Brutus Update 1/21/12:

Brutus has made a full recovery. He's off of crate rest and living a normal dog life. He's very active-- let's not forget, he's just 1 year old and bursting at the seams with youngster energy. If you meet Brutus, you'd never know he had major surgery 10 weeks ago- he can run and keep up with the other dogs just fine. His fur is taking it's sweet time to grow back, but it's coming along. He has a slight limp, but it does not hold him back. Medically- the worst is over. He is not on any medication.

Right now, we're working on Brutus's manners. They need a little refining- but nothing major. He is great with other dogs and likes to play!!! He is a goof ball and really wants to play and run in the yard all day. At night, he loves to snuggle. He hates nail trimmings and he LOVES food and treats. He gets so excited about his treats that he can barely keep his tush down when told to sit. His bathroom habits are so-so. He doesn't seem to mind running in the snow, but since the snow arrived, he's had more accidents inside. He is going to need reinforcement with his bathroom habits, but again, it's nothing major and he has no incontinence issues. He is a bit on the barky side, but mostly to alert his people- not a constant barker. He shares very well with the other dogs and can be a bit nosey with introductions, but really does enjoy their company. He's pretty much ready for his forever home :)

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Brutus is a super handsome 1 year old pug who came to BP&SBR on November 1^st. He had been hit by a car and his owners were faced with the horrible decision of having him euthanized if rescue wouldn't step up to save him. We're a bunch of crazies.. of course we offered to help.

Brutus had broken his pelvis in 4 different places. He was an immense amount of pain while he was transported to Rochester, NY and left a lasting impression on the forearm of his driver. By the time Brutus arrived at the emergency hospital, he was in shock. Doctors worked hard to make Brutus comfortable and figure out what we were going to do. Surgery was the answer- a big, expensive, one of a kind surgery. There were risks associated with this surgery and his injuries. It was possible that Brutus would be incontinent- or worse. We didn't have much of a choice. On the inside, Brutus's pelvis was floating in 5 pieces.

We moved forward with his surgery the next day. Almost immediately the vets noticed that Brutus had regained anal reflex- a great sign that he had control of his bathroom functions! Within hours, Brutus was standing- even going for short walks with the safety of a sling beneath him. A few days later, he was discharged and sent to his foster home where he would have to complete 8-12 weeks of crate rest while he healed.

What an amazing boy! As of 12/22, Brutus is roughly 7 weeks into his healing. He is doing phenomenal! As much as he wants to be free and race through the backyard, he knows that he needs to take it slow and just chill.. the worst is certainly over for Brutus. His exposure to other dogs in his foster home is limited, but he is doing pretty well. In typical pug fashion, he loves to eat!! And also in typical pug fashion, he hypnotizes you with his eyes to get what he wants. He is snuggly, affection and so very sweet. His house manners are good. He is certainly not a leg lifter and accidents are occasional, and are easily avoided with frequent trips outside. He loves peanut butter too and yaps at you when he knows it's time for him to get his kong full of PB!

Long Run for Brutus: He took the impact of the car from his back end. It severed the tail from his pelvis and crushed that portion of his pelvis. We couldn't save his curly tail. He does walk with a slight limp- but it does NOT hold him back at all. This limp will probably not go away. He will very likely become arthritic earlier in life than the average dog. We suggest using joint supplements and a healthy diet for now and when the time comes, he may require pain medication. There is also the slight possibility that later in life, he will lose mobility. We don't have any indication that this will happen but with dogs that sustain immense trauma like Brutus has, it remains a possibility though the odds favor that he will be up and going normally for the rest of his life.

Lastly, Brutus is blessed! He has defeated ALL odds and takes it all in stride. He could teach us all a lesson or two about turning lemons into lemonade. We will admit that when we saw the bill for Brutus's surgery- a whopping $4600.00, our hearts sank and we worried about the future of BPSBR. We are so GRATEFUL for the wonderful-- no, AMAZING people that have come to Brutus's rescue and donated to his care. We could NEVER, EVER do this without you! We wish we could list all of Brutus's angels here-- but there are too many of you. You've been more than kind and Brutus and we at BP&SBR thank you from the bottom of our hearts for stepping up to the plate to save this very special boy. Thanks to you, Brutus has many wonderful years ahead of him! Thank you all so very much & Happy Holidays from Brutus & BP&SBR.