I ended up staying home today. I wasn't feeling the best. Plus, most of Iowa is coated ice. So I've been resting around the house doing not so much. I decided to download the Animal Planet Go app onto my iPad and check out some programming. I ended up watching Episode 3 ("Puppy Overload"). Much of the episode focused on Amanda finding homes for the puppies that were born in Episode 1, but the part that tugged at my heart in this episode had to do with a young rescue dog named Splat.
Splat had something called "swimmer syndrome." Basically, all of his legs were splayed out so that he couldn't really walk at all. Amanda had rehabilitated another swimmer pup in the past using straps that pulled the legs forward so that they were positioned like a typical dogs. The muscles and other bits gradually strengthened and that dog was eventually able to walk and run like a typical dog. Amanda hoped to repeat the magic with Splat.
A quick visit to the local veterinary office revealed that Splat's medical condition were much more complex. He was apparently injured while in the womb and his hips were completely mangled in some sort of prenatal accident. It wouldn't be a simple scenario of strapping his legs together. Amanda ended up sending his x-rays to various specialty university hospital programs to see if they could do anything to help to poor puppy.
Sadly, all of the veterinary specialists got back to Amanda and told her that there was little hope for Splat. As she explained to her daughter, Splat would never be able to walk. None of his limbs would ever be functional. He would always need to be carried. As he grew, he would put more and more weight on his chest and would find himself increasingly struggling to breathe.
Amanda made the decision to euthanize Splat.
The rest of the episode featured Amanda and her children assisting Splat with running through an assortment of "bucket list" activities: Eating a cheeseburger in the yard. Going for a ride on a motor scooter. Going fishing...
Amanda then took Splat to a trusted veterinary friend where she held and comfortable the puppy while he was euthanized.
So often on these rescue shows, we viewers witness miracles. A disabled or traumatized animal who overcomes some form of severe adversity with the help of the show's host. I was actually impressed that Amanda spent an episode assessing Splat's needs and ultimately deciding that it would be far more humane to euthanize.
Sadly, this is a scenario that all animal rescuers find themselves in. Not every dog can be rescued. Not every dog can be saved. Splat was an adorable puppy. He was terribly sweet. It was unfortunate that he couldn't be saved. But he knew that he was loved during his final days. I'm glad that we were able to bear witness to his short life.