Client Name: Marian Nealon
Patient Name: Reese

Brief History of Pet

My husband, Bob, and I got Reese in July 2017, when she was about one and a half years old. We didn’t “rescue” her in a technical sense from a shelter, but we are her second owners. We learned from our neighbors in Elmhurst that there was a young man who lived in Chicago and could no longer keep his yellow Labrador Retriever because he was getting divorced. He lived in a high-rise building at Chicago and State, and Reese needed more room to play. He was interviewing people who wanted the dog, and we passed his test, so he gave her to us for free! (We previously owned a Lab, have a house full of dog toys, a fenced-in yard, and like to walk our dog frequently on the Illinois Prairie Path, which is right down the street).

“Reese is a very active and happy Labrador Retriever who came to us after knee surgery. She did great work with her treatment plan that included therapeutic laser, massage, and exercises. After four weeks, she had nearly normal weight-bearing on her surgical knee and was an even happier Labrador!”

Dr. Amber Ihrke, Veterinarian

Why VSMR?

Reese needs rehab with VSMRHG after two CCL surgeries (TPLO). She got body-slammed while playing at the dog park and tore her left CCL in March 2021. She underwent 12 weeks of rehab after that surgery and was doing well for only a few months before we found her to be limping again. In August 2021, she had a second TPLO surgery to repair her right CCL. Dr. Amber recommended only eight weeks of rehab after that surgery, which we are finishing up this month. She is doing very well now that both legs are fixed. She can walk easily for 45 minutes to 1 hour at a time without any problems.

Favorite Motivator

Reese is willing to follow you to the moon and back if you have a tasty treat.

How VSMR has helped Reese

I came back to VSMRHG after the second surgery because I could tell that Reese really liked going there! When we got close to your facility in the car, Reese would start getting excited and happy. She always wanted to jump out of the car (I wouldn’t let her do that because of her leg) and run fast to your door to get started. The exercises that were done with her really strengthened her leg, and she had such a good time doing them! She was usually tired afterward, so I know she got a good workout.

“Reese was an absolute pleasure to work with. Every day she came in tail-wagging and excited to get to work. My favorite thing was watching how excited she would get during her hydrotherapy sessions. No matter what, as long as there were treats involved, Reese was ready for anything.”

Carla Ortega, Rehabilitation Technician

Non-Profit Organization

At VSMR, we ask the owners of our Patient of the Month to choose a non-profit to be featured and donated to. Reese’s owners have chosen The West Suburban Humane Society, a volunteer-based, animal welfare organization that was founded in 1972 as a lost-and-found referral service.