Peanut is a 5.5 month old CockerPoo who I have been looking after since he was 13 weeks old.  (*Edit - PEANUT IS NOW ONE YEAR OLD :) :) :) .....8/10)

He was surrendered to a pound in Wales by a breeder as he couldn't walk and dragged his little body everywhere. He did the majority of things laying down. Last Chance Animal Rescue collected him in order to start his rehabilitation and get him walking. 

With the aid of his late friend Turnip, little Peanut learnt how to bunny hop to get around, and stand up to do a wee. 

Peanut has just been seen by a specialist at the Royal Veterinary College and his way forward is really quite complex. Initially it has been decided to start with intensive physiotherapy as jumping into surgery straight away is not recommended as he is such a rare case and there are very few comparable animals to use in deciding which way forward. 

There are a few surgical options, all of which are not ideal as they would involve extensive surgery and months of rehabilitation and pain. None of the options either come with a guarantee he will be any better off afterwards. 

He copes very well as he is and the main issue he has is not being able to scratch his ears!! (for which I am always on hand to help!!)

The reason for this page is to raise some much needed funds for Last Chance Animal Rescue who are covering the costs of any treatment. We have already spent nearly £700 on his initial appointment with imagine, etc. and the first week of physio is going to be approximately £1,500. 

It is not decided yet whether he will have surgery, if he does all of which are looking at a minimum of £10,000 per leg. Even if he doesn't have surgery he will need continued physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, and down the line he will need treatment for arthritis which is almost certain to develop in the near future. 

I have started the page with £5,000 as this is a good marker for Peanut's initial treatment. I will increase it if it is looking at being considerably more (depending on the choices made). Also, if the money raised is considerably higher than what is needed for Peanut, then this money will go towards their other needy animals as they frequently have animals in who need extra care. 

Thank you so much for reading my page and donating. If you would like to share Peanut's story this would be wonderful. 

Laura & Peanut 

*Update 1 - 12/4 - following receipt of the write up from the vet I can confirm that Peanut has been diagnosed with bilateral genu recurvatum and quadriceps contracture. Intensive physio for 1-2 weeks is the initial plan* 

*Update 2 - 2/5 - Peanut has just finished the second week of physio. Week 1 being an intensive 4 day course, followed by 3 days in the second week with two of the days including hydrotherapy. Peanut is doing remarkably and whilst being kept on strict lead walking and no zoomies, he is actually using both back legs independently! It does look very odd as without being able to bend his little knees his walking is with straight legs, but he is doing it so well. The idea being that he needs to re-train himself and learn to walk like this all the time, even at speed, without reverting to bunny-hopping... this will take time but it will come. Peanut is back to the RVC twice next week for physio and hydrotherapy*

*Update 3 - 6/5 - Peanut had two physio sessions this week and one hydrotherapy. His physio sessions are going well and I am able to be in with him now so see what happens during a session. Peanut's physio Emily is wonderful, she clearly loves Peanut and he loves her equally. She has to do some tough love for him and a lot of it isn't nice and hurts but he has his 'sweeties' afterwards and this makes it all better! :) He is starting to get a slight 'shape' in his left leg where his muscle is developing and things are stretching. He is placing his feet the right way round more often and his right leg (which is his worse) is also getting better at this. His hydrotherapy went well too, and even though he loves showers, he was terrified the whole way through and it's because there is a hair dryer in there and he shook for the whole session bless him. Anyway, all positives, continued physio at home with me and back to RVC next week* 

*Update 4 - 25/5 - Peanut had two sessions last week, following on from a week off and only home-based physio. He was a little stiff as he hadn't had Emily's magic hands working on him but by the end of the second session he was a lot better. He has had two sessions this week and did really well, although cried through most of it as the treatment was slightly more intense. He still loves Emily after all this and showers her with kisses when they're finished. Hopefully Peanut will be seeing the specialist vet on his next appointment to see his progress and make a provisional 'way forward', although they still need to wait until he is at least 10 months old before doing any surgery if that is the way forward. Emily has said his little right leg is probably as good as she can get it as this leg's joints are a lot more rotated therefore cannot do the movement needed to develop the muscle. The left leg is doing much better as this does move in a better direction and therefore work can continue. He has a little hamstring muscle now in each leg which is cute!! He also starting hurdling today!! well, stepping over a little bar - we all have to start somewhere!! :D... Oh and a Dairylea licky board does wonders for taking the mind off the physio - Peanut loves Dairylea!!! 

