Ivy is two years old, She was born with forelimb deformities, and a CT scan confirmed she has radial hemimelia in her right forelimb, meaning her entire radius is missing.

As a result, that leg is much smaller and non-functional, so she’s essentially a three-legged pup. Her left forelimb—her “good” one—has its own challenges, including a luxated radial head, a hypermobile wrist joint, and a reduced range of motion in her shoulder and elbow (but too much in her wrist!). This gives her a forward-sloping stance and contributes to muscle tension and a plantigrade posture in her hind legs.

To keep her as comfortable and mobile as possible, Ivy has weekly hydrotherapy sessions, which she tolerates like a champ, and she’s recently started acupuncture with Perihab, all of which has been funded by The Red Foundation. Perihab also provided her with a thorough nine-page assessment and a physio exercise plan tailored to her needs. 

Part of her physio routine includes eating her dinner on a wobble cushion to improve her strength. She also has the most adorable habit of standing up like a meerkat, which helps strengthen her core muscles. Thanks to all her hard work, her legs may be a bit weak, but her core and spine are incredibly strong!

Despite her mobility challenges (and weighing just a tiny 3.2kg!), Ivy is a determined—and incredibly stubborn—little lady. She can do anything she sets her mind to (and if she can’t, she’ll bark at her pawrents until I they it for her!). She has the entire household wrapped around her little paw, and they all absolutely adore her.