Melissa Mullamphy, an author living in Holmes, New York, was hesitant when her husband said he was getting their son, Luke, a 160-pound dog. The pet might be too big for her little boy. But as it turned out, she had nothing to worry about. The dog was very gentle and friendly, and his son quickly formed a bond with him.
Grizzy didn’t just capture Luke’s heart, Melissa and her husband also fell head over heels for the lovable pooch. The couple was delighted that their son found a new best friend, and they loved watching them do everything together. But then, a tragedy happened.
Canine wobblers disease
The family noticed that their dog was having difficulties walking. It looked like his legs were getting lame. They had Grizzy checked out by a vet who said that his muscles were probably getting weak. He prescribed some medicine.
But only a few days after that, his condition got worse. Grizzy could barely stand up. They returned the weak pooch to the vet, and a more extensive diagnostic process showed that their beloved pet had wobblers disease. This condition affects a dog’s neck and is commonly found in large dogs.
Grizzy underwent surgery, but he still couldn’t move his legs even after recovering from the operation. The vet said that if their pet didn’t improve in four weeks, he would probably stay that way.
Finding help
The family was devastated. But they did not lose hope. They got Grizzy doing therapy every day. They even bought a gurney so that they could lift his heavy body up. And every time they had to go somewhere, they had to rent a van for him.
Luke stayed by his best friend’s side all the time. He was encouraging Grizzy to move. Just as the four-month mark came, the family found a physical therapy organization that offered to take him in. The team of therapists did wonders, and in several weeks, Grizzy showed a lot of progress.
Three days before Christmas, Luke and his family took their pet home. He was already walking on his own. That was the best gift the family received for the holidays.
Source: The Dodo via Youtube