*Update 5 - 1/6 - Peanut only has one appointment this week and he did really well, albeit being really painful for him. He was due to see the specialist within this appointment but unfortunately he had another dog he was seeing so couldn't make it to Peanut, but he will see him definitely during one of his two appointments next week. Peanut is still growing and therefore any potential operations would have to wait another couple of months but a plan will be put in place. Currently Peanut is not allowed any off-lead exercise, this is to ensure he uses correct form when walking so far as possible and when he is let off he reverts back to bunny hopping which is not good for his back in the longterm. Emily the physio and I spoke about quality of life and he is definitely one of the happiest dogs she has ever treated but she is aware he needs to play with other dogs, run free and have fun and a decision has to be made about the best way of allowing this. Possibly surgery, with no guarantee he'll not still bunny hop! possibly continue with maintenance physio, or lots of other options. The guarantee is without any surgery he will develop arthritis at a very young age, but this may also happen if he has surgery. It will be good to see the surgeon to get a plan going forward for his best outcome with quality of life and the forefront of any decision. He is a very happy little dog and we want that to continue. 

*Update 6 - 11/7 - Sorry for the delay in updating. We have been waiting for the specialist to come and see us but he has actually been away from the hospital for quite some time but it now back so hopefully we will see him soon. Peanut has been doing really well, continuing to improve and can now have a scratch with a little more power!! (although he still needs a little assistance for those harder to reach places). His physio will be going down to once a week from now on as he has progressed so much, he has hamstring muscles, a little bum and his quadriceps are starting to form.  He is now allowed off-lead exercise, as although he will revert back to bunny-hopping at speed, his quality of life is being looked at now and he needs to run and play with other doggies. Provided he walks properly whilst on the lead or at slow pace this is all ok :)..... I have never met a happier dog and he is never down. He is always on the go and causing mischief but in a good way. He has learnt sit, down, stay, paw, touch and up... he is just a clever little chap. 

I would also this stage like to thank so very much everyone that has donated so far, you are all so kind and this means so much to me, Last Chance Animal Rescue and little Peanut.  

*Update 7 - 2/9 - Another apology for no recent updates. Peanut continues to do one session a week, although we have missed a couple of weeks due to Covid and physio holiday. We are still waiting to see the specialist but have now booked an appointment which isn't until November, but we are hoping to get in with a cancellation sooner. Peanut's one session a week is painful for him. His little legs are doing so well, but with only one session his legs get tight and physio is painful. The physio, Emily, is still Peanut's best friend and even though he hurts, he still loves coming to see her. He sits in the waiting room and makes such a noise until she comes out where he becomes a wiggly mess on the floor! Other visitors to the hospital always comment how lovely it is to see him to happy to be there! It is likely Peanut may need surgery due to the reverse in progress every week, the physio works so hard and gets his little leggies more mobile and free, but by the next week he has become tight again. Due to this he is knuckling on his right leg in particular and keeps having his nails bleed where he drags them on the ground (although he now has boots to cover this issue for the time being). Anyway, he is still happy and very active and keeps his big sister Pearl on her very ageing toes!! 

Thanks again to everyone who is supporting little Peanut, he and I are so very grateful to you. 

*Update 8 - 18/10 - Peanut continues to do well and still pings around everywhere with the happiest demeanor. He is still back tracking every week but I am also doing home physio to help keep him a little less stiff between sessions. Peanut had a set back mid-last month where he came off the bottom step and landed incorrectly and cried and cried. He then didn't weight bear for 4 days and cried every time he knocked it. We ended up taking him to the specialist for an assessment but due to them not knowing his anatomy (it wasn't the surgeon who knows Peanut) they didn't know what he'd done and said to just rest him and see how he goes. I took him to the physio later that day and she said he has definitely damaged something, and to this day his little leg is still floppy at the end and she cannot get the range of movement she had previously. The main thing is though he is happy and carrying on as normal :) His specialist appointment is on the 8th November where they will decide the way forward after doing more scans, etc. 

*Update 9 - 25/10 - It is one year today from when his friend Turnip passed away aged only just turned 3, and Peanut was approximately 14 weeks. Turnip would be proud of Peanut's achievements. Peanut continues physio and it has been deemed sufficient to decrease the physio sessions to once every three weeks as he is getting stronger and more active in general which is greatly helping him progress during physio rather than regress as he was doing before. The specialist has confirmed that unless he has a significant deterioration, or arthritis sets in his back, the operation does not need to be done as it really will have to benefit in relation to how he is currently doing. He will, inevitably get arthritis, and his spine will suffer with his bunny hopping and sitting up like a meerkat! but these are all things that are being managed and monitored closely. To that end the continued fundraising will be to ensure the cost of all Peanut's appointments thus far will be covered and anything that Last Chance have paid can be given back to them. There is still a couple of thousand to raise to cover everything Peanut has had so far but the cost will significantly decrease now that it is just once every three weeks. 

Peanut is truly the happiest little chap, and he and his big sister Pearl now have an elder sister! Bella. She is keeping Peanut on his toes, even though she is the grand old age of 16! Pearl is enjoying the peace and quiet when they go off and play and chase one another :)

Thank you all again for your continued support. 

Laura and Peanut