Austin is a
Name A Boxer
dog
Thank you Karen Robidoux
for naming Austin.
“I would like to name a boxer in
memory of my beloved Austin. Austin was "my little girl" with a
boy's name...and the best friend a person could have. I'm sure this
"Austin" will be as special to someone as my "Austin" was to me.“
URGENT! AUSTIN NEEDS YOUR HELP! Please donate now:
3/25/09: ADOPTED!!!No Longer Accepting Applications
03/19/08:
HE HAD ME AT HELLO
"It has been six months since Austin was hit by a car that almost ended his life. We are happy to report that Austin has made great strides in his recovery. His doctor’s concurred that his injuries have healed and Austin has not experienced another head tremor since our last update. We know that medical science had much to do with his recovery, however, we also believe that your many prayers were instrumental to Austin’s healing as well.
Since becoming Austin’s foster parents, we have been blessed. There are many reasons why it is wonderful to have Austin in our lives. One of our favorites is being awakened at 5:30 every morning by boxer breath kisses. When you open your eyes, there is a furry boxer mug staring at you with his nose in your face (he waits patiently and stares at you until you get out of bed!)
Our little man LOVES going for car rides and looks forward to his adventures at the beach. At first, the shore was definitely all new to Austin; the sand, sounds, water etc, took a little time getting used to for him. He was a bit hesitant walking on the seashore and hearing the roar of the surf and then watching the waves roll in. After a few trips, however, curiosity did get the best of him and he has now begun dipping a paw or two in the surf (trying to test the waters…brrrrr). Austin also seems to think that God put seagulls on the beach for his amusement…he loves to watch them and is always ready for a chase.
As much as Austin loves his playtime/exercise, he is equally complacent as your best buddy; he loves cuddling with you, being hugged and always wants to be at your side. With all that said, we knew the moment that we met, he was part of the family. We fostered this wonderful soul and we are happy to give his final update in his foster home….Austin has been adopted!"
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1/11/09:
Austin is looking good…Below is the latest report from his foster mom:
“Austin had a wonderful Christmas. He was a bit hesitant when he saw the Christmas tree (with all those wonderful toys hanging from the branches) but he didn’t touch one ornament. He was, however, a bit apprehensive with the house full of relatives on Christmas Eve (a house of relatives would scare anyone) but eventually realized they weren’t going anywhere soon so he settled in for the long night. Once again, he displayed the “Austin magic” and won everyone‘s heart. He also enjoyed the many toys he received from Santa Paws and Aunt Jane (mostly from Aunt Jane). His favorite is the squeaky sheep. Austin assumes that his new friend is nocturnal.. since he is determined to play with him after midnight.
We have gradually given him more time on his walks and he has begun exercising/playing twice a day. He looks forward to both. Another new adventure for Austin was snow. This handsome guy loves the snow! He is a wonderful little helper when shoveling walkways and driveways…whether on the shovel or off.
As hard as he plays he sleeps just as hard … unless you’re opening the refrigerator (see first update =). He still has a great appetite and I have started adding some canned Merricks to his soaked kibble, which he loves.
We can now add another phrase to Austin’s repertoire…“want to go for a ride”. Austin is great in the car. For the most part, he sleeps until we reach our destination. He does not bark at people when we are stopped or when people walk by the car. Once in awhile, he will put his two front paws on the front armrest to look out the window and make sure we are in the correct lane (he’s a backseat driver) then he gives us a lick of approval and promptly curls up again in the backseat.
A week or so ago, we did have another scare. This time Austin was in the car laying down on the backseat. Again, movement caught my eye and Austin was having another head tremor. Luckily, we were very close to home. Once again, I gave him a piece of chicken, diverted his attention and the shaking stopped. He was back to normal. We will keep a close eye on this and have begun a diary to keep track of these episodes.
Austin now has complete run of the house (upstairs/downstairs) and does not need to be crated when left alone. He is also a great watch dog. He will bark when he hears the doorbell and will alert us to any strange noises. What more could anyone ask for?
Austin is ready to wiggle his way into your heart and would love to be your “Boxer Valentine”
12/10/08:
Below is the latest report from Austin's foster mom:
“We have kept Austin as quiet as possible, per doctor’s instructions, for the past six weeks. Our main concern was any appearance of neurological problems due to his neck injury. In his third week of foster care we had one episode that scared us tremendously. Austin was resting in his bed, sleeping, when something caught the corner of my eye. When I looked down at Austin his eyes were open and only his head was shaking. He did not seem aware it was happening. It lasted approximately 3-5 minutes (to me 3-5 hours). After some calming down on my part, I called his name, he proceeded to get up; although his head was still shaking. His gait was normal. I distracted him with his favorite treat, a piece of chicken, and he came to me and took it out of my hand and the shaking ceased. He seemed fine afterwards. He was alert with no side effects. He has not had another episode since. After some research, it was concluded that Austin had experienced an idiopathic head tremor.
