Waffle, a sweet but timid Cockerpoo, has had quite the journey – from heartbreaking beginnings in Northern Ireland to a hopeful recovery in England. Alongside his brother, Waffle was rescued from truly horrific conditions by the dedicated team at Rescue Dogs 4 Life. Malnourished and fearful, Waffle’s path to a better life began the moment he was taken into their care.

However, it soon became clear that something was seriously wrong when they collected him. Upon arrival in England, Rescue Dogs 4 Life brought Waffle straight to us due to a suspected injury. Our team quickly assessed him, and x-rays revealed a fractured femur – a painful and serious injury that would require surgical intervention.

Waffle was placed on crate rest for the weekend to keep him calm and limit movement until his surgery could be performed on Monday morning. Our skilled veterinary surgeon, Martin, led the operation, repairing the broken femur with a plate and pin.

Waffle came through the general anaesthetic well and was carefully monitored overnight by our fantastic night nursing team.

The following day, Waffle was discharged into the care of his foster parent with a post-operative check-up scheduled for two days later. The initial check-up with the nurse went well – the wound was healing nicely, and there were no immediate concerns. A few days later, Martin followed up with a phone call to check on Waffle’s progress and was thrilled to hear that he was doing much better and was more comfortable. A further appointment was booked with Martin for ten days post-op to assess healing and begin the next steps in Waffle’s recovery.

At the ten-day review, Waffle was introduced to gentle physiotherapy exercises to help regain mobility in his leg. Some mild discomfort was noted, which isn’t unusual at this stage, but to be thorough, a follow-up appointment was arranged for two weeks later to monitor his progress more closely.

While Waffle was showing improvement, he was still “toe touching” – a sign that he wasn’t yet confident bearing full weight on his injured leg. Concerned that there might be a deeper issue, Martin performed another set of x-rays. These revealed that the surgical pin had migrated slightly beyond its intended position, however, healing was otherwise progressing well. Given these findings the team conducted a small procedure to make a small incision and remove the pin. Waffle’s foster parent had also mentioned some discomfort around the ears, so whilst he was under anaesthesia, seizing the opportunity to investigate further, Martin examined Waffle’s ears and discovered a hidden cause of discomfort – ear mites. These were thoroughly cleaned out, and Waffle was sent home with ear cleaner to ensure continued relief.

Waffle’s journey is far from over, but the progress he’s made – both physically and emotionally – has been heartwarming.

From a frightened, injured pup to a healing, hopeful companion, Waffle is the definition of resilience. With the unwavering support of Rescue Dogs 4 Life, his foster family, and our dedicated veterinary team, Waffle is not only healing from his injuries but also gaining confidence every day. We’re honoured to be part of his journey and can’t wait to see what the future holds for this brave little dog.

Rescue Dogs 4 Life are an independent not-for-profit rescue that rely on kind donations from members of the public. Although we do our best to try and keep medical costs down, especially for charities in need, Waffle’s bill is quite considerable and Rescue Dogs 4 Life need your help more than ever so that they can continue their lifechanging work in rescuing more pups in need. If you are able, please consider donating to their Go Fund Me page to help with Waffle’s bill. Any amount is greatly appreciated by Waffle and his wonderful guardians.

You can donate directly to the funding page through the following link – https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-waffle