12.22.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:34 am by Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue
Of course, this “business” continues regardless of holidays or whatever else is going on. We’ve just had two behind the scenes emergencies in the last couple days.
I know you all are going to think I’ve gone completely nuts – but…
First, little Garrett Mesquite. Rescued from a Dallas-area shelter, little Garrett had developed an infection on his neck just below his jaw. After three weeks, it wasn’t getting any better and he actually started getting snippy when the foster mom tried to check it. Luckily she sent some pictures to me and, darn, I could tell from the pictures that it was an abcess!!
The foster mom, Emily, rushed Garrett to the vet the next day and found that indeed he did have an abcess – it was a totally rotted tooth – and he recommended that the tooth come out at once. The estimate – $600-$900. GULP! Unfortunately, Garrett is now in Arizona and we’ve learned that the vets there are H I G H. Even with rescue discounts, they are three times what the vets in DFW charge. GULP again. After the unbelievably high vet bills we’ve had this past month, I didn’t know what to do at first. But, that dog could not go on with an abcess like that so we said “do the surgery.” It gets worse.
During surgery, the vet called Emiy to tell her that Garrett actually had a broken jaw – the tooth had been so abcessed that the infection went into the bone and ate through his bottom jaw at the infected point. Just like Amaretto’s.
Of course, we told him “FIX IT!!” We’ll find the funding somehow.
That vet is the nicest guy, after all of the surgery plus wiring Garrett’s jaw back together, the bill was only $591!! He took pity on us!
This is little Garrett before we got him out of the Mesquite shelter.
Secondly, adorable Yardley Turner.
Yardley was an owner turn in from San Antonio. His owner had rescued him from another bad situation, but needed to turn him over to us. When we got him, the foster mom, Sunny, took him to the vet for an evaluation. Unfortunately, the vet found BLADDER STONES! A lot of bladder stones. So many that he thought we needed to do surgery quick. Once the vet got into his bladder, he reported that the situation was much worse than he thought. There were many more bladder stones than showed on the x-ray. His bladder was terribly inflamed. Surgery is now over and Yardley should be ready to head into a foster home Monday. His total bill, including all of the preliminary x-rays in San Antonio is $886.
If you have anything left over from Christmas shopping or shopping for other holidays, and you can help this little boy, plesae use THIS LINK for paypal, or THIS LINK to send a check. Download the credit card form HERE and fax it to 281-754-4851, but be sure to email me at teresa@shihtzu-rescue.com to let me know to look for it.
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12.20.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:24 pm by Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue
Dougie had his third session in rehab this morning. I am so sorry I was so rushed on my lunch hour that I forgot the video camera. All I got was this cell phone picture.
But he is making amazing progress. He walked on all four feet for 6 of the 8 minutes he was in the water tank. Then he started knuckling on the right leg (sciatic nerve damage). He did so much better today than Tuesday. On Tuesday, he was a pistol – he wouldn’t stay in the tank, he tried to bite the tech many times and really didn’t get much exercise. I do have video of that and will try to upload in a couple of days so you can laugh.
Dougie has received three care packages – one from Odean, with blankets and toys, one from Ellen with two warm coats and one from Ashley with a toy and two sweaters. What a lucky boy.
Thanks again to all of you that helped this sweet boy.
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Posted in Uncategorized at 9:28 am by Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue
Our dogs can’t ask for any better than this! A new forever home and even a little sister fluff! What a lucky boy Barkley Turner is. From a near-dead quadraplegic to a spoiled prince! THIS is why a bunch of sucker volunteers work day and night and night and day putting in untold hours! It doesn’t get any better than this.
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12.18.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:00 pm by Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue
This girl was on death’s door just a few short weeks ago. Honestly, I thought we would lose her. It terrified me to even think about the situation because it was so unbelievably critical.
Today, you could not even tell she was so near death. Is she not a beauty?
You know, when we have a tragedy and lose one, like Tyson, especially after working so hard to not let him go, I feel so guilty – like we’ve let you all down so much. I know it’s my control freak coming out, but I just can’t get it through my head that once a dog is in a state of the art hospital, it’s still possible that we lose it.
