Saturday Update

Here is "Lady".  She went for a check at the vets this morning, and is in pretty good shape.  She does not have a microchip, so we don't expect anyone is looking for her.  She is about 2 years old, doesn't appear to have been spayed, and other than some ticks and being underweight looks really good.  She had three ticks removed, and was dosed with some Frontline in case any were missed.  She also got her vaccinations.  We will have her spayed soon.  So, if anyone is looking for a sweet dog to join their family, please consider Lady. 

She is a bit timid, but responds quickly to affection.  She seems to love my kids, and is already following them all over the house.  She also is getting along really well with our dogs.  I think she will make a fantastic pet for any family able to be gentle and quiet while she gets adjusted.  After just one day here, she is already more relaxed and not quite as skittish as yesterday.

Oliver also had a check today.  He is going back on the original eyedrops (which was expected, he only went off them while getting the antibiotic ointment)  His eye was getting all goopy again after a few days off the eye drops, so I'm glad he's back on them!  He will be using them for the rest of his life, but his dosage may get scaled back since he responds to well to the treatment.

His incision (from the neutering) is much better now, and most of the swelling is gone.  He got stepped on by one of the bigger dogs last evening, so he is favoring one of his hind legs.  She put him back on the anti-inflammatory/pain meds for a week to help him feel better.  Poor guy, just got caught in the stampede heading to chow last night.  He still has not gained any weight, so we are upping his meal allocation.  He already gets double what our other small dog gets, but apparently he needs more. 

It's Friday, so it must be time....

To find another stray dog! Yep, Kenny took the dogs out for a walk, and found another half starved dog. This little lady is in much better shape. Mostly she is in need of food. She's pretty young, so I'm thinking she won't need much in the way of medical care. We have plenty of funds from the donations we've received to get her looked at, spayed if necessary, and vaccines. We'll take her in tomorrow to be scanned for a microchip, and hopefully find owners who anxiously want her back. She is another very sweet dog, with a lovely, affectionate personality. Even half-starved, she takes food from your hand with a very delicate touch. She's started following me all about the house, even after I gave her a bath. She didn't like it too much, but it was over pretty quick. I'll get a pic posted soon-- it won't let me from a mobile device, so for now, trust me when I say she is a beautiful dog!

Checking In

As usual, my school schedule is getting in the way of updates.  Had lots of homework this weekend, but did manage to squeak in a trip to the vet for a post op check.

Oliver lost weight during his first week with us (which hardly seems possible since we've been feeding him every few hours -- but he did have all his fur shaved, half his teeth and a few other things removed, so maybe it's not so strange.)  He got some deworming meds just in case.

His eye has responded really well to the meds, so she could check it more accurately.  It turns out he also has a little ulcer in his eye, so this week, he is getting some antibiotic ointment to clear that up, and then next week he'll go back on the eyedrops. 

Oliver's skin is looking better -- it's loosing the dry, scaly look it had, and getting more supple.  It even looks like his fur is slowly starting to grow back in a little bit.  Not much though, so I think it will be a while before he's looking fluffy.

One of the biggest changes we're seeing, is how he walks.  When we first found him, he looked like he was going to topple over any second.  Now he's walking easily, and when he's in the mood, even trotting about.  (Any hint of food tends to inspire him to step it up!)  Kenny has been taking him out for short walks, which he seems to really enjoy. 

On Saturday, he has another re-check to see how his eye and weight are doing.  Then in two weeks he'll get another blood panel done to check on his liver function.  If all goes well, he should be off to his new home once his liver checks out ok!  Will try to get some new pics posted this weekend.

Oh, and I haven't taken down the widget yet, because a few people have indicated they still want to donate.  At this time, we don't expect to need any more funds for Oliver, but the rescue group is delighted to accept what Oliver doesn't need.  Just this weekend, the group found a litter of kittens abandoned at a local Mulligan's.  Lucky for them, they were found, and are cute as the dickens.  One was already leaving for a new home when Oliver and I were waiting at the vets. 

