Shimmer My Story

Shimmer, aka Smiley Shimmer, is a striking white-ticked brindle almost 4-year-old female, born April 22, 2001. Shimmer’s sire is Gable Dodge, making her grand sire Wigwam Wag, and her dam is Smiley Sherrie, making her grand sire HB’s Commander. Shimmer certainly lived up to her heritage with her racing career consisting of exactly 100 races prior to the end with a severe hock injury on December 3, 2004. Shimmer is not small animal or cat tolerant.

Shimmer is under the care of Dr. Stephanie Beardsley, Central Texas Veterinary Specialty Hospital, in Austin. Shimmer has a calcaneus fracture, which is a fracture of her heel. During her surgery, Dr. Beardsley inserted several wires and bands to support her Achilles tendon. Shimmer is in a cast for approximately 8 weeks, with weekly cast changes for the first 4 weeks or so. The estimated cost of Shimmer’s surgery is approximately $1400, not counting her follow-up cast and splint changes.

Update 2/3/05

It is now three weeks post surgery and she is tolerating her cast and splint very well. Shimmer's cast and bandage are being changed every two weeks. Because her postoperative care is as important for a successful outcome as the surgery itself, Shimmer's foster mom is monitoring her very closely.

Update 3/31/05

Shimmer's cast came off March 22; all stitches came out 3/31. She is using her leg very little and is babying it; her foster mom is an ICU nurse, so she is starting physical therapy on her to help Shimmer. Shimmer is scheduled to be spayed, et al in the next two weeks, and then she is off to find her FOREVER HOME!