NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — A dog in Pasco County has gotten a second chance at life after being hit by a car.
- Vesper, a dachshund mix, was hit by car in December
- Veterinarians said she has a lesion on her spine
- Vet clinic in Hudson recommended dog wheelchair
Vesper, a 4-year-old dachshund mix, was left paralyzed from the waist down after a crash. But then, veterinarians noticed she got feeling back in her legs.
Now, Vesper uses a custom wheelchair to get around. Her owners, Glenn Hobbs and his family, are happy to have her alive.
"The last 48 hours have been emotional. She’s getting used to the wheelchair and getting into a rhythm," Hobbs said on Sunday.
Hobbs says a car hit Vesper in December in front of his New Port Richey home.
“We found the dog in shock. She was in bad shape," Hobbs said.
Vesper suffered a broken jaw and leg. At first, she seemed to be OK, even getting around on three legs. Then, a few days ago, she suddenly wasn't moving.
It turns out, she has a lesion on her spine. Veterinarians said the family may have to put her down. But one last check on Saturday saw that Vesper did get some feeling back in her legs.
"The vet was like, ‘Holy cow!' " Hobbs said. "The nurses came in, and it was a hug-fest and tear-fest, because all of the sudden, she gained feeling."
That changed everything for Vesper. The staff at Acupet in Hudson recommended the wheelchair for Vesper since she wasn't in pain.
"We thought we’d have to make that dreadful decision to put her down because her quality of life wasn’t there," Hobbs said. "Now she has feeling and everyone’s happy again. It’s been really, really tough."
Vesper now has a good outlook. It will just take some extra care from her family as she gets used to the wheelchair.
To help the family, Acupet gave Vesper the wheelchair for free, thanks to a donation. Hobbs says his family hopes to find a way to pay that forward.