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Dachshund Rescue, Inc.

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Dinkleman "Dinkie"

Dinkleman "Dinkie" was in his home since he was a puppy. He came into rescue when he was just 3 years old, January 28, 2011. Carla received a phone call from a man, stating that his daughter's dog was unable to walk and she could not care for him anymore. She came to his work, put Dinkie in his lap, and said, "Dad, I can't take it anymore." Carla told the man to give her an hour, so she could see if the rescue could take him in. While she was dialing the first number to get approval, the house phone rang. It was the Humane Society, saying they just got a downed dachshund in. Unbelievable!

Knowing that the rescue was unwilling to take another special needs pup, Carla committed to taking him in, anyway, as his chance for adoption were 0%.

This picture is the terrified little face that just sat there and screamed if you tried to touch him. The shelter staff were concerned, as he was terrified and nippy. But, Carla went into the kennel and just sat with Dinkie, reassuring him that it was going to be okay. Within a few moments of gentle persuasion, Dinkie allowed her to take him into her arms.

He stopped shaking and nuzzled his nose in her arm. When she came out, the staff fully expected the assessment to end in, "I'm sorry, we cannot take him." But, Carla came out said "absolutely, we'll take him!"

Dinkie had been injured at least 6 months prior to being dumped at the shelter. We later found out that it was due to abuse by the girl's boyfriend. Dinkie never received medical help. He did have some movements, but needed therapy right away, as his back legs, thighs and butt muscles were already losing mass. He pull himself around, but the tops of his back feet were bloodied from scrapping the ground, as he dragged them behind him.

Dinkie was taken to the vet for an initial assessment. The doctor found that Dinkie had a crossed reaction to the pinch test. Which means, when he pinched the toe of the right foot, the left foot reacted. Having a reaction was good enough for Carla. She took Dinkie home and began working with him, stretching exercises, water therapy and walking therapy, 3 times a day, to build up his strength and muscle mass.

A week later we went back to the doctor, as Dinkie also has a severe upper respiratory infection, to get his levels re-checked. The doctor was amazed, that in that short time, with regular therapy, Dinkie's back feet were reacting normal to the pinch test. :O)

Dinkie made great improvements over the course of 8 months. He no longer needed band-aides or booties to protect his feet, as he was able to walk and run without dragging his legs behind him. He even gained back his bladder and bowel control in the house, and didn't need the belly band, either.

Then in mid November, Dinkie was playing with a rambunctious Ceelo, who the rescue could not find a foster home for, and Ceelo jumped on Dinkie, bruising his already damaged spine. It was a devastating set-back. Dinkie had lost his ability to walk and lost bladder and bowel control.

We rushed Dinkie to the Doctor in hopes of this being a bruising versus a bilateral disc rupture.

Thanks to the generosity and quick sewing of our good friend Shirley, Macy No's Design, Dinkie was fitted with several scoot bags, which were personally delivered to Mr. Dinkie at the hospital emergency room.

Dinkie had to stay over night, he received acupuncture treatment and was able to come home to begin intensive water therapy, in hopes of his regaining what was lost. But, if not, we were prepared to get him measured for a custom walking cart.

The next day, Dinkie was able to come home, with a weeks supply of steroids and orders for kennel rest. Dinkie does not do well in a kennel and would literally hurt himself to escape. So his ordered kennel rest consisted of ensuring he was not able to drag around, which is pretty tough for an active wobble-walker to take. But he loved our alternative lap-rest.

After a couple weeks, Dinkie slowly started to show improvements. However, the rescue decided to have Dinkie placed in a boarding facility, instead of allowing him to become a "sanctuary sweetheart" with Husker's Hope.

We hope and pray that someone will adopt Dinkie, that has the patience and understanding of his condition, so that he may continue to improve; and once again be in a loving home, instead of a boarding facility.

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