In late February of 2023, we were contacted by one of our partner shelters about a small senior dog named Ava.

She had been hit by a car.

Her injuries were significant, and her owners, unable to afford the veterinary care she urgently needed, made the decision to surrender her so she could get the help.

At least one of her paws had been degloved in the accident, and the bleeding was bad enough that someone had tied a plastic bag around her leg in an attempt to slow it down. We didn't yet know the full extent of the veterinary care she would need, but we knew she needed help immediately, and that was enough.

Ava's injured paw, wrapped in a plastic bag to slow the bleeding

When Ava arrived, it was clear that both of her front legs had been injured in the accident. X-rays confirmed that one of them had also sustained a fracture, and both needed to be placed in casts to properly heal. Because of the level of care she required, one of our staff brought her home temporarily while we worked on finding her a foster placement.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Ava remained calm and surprisingly patient. Unable to walk properly because of the bulky casts, she seemed to enjoy being carried around and was content to rest wherever she was placed, simply happy to be near someone.

Ava in her casts at two different stages of her recovery.

At first we believed her injuries were limited to her front legs. She didn't try to walk much in the beginning, which was understandable after everything she had been through. But as the days passed and she began to feel better, we noticed that whenever she tried to put weight on her back legs, she simply couldn't. As far as we knew, her hind legs hadn't sustained any injuries, which made us concerned that something wasn't right. That's when we decided to take her back to the vet for a closer evaluation. An additional X-ray revealed that her hip had also been dislocated in the accident.

Ava's X-ray showing her dislocated hip

The vet was able to place the joint back into position and it was stabilized with bandaging. Unfortunately, this meant that Ava would not be able to stand or walk at all for some time. It was yet another setback on an already long road, but true to form, she handled it with the same quiet patience she had shown from the very beginning.

Unfortunately, despite the initial repair, Ava's hip continued to slip out of place during her recovery. It became clear that a more permanent solution would be necessary to prevent the joint from repeatedly dislocating and to spare her from ongoing pain. She ultimately underwent a surgical procedure known as a femoral head ostectomy, or FHO, which removes the damaged portion of the hip joint so it can no longer painfully dislocate, allowing the surrounding muscles to compensate and restore comfortable mobility over time.

The surgery was costly, but thanks to the generosity of our supporters, Ava was able to receive the care she needed.

Following surgery, Ava once again showed just how resilient she was. With strict rest and careful monitoring, she slowly began the next stage of her recovery, giving her body the time it needed to heal.

Ava during her recovery, calm, patient, and perfectly content to just go with the flow

Once she was stable enough, it was time to address the final piece of her recovery: heartworm treatment. We had known since she first arrived that she was heartworm positive, and now that she had come through surgery, treatment could finally begin. It was one more challenge on an already long journey, but Ava took it in stride, the same way she had taken everything else.

Over time Ava continued to improve. Her bandages and casts were eventually removed, and she recovered well from her surgery. Little by little, she regained her ability to walk, and before long she was able to run and move around like a normal dog again. During her recovery, Ava found a wonderful family that welcomed her permanently into their home. She didn't have to wait until she was fully healed - they chose her knowing the road ahead, and they saw her through every step of it. Today, Ava is living the life every dog deserves. We've received updates from her family showing just how far she's come, and it's clear that she is thriving.

Despite facing one challenge after another, Ava met each obstacle with quiet strength and patience. Her story is a reminder that healing is rarely simple, and that the road is not always straightforward. But with the right care, the right people, and a little time, even the hardest journeys can lead somewhere beautiful.

Ava with her mom, shortly after she was officially adopted