — his fur was matted, his skin was inflamed, he was covered in bald patches, and there seemed to be a serious problem with his two front legs. The staff reached out to us for help and we took over Benji’s care. The boy has now been moved to a vet clinic and we will be doing everything we can to change his situation.
DIAGNOSIS
A thorough examination by an experienced vet team has been performed, a full blood and biochemistry panel, Xrays and skin culture tests were done.
Benji is a young boy, probably 2-yrs old. He was found to be severely malnourished and weighs only 12.6 kg. His body is covered in mange but the hair roots are healthy, microscopic examination did not discover demodex mites. Orthopaedic examination revealed the right elbow is swollen at the radius and ulna; the joint is painful and the range of movement is restricted. The left forefoot is bent at the radius-ulna joint with the carpal, possibly an old fracture which has healed at the wrong angle.
Therapy was immediately started for Benji’s skin condition. Stay with us as we expect updates from the vet team and please donate below towards the medical help Benji requires.
The sweet boy is extremely frightened and shies away whenever people reach for him, trying to hide in the farthest corner of the cage. He is scared of fast movements and loud noises, but seems to be slowly calming down.
UPDATE | April 2022
It’s been a couple of weeks since we rescued Benji, who was abandoned in a terrible state at a boarding facility by his owner. The sweet boy has since been hospitalized in a veterinary clinic and has been receiving treatment for his skin issues while we searched for an experienced orthopedic team to evaluate the problem with his legs.
Benji’s front legs show severe joint instability and literally bend when he tries to stand on them. In addition to the fractures visible in the Xrays, there may be congenital or chronic trouble as well, possibly due to lack of proper nutrition when he was a puppy or as far back as his mom’s pregnancy.
You can see how Benji’s legs bend under his weight in the two short videos below.
This video was shot when he was still in the boarding facility.
This second video was made during an examination in our vet clinic.
After consultations with three veterinary teams, we have been advised that Benji needs specialist orthopedic surgery if he is to have normal use of his front legs. The procedure includes radial reangulation by distal and proximal osteotomy, as well as ulnar tension release by DUO, and will aim to straighten the bones so they can be more weight bearing. Undergoing the surgery would allow Benji to lead a happy doggy life, walk and run.
The alternative could be amputation of the left leg — fit dogs in normal circumstances can do very well on three legs — however the specialist surgeon is concerned that the right leg may not be stable enough to support Benji’s entire body. This makes amputation an absolute last desperate resort.
UPDATE | August 2022
Since we last wrote to you about Benji, we ended up postponing the planned surgery for various reasons.
Fundraising was slow as summer holidays stole attention away from our boy’s plight, and we also had to change the surgical team due to the complexity of the required procedure.
We have now found a new orthopedic senior vet, experienced enough to perform the specialist surgery Benji needs in order to have normal use of his front legs.
The operation includes radial reangulation by distal and proximal osteotomy, as well as ulnar tension release by DUO, and aims to straighten the bones so they can be more weight bearing.
In the meantime, we refused a possible amputation of the left leg and, with the vet team’s full support, decided to do everything in our power to save both legs.
UPDATE | September 2022
Baby steps, but we are moving forward!
Thank you for your patience while we fix Benji and give him his life back.
It took some time, but now Benji’s first surgery has been done.It was a specialist orthopedic procedure which is the first step towards allowing him to have normal use of his front legs. The operation is called radial reangulation by distal and proximal osteotomy and ulnar tension release by DUO. The aim is to straighten the bones so they can be more weight bearing.
Below are some photos from the surgery, you can also see the implants Benji received. Please stay with him till the end of his journey back to life!
This was the first of a series of surgeries Benji will need. The sweet boy thanks you for being with him for the long run and for giving him the chance to have a normal, happy life.
We cannot imagine what Benji has been through, but we promised him — his life will never be the same. Will you join us in that promise?
You can help with Benji’s medical expense by donating below.
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