Max - The Almost 3-Legged Dog

Max celebrated his 10th birthday on Wednesday. I would have forgotten except for the card that came from his health insurance carrier (VPI). So he ate some chicken-apple sausage and lowfat chocolate ice cream for dinner. And so did I.

Max has 4 legs, but nearly lost one when he was two-years old. It was a horrible accident involving a long piece of rebar (substituting as a baseball bat), a tennis ball, a hyper-active ball-obsessed dog (Max) and a bored teenager (mine). I didn't see it happen, only saw the aftermath: a spiral compound fracture of max's right rear leg. Apparently, Max's leg got in the way of a swinging "bat" and that was that.

Three surgeries and $6,000 later (which included $2,000 of permanent hardware), Max's leg was weak and shriveled. He refused to use it. He was very depressed. We considered amputation until a dog trainer friend, Joyce Biethan, recommended swim therapy.

I'll never forget our first session. It was the middle of winter-- dark, cold, and rainy.  Max hobbled into the spa, but as soon as he saw the pool, he pulled himself (and nearly me) right in. For 45 minutes he never stopped moving. Exhausted and depression-free by the time we left, he slept like a baby the hour-long drive home.

A few days later, shortly after session #2, I looked outside to witness Max standing on his BAD leg and lifting his GOOD leg to potty. I screamed with excitement. To the right, is a photo about a month after we start therapy.

Max loved the spa so much, we continued the sessions long after we needed to for therapy reasons...but at $75.00 a pop, they couldn't go on forever.

My friend Joyce now owns her own dog swim therapy center in Southern Washington called Unsinkabledogs.com or click here to see a video of a live session.

Max now enjoys his own private spa which he happily shares with other dogs and a few ducks.