Catastrophic car accident leaves gentle giant with life-threatening injuries. Our community is coming together to save him.

Commander suffered life-threatening injuries after being hit and dragged by a car in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside recently. In so many other places, because of the extensive injuries and the cost of veterinary care to fix those injuries, Commander might have been euthanized. But thanks to the RAPS community, this lovable and very friendly 17-month-old bull mastiff-Rottweiler mix is getting all the help he needs to live a long, happy life. (Read the tragic background here.) 

Commander is truly a gentle giant – he weighs in at 50 kilos, about 110 pounds – and has won the hearts of everyone at the RAPS Animal Hospital. He is also basking in the attention of the staff and is going home each night with one of RAPS’ hospital employees, after long days of rehab treatments and necessary recuperation.

Commander came to us after he was referred to RAPS Animal Hospital from a for-profit emergency clinic because his human parent had no money for the expensive lifesaving medical procedures. RAPS Animal Hospital was created so that no one would ever be forced to make life-and-death decisions based on ability to pay. Saving Commander’s life is a testament to our mission. (Please read our White Paper on Economic Euthanasia.)

The cost for treating these cases, and keeping RAPS’ core commitment of “Helping Animals and their People” is a costly endeavour supported by our donors. As an example, the cost of conducting diagnostics alone, including bloodwork, full-body X-rays and ultrasounds to assess his injuries and to see if he was a candidate for surgery, was $1,500.

It was determined that Commander had a shattered humerus, with bones broken in four separate areas, pneumothorax (a medical condition in which air collects in the space between the lung and the chest wall, causing part or all of the lung to collapse), and many abrasions and wounds after been dragged a distance under the wheel of the vehicle.

Commander arrived at RAPS in enormous pain, howling in agony, and required immediate medical attention. Without thought of who should pay, the RAPS medical team went into action to save Commander’s life.

After prescribing the required pain medications and sedatives, and completing all necessary diagnostics, it was determined that Commander could move forward with surgery.

In the procedure, our orthopedic doctor determined that his upper leg (humerus) was too damaged to save. While there were at least four fractures, there were also too many small bone fragments to allow the medical team to properly plate the leg, and so amputation was the only option. Again, in many other places, euthanasia would have been likely. But at RAPS, our in-house orthopedic surgeon was able to provide immediate surgery.

As an animal organization with experience caring for thousands of animals, many with serious disabilities, we know that a dog, cat or other animal can live a superb life on three legs. Animals are profoundly resilient.

Even so, Commander’s enormous size adds challenges for his future – distributing his weight across three legs instead of four will add to the stress on remaining limbs – but harnesses and wheeled aids can carry some of the burden.

Within a couple of days after surgery, Commander was already showing his determination to walk, albeit with difficulty at first. He is currently being fostered at the home of one of our veterinary staff members and he loves shoving his nose out the car window on the drive home. He is visibly improving physically and emotionally every day.

Despite his tenacity and all his “wins,” Commander still has a long road to recovery.

Commander needs to lose some weight in order to alleviate the pressure on the muscles and joints now carried by three legs instead of four. For now, he requires someone with the strength to hold him up so he can go to the bathroom, as he tends to lose his balance. But we know from experience that is something animals figure out in due time.

We have obtained a special harness to support Commander’s walking on three legs. Due to his large size, he will be prone to arthritis in his remaining front leg. This will require a special diet to help with weight control, and long-term joint supplements starting immediately. Maintaining a healthy weight is important for all animals, but it especially important in Commander’s case to ensure a long and healthy life.

Tripods – three-legged dogs – cannot do as much exercise as four-legged dogs, of course, so he will need a cart to help him maneuver, and for him to rest during walks when he gets too tired to make it home. As he ages and becomes less capable of bearing weight on his remaining front leg, a wheelchair may be required for him to be mobile.

Because we don’t have a recorded medical history for Commander, we need start all his vaccines and deworming from scratch and, when he has finished healing from this extensive surgery, he will need to be neutered as well.

The cost of treating Commander will be in excess of $20,000, for both pre- and post-surgery care, But that is what we do at RAPS. Commander, who is a big love bug and full of lots of life, deserves the best life! Everything we do is possible because of the support of a community of animal allies.

We are calling on our community to help fund Commander’s medical needs and ongoing care.

This includes …

• Thousands of dollars in treatments already performed
• Ongoing medical requirements, including neuter and continuing wound care
• Special harness to assist his mobility
• Wagon for moving him when he is too tired to hop
• Physiotherapy and rehabilitation
• Behavioural and trauma support
• Wheelchair
• Special dog food for weight control
• Joint supplements for life
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy to speed recovery
• Laser treatments
• Hydrotherapy

We are so encouraged by Commander’s determination – and by our community, which has united to save his life!

Your kindness is the embodiment of the RAPS mission to save and improve the lives of animals. Thank you for making it possible for us to give Commander the best future imaginable!

Please give as generously as possible.