Lifesaving Care for Benny
Animals arrive at HSSW in many conditions. They may be happy and healthy, ready to find a new loving home; others might be shy and withdrawn, in need of some support and TLC from our behavior team; and others arrive seriously injured, requiring the expert intervention of our clinic team.
Benny had been hit by a car when he was brought to HSSW. His injuries were severe, and we were here to help.
Your gift today will ensure we are here for pets in their time of need.
When he arrived, Benny was stable but his pelvis was badly fractured, his right hip was dislocated, and he had a broken leg. Benny was young and friendly, and he needed orthopedic surgery to repair the damage. Benny needed a femoral head ostectomy (FHO) – this procedure is performed when repair is not an option. In FHO, the ball of the ball-and-socket joint of the hip is surgically removed. The body creates a pseudo-joint which allows a return of function without the pain of bone-on-bone grinding and severe arthritis.
“Procedures like FHO aren’t typical for our clinic, but we have an incredibly skilled veterinary team and Benny was an excellent candidate for this surgery,” said Dr. Margaret Wixson, Vice President of Veterinary Services at HSSW. “This was an exciting opportunity to make a difference for an animal who needed us.”
Over two procedures and many hours, Benny's surgical journey was complete. But his story was far from over. Benny would need a skilled foster to provide post-operative care and help him with physical therapy. Petra, a member of our clinic team volunteered.
“I knew he would need special care if he wanted to walk again,” said Petra. “I was already interested in post-op care, so I figured it would be a good fit – I knew I could help him.” Over the coming weeks, Benny started on the road to recovery. With guidance from our medical team, Petra guided Benny though his physical therapy and he started to grow stronger.
Once Benny was medically cleared, he was ready to find his new home. But this lucky cat wouldn’t need to look far. After their weeks bonding and tireless support of Benny, Petra and her family had fallen in love with him - they adopted Benny in June. Today he gets around on all four of his limbs! He is loved and shares his new home with two other cats.
Benny’s lifesaving surgical journey was only possible thanks to donors like you. Your gift today makes it possible for us to offer lifesaving medical care, shelter, behavioral support, and so much more to the thousands of animals we will serve this year.
