English bulldog has rough recuperation

Lola Bean, a 4-year-old English bulldog who has gained fame in numerous walks for charity causes, has recently had major surgery for ACL tears in both legs. Now the Sisters community is reaching out to help with her medical bills.

Lola's claim to fame started with the Feedin' the People Charity Walk in Bend a few years ago. Pet parent Brian Foutz of Sisters remembers her first walk.

"Lola walked along with my wife, Genny, and I (sic) in the parade with a pink bandana. And another time she had a Wonder Woman cape on. Everyone seems to gravitate toward her, probably because she loves people and they know it," Foutz said.

Then in 2013, Lola, along with her pet parents, started participating in the Walk MS event in Bend.

"My aunt Louise, Weese for short, has MS, so we decided to decorate a yard cart that said 'Walking for Weese' and then we dressed Lola up in a knock-off orange tee shirt with iron-ons that also said 'Walking for Weese,'" said Foutz. "People started recognizing her and would look for her at each of the walks."

Lola was also brave enough to participate in a mini ice-bucket challenge last year while sitting in her kiddie pool.

"We made a donation in her name and a video of it," Foutz said. "She didn't mind at all."

Then five months ago, the usually high-spirited Lola Bean began to limp.

"We took her to the vet and at that time she had probably just pulled something, maybe a muscle in her leg. But Lola isn't your typical bulldog, she is very active and loves to jump and play a lot," Foutz said. "She was doing better for a while but started limping again. Then, she decided to jump off the porch instead of going down the few steps, and hit the ground hard."

During the visit to the veterinarian, the Foutzs found out that Lola's ACL was torn in her left leg. She needed surgery. Their vet called Dr. Robert Fuller, an orthopedic surgeon from Sisters who is experienced with ACL tears.

The Foutzs think of Lola as a furry family member and refer to her as their "fur baby." For them there was only one decision of how to handle the plight of Lola having a torn ACL. They opted for the surgery.

Then the week before surgery was scheduled Lola tore the ACL in her right leg.

"Lola was using her right leg to compensate for her left," explained Foutz. "We talked to Dr. Fuller and he agreed to do the surgery on both at the same time."

The surgery went well, and the prognosis is hopeful, but with a long recovery time of three months or more.

Lola's recovery hasn't been easy, and last week she had to return to the vet because she couldn't stand up at all.

"Lola has pins inside of her leg that are acting like her ACLs. The mobility in her left leg has a little bit of play in it and her muscle needs to build up again over time," Foutz said. "Dr. Fuller told us she might need up to six months of recuperation, but we are hopeful."

Adopting a dog into the household requires a commitment to his health and well-being. But sometimes with medical emergencies, there are financial hardships.

Brian and Genny Foutz are appreciative of any help they can get for Lola.

"We are hoping to raise awareness that when you have a pet, to remember that anything can happen at any time, just like with people," Foutz said.

If you would like to help donate, go to www.gofundme.com/helplolabean.