December 4th, Austin went for his follow-up appointment at Tufts Veterinary Hospital. He had x-rays taken to check the healing of his left radius/ulna fracture repair and also the fracture of the second cervical disc in his spine. On radiographs, the fractures show good evidence of healing. The doctor accommodated Austin for surgery the following day. They admitted Austin for his neutering and canine tooth extraction. Austin had a fractured canine tooth in his left lower jaw with an exposed nerve (a lingering injury from his accident).
While Austin was in the hospital, they also examined and cleaned his ears which were looking a little red. The cytology results came back negative for parasitic, fungal, or bacterial infection. Austin stayed overnight to be monitored after surgery and we received a call the following morning that Austin recovered smoothly from general anesthesia. We asked when we could pick him up. We were told by the front desk the earliest would be 11AM. We were are their doors at 11:01 =)
Austin was sent home with some instructions. His diet will be soft, palatable food for the next week or so due to the tooth removal. He was also given rimadyl, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and clavamox, an antibiotic. Austin can also begin to be leash walked, starting with 10 minute walks twice daily with a gradual increase over the next two weeks. After three weeks, Austin can begin “some” off-leash playing.
On Austin’s medical report from Tufts it was noted that “Austin is a sweet boy, we all wish him a speedy recovery”. He still captures the hearts of everyone he meets and even though we knew he must have hurt from his mouth to his tail, he greeted us with the best kisses and boxer wiggles you could every imagine. After a quick walk, Austin happily climbed in the car and closed his eyes for his two hour ride back home!”
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11-17-08 - Pictures added!
11-11- 08 - We have been receiving many inquiries regarding Austin’s progress so we thought another update would be appropriate.
“Austin had his staples removed last week. He was a brave patient…not a whimper. There were twenty staples in his leg (so he had twenty cookies!)
The swelling on his leg has subsided a bit and we are still keeping him off of it as much as possible. We are following the doc’s orders on complete rest….no exercise, steps, walks etc. I must confess though, we have given him a bit more freedom during the day, however, at night he is still being crated.
Austin is completely housebroken and has not had one accident. If he needs to go out, he will let you know by standing at the door. He is such a good boy!
For the first time, we heard Austin bark. I’m not sure who was more surprised…him or me. Austin noticed a neighbor walk by the front door and wanted to "warn" us; of course, his nub was wagging at the same time
He is no longer on any meds, however, we are still very concerned with the neck injury. He does stretch out on his bed and we have heard him wince a few times. We all hold our breath when that happens. We know we can’t stop him from certain actions so we say quite a few prayers when he shakes, bends or stretches.
He still has a wonderful appetite. His dishes are raised so he does not have to bend his neck when he eats or drinks….which brings me to his “neat” table manners. He has none. Little Austin gets as much in his mouth as he gets on the floor… so we help him “recycle’ by putting whatever he misses back into his dish =)
Austin has a difficult time chewing his food because of his dental problems which cannot be addressed until his neck is healed. We soak his kibble thoroughly and make sure all treats are soft. I also cook boneless chicken breasts, cut that in small cubes, and give them to him as treats. He now knows that the tall rectangular box in the kitchen is a great big treat jar. He will sit in front of the refrigerator for as long as it takes for you to open it and give him his treats (and this boxer boy has patience)!
Aussie is the best!!!"
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10-29-08: SO FAR SO GOOD
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Like many of the severely injured dogs who have entered our rescue program, Austin seems to have guardian angels watching out for him. Luckily, Austin started to improve while he was in the hospital and, despite his injuries, is doing well. The doctor’s decided to leave his neck free of the cast since the tight restriction interfered with his breathing.
Austin was released from Tuft’s Animal Hospital and is now resting comfortably in his new foster home. Austin did very well in the car on the way home. Initially he seemed a bit “worried”; he was up against the passenger door laying down with one eye open, but once we drove a few miles he settled in and seemed to enjoy the ride.
Austin’s leg is still quite swollen but we are keeping a close eye on it and making sure that he has minimal use. Hopefully, he will have his staples removed this week. He is currently on Rimadyl and Antirobe twice daily. He takes his medication easily and has a wonderful appetite. He is on complete exercise restriction and must be crated for the better part of the day per doctor’s order.
