TEAM BROM
| Brom is an American Pit Bull Terrier. He was born approximately October 10th. A message had come across the MySpace forums saying that an abandoned Pit puppy needed a home. Since I am such a sucker, I sent a message to the lady who had the puppy to get more information. This little guy had been abandoned on her door step when he was only a day or two old. She also told me that he was born missing one of his paws. I told her about myself and sent her my website so that she could see what I do. I let her know that I was interested in the puppy if she didn’t feel she could find a better home. (She was unable to keep him herself and would have to have him euthanized or take him to a shelter if no one would take him.) After reading more about me, she asked me to become the puppy’s new mom. Fortunately, Brom’s foster mom had a friend that had a current litter that was only a little older then he. The mother dog accepted Brom into the litter and allowed him to nurse. I drove with Inara to NC to pick Brom up on November 16th. We got there later in the evening and had the wonderful opportunity to meet Brom’s second foster mom (the foster litter’s mom). She is a wonderful person who did her best to keep Brom as healthy as she could. Brom was very underweight when I picked him up (weighing in at 2 ½ lbs at the vet the next day). A pit pup at that age should have been at least twice that weight. When I got him home on Saturday (we all spent the night with a very good friend of mine who had introduced me to the Pit Bull breed) I immediately started him on formula. Brom was in very desperate need of a high protein, high fat diet. Within 24 hours, Brom was starting to look like a healthy puppy. I started Brom on an exercise routine that allowed him to do a good deal of walking throughout the day. Brom's back legs were pretty weak and he had a difficult time moving around. Brom is now doing a great job of getting around. He very rarely uses his stub for support anymore. He both hops and "walks" by moving his front foot forward and then following with the back legs. He has even learned to climb the 3 inch curb outside my front door. He also uses his chin to balance and support himself so that he can reach up and put his front leg on you. He is very smart and resourceful. A week after coming home, I took Brom in to see my vet. By that time, he had gained weight and was up to 4 pounds. Brom continued to grow and gain weight. On December 5th, I noticed that Brom was standing funny on his supporting leg. After a better look, I noticed that his leg was buckling forward and he was standing on the outside of his paw instead of standing flat. On the 7th I took him to the local animal hospital. The vet looked at his leg and confirmed what I was worried about. Do to the rapid weight gain (6.3 pounds by this point) his leg was bowing under the weight. She has referred me to an Orthopedic Vet in another town. Brom's appointment with this doctor is set for December 12th. Though I will discuss our options in detail with the vet it currently looks like Brom will either need a brace (stationary or mobile) or a prosthetic leg. Both options can be very expensive. A stationary brace is the least expensive option but it is also the least desirable option. This is because the brace is just a standard mold that can cause ulcerations on his "good" leg. It would also severely limit his mobility by forcing his leg to be in one position. The next option would be to go with a brace that is custom made for him with joints to allow his leg to move and still give him the necessary support. These braces cost about $200 each (this is half price) and he would need one every 6-8 weeks until he matures when I would purchase his final "adult" brace at about $400. The final option is to give him a prosthetic leg. This would be attached to the remainder of his "bad" leg. These legs cost about $300 each (half price) and would also be needed every 6-8 weeks until fully grown. His "adult" leg would cost between $600-$800. December 17, 2007 Great News! The vet said that Brom is doing well. There are some extra precautions that I am now aware of such as limit jumping and too much exercise. He said that I needed to pay extra special attention to him jumping down off of things. I have to be particularly careful that he doesn't injure the growth plate of the ulna. Damaging this plate will cause his leg to grow abnormally and permanently bow. If this occurs then surgery is the only option. However, the doctor did say that I should look at a prosthetic leg when he is fully grown. His front leg will take 70% of his body weight and that will cause a lot of stress on his leg. January 24, 2008 Early last week Brom injured his back left leg. It was scary because he wasn't bearing any weight on it and it is the opposite of his missing front leg. All things considering, he did a pretty decent job balancing on his two legs. After talking to a friend of mine (a vet tech at the local emergency room) we decided to give Brom a few days of bed rest before going through with x-rays. I decided to give him until Sunday. Well, Sunday rolled around and, though better, he still wasn't bearing full weight. Our concern was that he tore his cruciate. Since Monday was a holiday and there was no chance of getting him to a vet, he had another two days of rest. Well, lucky us, this seemed to do the job. Brom is now bearing full weight and running around like a mad man. Needless to say, his vet bills are quickly racking up. If you are interested in helping Brom, please donate to his fund through the link below. All donations will be used to pay for periodic check-ups with the orthopedist and his adult prosthetic. August 22, 2008 Brom is doing great!! He now weighs over 45 pounds and is still growing. He hasn't had any more rotation in his front leg either. Now that he is nearing his one year birthday, his growth plates will start closing which is also good news. Once they are closed, I won't have to worry about any more rotation in his leg. :) March 31, 2009 This little guy is doing fantastic. He has gotten so big. He weighs in at a solid 45 pounds without an ounce of fat on him. He loves to run and play with the other dogs. Though he wears out quickly, he doesn't give up. Thank you for your support in helping to raise money for Brom's leg! |
| Brom - the day he came home. He weighs 2.5 lbs in this picture. The front leg that you see is his "bad" leg. |
| The type of prosthetic that Brom will wear when he is fully grown |
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| Money Raised: $300.00 as of 7/23/09 |
| Brom hanging out with his sisters, Minerva and Inara. They are on the patio laying on their "Cool Mats". These are mats that have special crystals in them that stay cool for several days when you soak them. They're great for basking in the sun on the patio. :) |