A Sleepy Week

Sorry I haven't had a chance to post an update for a few days.  My school Monday thru Thursday is always very hectic, with little time spent at home with computer access.  Oliver has been home with Kenny all week and has slept thru most of it!

I'm sure the combination of his weakened state and the post surgery wipeout are major factors in his desire to sleep the day away.  He LOVES his new bed, and looks so cute snuggled up in it.  His eye is looking so much better since he started the eyedrops, and I'm really looking forward to hearing what the vet thinks at his check up on Saturday morning.  I think the follow up blood work for the liver function will be a week or two further out, so that the proper diet and SAMe have a chance to work.  He's pretty good about taking all of his pills; I just hide them in his food, and he gobbles them all up.  He'll finish up his pain meds on Friday, and continue on antibiotics 'til Sunday unless that gets extended.  Having so many teeth removed has not hampered him in eating too much, so I'm hoping to see some weight building up on him in the very near future.

I'm very happy that it looks like we have found a wonderful family to take him once he's cleared by the vet.  A friend of mine from school and her family have been wanting to get another dog since theirs passed, and they are looking forward to giving Oliver a loving home.  I'm happy, because I know he'll be in a wonderful home.  I expect he'll be with us for a few more weeks, both so he can be well on his way to full recovery, and also so that I can follow his progress for everyone to see here on the blog.

On the Mend

Well, today was a whole new day. Oliver woke up this morning, perky and cheerful and very interested in exploring the house and yard. What a difference! The better part of the first two days were spent sound asleep in the crate.

I spoke with the vet this morning, and she was astounded that we were able to raise the funds so quickly (huge kudos to you all, who helped make it happen!) Our vet is open 7 days a week, and since they had a light schedule this afternoon, she was able to do his procedures today! Above are some pics of Oliver when he got home from the vet today, as well as our lab Timber, and our former stray, Toby. For some reason, Toby is all of a sudden fascinated by Oliver. Pretty much ignored him before, but since he came home from the vet, both our dogs seem to be welcoming him home.

He is all clean and shaved. Surprisingly, he was really active, and jaunted about the house for about a half hour before curling up into his new bed.

So, what did he have done today?? First off, he had 16 teeth pulled --half of his teeth had to come out, but the vet says he will be so much more comfortable now, and he will be able to eat normally. She was amazed that he was able to eat at all before the procedure, his teeth were so bad. He was also neutered, and had his eyes treated. He will be on twice daily drops for a while, possibly for the rest of his life. He was completely shaved, lots of foxtails were removed, and his skin and feet were treated with medicated shampoo. Both are very irritated and he'll need a special bath about every 5 days to a week, and we were given the special shampoo for that. His ears were cleaned too. He received antibiotic and pain medication injections, as well as a prescription for both meds to be given for the next week.

He had a comprehensive blood panel, which showed some elevated levels in his liver, but she felt they were early stage, and with SAMe supplements (which we now have in hand) and proper nutrition, he should return to normal function. All his other bloodwork was good! She was concerned about his thyroid, but the levels for that were 100% normal.

Now he will get lots more rest, regular food (only wet for for a while because of his teeth) and a safe and loving home to get better in. We will start looking for a permanent home in about two weeks, although we are happy to take inquiries now. We want to make sure he's in super good shape before we transition him to his new family.

I also spoke the the lady who runs the rescue group I've heard of out here (turns out we use the same vet, and my vet speaks very highly of Suzanne, who runs the group -- Half Way to Home) Once Oliver is all settled, we will donate the remaining funds to the rescue groups vet account, to help pay for the medical care they need for the strays they take in. And they take in a LOT! I visited their adoption day at Petsmart today, and I was shocked at how many dogs they are hoping to place. I took a few pics, which I will post later this week. Dozens of Chihuahuas as well as many other types of dogs. We are planning on volunteering as a foster home for some of these pets in a few months. as they are always looking for families to help on a temporary basis.

Again, I am so grateful to everyone who has helped. I was telling everyone while I was out doing my errands, and people were amazed at how quickly and generously Oliver was supported. My vet said she'd never seen any attempt to raise money for a sick pet happen so fast -- she seemed a little shocked when I first told her. So just know, that you are all simply amazing, and have done a wonderful thing!

