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Lena gets her knee fixed!

Lena is a Pit Bull with a heart of gold, always willing to please people around her. Her classic gray and white coat and thoughtful face make her a stunning beauty and her easy-going personality make her the ideal dog for any size family.
Lena came to the Burbank Animal Shelter and quickly won over the hearts of the volunteers and staff, but it was soon discovered she had damage to her Cruciate Ligament in her knee. Similar to the ACL in humans, this is the ligament that stabilizes the knee joint. After a consultation at the VCA West LA Animal Hospital, doctors determined a specialized surgery was needed to fix the damage.

In early November, Lena underwent surgery to repair her knee, and spent most of the month getting plenty of rest and daily ice pack therapy on her incision to help with swelling and discomfort. No one likes to be out of commission and recover from surgery, especially Lena. She missed going to the yard, playing fetch and walking around the Shelter. But staying off her leg as much as possible was crucial for her to fully heal.  No running. No jumping. A difficult task for a dog like Lena who just wants to show you some love.
Volunteers and staff made sure that she received lots of special attention, cuddles and belly rubs in her kennel to help speed up the recovery process. Every day, her knee got stronger and by early December she was able to go on short walks on her leash again. This made her very happy, even if she couldn’t fully run or jump yet.

The VBAS is very happy to report that Lena is well on her way to a full recovery. She has another follow up appointment with her doctor in a few weeks and will hopefully be cleared for adoption to a forever home soon. Keep watching our website and Facebook page to learn more about when Lena will be available for adoption.
Specialized surgeries like Lena’s are possible thanks to the generous donations from the community and people like you.  Thank you to everyone who donated to the VBAS in 2017 and helped make Lena’s story a happy one!