An amputee pooch is living a life with more possibilities with the help of some new prosthetics.
Brutus, a Rottweiler from Loveland, Colorado, is a quadruple amputee who previously had trouble walking. But late last year, the pooch received prosthetics for all four of his limbs, according to KDVR. The pup has since been learning to adjust to his new legs and will soon begin long-term physical therapy to help him walk more easily, Laura Aquilina, Brutus' owner, told The Huffington Post.
Brutus, with his new prosthetics.
When Brutus was a puppy, he was left outside in frigid temperatures by his breeders, and ended up getting severe frostbite on his paws, Aquilina told HuffPost. She said the breeders amputated the pup's paws themselves leaving him severely injured.
"The paws were taken off except for the left forelimb, which has some residual padding," she said.
So far, the artificial limbs have already made a difference.
"If he didn't have the prosthetics, he'd essentially be confined to rooms with carpeting," Aquilina said, explaining that hard surfaces were uncomfortable for the pooch to walk on. "But he's such an active dog, he's starting to act like a normal animal now!"
Brutus, without his prosthetics.
The pooch was briefly cared for by a family who rescued him, but he eventually ended up with Aquilina. As the canine continued to grow, Aquilina realized he would have more trouble moving around. With the help of animal rescuer Laura Ornelas, Aquilina was connected with Orthopets Denver, a group that develops animal prosthetics. The two also started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the pup's new limbs.
The fundraiser was successful, and Brutus underwent surgery to correct some of the harm done from his botched amputation, later receiving his artificial limbs.
Aquilina told HuffPost that the canine is noticeably happier and is enjoying his life with greater mobility. She expects him to continue making strides as he attends physical therapy at Colorado State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and hopes that he will have an increasingly active life.
And though Brutus isn't completely comfortable in his prosthetics just yet, Aquilina says that his story is proof that with some proper care, animals with disabilities can still have happy, healthy futures.
“If he ended up in a shelter they’d say he was unadoptable because he’s missing his feet," the owner told KDVR. "I think it’s good for people to know we can work with animals like this.”
To learn more about Brutus, visit the Facebook page dedicated to the pup here.
Related
Before You Go
