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2/25/11 - Happy update: Romeo has just had a second surgery on his injured leg at the Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers, NY (a procedure known as hip ostectomy). He is expected to recover fully and to live the life of a normal dog. He is still hobbling but with range of motion exercise (walking, climbing stairs, etc) he should regain the muscle that was lost due to atrophy and be running around like a normal boy. While we do not know how Romeo was injured, it is clear that the injury was very traumatic and took place quite a while before he came into rescue. We can only hope that he was the victim of an accident rather than abuse - we will simply never know. The good news is that Romeo is ready for adoption NOW. You would never know by his playfully sweet personality, that this 17 month old Cocker Spaniel is only using 3 of his 4 legs. Romeo was rescued from the NYC Animal Care and Control, having been dumped by his previous owners. If the shelter environment was frightening enough, it was made worse by a long neglected hip injury which Romeo had been suffering with for over 8 months. The pain began in May, when Romeo was just 9 months old. While walking down the stairs, Romeo's owner suddenly fell on top of him. His owner claimed that veterinary care was provided, but it is clear that the injury was unhelped, and no follow up care was pursued. If Romeo received the proper medical care, the severity of his injury would've been brought to light. His hip had been been dislocated, the leg bone had been popped out of it's socket, and now lay underneath his pelvis. We can only imagine the pain that Romeo must have felt when this injury first occurred, which made our desire to help him even stronger. Romeo has been examined by a leading Veterinary Orthopedist, and has received extensive orthopedic surgery to correct the dislocation. We are glad to report that the surgery went well. While the recovery will require months of physical therapy, we find joy in knowing that at least these month will be worked towards a promising result. After which, Romeo's life will be full of love. Named after a character of strong love, we can assure you that the name is appropriately suited. We are so glad to have been able to help Romeo, but are in desperate need of donations towards his medical costs and ongoing care. We accept and appreciate donations via our Paypal email address donation@nyabandonedangels.com (or you may click the link below). Also, via mail to Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue, P.O. Box 545426, Flushing, NY 11354. We will continue to keep everyone posted on Romeo's progress, his webpage can be found at: Emergency Case #19. 
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