He weighs in at 48 pounds but could use some extra weight. He loves people and always has the boxer butt wiggle =)
Austin has an appointment to go back to Tufts in early December. The doctors will take radiographs of Austin’s left forelimb to make sure that his leg fracture is healing well. They will also take radiographs of the cervical fracture in his neck to make sure that it is continuing to heal. We are still hoping that he will not need additional surgery for this injury, and we are praying that there is no incidents that will interfere with his progress so far. He also has a fractured tooth as a result of being hit by the car which can not be addressed until his neck is all better, and he will need to be neutered as well.
Although Austin has only been here a short time he has already proved to us that his is one awesome boxer boy.
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10-19-08
- STILL HOLDING OUR BREATH ON AUSTIN’S
PROGNOSIS
The radiographs of Austin’s leg confirmed that he needed surgery. The operation was completed and his leg required a metal plate and screws. Due to his neck injury we were told that it was possible Austin could die on the table. Any movement could have caused his death, therefore they took extreme precautions to immobilize his neck.
Austin has been heavily medicated for his pain, and it took him longer than normal to recover from the anesthesia. He has been placed in the Intensive Care Unit and is being monitored around the clock. Short of death, their main concern is if Austin starts showing any signs of a neurological problem caused by the neck fracture.
Following Austin’s leg operation, the doctors tried another type of cast around his neck which totally restricted all head movement. Unfortunately, this cast caused Austin extreme discomfort and it was decided to remove it for the time being; the doctors will reassess the situation when they see how he does.
The radiographs of Austin’s neck showed that the vertebrae appears to be trying to heal itself. The surgeon said that ideally they could repair the fracture surgically, however, their concern is that they could possibly cause compression on the spinal cord and do more harm than good.
The doctor’s plan is to stabilize Austin’s neck as best they can and closely watch his neurological signs. Should his neurological condition deteriorate they may have no choice but to operate despite the danger.
Austin is currently heavily sedated so that he cannot get up. When they feel he is ready, they will move him out of ICU and monitor his status for several more days. If all goes well, he would be released from the hospital sometime next week.
We were told this is a “waiting game” and Austin’s condition can change at any moment. We are giving him a chance at a good quality of life….but we are all holding our breath on his outcome. He will not be out of danger for several more weeks. Please say a prayer for this courageous little boy.
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10-13-2008 - LIFE OR DEATH - A CONCERN FOR AUSTIN
A FRACTURED NECK VERTEBRAE AND A FRACTURED LEG
We received a call from another rescue over the weekend asking if we could help with a boxer that needed expensive surgery. His name is Austin and he is a wonderful 2 year old who was hit by a car on September 26th. Abandoned by his family at
Angel Memorial Animal Hospital we were told that he was scheduled to be euthanized on Monday. We immediately called the hospital and spoke to the doctor to get more details, and quickly made arrangements to have Austin transferred to Tufts Veterinary Hospital.
Austin sustained serious (possibly life-threatening) injuries including a fractured vertebrae in his neck and a radius/ulna fracture in his forearm. Prior to NBR learning about Austin, he was kept as comfortable as possible at the hospital with pain medication for 15 days. A splint was placed on his neck and his leg.
When we arrived at Angel to pick him up, it was clear how well liked Austin was by all the staff. Everyone knew his name and sent him off with heartfelt waves and words of encouragement. It took a few minutes for Austin to settle down in the car, but once he did, he snoozed until we arrived at Tufts.
The doctors at Tufts who initially examined Austin were very concerned about the fracture in his neck. The break is located in the “dens” area of the spine between the first and second vertebrae. We were told that if the fracture shifts it would most likely kill him. With continued instability, there is a risk for suddenly luxating the spine, with acute paralysis and death. They said he was a “very lucky boy” so far and hoped that his luck would continue.
We are awaiting surgical consults on both his neck and forearm from the specialists. More radiographs and possibly a CAT scan are scheduled for tomorrow. Should his neck require surgical stabilization along with his front limb, his
medical bills were estimated at $10,000. Austin is a very sweet soul who deserves to live.
URGENT:
PLEASE HELP Austin by sending a donation to help with his medical bills. Our funds are depleting rapidly. We will soon be unable to help dogs with medical issues.
YOUR HELP IS IMPERATIVE.
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If you can help with the medical care for
Austin
You
can send a check directly to: Northeastern Boxer Rescue
P.O. Box 95 Sunderland MA 01375. or use
PayPal
makes it easy and secure to
send payments online via credit card.
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(click pictures to enlarge)
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