I would do what was best for my puppy.....not myself. People forget sometimes to remove themselves from the equation.
It is an act of love sometimes to turn a pup over to rescue or euthanize. In a case of a leg than can be repaired, no way would I suggest euthanasia...and no way amputation.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I think about what the dog would want and whats best in that way would a dog want to lose a leg or an owner. I think they would choose a leg. Rescue is again a very personal decision and I think everything needs to be thought out before that decison. I dont think someone would be selfish in this situation for choosing amputation. Again its a personal decision and none of us are in her situation to make that call for her

I guess my question to you is this: Would you give up your leg to be with your loved one? Or, would you rather have it repaired and still stay with your loved one?

I am still trying to wrap my brain around the idea of a vet suggesting an amputation to an otherwise healthy limb,no infection that we have been told of. I dont get it and think that I personally would of asked for pain meds,maybe an antibiotic to ward off infection and waited until my vet opened Monday morning. Would of been standing at the front door at opening.
It is just beyond may ability to comprehend.

OP: Whatever you decide for your puppy, I wish you and her well. I believe I have been very clear about ideas to help you....IF you need my assistance, you can contact me by sending a PM...or you can contact me through the Yorkie Haven email: yorkiehavenrescue@yahoo.com
I live in your area and will assist you if you wish. You do NOT have to turn your puppy over to rescue. That would be something only you could decide and I would not even suggest it. You already know that is an option. I believe that there are OTHER options that are better.
I don't think discussing things as they are going on this thread right now, is going to be doiing any good for you or your puppy. I have said all that I can regarding my suggestions...as have others. So...I will not be posting any more ideas....you can contact me if you wish!

Best wishes and know that my offer is sincere. :)

I would give up my leg if i had to. I said she needs to explore all options first because surgery is the ideal situation but if she does and amputation is the choice shes left with I dont judge her for it. And I dont6 necessarily think it is a reason to send a dog to rescue. There are other situations that are more life or death decisions where the owner is left with the decision to put down the dog or give to rescue and in that situation I would give to rescue

Lose a leg or its owner? The good news is a new owner can be found. The bad news is a new leg can't. Everything does need to be thought out. All choices need to be looked at. But amputation because of financial reasons? Is that a good justification???

I agree it is her own decision on the rescue; however there is always a but. I was the first one to send her a pm and tell her that if she thought it was LP it would be ok to wait until the next morning. However, I didn't know it was as bad as it turned out. When my mom's dog had a broken leg it was screaming in pain. So I would have thought if it was broken she would have been screaming. Especially after the OP touched it.

BUT with that said, I am also a firm believer in taking responsibility for your animals. If you can't afford to vet them, then I am so sorry, but you don't need them. That is my opinion. My girls get sick. Or they get hurt. Or they have allergies. It is always something. I am at the vet a lot! They know my name well down there.

What I am getting at is being a pet owner is expensive. And if she can't afford to get the necessary medical care then maybe giving the puppy to a rescue would be the best option. This is the first of many things that can or will happen. All of us on here know that!

You are also right that none of us are in her situation to make the call. I think we are all just stating what WE would do in the situation. I feel for her, her daughter, and most of all the pup. The pup don't have a voice to make this decision. :(:(

I have this baby in my prayers. I would think a vet would work with an owner to fix the leg and set up structured payments. If they truly love animals they would not let a leg get amputated if it could be fixed. I know my vet in League City has taken payments because I have been in the waiting room when someone has come in to make a payment. I am not sure how they would handle a new patient though. I had a LP surgery for my oldest years ago but was lucky enough to have a savings fund to pay the 2,000 it cost.
Hopefully we will see an update on the situation soon. It breaks my heart to see the little ones hurt.

I'm sure my dogs would acclimate very well to be without me of it meant that they could keep all their legs. I think OP should find a way to pay for it or do an act of love and give the dog to a rescue that will. And I don't blame vets for this -- what are they suppose to do when every Tom, Dick, and Harry had the same financial sob story. It's just part of their day that owners can't or won't pay for treatments, unfortunately.

I dont know this comment is truly helpful but I feel like I should put it out there.

Vets arent subject to the same laws people Drs are. Unpaid veterinary bills can be sold to collection agencies civil litigations cane be filed and wage garnishnebts can be legally obtained.

