The Mutt Mother

06/03/2026

We’re exhausted, but we’re finally home. We didn’t get back until after 11 PM.

Patches’ surgery took much longer than expected because her injury was much older than anyone originally thought. The surgeons believe she may have been living with a broken femur for 2–4 weeks. Since she’s still so young—possibly only 8–9 months old—her body had already started healing the fracture. The area had become calcified, so the surgeons had to carefully break through that healing tissue before they could properly repair the leg.

Patches now has a rod and several screws in place. The surgery was more extensive than expected, but it was successful. Now comes the long road to recovery. We have to take things extremely slow and easy, but she will need to walk 4–6 times a day as part of her physical therapy so she can learn to use the leg normally again.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about the team at Russian River Veterinary Surgical Specialists. The surgeons were some of the gentlest and most caring people I’ve ever met. They truly loved Patches and took so much time to explain everything to us. The staff was incredible as well and did everything possible to make us feel comfortable during a very stressful day. I only wish their facility was closer.

Thank you to everyone who donated, shared her story, and kept Patches in your prayers. She wouldn’t have made it this far without all of you.

And a special thank you to my mountain mama, Judy, for making this long journey with me and being there every step of the way. ❤️

Please keep the prayers coming. Patches has a long recovery ahead of her, but she’s finally on the road to healing.

06/02/2026

It’s 3:42pm and she’s going into surgery. It’s gonna be a long night.

06/02/2026

We just dropped Patches off at Russian River Veterinary Surgical Services this morning. The doctor spent nearly 40 minutes with us explaining everything in detail and answering every question we had. They will be taking additional X-rays of her entire body to make sure there are no other injuries, running bloodwork, and keeping us updated throughout the day. We’ll even receive text updates once she’s under anesthesia and throughout her procedure.

Based on her injuries, they believe Patches was likely hit by a car or other motor vehicle. While that’s heartbreaking to hear, we’re so grateful she’s finally getting the care she deserves.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about this team. I’ve never been to a veterinary facility where everyone was so personable, compassionate, and willing to take the time to explain everything. They got us in quickly, the facility is beautiful, and thanks to their generosity, the surgery is being done at a price we can actually afford.

Most importantly, none of this would be possible without all of you. Every donation, share, prayer, and word of encouragement helped get Patches here today. We truly cannot thank you enough.

Please continue to keep Patches in your prayers and send all the positive thoughts you can. We’re hoping for a successful surgery, a smooth recovery, and a bright future for this sweet girl. ❤️🐾

06/01/2026

Patches has officially moved into my bathroom where she can rest quietly and, hopefully, be a little more comfortable while we wait for surgery. ❤️

She’s currently on pain medication every 8 hours and anti-inflammatory medication every 12 hours to help keep her comfortable.

Tomorrow is the big day! We’ll be leaving at 5:00 AM to head to Santa Rosa. Her check-in is at 8:15 AM, but we want to give ourselves plenty of extra time so we’re not rushing or risking traffic delays.

We are having her surgery performed at Russian River Veterinary Surgical Service, a specialty surgical center in Santa Rosa that focuses on advanced orthopedic procedures and imaging. We’re incredibly grateful they’re able to help Patches get the care she needs. (RRVSS)

After surgery, Patches will be recovering in my bathroom where she’ll have a safe, quiet space to heal, rest, and receive lots of TLC while she recovers.

We’ll post an update when we drop her off and again after surgery. If all goes as planned, we’ll be able to pick her up around 6:00 PM.

Thankfully, I’ll have someone helping care for the dogs while I’m gone. In the meantime, I’ll be sitting in waiting rooms catching up on the mountain of rescue paperwork that never seems to end—the only time I ever get to sit still!

Thank you all for your prayers, donations, shares, and support. Tomorrow is a huge day for this sweet girl, and we’re so grateful she’s finally getting the help she needs. ❤️

05/31/2026

Bittersweet day today. ❤️

Mama Dog found her forever home with a wonderful lady named Cathy. She’ll not only have a loving home of her own, but she’ll also be a companion for Cathy and her mom. I truly think this is going to be such a special match, and Mama Dog will get all the one-on-one attention she deserves.

As happy as I am for her, adoption days are always bittersweet. We spend so much time loving, caring for, and getting these dogs ready for their next chapter that it’s impossible not to miss them when they leave.

We’ll miss you so much, sweet girl, but knowing you’re heading to a life filled with love makes it all worth it. Please give Cathy and her mom lots of snuggles from all of us at The Mutt Mother. ❤️🐾

Happy life, Mama Dog. You deserve it. 🏡💕

05/31/2026

05/31/2026

05/31/2026

Remember the dog that was left tied to a pole?

No food. No water. A tumor the size of a golf ball growing on his leg. A terrible skin condition. The dog someone gave up on.

Well… Craig is doing great.

His tumor has been removed, his skin has cleared up thanks to lots of love and weekly baths, and he’s now neutered. Most importantly, he finally knows what it feels like to be safe, cared for, and loved.

I hope the person who tied him up sees this someday, because honestly, you did Craig the biggest favor of his life. He got a second chance.

Craig will never know what it’s like to be unloved again. I’ll make sure of that. ❤️🐾

05/31/2026

🐾 Patches Update! 🐾

We have some amazing news to share!

Thanks to Hungry Tailz helping us reach out to a few places, including Russian River Veterinary Surgical Services, Patches has been accepted for surgery and they are generously giving us a $1,000 discount! That brings her surgery cost down from $4,500 to $3,500.

Even better, Patches no longer has to wait until Friday. Her surgery is scheduled for this Tuesday in Santa Rosa! While she is currently on pain medication, we are so relieved that she won’t have to suffer any longer than necessary.

We are beyond grateful for everyone’s donations, shares, prayers, and support that helped make this possible. It will be a long drive, but it is absolutely worth it to get this sweet girl the care she deserves.

Stay tuned for updates on Patches’ surgery and recovery. We can’t wait to see this girl get the second chance she deserves. ❤️🐾

05/30/2026

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