The comeback Kid: Jenna’s story

Jenna’s Story
Jenna is an amazing Labrador Retriever that came to NorthStar VETS last year after hurting her knee. Garrett Levin, DVM, DACVS, performed a Tibial-plateau-leveling osteotomy (TPLO) procedure to repair her cranial cruciate ligament rupture, and Rosalie LoScrudato, DVM, CVA, CCRP, helped Jenna with her post-operative rehabilitation therapy. We see a measurable improvement in patients that receive rehabilitative care after a surgery over those that do not receive it, and Jenna makes a very strong case!

Since her procedure and recovery, Jenna has had an amazing year, as this update from her owner shows!

In January, after she finished her rehabilitation therapy, it was time for Jenna to start back into the Rally Obedience Ring. She jumped right back into competition and she was so happy wagging her tail during her whole performance. Since January she has:

• Competed in 9 Rally Trials;
• Completed 27 runs with Qualifying scores;
• Placed in 23 of the runs (8 First, 7 Second, 5 Third, 2 Fourth, 1 Fifth);
• Earned 3 Championship Class Titles (Level 1, Level 2 and Level3);
• Was awarded her 6th ARCHMX Title! (Advanced Rally Champion Master Excellent)

At some trials they give out special awards. Hudson Valley Dog Club, an outdoor Trial at the Polo Grounds in Middletown, NY, was one of these Trials. A cold, rainy day in early May, in her 6th run of the day late in the afternoon, she went into the Level 3 Ring (most advanced exercises) and scored a perfect 210! She earned High Scoring Pet Therapy Dog and High Scoring Labrador Retriever for the Trial!

Here is one happy Jenna at Kellar’s Canine Academy performing a Level 3 run, and great rehab exercises!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KLZ-rlkvCU&feature=share&list=FLmy8ZhwBsWVQLi2T7JDYSAg

Jenna has only hit field training lightly. All the rain and muck makes for sore joints, but she did have a few nice days to get out. She loves it but it is quite strenuous.

She is swimming better than ever, feeling more confident with her new strong leg and adjusted back.

Maybe in 2014, she will enter her next Hunt Test. But in the mean time she will continue to train while having fun!

Jenna got to be pickup dog/retriever for the test setup, so she was a happy ‘duck’ dog!

And when she gets too sore, she lets her mom know that too. She makes it obvious with the ears down and the sad eyes.

She has excelled doing her Pet Therapy! She was recently awarded the ‘Hospital Healer Certificate’ and we was given the “Volunteer of the Year” award at the Creature Comfort Pet Therapy Appreciation Picnic in June!

Additionally, she is in a study and visits patients on the Ortho Floor weekly. They LOVE her there! Out of numerous teams that visit the hospital, she was chosen to be the main character in a hospital video on Pet Therapy!

Garrett Levin, DVM, DACVS
Originally from California, Dr. Levin earned his Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from the University of California at Davis in 1994. He received his veterinary degree from Ross University, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. Dr. Levin completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship in 2000 and a three-year comprehensive residency in small animal orthopedics, soft tissue, and neurosurgery in 2003 at The Animal Medical Center in New York. He was a Staff Surgeon at a small animal referral and emergency hospital in California and Medical Director and Chief of Surgery at a referral and emergency hospital in Massachusetts prior to joining NorthStar VETS in April 2009. Dr. Levin’s areas of special interest include cardiothoracic surgery, orthopedic surgery, soft tissue surgery, neurosurgery, stem cell therapy and emergency and trauma surgery. He has extensive training in Interventional Radiology (IR) and Interventional Endoscopy (IE) and is an integral member of the IR/IE Department at NorthStar VETS. Dr. Levin is trained in the Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) surgical procedure for the treatment of cranial cruciate ligament rupture. He performs a wide range of minimally invasive surgeries including arthroscopy, thoracoscopy, and laparoscopy, as well as minimally invasive fracture repair.

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