Help Fern Get Back on Her Paws 🐾

Meet Fern, formerly known as Smudge — a lovely ex-gundog who has recently come into our care and, unfortunately, arrived with rather more baggage than just her previous name.

Fern spent her earlier life as a working gundog, but these days her retrieving duties have been put firmly on hold while we concentrate on getting this gorgeous girl comfortable, healthy and ready for the next chapter of her life.

Following veterinary investigations, we now know that Fern has **moderate to severe degenerative disease in her lower spine**. This is causing pain and significant muscle tension and means she will need **long-term pain management together with physiotherapy and/or hydrotherapy** to help improve her strength, mobility and quality of life.

As though that wasn't quite enough for one spaniel to contend with, Fern also needs a **partial tail amputation** and has a small **mammary nodule** which will be removed and investigated when she is spayed. Chest X-rays have thankfully shown **no obvious evidence that the nodule has spread**, although further investigation of the removed tissue will give us more information.

Fern also has some behavioural quirks that we are working hard to understand, including chasing flies and butterflies. She's being assessed and we're seeking specialist training advice so that we can give her the right support rather than simply expecting her to muddle through.

For the moment, Fern is in a loving foster home where she is getting all the care she needs and plenty of people in her corner. Given her medical and behavioural needs, she may require a **long-term foster placement**, allowing her recovery and progress to happen at her own pace.

Her care is likely to include veterinary treatment and surgery, ongoing medication, physiotherapy/hydrotherapy, behavioural assessment and specialist training support.

For a girl who was once expected to retrieve for a living, Fern has become rather good at retrieving **vet bills** instead!

We want to give her every chance to be comfortable, happy and able to enjoy life without asking her body to do more than it can. Any donation towards Fern's treatment and rehabilitation, however small, will help us provide the care she needs.

**Thank you for helping us give this special girl the retirement she deserves.** 💚🐾