So if you nake a promise to pay a vet you had better mean it.

In my experience cets are more frusterated with people who opt to not fet medical care for their pet due to the costs.

THanks to EVERYONE....I AM WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO NOT HAVE BELLA LEG AMPUTEED OR HAVE TO GIVE HER AWAY I LOVE HER SHE IS MY BABY...She is my first puppy and I just dont know where to start. I thought taking her to the emergency vet last night would be helpful...I need to get her help ASAP...I'm WILLING TO MAKE MONTHLY PAYMENTS....

OP, I'm sorry your thread has turned into this. Just do the best you can do for your puppy.

I respectfully disagree with amputation being wrong if that is all one can afford. 'Personally', I would not send a dog to rescue for this. I'd reserve that for dogs that are suffering. Rescues are overflowing as it is. Many are overcrowded, don't have adequate funds, are behind on vet bills, etc. There are constantly cases where owners can't pay for testing or the very best treatment. Although these cases don't tend to be as drastic as amputation, some are very serious. Sometimes owners have to choose second best treatment or testing (skipping xrays even if there may for an obstruction..which could lead to intestinal damage and death, for instance). If these animals were all sent to rescues instead and decisions were not made based on money, there is no way that the shelter system could keep up. There are millions of animals euthanized yearly in the US as it is. There is no reason to add to this if the owner can provide reasonable care.

I understand if an owner would prefer to surrender, but I don't believe they should feel guilty or judged to go another way.

FWIW, I would rather lose a limb for financial reasons than be separated from my family forever just to get a surgery. Then again, we are very close and would do anything to stay together. Furthermore, we don't make decisions solely on our dogs. Life is much too complex for that. They are always cared for and are not suffering. That does not mean I am opposed to second best treatment options at times. Also FWIW, most or all vets I know feel similarly..as do many techs.

Cost effective options are offered by vets all the time. And the amputation option is one of those. It is not the same as a human getting an amputation. Whether or not people like it, vets do it. A lot of general and ER vets are not into recommending rescue probably because they would be sending dogs to rescues constantly. So if it is between fixing the leg or euthanasia, of course some will offer amputation.

Actually, if it is a salter fracture in a young pup, the damaged growth plate can prevent the leg from growing resulting in one leg longer than the others...even sometimes with surgery. The older the pup, the better things are. So surgery can end in problems too or even failure and you are at square one. That is NOT to say that I think surgery isn't needed, but a lot goes into this.

OP, I would talk to your general vet and one or two orthos about surgery, pricing, alternatives, and if money is a problem - amputation. You can ask if in their opinion if is horrible to do. Yes, if something goes wrong with another leg there will be big problems. That, IMO, is not a reason to rehome.

I'm sure the ER vet would have given you a timeline for getting it repaired. Generally, waiting more than 2-4 days is not a good idea. If it is a salter fracture (growth plate), they are generally best fixed as soon as possible. The upper part of the leg is harder to immobilize, but if it is the lower part generally a vet can Robert-Jones it until you get to the ortho.

Not everyone can shell out thousands. And I don't believe that only those that will max out their credit cards or those able to spend five grand a year are good owners. I used to hold similar positions to those on this thread. ...then I started getting involved in the veterinary field. There is way more to vet med than animals. There are many variables. The majority of owners cannot afford the best of the best. I don't think people realize how many more animals would need homes if all these owners gave them up. After seeing every third or fourth animal in the ER euthanized at times, my thinking changed on this topic. If an owner is doing their best and the animal is not suffering, I consider those animals blessed.

I wish your pup the best.:)

Have you gone on the Care Credit website to apply?

You need to be at your vet in the morning when they open. If you have to "call in sick", you need to do that....because if that baby does not get help, you will be sick, so it isnt a lie! You need to work it out with your vet, or PM ladyjane and take her up on her offer to have her help you get Dr.Beale to diagnose and give treatment options. Once you have your options, go back to your vet, tell him you have xrays and recommendations from Dr.Beale, you cant really afford to have another work up done, and see if he will help you out. If he wont help you out, you need to scurry off to A&M and have that team handle it...they will allow a payment plan....good luck with this...but get the baby treated. Keep your wits about you...dont loose your cool....(How old is the daughter??? Is she old enough to be financially responsible in any way???)What part of town are you in???