Sonia, a one-year-old lurcher, came to Woodgreen from a local vet in Cambridgeshire, after she was found abandoned in a car park suffering from a terrible leg injury. But with plenty of care and rest at Woodgreen, she was soon back on all four paws.
Upon her arrival, young Sonia was completely shut down and clearly in a lot of pain – she really did not want to interact with any of the team. Our veterinary team took her for an X-ray which showed that she had an old break to her left leg, just above the wrist. Luckily, youth was on her side and the break was beginning to heal already, so she didn’t need an operation. Instead, the team put a split on her leg and a cast to help her continue to recover.
Sonia had the cast on her leg for several weeks, and during this time our dedicated team of dog carers were on hand to give her plenty of cuddles and attention to cheer her up.
As she wasn’t able to go for long walks, the team found other ways of keeping her mentally stimulated with enrichment feeding using Kong toys as well as clicker training to keep her engaged. This provided a welcome distraction for Sonia while her leg was healing.
After a number of check-ups with our vets and further X-rays, the team were satisfied with her recovery and decided she was ready to have her cast removed. Although Sonia’s leg was much better, she was left with a sore on her elbow from where she had been scratching at her cast. The wound had become infected, so she was treated with antibiotics which seemed to do the trick.
While she continued to heal, our on-site Veterinary Physiotherapist, Lucy, developed a plan to encourage Sonia to use her shoulder properly so that she could build strength in her muscles without putting all the weight on her leg. Some of these methods involved massages to relax her leg muscles and make it easier for her to walk, as well as agility training to help her balance on all her legs.
Sonia benefitted from all the physiotherapy sessions and regular check-ups. She started to reveal her cheeky personality by sniffing out treats in her dog carer’s pockets. Her confidence grew and she began to feel comfortable around people. She was soon ready to find a forever home where she could snuggle up on the sofa with someone.
We’re delighted to hear that Sonia is thriving in her new home after her match didn’t work out on The Dog House, Series 2 Episode 4. She’s now called Willow, and her adoring owner, Audrey is continuing to provide the care she needs.
“Willow is settling in nicely. She will take over any chair or sofa and loves a cuddle! She also has weekly hydrotherapy and infrared physiotherapy which appears to be helping her leg get stronger.”
Our team works tirelessly to provide safe shelter, specialist care, and a brighter future for thousands of dogs, cats and small pets. Whatever the reason for a pet coming to us, we don’t turn them away. At Woodgreen, our priority is to help every animal, no matter what their background or how challenging their care.
We're here to do all we can for vulnerable pets, whether it's round-the-clock care for dogs like Sonia, or life-saving surgery for pets like Harry, found abandoned nearby. Harry's leg was broken and most of his fur was missing, but with time and specialist care, we helped him find a new forever home.
Woodgreen’s animals are given the best possible care, but many feel happier in a loving home where they can get some extra love and respite. Our volunteer fosterers take in vulnerable dogs, cats and even small animals while we look for their next forever home.