It’s extremely stressful. For days, we’re clutching at straws and it’s very frustrating that we don’t know exactly what all is happening and whether we are doing the right thing for them.
But when we have one like Bobo (and Dougie and Barkley) who were so near death and now their little faces are shining and they are looking at such a bright future, I know I have to just pick myself up, take a deep breath and go get the next pitiful one!
Thank you for allowing me and the rest of the volunteers to be able to do this for these dogs!
We can only do this because of your support. To help us continue our mission to save those that others have passed by, plesae use THIS LINK for paypal, or THIS LINK to send a check. Download the credit card form HERE and fax it to 281-754-4851, but be sure to email me at teresa@shihtzu-rescue.com to let me know to look for it.
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12.15.07
Posted in Dougie Gillingham at 8:03 pm by Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue
This little poot is an amazing little dog. If you haven’t heard of Dougie, GO HERE to read his story.
Thursday, we went to see the surgeons to have sutures and staples removed. He was great. All healed, no infections – ready for fun. Then we had the first rehab appointment and he got to “walk” in the water treadmill. This contraption, which you’ve seen before, is truly amazing – use of it dramatically speeds up their recovery time.
Dougie’s problem right now is the leg that wasn’t broken but luxated out of place. The sciatic nerve sustained severe damage and he could not make his right leg work correctly. Two weeks after surgery, Dougie can now walk, but is “knuckling” his toes on that bad leg. That means he bends the toes under and doesn’t realize that he’s walking on the top of his toes.
Work in the water treadmill is designed to help improve his overall control of that leg as well as start building up the muscles on both legs.
Dougie did two sessions of four minutes each on Thursday morning. Thursday afternoon, he didn’t wake up until around 8 pm and even then wouldn’t stand. We certainly taxed his little body. I was so nervous about it, I had to call the rehab director to make sure he was ok.
Saturday morning, the little guy was walking better than ever. Here is a short video showing his amazing progress.
Thanks to everyone who so very generously donated so that we could save this boy. I know we always ask for more and more and more, but when we have one or two good stories like this, it gives me the emotional balance I need to keep going.
Little Dougie received two care packages this week. One from Odean in PA which had a blue blankie, a Christmas afghan (Dougie-sized), a pillow and a little toy. The second from Ellen, came today and thankfully included two little coats. Dougie is modeling one of the coats in the first picture on this page. And above, he is very happy to have that little blue blankie on this really cold day!
Thanks to you wonderful people. You make my heart sing!!
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12.13.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:38 am by Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue
With the loss of Tyson, I wanted to remind you of some of the recent GREAT things you’ve done.
Bobo Burke – tiny sweet little shih tzu girl that came into our program a few weeks ago with severe, and I mean SEVERE anemia. As in an EIGHT (8) PCV. (Normal is 35-45) She had to have an emergency blood transfusion and spent several days in critical care on IV’s. Today, she’s completely recovered, her blood values are almost normal. She will be ready for a foster home in just days. YOU SAVED HER LIFE.
Dougie Gillingham – tiny little boy – only 3.7 pounds – hit by a car and totally mangled. Dougie had a herniated diaphram, a fracture on one side of his pelvis and the other was luxated up. He had severe damage to the sciatic nerve. That was about two weeks ago. Today, Dougie goes into Gulf Coast to have his stitches and staples removed and to see what the surgeon says. I can say Dougie is gaining weight – he eats like a horse. He is walking on all four legs – one leg doesn’t work perfectly yet, he still knuckles on his toes when walking, but frankly, he’s good enough as is and we expect more improvement over the next six months. YOU SAVED HIS LIFE.
Sierra Ranger – very cute tiny little shih tzu came into our program as a stray and had to have emergency surgery that day for a bladder stone that was blocking her “equipment.” We didn’t think she would make it, but she did. She’s had a ton of followup tests and meds for the last two months, but seems to be turning around now and is ready for a foster home. YOU SAVED HER LIFE THROUGH DONATIONS TO OUR VETERINARY BILLS FUND.
Barkley Turner – pitiful middle-aged tzu man who had a cervical rupture (disc in his neck) and was a quadraplegic when we finally got him into our vet. He had surgery to remove the extruded material impinging on his spinal cord and just two months later, he’s up walking and his foster mom is having to scold him to stay off furniture. He is now available for adoption. YOU SAVED HIS LIFE.
