My Sick Furbaby Wallace

Doc and I adopted Wallace in March of 2007 from a high kill shelter rescue out of New York. The foundation is run by an angel Jane. She is the best. She is so kind and extremely supportive. We got Wally to be a companion for our yellow lab Jacob. When we got him he only weighed 75 pounds and was extremely sick. We were told that he was between the ages of 7-8. We later found out that it was more 9-10. So after numerous vet visits we found out that he was filled with whip and hook worms. So both pups had to be on medicine. Doc and I were in the process of purchasing a home and it was sold out from underneath us. We had 2 1/2 weeks to find another place to live ---we searched and found a place that was reasonable and it allowed pets. We put a deposit down...it was just a temporary home until we found a house. So we went to sign the lease and it stated no pets. Great---what are we going to do? We couldn't get back our $3200 deposit and we couldn't afford to lose it either. So we decided to board the dogs. We found Pam---she had two of her own dogs and a heart of gold. Jacob was having really bad separation anxiety and wouldn't make it there for a year or less. So I made the ultimate choice. I found him a great forever home with an awesome family! We love Tracy and Newman. They are such a great fit for him. Wallace was doing great with Pam. He liked the dogs and her cats and seemed really happy there. We got really great reports each week.

Up until.... I went to pick him up a few weeks ago to have him for the day for some quality time and he had no hair on his bum and was covered in fleas. Of to the flea dip we went. I picked up flea meds to put on him in hopes that we help him. Doc got him a flea collar to see if they would help. This week we got a report that he was weak, not eating, urinating in the house and that she noticed blood in his stool. I thought we would just schedule him a vet appointment. Saturday it got drastically worse. She called to tell me that her son thought that he should just be put down. That he was extremely sick and that her son would have no problem shooting him. I called Doc hysterical that this idiot would might actually kill our dog. We pay her each month and we supply her dogs plus our own food each month and this is how we get treated. I began to question how Walls was being treated there. Doc and I talked last night about what to do. We can't bring him our place and finding someone to take him at his age would be very hard to do. Doc emailed Jane right away this morning to notify her of the situation that we have on our hands. She called me at work and asked me how soon I could get him out of there. I said probably today if I had a plan. So she called her vet in Bethel and got me squeezed in at 2:30 and we made arrangements with a boarding facility in Shelburne to board him for a few weeks while we beg our landlords to let us have him here or we find a home to purchase or a new place to rent. Jane is an extraordinary woman. She is paying for everything for us so we can be calm while we are dealing with all of this. I love her from the bottom of my heart. So at 1:00 I was on my most nerve wrecking drive of my life to go pick up my baby not knowing what to expect. I didn't know if he would be groggy, dead like or dirty. When I got there he was SOO excited to see his mama! He was jumping and when I showed him his leash he was overjoyed he knew the end of that place was near!!! He was such a good sport in the car.

Wally's visit summary to Country Animal Hospital. We met with Dr. Jessica Englund. She was super! Here is what our receipt entails:

Diagnostic exam $36.
CBC-Abaxis $35.
Chemistry Profile-abaxis $47.
Fecal; negative $19.
Snap Giardia; negative $25.
Heartwork/Lyme test;negative $35.
Urinalysis $28.
SMZTMP 960mg tabs $20.
Amoxicillin Capsules 500mg $15.0
Drontol Plus Canine $57.

Grand total: $317.

We were at the office from 2 to 5pm. I got a really good report--He was negative for heartworm and lyme disease. His heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, prostate, and pancreas are all in excellent condition. He is being treated for a small parasite in his stool and being dewormed just in case something was missed. His white blood cell count was extremely high in urine so he is being treated for a urinary tract infection--Dr. Jess also told me that we are going to do a follow up urine test in 10 days to see how he is feeling because he could have a tumor or a form of bladder cancer. Or it could be that he got a UTI from improper care like not being let outside. I couldn't get him into the boarding facility tonight in Shelburne so he is spending a couple of nights at the CAH in their boarding area. We got to pick out his room and a blanket along with a plush bed for him to sleep on. I hung out with him in room while he got friendly with the male dog next to him. They peed into each others area so they were happy. I left him with him having high spirits and me crying because I didn't want to leave my baby behind. This couldn't have come at a worse time. I love him and I just want him to be here with us where I don't have to worry about how someone else is treating or caring for him!!!