Appeal for Wonderful Willow

Please consider donating to Willow’s appeal on HelloAsso (fiscal receipt available), or on our website using Card or Paypal.

Donate via HelloAsso : https://www.helloasso.com/associations/les-amis-des-animaux/collectes/appeal-for-wonderful-willow-appel-pour-wonderful-willow

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Willow is a 1 year 8 month old English Springer Spaniel who was abandoned at the SPA with her six litter mates at only a few weeks old.

Happily, she was quickly adopted by Addie and Paul, who now feel that that she is a treasure and they wouldn’t be whole without her. They simply love her to pieces.

Despite the health issues she has gone through in her young life, she is a normal, energetic dog who just wants to run through the fields and play.

However, just a couple of months after her adoption, it was found that Willow had developed severe orthopaedic issues in both knees, of genetic origin.  

At seven months old she had her first operation on her left leg for hip dysplasia.  It was meant to be a hip replacement on the left hand side, but it turned out that the bones were too deformed, so the vet then performed a Femoral Head Ostectomy. *

Now she needs a second and third operation for damaged cruciate ligaments in both knees. This operation is called a TPLO – Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy   – and it will significantly reduce pain and the likelihood of arthritis developing. It’s a technically difficult surgery but has a 90% success rate.**

The two surgeries will take place 30 days apart, and will cost 1200 euros each, with added costs for scans, X-rays and follow up treatments.

The first surgery is set for January, but the vet says it needs to be sooner, so we are waiting for a date.

Willow also suffers from Osteochondritis***, which can result in lameness, pain and subsequent osteoarthritis. The specialist surgeon will see during the surgery if he needs to intervene surgically.

Addie, Paul, and Les Amis Des Animaux, cannot leave Willow to live a life of pain. With your help, and 3000 euros, we can make sure that Willow continues to live her happy life, pain free.

*A Femoral Head Ostectomy aims to restore pain-free mobility to a diseased or damaged hip by removing the head and neck of the femur (the long leg bone or thighbone). This removes the ball of the ball-and-socket joint, leaving just an empty socket. The muscles of the leg will initially hold the femur in place and, over time, scar tissue will form to provide cushioning that is referred to as a ‘false joint’. (https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/femoral-head-ostectomy-fho-in-dogs)

**TPLO surgery aims to stabilize the knee joint in dogs affected by CCL (cranial cruciate ligament ) injuries. The procedure involves modifying the angle of the tibial plateau, which redirects forces acting on the knee joint, thereby reducing stress on the CCL. (https://tploinfo.com/blog/common-questions-about-tplo-surgery-for-dogs-answering-your-questions/)

***Osteochondritis is where rapid cartilage growth at the ends of long bones (on either side of a joint) can outstrip its own blood supply causing abnormal thickening of the cartilage. This may then crack off, allowing joint fluid to leak under a flap of detaching cartilage. This gives rise to inflammation and further dissecting away of the cartilage flap. (https://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/orthopaedics/hock-osteochondritis-dissecans-ocd/)