Beth from The Tucker Farm first heard about Hugo, a helpless puppy with Swimmer’s Syndrome who couldn’t stand up at all. Swimmer’s Syndrome affects young animals, causing them to be unable to walk and stand. The shelter had posted a video of Hugo lying flat on his stomach, unable to move his legs properly. Without hesitation, Beth reached out and offered to take in the special needs puppy. Upon bringing Hugo home, Beth and her family faced the challenge of figuring out how to help him.
Initially, they would place Hugo on mats, where he would just flap his legs, unable to stand. With the support and encouragement from Beth’s human children and their older Pit Bull, Lola, who adored puppies, they started with basic massage techniques and daily exercises to help Hugo gain strength in his legs. The family’s motto for Hugo became “Go Hugo, Go!”
As time went on, they introduced swim therapy and underwater treadmill sessions to help Hugo build up his muscles. Slowly but surely, Hugo began to pull himself up and eventually started walking, albeit stiffly and wobbly. The family continued to work with Hugo, using taping techniques to help his body learn the correct positions for his legs and adjust his muscles.
With the help of his canine siblings, Hugo started to play and enjoy being a puppy, something he had not been able to do for a long time. As his body grew stronger, Hugo began to grow, too. However, his muscles and tendons struggled to keep up with his rapid growth, causing his knuckles to turn inward and almost crippling him. The family had to enlist the help of a veterinarian, who held Hugo’s legs straight for a few weeks until they straightened out and his muscles and ligaments adjusted.
While many people wanted Beth and her family to adopt Hugo, it wasn’t a possibility at that time. But as fate would have it, a fan of The Tucker Farm reached out, expressing their interest in meeting and potentially adopting Hugo. The family brought their dogs and even ducks to meet Hugo, and it was clear that they would do anything for him.
Today, Hugo is a happy, healthy, and significantly larger dog, thanks to the love and dedication of Beth and his adoptive family. It’s a truly rewarding experience to see a once-helpless puppy like Hugo overcome his challenges and thrive in his new life.
Toledo, United States.
