Client Name: Kristi and Ken
Patient Name:Sawyer
Brief History of Pet
I got Sawyer in May of 2013, when I graduated college at the University of Iowa. My childhood dog passed away, and I knew that I wanted the love of another pup! I saw an ad on Craigslist for the cutest puppy ready for pick up (picture attached). I drove to Des Moines, Iowa on a rainy day to pick him up. His mom was an award winning cattle herder, and the farm only bred pure-bred border collies. The neighbor labrador jumped the fence, and Sawyer came soon after! Since he was not a pure-bred border collie, they were giving him away. I bought him for $100 in a Plato’s Closet parking lot and the rest is history! Every day with Sawyer has been so special! He started out as a beloved, but hyper puppy on a college campus, moved with me to downtown Chicago, and then to the suburbs. He adjusted well in every setting and made the most of it! My favorite memories are all of the trips to dog parks, forest preserves, trails, dog beaches, lakes, and pools. In addition, Sawyer has grown up with his 4 human cousins who are around the same age, so it has been special to watch them play together since they were babies/puppy! Sawyer loves all humans and dogs. He is so full of love and is truly the sweetest boy!
Why VSMR?
Sawyer has hip dysplasia and arthritis, now that he is a senior dog. He needs some rehabilitation since his joints are getting stiffer and his legs are getting weaker. He was losing some muscle mass in his legs, especially after surgery to get a tumor removed on his leg. He started to limp a little bit here and there after ongoing activity. Sawyer needs rehabilitation to keep him comfortable and living life to the fullest at his age! The vets at Colonial Manor referred me to VSMRG and it was a no brainer! Having them both in the same building with similar people in the area has been amazing. Sawyer was already used to Colonial Manor, so he did not seem scared doing something new within the same building. It has been very helpful for both parties to be in the same building too because the vets and VSMRHG staff can communicate about Sawyer’s health.
Favorite Motivator
A soft place to rest and a loving hand!
How VSMR has helped
VSMRHG has helped so much. Sawyer absolutely loves going to his rehab appointments! He loves seeing his favorite staff members, as they give him so much love and affection every time. He pulls the leash hard to get inside the building and start his sessions! VSMR has helped Sawyer with strengthening his leg muscles, having more mobility, releasing tension, and helping with his stances and walks. Even after he finished his initial treatment plan, I decided to continue with a maintenance plan, so that Sawyer can keep up his progress and stay ahead of any mobility issues. More importantly, VSMRHG has also given me peace of mind as Sawyer’s parent. It helps to know that he is being taken care of, to give him the best possible life, by staff members who adore him!
Additional Information
Sawyer turned 13 on March 8th and is named after a character on the TV show “Lost”! Sawyer loves to swim and play fetch with as many tennis balls as he can hold onto! He used to be the fastest runner at the dog park in his prime! He got one award in puppy school which was “Captain of the Football Team” aka the roughest player! He actually got kicked out of a few puppy classes for being a little bit too wild! He was one crazy pup!
