Theo: A Badly Injured Puppy in a Rural Shelter

At just four months old, Theo has already endured more pain than any animal should ever have to face.

Theo (formerly Goose) came to us from a rural panhandle shelter after being hit by a car. He sat for days while another rescue delayed, leaving him in limbo while he suffered. 

When Kelby, a volunteer from the Jefferson County shelter, reached out to us on Friday afternoon asking if we could help, we scrambled to put together a plan. Lisa Korosi immediately offered to foster, and we put together a transport plan for Saturday. We weren’t going to let him suffer another minute.

When we pulled Theo (formerly Goose) into Florida Urgent Rescue, we knew he had a broken leg. That alone was enough. They said he was feral, but we think he was just scared and in pain. 

Dr. Neihaus was completely booked, but after seeing the radiographs, he squeezed us in for an orthopedic appointment first Monday morning. 

Michaela, another Jefferson County volunteer, drove him halfway to Lake City, and FUR volunteer Caroline Cozens met her and brought him to Lisa's house on Saturday afternoon. 

But the moment Lisa got him, she knew something wasn’t right. He wasn’t just injured. He was in excruciating pain.

Open wounds. Barely able to move. A tiny body trying so hard to hold itself together.

We called Sandbridge Veterinary Center, and thankfully, Dr. Nix at squeezed him in. We ran bloodwork and got stronger pain meds and medicine to flush his wounds. She was reluctant to sedate him to splint his broken leg because Dr. Neihaus would have to sedate him again to redo it again later. 

This morning Lisa took him to Dr. Neihaus at Jacksonville Veterinary Surgery for an orthopedic consult. 

The diagnosis shattered us. 

Theo doesn’t just have a broken leg. He has 3 broken legs, a fractured pelvis, a fractured hip, and several open wounds. His growth plates are damaged in two legs, and sheared off in the third. 

The worst injury is to his back left leg. It is fractured in two different places, and he has severe swelling around his Achilles tendon. His hip is also fractured and his growth plate is sheared off. The best case is that he'll need a Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO). If his Achilles tendon is severed, he made need an amputation. 

Both of his right legs are also broken. His right back leg has a Fractured tibia near his right shin bone and above his hock, and his right front leg has a shearing injury near his hock. The Road Ahead Dr. Neihaus wants to wait two weeks to reevaluate that leg before deciding whether to do FHO surgery or amputate. In the meantime, we're starting hyperbaric therapy tomorrow morning at Palm Valley Veterinary Center. We're hoping that will help heal his wounds faster and give him a better chance at recovery. We're fortunately to have amazing veterinary partners, with three different vets dropping everything to help this sweet pup in four days.

The road ahead is long and expensive, but we’ve been here before. Both Maverick and Tommy Bahama came to us with three broken legs, and both have amazing lives. We hope that with the right care, Theo can get there, too. We are so grateful to the amazing volunteers and veterinary partners who dropped everything to give this sweet boy a chance.

Despite everything he has been through, Theo still leans into gentle hands. He still trusts. And for the first time in his life, he isn’t fighting alone.

Theo needs us, and we need you.

The ray of light for us is that we've done this before. Both Maverick and Tommy Bahama came to us with three broken legs. With a lot of love and TLC, they're both recovered and living wonderful lives. Although we know it won't be easy, we are going to do everything in our power to take his pain away and give him the life he deserves.

But we can’t do it alone.

Theo needs us. And we need you.

If you can donate toward his medical care, share his story, or simply keep him in your thoughts, we are so grateful.

This sweet boy has a long road ahead, but for the first time, he won’t walk it alone.

𝗙𝗨𝗥 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺

Sick and injured animals need help fast. Every donation helps, but Monthly donors give us flexibility to respond immediately when there is an emergency. When there is a hoarding case or a hurricane, a dog with a gunshot wound or a cruelty case, we have to act quickly. We don't have time to run a fundraiser, and wait for those funds to get to us. Your monthly donation can help us save lives again and again. Learn more at: https://www.floridaurgentrescue.org/donatemonthly

To Donate: 

— Credit Card: www.floridaurgentrescue.org/donate

— Venmo: @FloridaUrgentRescue

— PayPal: floridaurgentrescue@gmail.com

— Mail: Florida Urgent Rescue

    7643 Gate Parkway #104-27

    Jacksonville, FL 32256

About FUR

Florida Urgent Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and FUR earned a Four-Star Rating on Charity Navigator with a score of 100%, the highest possible rating. FUR also received a 2025 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency by Guidestar. Less than 1/10th of 1% of all nonprofits receive these ratings.