Amaretto Collins – very nice little tzu boy who came in with peridontal disease so bad that we had to surgically remove part of his jaw. Can you imagine the pain? He’s recovering from surgery just two weeks ago where they also implanted some material to stimulate the regrowth of that missing jaw part. YOU SAVED HIS LIFE.
Chantilly Worth – another that came down with pneumonia. Chantilly had to stay in ICU for several days but recovered nicely. YOU SAVED HER LIFE.
Charo Worth – yet another that contracted pneumonia. She was touch and go for a while, but finally recovered. YOU SAVED HER LIFE.
Le’ Poodley Worth – another totally ruptured disc in her back. She couldn’t walk when we got her – she just scooted around. Her surgery was successful and she’s now in her forever home. YOU SAVED HER LIFE.
Chimi Harris – started into mild seizures right after we got her. We had to take her to the emergency room and she stayed in ICU fora fe days. She’s recovered nicely and is now in her forever home. YOU SAVED HER LIFE.
Juicy Lu Tzu – came into our program as an Owner Surrender. We immediately found her blood values off and an ultrasound revealed a huge fluid-filled mass somewhere in her abdomen. She was then diagnosed with Cushings. Subsequent surgery at Gulf Coast revealed a cancerous adrenal gland which was removed and she is now recovering from adrenal Cushings and is in her new forever home. YOU SAVED HER LIFE.
Kula Parks – this boy was confiscated via a cruelty case. He had been hit by a car and his owners did not take him to the vet. We took him into our program and thanks to you, he was allowed to have surgery to correct the old injury. He recovered nicely. Although he has some deficit in the nerves of that leg, he’s good enough to walk and is in his new forever home. YOU SAVED HIS LIFE.
Augustus Davis – little breeder confiscation got sick during heartworm treatment and had to be hospitalized. He’s fine now and was adopted this past weekend. YOU SAVED HIS LIFE.
Please focus on these guys! We do win more often than we lose.
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12.12.07
Posted in Tyson North Mills, Uncategorized at 6:29 pm by Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue
These are the days that rip your heart out. Sweet little Tyson developed the neurological signs of distemper early this morning. What we know from fighting distemper many, many times is that one the spasms start, the prognosis is very, very bad. Distemper is a insidious disease that mimics kennel cough and any other type of upper respiratory disease.
With Tyson, as with any other of our victims of distemper, what disappoints and angers me the most is that it is totally avoidable. A simple $5 vaccination given three times when he was a puppy, would have prevented his suffering. It’s just not fair!
With no hope of recovery, we made the decision to end his distress this afternoon.
I apologize to all of your for putting you through this horrible experience. I’m sure many of you have lost beloved pets before and we get attached to these dogs just as though they are our own. Carmen, Tyson’s foster mom, is taking this very hard. She provided the most unbelievable care for him during his illness.
I also wanted to thank each of you personally for your support of Tyson. We never know whether we will win or lose when one of these babies get sick and we know how it breaks your hearts when one doesn’t make it. Thank you for your faith in us, thank you for allowing us to at least try.
Cat Martindale from ChaChaCha, Chugger and Chiclet, Erin O’Neill, Fur Kids, Susan Hardaway, David Nay, Bruce and Gay Yancey, Barbara Moran, Jennifer Rue in honor of Teipei, Kelly Highley, Cynthia Dantoni, Sandie and Doug Curb, Janet Bello, Ashley Riebschlager, Shari Bagwell, Rosemary Cody, Wanda Kenyon, Sherry Goodpasture, Elliott Lander from Spankey and the Lander shih tzu gang, Driscilla Stors, Marty Howard, Barbara Grabell, Wylene Dunbar, Carol Lundemo, Nancy Croft, Jean Flanagan, Pam Stewart in memory of sweet Sawyer White, Joan Samara, Cheryl Oyaski, Eugene Bonos, Jean Day, Christine Hutchison, Jan Haile, Sally and Doug Cameron, Ginger Warnick, Susan Lewis, Claryce King, Medea Snyder, Aggie Wood, Martha Hughes, Lorna Van De Weile, Karen Anderson, Chantell M Wiley, Richard Bandanza, Ashley Riebschlager, Tricia Havis, Pam Glass, Kimberly Ann Baehr, Lael Ward, Susan Gregory, Gay Yancey, Eugene Bonos, Sunny Goldberg in memory of Snuggles, Buffy and Chad, Debbie Plyant in honor of Woogy, Anon SB, Doris Diaz, Mandy Corey, Cindy Ruby, Darnell Hester.
