That's common in rehabilitation.
Appearance and function don't always recover at the same speed.
We cared far more about what the leg could do than whether his coat looked perfect.
Miles soon gave us another encouraging sign.
He tried to climb.
He wasn't allowed to go very far.
At that stage, his recovery environment remained intentionally restricted.
But the attempt told us something important about his changing condition.
The squirrel who had once been unable to pull his hind leg into a normal position now wanted to go upward.
Wanting to climb and being capable of climbing safely, however, are two different things.
So progression remained gradual.
As veterinary guidance and his condition allowed, Miles was given opportunities to move in increasingly natural ways.
First came controlled walking.
Then low structures.
He needed to show that the injured hind leg could push.
It also needed to support him while he balanced.
Later, it would need to absorb force.
That last part was especially important.
A squirrel can climb upward slowly while compensating for weakness.
Jumping exposes that weakness very quickly.
Miles's first low climb was awkward.
He pulled strongly with his front paws while the healthy hind leg supplied most of the push.
The recovering leg contributed, but cautiously.
He reached the top.
Then he sat there.
The next attempt looked slightly better.
Over time, his movement became more symmetrical.
He stopped carrying the injured leg as often.
He pushed through it.
His stride improved.
Eventually, the leg that had once lain stretched behind him began looking like part of his normal movement again.
That still wasn't enough for release.
The next phase required more complexity.
Miles had to negotiate different surfaces.
He had to climb.
Turn.
Balance.
Descend.
And eventually, he had to jump.
His first gaps were deliberately short.
Miles approached the edge of a low branch and looked toward the next one.