Our first post here is going to be a bit of a NOVEL so hang on for the ride as we bring you up to date! Sioux Empire Pit Rescue was notified of two dogs in Palm Valley Animal Center who were down to the wire on time. Sunni, a 1 year old pit mix and Chance, a 2 year old pit mix. Due to shelter and local policy these two dogs were considered too old to release to local rescues and also due to their breeds were considered illegal so no chance for adoption either. Their only hope to get out was to find a rescue far outside of the area that was not only willing to take them but also had the room. Just over a year and a half ago SEPR had worked with this facility to bail out another down-on-his-luck dog by the name of Barchiel so as a last resort the rescue coordinator sent the email. Initial information showed two relatively healthy looking dogs. Sunni weighed 57 pounds according to his intake sheet and Chance around 40 pounds. Both showed no notable behavioral issues though Chance had tested positive for heart worm (pretty common down south). As more information was passed back and forth it quickly became obvious that shelter life was taking an extreme toll on these normally energetic dogs. In just a month, Sunni had gone from a body score of 6 to a body score of 1.5, was becoming very listless and losing his appetite. Though he tested heartworm negative the shelter staff retested him, this time including other tick borne diseases and he ended up testing positive for Ehrlichia (dogsandticks/diseases_and_symptoms/ehrlichiosis.php) and Anaplasmosis (dogsandticks/diseases_and_symptoms/anaplasmosis.php). Chance, while not as bad off, had also lost body condition and tested heart worm positive. On Monday, November 17, it was decided to pull both dogs and bring them to South Dakota and new lives. Drivers were found and it was set that first thing Tuesday morning the boys were going to be outta there! Unfortunately, it couldnt be that easy. Monday night Sunni spiked a 102.9 degree temp and went off food. Shelter personnel set him up in the office with some fleece blankets and food and hoped for the best. Come morning his temp had returned to normal and he had finished all the food left out for him. Sunni and Chance both made the walk from the shelter to the transport van on their own power. They were off! Unfortunately, when they reached Austin, TX and met up with a SEPR volunteer at Am/Pm Animal Hospital Sunnis condition had declined drastically. He could no longer walk on his own and could barely lift his head. While technicians rushed Sunni to the vet others welcomed Chance to his temporary home for the next two days. Chance was treated for a pretty heavy flea/tick infestation and started on Doxycyline to help boost his immune system before settling in with a big bowl of food. Sunni wasnt so easy to settle in. Vets, technicians, office managers, SEPR volunteers and the SEPR Intake Coordinator worked hard together through the afternoon and into the evening to figure out the best plan of attack to stabilize Sunni and boost his condition. He was not moving, had no appetite, was bleeding from his gums and also had more than his fair share of fleas and the nasty little ticks that had helped get him in the condition he was. Blood tests were run to be sure a blood transfusion wasnt necessary. The tests came back with his red blood cell count normal but his platelet count was nearly non-existant. This moved us into the realm of suspecting a Babesia infection (dogsandticks/diseases_and_symptoms/babesiosis.php). Unfortunately, the test to confirm or deny this would take too long to run. With Sunnis condition the decision was made to assume the worst and the vet office personnel proceeded to search out the Mepron and Z-pack needed to treat it. Luckily, a pharmacy in town had some on hand. Doxycycline was started for treating the Ehrlichia and Anaplasmosis and flea/tick treatment for the parasites. There is also a suspicion of infection but it requires a urine test to confirm. Unfortunately, Sunni is so dehydrated there wasnt enough of a sample to be able to test. Sunni has also been started on an IV drip for hydration and nutrients, steroids, anti-nausea medication, appetite boosters and many, many other medications. As of 6:30 tonight estimates for todays expenses were at $2,082 before the Mepron. Expenses include boarding, ER vet visit for both dogs, medications and supplies. The addition of the Babesia treatment and tomorrows expenses will easily push costs over $3,000. Everyone is working hard to try to get Sunni ready for the rest of his and Chances nearly 1400 mile trip to safety. We will try to keep this page updated as things happen during their trip and beyond through treatment and recovery. If you would like to donate towards expenses please visit pitrescue.weebly where weve set up a paypal donation link on the main page. Were willing to fight to the end for these deserving dogs and appreciate the support of all who stand behind us to make this holiday miracle happen!
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 05:09:30 +0000
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