http://www.lizardmarshmart.net/2012/07/roanoke-rapids-nc-two-abandoned-dogs.html
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7/23 POST:
Heartfelt message from Ms. Jennifer L. Edwards follows. To donate, please follow this link: http://fnd.us/c/eL3Q3. There are other wonderful photos on Mia and Daddy's Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Mia-and-Daddy/393824700664916
7/23 POST:
Heartfelt message from Ms. Jennifer L. Edwards follows. To donate, please follow this link: http://fnd.us/c/eL3Q3. There are other wonderful photos on Mia and Daddy's Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Mia-and-Daddy/393824700664916
THE CORRECT VET IS:Roanoke Animal Hospital
Roanoke Rapids, NCPhone: 252-535-3117
From: Katie Walter <katie.walter@att.net>
Date: Mon, Jul 23, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Subject: Correction - Re: Roanoke Rapids, NC - This girl needs some help! - She is only 18 years old - CAN ANONE HELP HER?
Before their pre-op appointment, I received the news that Mia is heartworm positive. I took her in ASAP to get a chest x-ray to see how her heart was doing, and it is enlarged, but she is not in heart failure. She will need to be treated when it is cool again, because the heat may cause complications resulting in death. If she doesn't undergo the full treatment, she will still need to be on heart medication and Doxycycline to keep her as healthy as possible.
Adoption will not be easy. Even if they weren't special needs, they are adults of "aggressive" breeds and they come as a set. I'm afraid that if Daddy loses Mia, he may starve himself to death. This is no exaggeration: he loves her that much.
Date: Mon, Jul 23, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Subject: Correction - Re: Roanoke Rapids, NC - This girl needs some help! - She is only 18 years old - CAN ANONE HELP HER?
CONTACT IS: Ms. Jennifer L. Edwardsjenedwards528@yahoo.com (at yahoo.com)
In April of 2012, a man discovered a family of dogs on a rural road with no houses in Northampton County , North Carolina. He told his wife what he had seen, and upon her insistence, returned to pick them all up. His next-door neighbors had previously rescued a family of dogs, a mother and four puppies, and they still had an outdoor pen set up with a doghouse, bowls, and toys. They couldn't take them inside because they had a senior cat that they had rescued from a hurricane years before, and didn't want to endanger her or her position in the household (namely, queen). They also knew of a rescue that may be able to find the dogs safe, loving homes. It was still cool outside, so that night they took them in and contacted Rainbow Animal Rescue in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina . The rescue had no shelter besides the county pound (which was a kill shelter), limited volunteering fosters, and the full home of the rescue's owner. So, that night they became a foster family for the mama dog, the daddy dog, a female puppy, and two male puppies.
That family was mine: my mother and father. I was two hours away at university and I spent many days at home helping out with the dogs, somewhat neglecting my first semester. The well-being of these dogs has been my first priority.
Daddy, the father dog, is a big, goofy, lovable guy. He likes to act silly, but we know he's a smart boy. He loves to talk to you, not as in barking, but whining and little noises that resemble speech and make your heart melt. He's full of energy and loves to run and play. We believe he is an Akita mix. He has a luxurious medium coat and is around 60lbs.
Mia, the mama dog, is a complete lady: she even eats daintily! She's very intelligent and is already decently leash trained. She has expressive, loving eyes that reveal her inner beauty. She's friendly and loves attention, while still being very calm, composed, and attentive. She thinks she's a little dog, because she wants to sit in your lap! Mia is an American Pit Bull Terrier and is around 50 pounds.
The night we rescued them, we noticed that the Daddy and the runt of the litter, the female, were limping. The female puppy also has a visible injury: the tip of her tail had been bitten nearly off by another animal and was hanging there, but eventually fell off without incident.
A short time later, the dogs were taken to the vet that the rescue had an account with, and both dogs were x-rayed. The father dog had a broken femur on his left side, and a dislocated hip on his right side, which had healed and began to grow a false joint. The vet said because we couldn't afford surgery, if he wasn't getting along as well as he was, the injuries could have warranted him being put to sleep. But Daddy is a tough boy. His hip still needs to be operated on and put back in place. He has the appearance of hip dysplasia, because his chest is broad and strong but his back end is noticeably narrower than it should be for his build.
The female puppy had a broken femur and pelvis on her right side. They were both prescribed Dasuquin for the rest of their lives to slow the progress of the inevitable arthritis, reduce discomfort, and increase mobility. They were also prescribed Rimadyl for the pain, but we haven't had to use it yet.
The female puppy had a broken femur and pelvis on her right side. They were both prescribed Dasuquin for the rest of their lives to slow the progress of the inevitable arthritis, reduce discomfort, and increase mobility. They were also prescribed Rimadyl for the pain, but we haven't had to use it yet.
Thankfully, an awesome woman from New York paid for that visit.
