Posted on 10/22/2015 9:09:19 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Menomonee Falls — It's one thing to have a major surgery like an ACL and meniscus repair. It's another thing to work through the physical therapy and exercises required to get it back up to snuff.
Especially when you're a four-legged retired war dog like Flo, who survived seven months of combat in Afghanistan before returning home to be cared for and adopted by his handler, Cody Crangle of Menomonee Falls.
Under the supervision of Scott Fellenz, Flo had major surgery in August at Family Pet Clinic in Menomonee Falls. People from all over the world rallied when they heard of Flo's injury, which happened while she was playing fetch with Crangle, as it would be incredibly costly to repair.
Lending a helping hand
"It all started when Cody approached the War Dogs for help," explained Patti Strand, assistant administrator at Family Pet Clinic and member of War Dogs Milwaukee.
Founded in Menomonee Falls, the War Dogs seek to educate the public about the dedication and service provided by dogs in military conflicts throughout the years.
One of the goals of the volunteers who make up the War Dogs is to support and honor the dogs who served in wars, which Strand said is especially important in cases like Flo's because of the lack of veterinary care and financial support available to dogs when they return from active duty.
"It's really sad and I don't think a lot of people know that these dogs get the best medical care while they're in active duty, but then it's on these young soldiers who adopt them to pick up what can be incredibly expensive medical care," said Strand. "It's really a cause to throw your heart around; these dogs aren't property, they are living, breathing things who save lives and should be treated with respect just like the soldiers."
When it became apparent Flo was going to need surgery, which would normally cost as much as $5,000, Fellenz said he knew he had to do something to help the situation.
"When I heard this whole story it just tugged at my heartstrings," said Fellenz, who promptly cut the cost of the surgery in half. "There was no way I was going to let Flo not get the care she needed with an injury like this."
A long, valuable process
American Bank in Waukesha picked up the remaining tab for the surgery, and opened a fund to help pay for her rehabilitation and continued health care. Flo's "War Dogs" fund has since received more in donations than necessary to cover the surgery, money which Strand said will be used to help in similar situations in the future.
And now it's up to Flo, an 8-year-old black Labrador retriever, to work through recovery with the help of Kristin Luginbill and the staff at Lakeshore Veterniary Specialists in Glendale. At an estimated $1,600, all of Flo's rehabilitation has been donated by Lakeshore, which offers a variety of specialized veterinary care as well as 24-hour emergency care.
"It's a long process, but Flo's prognosis is excellent and she will be back to full activity eventually," said Luginbill. In the meantime, Flo visits Lakeshore twice a week for underwater treadmill therapy, laser therapy and general physical therapy.
"Everything we are working on with her is designed to get her to increase her strength and confidence in her surgical leg, while working on balance, coordination and endurance, as well as increasing range of motion," said Luginbill, who is a certified canine rehabilitation specialist and certified veterinary medical acupuncturist. "We also make sure her pain is controlled so she can work on strengthening not just her surgical leg, but do so in a way where she avoids making any other compensation."
Flo is the first war dog Lakeshore has provided service to, an honor for Luginbill.
A special bond
"It's been so neat to see especially the special bond between Cody and Flo," said Luginbill. "It takes a lot of effort on Cody's part to get her in here twice a week, but you can just see how dedicated he is to her recovery."
For Flo, who spent the majority of her seven-month tour bomb sniffing for more than 50 different kinds of bombs, Crangle said the recovery has been smooth so far.
"I definitely felt bad for her when she came home wearing the cone of shame," 23-year-old Crangle joked. "She just looked so sad with it on and had no situational awareness so she kept bumping into things."
Crangle, who grew up in Menomonee Falls, is studying finance at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. And after a few weeks of physical therapy, both at Lakeshore and at home, Crangle said he's happy to report she's doing incredibly well.
"For a while, she just wasn't the same dog any more," Crangle said. "It took a week or two, but since then I can tell she's getting better. I can see it in the way she's walking, but mentally, too."
The time they spent together in combat will remain with them forever, Crangle said, which is among the reasons why the outpouring of support for her surgery has meant so much to him.
"It really didn't take me long to develop a close bond with her, to fall in love with her, which wasn't necessarily a good thing since I was under the impression I'd never actually be able to adopt her," recalled Crangle, who has known Flo since 2011. "A lot of people don't know what the dogs do over there."
When Crangle contacted the War Dogs for help, he said he had no idea things would snowball like they did.
"I don't necessarily like sharing the things I've done because that is all the stuff I signed up to do and what I knew I was going to have to do," he said. "That's why I appreciate peoples' recognition of what Flo did all the more. She didn't have a choice. She was made to do that stuff."
Outpouring of support
Crangle received dozens of letters on Flo's behalf, all thanking her for her service.
"She obviously can't read a letter, but it meant a ton to me," he said. "It's really been incredible all of the love and support she was able to receive."
Donations can be made by mailing checks addressed to "War Dogs" to American Bank, W239 N1700 Busse Road, Waukesha, WI 53188-1160.
Rehabilitation assistant Drew Porterfield (right) gets Flo back on task after the war dog's quick visit with her owner Cody Crangle during a physical therapy session at Lakeshore Veterinary Specialists in Glendale on Oct. 13. Flo was deployed for bomb sniffing in Afghanistan, and Cody was one of her handlers and was able to adopt Flo. Flo damaged her left rear anterior cruciate ligament last summer while playing and is receiving physical therapy after her August surgery. Photo by C.T. Kruger.
Good and brave doggie ping
I used to teach guitar at Menomonee Falls Music. I doubt the store is still there. It was a nice town!
Still is. Obviously the people and businesses there have “heart”.
What a wonderful story!
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