Precious’s name is more than just a word—it’s a testament to the resilience of her spirit. At just five years old, this beautiful Cocker Spaniel has endured more pain and neglect than most dogs could imagine. But through it all, her gentle soul shines brightly, and she’s finally within reach of the care and love she deserves.Clarify the next development direction through summary.
Precious’s story began when she was given as a puppy to an elderly couple who were unable to meet her needs. Confined to a diaper, yelled at when she cried to go outside, and left unbathed and unloved, Precious’s life was filled with loneliness and physical suffering. Over time, she developed severe neurological and orthopedic issues, leaving her mostly paralyzed in her hind legs. Her only way of moving was by pulling herself along with her front paws.
When she was rescued from that situation, Precious’s eyes displayed her true agony. Urine burns from her diaper, matted fur, and an aching body told the heartbreaking tale of her neglect. While in foster care, a glimmer of hope emerged, and for the first time in her life, Precious began to feel true love.
Despite her rescuer's tireless efforts, Precious faces monumental challenges. She needs extensive medical care, including hip replacements, treatment for a suspected herniated disc, and surgery for a luxating patella. Just an MRI costs thousands of dollars - her total medical expenses could exceed $20,000. Yet, these treatments and surgeries could give Precious the ability to walk, play, and live a pain-free life - a chance every dog deserves.
We are working with various veterinary specialists to develop a plan for Precious. But we NEED YOUR help. Precious’s journey to recovery will require more than just medical expertise; it will take a community coming together to show her life matters.
Precious’s story is one of heartbreak, but it can also be one of triumph. Please work with us to turn her tale of neglect into a story of hope and healing. Will you join us in making her miracle possible?
We first introduced Precious during our “12 Days of Cocker Love” campaign which began late in November 2024. Follow her blog (posts, photos, and videos) which will tell her story, showcase her courage and honor your generosity to help her begin a better life.
Precious is 7 days into her THR (total hip replacement) recovery and is doing great. She is limited to a 5-minute walk 2-4 times a day for the first week. We will be adding an additional 5 minutes to her walks each week. As of today, she will get a ten-minute walk. On those walks, her foster Dad has to hold her leash tight because she wants to be her old self charging ahead and barking at rustling leaves or passersby. As you can see, her incision is healing up nicely. She’s been really good and not paying any attention to it.
We asked our friends at Spry Companions to snap a few pictures of Precious in the OR. You can’t see much, but she is under all of those coverings. Dr. Miller is the man on the right and is the surgeon who performed the THR (total hip replacement). His scrub nurse is on the left.
The machine that Dr. Miller is operating is a fluoroscope. These are low level X-ray devices that produce real-time moving images. It can also produce static images. The fluoroscope helps Dr. Miller visualize proper placement of his instruments and the prosthetics. Once the prosthetics are in-place and secured, he checks that they are functioning properly by feel and with the aid of real-time imagery.
The two radiographs have been annotated to show where each part of the prosthetics are placed in Precious’ pelvis and femur. You can also see how much of her femoral head was removed for the prosthetics. We have also included an annotated image from the manufacturer of the prosthetics. The femoral head that was removed will be cleaned and examined for wear.
Precious’s recovery will take 8 weeks. That will give her body enough time to grow bone material in and around the prosthetics so they will become permanently secured to her.
January 10th, Precious had a recheck with the Ophthalmology Department at the teaching hospital at CSU. During her visit in December 2024, it was determined that she has Hypermature Cataracts in both eyes and Hypertension in the Left eye. It is believed that the Hypermature cataracts are the cause of the Hypertension. She was prescribed Dorzolamide (reduces intraocular pressure) and Diclofenac (an anti-inflammatory). This recheck was to determine if the medications are helping control the hypertension.