We were able to adopt out the two male puppies via Rainbow Animal Rescue. Bear a.k.a. Baby Boy or Baby B, was taken in by The Humane Society of Atlantic County , in Atlantic City , New Jersey . I have contacted them and requested that they update me on how he is doing, but I haven't heard much. Bengal a.k.a. Tiger, now "Rowdy", was adopted by a young couple, who have recently become newlyweds, in Midlothian , Virginia . He is thriving, and his forever mom is even employed at a doggy day care, so he gets plenty of socialization!
The night the last boy left, Daddy was playing too rough with the female runt, because he was used to roughhousing with the boys. She was scared and even screamed, so we took her into the house that night and she's stayed with us since. We figured that it would be difficult to adopt out a black, runt of the litter, Pit Bull mix who was also special needs. We reasoned a puppy would be easier to introduce to a senior cat than an adult who may be cat aggressive, so we moved from foster parents to a forever family for the girl we named Zoe. She is healthy and happy, and you would never be able to guess she suffered such severe injuries at a young age. The cat and the puppy get along as well as can be expected!
Time passed, and Mia and Daddy have not received any inquires for adoption or foster despite being listed on Petfinder. They are still in the pen they were placed in that first night, are not fixed, and are not kept apart. We could not afford separate pens. Even if we could, Daddy will do anything to get to Mia once he's separated from her. I've seen him draw blood in his mouth attempting to rip through the metal fence to get to her when I'm taking her out for personal attention. They are like nothing I've ever seen – they will kiss each other for minutes at a time while they hold each other in their arms. It is a sight to see when they love on each other like human couples.
Recently, I started noticing signs that Mia may be coming into heat. I took Mia and Daddy to my personal vet on the very next available appointment to give them their shots and for a general wellness exam. We could not afford it, but it was the right thing to do. We placed them on a "Paw Plan" which covered some of the things they needed at a reduced price. Everything is on the credit card. I'm worried about the furry kids, and I'm worried about my family's financial burden. We live paycheck to paycheck.
Mia only got her rabies shot, because we didn't know if she was pregnant already, and to harm the fetuses is to harm the mother. Daddy, however, got his full round of shots. During this appointment, we got their heartworm and bug prevention. Then I made their pre-operation appointment for their spay and neuter surgeries.
Before their pre-op appointment, I received the news that Mia is heartworm positive. I took her in ASAP to get a chest x-ray to see how her heart was doing, and it is enlarged, but she is not in heart failure. She will need to be treated when it is cool again, because the heat may cause complications resulting in death. If she doesn't undergo the full treatment, she will still need to be on heart medication and Doxycycline to keep her as healthy as possible.
Mia was deemed okay for the moment, and was approved for her spay surgery, though she faced a higher risk than a healthy dog. Also, an abortion may have been performed because we didn't know whether she was already pregnant. I gave my consent, but didn't ask afterward and my vet knew not to mention it. She knew we had to do the surgeries while I was home from university so they would have someone to watch them 24/7. Plus, it is extremely risky to give birth when your heart is compromised, and she was likely to die in labor. The puppies could have died as well. Either way, had no choice but to abort if she was pregnant. No amount of medical reasoning makes me feel better about my decision though.
Mia and Daddy were fixed Wednesday, July 18th, 2012 and they are doing well in their own personal room in the house in separate crates that are placed close enough for them to kiss. They enjoy the A/C, their fan, their brand new toys, and their TV, which is always on Animal Planet. Mia vomited several times the first night, so I gave her some Pepto Bismol pills and made her a huge batch of chicken and rice. She's loving the special treatment, and hasn't been sick since.
Properly caring for them was the right thing to do, even if we did not have the financial means to do so. Adding up the invoices, the grand total was $1870.84 for everything that's been done for them thus far. This does not include the initial x-rays (which were thankfully paid for), Mia's heartworm treatment scheduled for later this year (quoted at around $600), and Daddy's hip surgery (which I haven't received a quote for).
Properly caring for them was the right thing to do, even if we did not have the financial means to do so. Adding up the invoices, the grand total was $1870.84 for everything that's been done for them thus far. This does not include the initial x-rays (which were thankfully paid for), Mia's heartworm treatment scheduled for later this year (quoted at around $600), and Daddy's hip surgery (which I haven't received a quote for).
Even the smallest donation makes a difference, and sharing this with others can amount to even more.
Thank you so much for reading and for your support. Mia, Daddy, Zoe, and my family thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Even if we are able to pay for their surgery, they are still left outside in a 10x20 pen in the elements. Though they are under a carport and have a large fan, it breaks my heart. This is not what I wanted for them, I love them and they deserve more.
Adoption will not be easy. Even if they weren't special needs, they are adults of "aggressive" breeds and they come as a set. I'm afraid that if Daddy loses Mia, he may starve himself to death. This is no exaggeration: he loves her that much.
All donations are made through PayPal.
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Thanks,
