Loss of Two Legs Does Not Slow Dog with Huge Heart

Life-Saving Surgery Gives Dog a Second Chance

“Miracle dog” is not a term to use lightly, but it just may apply to a tiny Chihuahua named Eevee. If it weren’t for a series of unforeseen events, Eevee would probably not be alive today, let alone living and thriving with a loving family.

Eevee came to OHS in a very unlikely way: she was found off a dirt road, hiding under the porch of a house. She was brought to Madera County Animal Services in California, the closest shelter, as a stray. The one-year-old dog weighed only four-and-a-half pounds, including the fleas she was covered in. She was in need of urgent medical help.

Eevee’s right rear leg was useless—the lower portion was missing below the knee. Her front left leg was in worse condition from another past injury. She had lost her paw, and a stump of bone protruded from what used to be her lower leg. No one knows how she incurred such horrific injuries, or how she survived with no medical treatment. No one knows how she managed to walk with just one front leg and one rear leg, or where she found the strength to survive day-to-day as a stray.

Who to Call?

The staff at Madera County Animal Services wanted to help Eevee, but their shelter could not provide the needed medical care. Who to call? OHS, with a state-of-the-art animal hospital, was Madera’s choice. Madera is a partner shelter in the OHS Second Chance program, which receives thousands of pets each year from shelters that lack the resources to help all the pets they receive.

Although OHS occasionally receives—and always finds homes for—three-legged animals, Eevee was the first two-legged dog that OHS had ever been asked to help. OHS Second Chance Coordinator Karen Crone received Madera’s request to help Eevee, along with photos and a video of the dog.

“The picture (of Eevee’s protruding bone) was horrible, but it was the video that sold me. This dog needed us,” said Crone. The video showed Eevee walking on her two remaining legs, determined to move about as if she were a normal dog. After consulting with other staffers in the adoption, animal care, and medical departments, Crone said there was unanimous agreement: OHS could help Eevee medically and find her a loving home.

Eevee was transported to OHS with other Second Chance pets from the Madera shelter and treated at the OHS Holman Medical Center. Her injured front leg was successfully amputated. Her damaged rear leg had healed by itself and did not require further treatment.

What caused the injuries? “I don’t think we’ll ever know,” said Dr. Margaret Wixson, an OHS veterinarian. “These could be two separate injuries or one massive traumatic injury, perhaps being hit by a car.”

Rapid Recovery

After the surgery, Dr. Wixson provided foster care for Eevee in her own home. Just three days after the surgery, Eevee was moving at a fast walk, attempting to play with Dr. Wixson’s much larger Labrador-mix dog, and otherwise thoroughly enjoying her new backyard. Dr. Wixson was even more impressed by her personality. Despite all the injuries she had suffered, Eevee seemed to enjoy being part of the Wixson family and delighted in being held by people.

Video and Photos

Please note: this video contains some graphic footage that shows Eevee’s prior injury, pre-surgery. Watch at your discretion. There is a warning prior to these images in the video.

Photos: Eevee in Foster Care

No graphic images contained below.

Eevee’s Happy Ending

Eevee was soon strong enough to be offered for adoption, and went home just hours after being made available. The adopters, Maggie and Troy from Northeast Portland, heard the dog’s story on the news and rushed to the shelter to see if Eevee would be a good fit for their household. The couple and their dog, Molly, were all won over by Eevee’s personality.

Did the thought of having a dog with only two legs make them think twice about adopting? Not a bit, said Maggie, especially seeing how well Eevee got along with pets and people. Troy easily summed up the couple’s reasoning: “We thought we had more love to give.”

Adoption Photos