An urgent appeal has been launched by an animal charity to help save a cockapoo.
Nine-month-old Thomas was handed into Oak Tree Animals’ Charity as his owner could no longer provide the care he needed.
The charity, based at Wetheral, said: “He had clearly been well-loved and quickly settled into his foster home. His fosterer noticed Thomas occasionally limping even after minimal exercise so after chatting to the vets he was booked in for X-rays and to be assessed by an orthopaedic specialist.
After the X-ray, the extent of his problem became apparent, Thomas has hip dysplasia on both sides. The vet even commented that it was remarkable that he copes so incredibly well.”
The charity has launched an appeal to help pay for surgery to correct the problem – and help Thomas live a happy life without pain.
Caroline Yon, Oak Tree’s head of animal welfare, said: “Hip dysplasia is a condition where the ball and socket of the hip joint develop abnormally leading to the ball not sitting properly within the socket. In the worst cases, it can lead to severe osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease and be incredibly painful.
“Hip dysplasia is an inherited condition, so breeding must be carefully monitored to reduce the risk of it occurring. The Kennel Club and British Veterinary Association produce Estimated Breeding Values and hip scores to help select breeding stock that is less likely to suffer from hip dysplasia.
“With Thomas being so young, early diagnosis and treatment are key to help prevent long-term arthritis caused by the condition.”
It has been decided that instead of a full hip replacement, Thomas would need a femoral head excision which costs around £900 per hip.
To help Thomas, visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/thomas-surgery-appeal
