Walter, Living the Good Life

Many of the Labs CILRA rescues have heartbreaking stories. Some pull at our hearts more than others. Walter is one of those special Labs.

When Walter came to CILRA he was not in good condition. He had a host of issues:

• Bad arthritis, creaky joints in his hind legs and hips; very little range of motion in his wrists (front legs)
• Could walk but not for long periods of time
• Kennel cough
• Skin issues, likely allergies, that caused thickening and scarring on his face
• Likely deaf in his right ear and perhaps some slight hearing in his left; both ears infected
• Resistant bladder infection

Walter is an older purebred Lab as you can see from the distinguished grey in his pictures. Actually, he is now 13+ years old. But he’s not ready to give up on life yet!  His foster Mom Diane H. said,

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to rescue Walter.  When he first arrived at the end of September, I thought he wouldn’t make it past Thanksgiving.  His hind end was weak, he needed a boost to get up my back porch steps, he fell down frequently, and he had a lot of hair loss.

Now, here he is 5 months later, seldom falls down, bosses my Lab girls around, follows me around the farm and just look at his coat!  Plush and shiny (with a little help from his groomer friend)!  Fostering him has been a rewarding experience and I thank you for it.”

Diane said she knew Walter was doing better when he spotted the barn cat for the first time and literally raced across the yard to try to catch her!  (No luck though – she’s very dog savvy!)

While many of his health issues have resolved or improved, Walter continues to have UTIs. Because of his age, we decided to provide palliative care and keep treating his infections. Instead of up-ending his routine and moving him, and because Walter is so attached to Diane (and vice versa!), Walter will live the rest of his life with Diane and her family — being loved and cared for every day.

We are beyond grateful that Diane will continue to care for Walter and CILRA will work with her to make sure he has everything he needs to live a happy life for whatever time he has.