Laura Ann update

So far so good! Laura Ann has headed off to her foster home. The doctor has released this fighter since she is eating much better and is more alert. Laura Ann was an angel in the car over to her foster parents' home. She is very happy and took a little snooze in her bed while her foster mom worked. She is taking two different antibiotics with her food and has been very cooperative. Her eyes look OK...still dripping a little so foster mom is using some soft gauze to try and keep them clean so they don’t get irritated.

Although Laura Ann did not care for the tasty chicken mixed in with kibble for dinner, her foster family will keep trying. They will try a lesser ratio to help ease her back. She did eat a nice big meal though. Foster mom reported that she slept very soundly in her bed last night and is doing great with her meds. She also got a new toy because of my love for (real) hot dogs. Breathing is ok, still a little labored at times but not constant as in the hospital. She’s doing ok on short slow walks but still very low activity allowed for this girl.

 

Laura Ann video

Laura Ann still fighting

Emergency surgery was needed for this poor girl who was very sick and in critical condition. She had an infection called pyometra. Days of illness and hospitalization never lessened her tenderness and love towards people. Now with surgery behind her she is fighting another infection that keeps her with continuous life saving support. Intravenous medication and fluids, hand feeding, nebulizing and chest physiotherapy have been Laura Ann’s routine. With rest and nutrition, we hope that Laura Ann can go to her waiting foster home soon.

Her initial emergency surgery and then hospitalization have been very expensive. But this is what is needed to save this girl's life. Please consider donating to help get Laura Ann where she can sleep in a soft bed without tubes and needles, carry her toys around and start running and playing like a 4 year old should.

 

Madonna recovering in foster home

Madonna is now resting comfortable at home and recovering. So far all is going well and I will update her photos when the stitches are out.

Madonna has surgery

Today Madonna had her surgery. She had continued to have greenish pus coming from her vulva and she had a multitude of times we treated her for a UTI. Surgery was performed to explore the abdomen. There was a cystic pocket of fluid that was closely adhered to her urethra. This was an extremely uncommon finding in a dog. She may have been born with this or after trauma from delivering her puppies. The fluid was cultured and it was consistent with being a cyst which had gotten intermittently infected. It was very far back in the pelvis and to remove the total cyst would entail breaking her pelvis. After much discussion this was not done. The doctors elected to open the cyst, cleaned, flushed it and what is called omentum was performed. She came thru the surgery with "flying colors" and is now happily recovering at home.

 

Madonna

Madonna started her journey in Rescue as a new mom with 3 little black puppies back in September, 2016. Oh, what a terrific momma she was! The pups grew up and were ready for their forever home and Madonna went to a foster home to start looking for her forever home. That has been a long journey...she started having repeated bladder infections. She has gone thru this so many times and the infections got worse and worse. Multiple tests were run on her and they either came back with a bladder infection or another infection. Antibiotics would make her feel better for a little while and it would start again.

May 2017:  Madonna went to UC Davis to have a specialist examine her and, hopefully, tell us what was going on. The specialist said that Madonna definitely had urinary issues and she also told us that there is something behind her bladder that she was unable to reach to determine what it was. Madonna went back to her foster home with more antibiotics.

June 2018:  Madonna went to a specialty hospital in Orange County and had another battery of tests done. The doctor said she definitely had something behind her bladder but after scoping her, nothing could be done. Madonna was still having bladder infections and now there was smelly pus dripping along with the urine. It was finally decided that we had to operate to see if we could help her. Her surgery was scheduled and an update will be posted soon.

 

Beren looking good

Beren returned to the vets to have his stitches removed and to get another set of exercises that his foster home is now doing to help him get his strength back. From listening to the list of exercises, it seems to take most of the day to complete them all. Beren is doing good, and much happier to have the E-Collar removed.