Ruger came into our care from Austin Animal Center as a medical case. He was surrendered to AAC after he was recently taken in by family members who had three dogs of their own at the time. These dogs did not take well to Ruger's presence, and due to his condition, Ruger couldn't get away when the other dogs started acting aggressive towards him. It was at this point that the family decided to make the call to surrender him so he could have a chance to find a home that better suits him.
We believe he was born with his kneecaps on the side of his legs which caused his muscles to grow too short and in the wrong direction. Because of this, he has severe luxated patellas and can't fully extend his back legs, so when he walks around it's in a very hunched position. In order to try and make walking easier for Ruger, we need to replace his kneecaps and reconstruct his back legs, a procedure that is not common and doesn't come with guarantees. And even though we can't say with 100% certainty that the surgery will be a success, we can say with certainty that we believe that Ruger is worth it. This dog young deserves the opportunity to have an easier life. This will be followed by intense physical therapy to re-teach him how to walk. Ruger will never be able to fully walk like your average pup, but these surgeries have the chance to increase his quality of life tremendously. We're going to do everything we can for this sweet boy so that one day he'll be able to run more freely. If you're able to help us in this long road to recovery for Ruger, please give to his medical fund today. Every dollar gets him closer to the life he's meant to live.
*At times a chip in fund will raise more than a pet needs. When this happens, rest assured that excess gifts will be used to help another pet in need of your assistance! Thank you for helping us help pets!
