South Carolina Man Hears A Loud Thump, Then Finds His Pit Bull Mix Unable To Use His Back Legs
After five perfect years together, a devastating IVDD diagnosis left Maverick paralyzed. With a custom wheelchair and his dad’s unwavering love, this resilient South Carolina pup proved that nothing could slow him down.
An Unexpected Visit
Back in January 2017, Colby Carrigan decided to visit his local animal shelter.
He had no intention of bringing a dog home that day.
He just wanted to spend some time visiting the animals who were waiting for their second chances.
But sometimes, fate has a different plan in mind.
The Dog From The Cornfield
That was the day Colby laid eyes on Maverick.
Maverick was a pit bull mix who had been found wandering alone in a cornfield.
Animal control had picked him up and brought him to the shelter, but his future looked bleak.
Because he was a pit bull mix, no one wanted to take him home.
An Instant Connection
Colby knew immediately that he couldn’t leave the shelter without him.
“I was like, ‘Man, I got to take this dog,'” Colby recalled.
He brought Maverick home, and their connection was instant.
They spent their days playing and quickly realized they were a perfect fit.
The Day Everything Changed
For five wonderful years, everything was great between the two best friends.
Then, on January 16, 2022, a big surprise shattered their peaceful routine.
Maverick didn’t want to get off the couch, which Colby thought was incredibly odd.
He decided to just let the dog rest and do his thing.
A Terrifying Thump
Suddenly, Colby heard a loud thump hit the floor in the other room.
His girlfriend at the time screamed in terror.
She called out that Maverick had just jumped off the couch and his legs weren’t working.
Colby was in shock, wondering what could possibly be happening to his dog.
A Heartbreaking Sight
Colby ran into the room and was met with a devastating scene.
Maverick was pulling his body forward using only his front paws.
His back legs were completely lame, dragging uselessly behind him.
They knew right then that they had a very big problem on their hands.
A Devastating Diagnosis
The veterinarian diagnosed Maverick with Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).
Maverick’s condition was a level four out of five, making it very severe.
Initially, he was in excruciating pain, which absolutely broke Colby’s heart.
“It’s one of those things innately when you’re a parent, you just want to take their pain away,” Colby explained.
Adjusting To A New Normal
Maverick was placed on heavy painkillers while Colby educated himself on the condition.
Because Maverick lost his deep pain sensation, he could no longer feel his hind legs, meaning the excruciating pain eventually subsided.
While rehabilitation could help, it was highly unlikely he would ever walk on his back legs again.
The family decided the best option was to help Maverick adapt by getting him a custom set of wheels.
Rolling Into Happiness
At first, the dog was terrified of the contraption adjusting to his body.
But once he realized the wheelchair was there to help him move, everything changed.
Now, he absolutely loves his wheels and gets incredibly excited whenever Colby brings them out.
Anytime Colby even puts his hand near the wheelchair, Maverick goes crazy with anticipation.
Learning To Just Love
As soon as the wheels are on, Maverick gets spunky, energetic, and full of zoomies.
The journey has only strengthened the inseparable bond between the two best friends, with Maverick helping Colby through tough times just by being by his side.
Maverick has taught his dad not to get consumed by the small things in life.
“Maverick has taught me to just love, to just stop and love,” Colby shared, grateful for every single day they have together.