Hypermature cataracts are cataracts that have progressed to the most advanced stage. They are the most severe and difficult to treat. These cataracts are very dense and will begin to dissolve at some point. Precious’s cataracts are at the stage of dissolution. As the lenses dissolve, the proteins that make up the lenses break off into small pieces and restrict the eyes’ natural drainage. The eye continues to produce fluid and that causes the intraocular pressure (IOP) to increase and the eye to bulge. Normal IOP for a dog is between 10 and 25 mmHg and can vary among breeds.
The instrument that is used to measure the intraocular pressure is called a Tonometer. The Veterinary Tonometer has a small pin in it with a spherical head. The device is held close to the eye. When the practitioner activates it, a tiny electromagnet pushes the pin out and it just touches the cornea. This is repeated several times until an average reading can be calculated. Precious was not very cooperative during her eye exam. The two CSU students did a great job of performing the exam and tests. The average IOP values are below.
12/4/2024 - Right eye 18 mmHg and Left eye 26 mmHg
1/10/2025 - Right eye 20 mmHg and Left eye 22 mmHg
These numbers are a good sign that the medication is working. However, Precious was very stressed during her exam and this could very well have affected her IOP much like stress affects blood pressure. She will be returning for another recheck in February. This time, she will get a bit of trazadone that will mellow her out. Hopefully, this will result in better results.
Precious' tear production was tested using a method called the Schirmer Tear Test. A small piece of paper (Schirmer Strip) is placed between the lower eye lid and eye ball. Schirmer Strips have markings in millimeters. During a specified interval, normally 15-30 seconds, fluid wicks up the strip and measured to calculate the number of millimeters of tear production for 1 minute. For a dog, the normal range is typically between 15-25mm. Precious' tear production it in the normal range.
The two students were watching the clock on the wall to time the test. The picture on the left is not of Previous, she was not that cooperative.
The next part of the exam was to check for any sort of damage to the outside of the eye in the form of ulcers or scratches. Fluorescein stain is place on the eye and a cobalt blue light shown. any sort of irregularity will glow a bright yellow. No irregularities were seen.
FIRST CONSULT
Precious was seen by vet specialists in the fields of Orthopedics, Neurology and Ophthalmology. Her foster dad knew it would be an all day event but felt it be the best way to get her looked at in a timely manner.
Ophthalmology - intraocular pressure was measured in both eyes. The right high was a little on the high side at 28 mmHg. Normal range is between 10 and 25 mmHg. Precious will be on eye drops to keep that pressure down so as to not cause her any problems.
Neurology - a full Neurological evaluation to determine the source of her weak limbs was performed. Vets feel everything related to her discomfort and posture is due to her hips. This is helpful moving forward.
Orthopedic - Precious' full Ortho evaluation revealed the muscles in her hind legs have atrophied. Her hips are horribly arthritic and both femurs are displaced (dysplasia). She is a candidate for Total Hip Replacement (THR). Precious was referred to an Hip experienced Orthopedic vet clinic in Centennial, CO.
The upper radiograph shows normal, healthy hips. The femoral head (ball) is nicely shaped and seated within the acetabulum (socket).
The lower radiograph is of Precious' hips. The acetabulum is badly worn and the femoral head looks like cauliflower - due to osteoarthritis. You can also see that both femoral heads are no longer seated in the acetabulum, which is known as hip dysplasia. This is a painful and crippling condition.
This graphic shows a normal hip joint on the left and how the joint wears over time allowing the femur to "displace". When a THR is performed, the femoral head is removed from the femur and a prosthetic "head" is inserted. The Acetabulum or socket receives a new cup.
The prosthetic kits come in a range of sizes. The image above is from the manufacturer's website. The femoral stem and the acetabular cup are coated with a mineral that promotes bone growth. The cups are press-fit and do not require any sort of bone cement. The holes in the cup are for bone to grow into, locking the cup to the worn Acetabulum. The femoral stems are held in place with the pink screws. Bone will adhere to these as well.
This picture shows the prosthetics as they would be after the surgery. Patients typically can walk out on their own, but their activity should be limited.
Prosthetics are made by different manufacturers, but this radiograph was taken following THR surgery an a different dog.