The widget

I am sort of in a daze, and haven't taken down the widget. What do you think? Should I leave it up in case anyone wants to send something, knowing it will most likely be donated in Oliver's name to the local rescue group? Let me know what you all think. I feel entirely confident that enough funds have been raised to get Oliver all the treatment he needs to get well. But I'm sure the rescue would appreciate the donation for all the other animals that they help so tirelessly.

You are the most amazing people

In less than one day, we have raised, together, enough funds to get Oliver the treatment he needs, even if he needs more than originally expected.

I am completely stunned. So many people, some who I know well, and some who I know barely at all, have contributed what they can to help this sweet little dog. I'm sitting here, sort of holding back tears; which is to say they are streaming down my face, and I'm trying to pretend that I'm not actually crying. A friend of mine since grade school just donated $500. Honestly, I think I'm in shock. I was hoping people might chip in a couple bucks, and if I could get enough people to do that, then maybe I could help this dog. I have been truly amazed that the donations have frequently been $20, or $30, or $50, or $75. And for those that couldn't afford that much, they still sent what they could. I am eternally grateful. Not only for Oliver, but for my kids. You all have allowed them to see the love that exists in the world, and what the power of hope can do. And for that I offer my most sincerest thanks

Widget now set up!

I have a widget now in place to make it easy to send in a donation. I can't set it up to show the donations that have already been made, but we are well on our way to getting Oliver the treatment he needs. Thank you all so much!

It Shouldn't Be a Dogs Life

Huddled next to the railroad tracks, so worn out that you can't hardly move when you see someone. Dragging a leash that is so knotted into your fur that it has to be cut to be removed. Sticks, brambles, and a tire section entangled in your fur. So matted and tangled that when you go potty it stays in chunks in your fur even though you no longer have any fur on your tail. Cold, hungry, thirsty, and all alone.

This is how my husband found this poor little guy yesterday afternoon. We brought him home, cleaned off the worst of the poop, and got him inside the house just before a nasty thunder and lightening storm hit. A wonderful friend came over to clip off his fur for me -- I have no experience with longer haired dogs, so her assistance was invaluable. It was not a pleasant job, but I deeply appreciate her willingness to do it. More needs to be cleaned off, but I thought he was traumatized enough for the time being. A quick bath to get off the worst of the dirt, and tucked into a dog kennel with blankets for the rest of the day and night. In the evening, he finally ate the small portion of food I had given him, and had a quick potty break.

He seems to like the kennel-- nice and snug, and I'm sure it feels a lot safer than those railroad tracks! This morning I took him to the vet for a basic exam. He has a microchip, but the owner never registered their info. He's about 12, needs some major dental work, as well as treatment for his eye. Apparently he has an eye issue that is common for his breed (a Shih Tsu) that can lead to blindness. He'll need life long treatments for it, but it's very manageable. He needs some antibiotics, neutering, and vaccinations, as well as a complete shave and cleaning of the delicate areas that are too difficult to get to without sedation.

Unfortunately, our financial situation is, like many others, quite strained at the moment. And we took in a stray last summer, so we have two dogs already, and can't afford the treatment Oliver needs, or to keep him as a pet. So we are hoping to raise money to get him healthy, and then find a loving home for him. So far, the response has been nothing short of incredible. Two ladies who were at the vets with their pets made donations. Many of my doll friends have donated generously --so far, in just a very short time we've received $324. I am astounded. I have faith in the world again. Thank you so much.

I will be posting updates here, with pics as I take them. Right now Oliver is getting much needed sleep, and good food and water so he can start the healing process. I will creating a donation widget here, for anyone that wants to contribute. If we end up raising more than he needs for his vet bills, we will get him some basics (a collar,etc.) and then donate any remaining funds to a local rescue group that does an amazing job in our community.

For now, any contributions can be sent via Paypal to : ecetera@sbcglobal.net with "for Oliver" in the subject line.