Mittens, the puppy with a prosthetic paw, ready to be adopted
A six month old Corgi-Sheltie mix named Mittens is ready to be adopted. Mittens was brought to the Winnipeg Humane Society in December with extensive injuries to his back paws.
It's believed he was hit by a car and didn't receive medical attention for a month until the dog was was brought in. One leg had to be amputated just below the hip, the other leg was left with just part of a paw.
"The problem with that remaining foot on the back leg is that it doesn't have the main foot pad," said Dr. Erika Anseeuw, Director of Animal Health at the humane society.
"So when he walks on it he's walking on his poorly healed toe bones...so it's uncomfortable for him to walk on," she said. "It's like walking on hard rocks with bare feet."
Anseeuw has developed a prosthetic foot for Mittens that will allow him to walk on it when he goes outside. Mittens prefers to scootch around on the floor, or swim as Anseeuw describes it, when he is indoors.
Mittens will come with four of these prosthetics that can be fastened on with a sock and tape. The prosthetic can't be worn all the time because it can cause him to develop sores, said Anseeuw.
The ideal home for Mittens would be with someone who can manage putting his prosthetic on and off and keeping him active and comfortable.
"He's only got one back leg and it doesn't work very well so he may have issues down the road, especially if he's allowed to be overweight, we want to make sure he's kept lean so that there is not extra weight on that leg," said Anseeuw.
Mittens also prefers slippery floors, which make it easier for him to get around. He enjoys staying active and is only 20 pounds and likely won't get much bigger.
"He's adorable so I don't think there's going to be too many challenges getting him adopted," said Anseeuw.
Mittens will be adopted on a first-come first-serve basis.