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12.11.07
Posted in Tyson North Mills, Uncategorized at 2:07 am by Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue
I just spent almost an hour on the phone with the vet at the clinic where Tyson is in ICU. His condition is very, very confusing since they are treating him with all of the biggest guns (antibiotics) they can and his progress is very slow. In fact they are treating him with four different classes of antibiotics to get the widest coverage possible. He is making progress, according to the vet that is handling him. His respirations are much lower, which means he’s breathing much easier.
One of the three tests we did last night came back tonight. There is good news and bad news. The good news is that they didn’t see any cancer cells (always a risk when something doesn’t heal). The other good news is that they did not see any evidence of fungal infection. Not that it is NOT fungal pneumonia, but it was not in the bronchial wash that they did.
Another test is due back in 3-5 days – the bacterial culture, which will identify, hopefully, the specific strain of bacteria eating away at his immune system. That MIGHT give us an extremely definite course of action – a specific antibiotic for a specific bacteria.
Finally, a fungal culture should be back in two weeks to tell us definitively if he is fighting a fungal pneumonia.
Ok, the really bad news – pneumonia, regardless of cause, is often treated only by supportive care. That means oxygen, IV flulids and many, many drugs. Right now, the oxygen chamber is all that is keeping him breathing.
We cannot promise that he will make it, but we think he deserves a shot. In the past, the pneumonia dogs we’ve treated have only needed to stay on oxygen and IVs for three days and then they are well enough to go home for a few weeks.
Tyson’s immune system STINKS thanks to the lack of care for the first few years of his life. We’re hoping and praying that he just needs a few extra days to start the upward trend. We have the funding through tomorrow at noon (thank you all you great, great compassionate people), but now we’re looking at another 3-5 days minimum at $683 per day. Can you help! You know we are only the voice for those who cannot ask themselves. Tyson probably wouldn’t ask himself, if he could talk, but we will ask for him! We want him to live.
Plesae use THIS LINK for paypal, or THIS LINK to send a check. Download the credit card form HERE and fax it to 281-754-4851, but be sure to email me at teresa@shihtzu-rescue.com to let me know to look for it.
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12.10.07
Posted in Tyson North Mills at 8:30 am by LSSTLAR
Update from Tyson’s foster mom, Carmen:
I spoke with Dr. Maddox and here is what was said – He received the authorization last night to do the culture. They went ahead with the procedure and Tyson did fine….yea!! Dr. Maddox had concerns with this procedure and was glad Tyson came through. They should have the test results within a few days. His respiration is back down in the 30s again, not in the 50s. Dr. Maddox did notice yesterday a muscle twitch. He has concerns because that is a sign of distemper, but Tyson has not had one since yesterday morning. Just something they are watching. They have not started a fungal treatment because it will be very hard on Tyson and they do not want to go this route until they know for sure it is fungal pneumonia.
Prayers and positive thoughts are working so please keep them coming for this little furball! We are only short $133 for Tyson’s 72 hour stay. If Tyson needs to stay longer, we will need more funding for that so please keep checking the blog for his progress.
Plesae use THIS LINK for paypal, or THIS LINK to send a check. Download the credit card form HERE and fax it to 281-754-4851, but be sure to email me at teresa@shihtzu-rescue.com to let me know to look for it.
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12.09.07
Posted in July 2007 HSPCA Breeder Tzus at 4:56 pm by Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue
Flavia, aka Gidget, and her new parents, Mavis and Don.
Augustus, aka Gus, and his parents Eileen and Howard.
GO puppers. They are so lucky, they got the best Christmas present ever – a new home.
Remember THESE pupsters? Well, two of these babies found forever homes this weekend. Lucky babies!!
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