Saving Christopher
Ditty Dats & Dogs Rescue
7/20/2009 @ 7:00AM - Please let me introduce you to "Christopher". This sweet
angel is a 12 week old male boxer mix who came from the Marion County Shelter in
South Carolina. He arrived late on 7/18 via a transport from Paws To The Rescue
(PTTR). Christopher had been found by a citizen in the woods near a clubhouse
and taken to the shelter. It was found that he had been attacked by some kind of
animal, as he had some bite wounds on his head and neck. He was also
malnourished. When Christopher arrived, he was covered in poop and fleas. He
immediately got a warm bath and the fleas were hand picked off of him since he is
too weak and small to handle any kind of pesticide like Frontline. He rested
comfortably on Sunday and I managed to get some food and water into him. He
has become pretty attached to me already and loves nothing more than to snuggle
up on my lap though. As you will see if you watch the video, Christopher is in a
horrible body condition, but his spirit is strong! This baby sure has a will to live.
At 11pm last night he was taken to the emergency vet, because he seemed so
lethargic and had diarhea. He weighed in at a heartbreaking 4.10 pounds. After
bloodwork, a fecal and a parvo test, the diagnosis was in. He has several strikes
against him. Christopher is so horribly infested with hookworms that there were
too many on the one small fecal sample that the vet couldn't even count them! He
is also horribly anemic. A normal red blood count is around 35. Christopher's
count is 10. The vet said that if a dogs count was to go to 10 in say a 24-48 hour
period that the dog would not be able to stand, and would be extremely close to
death. However, Christopher with his fighting spirit was alert, and tottering around
the exam room. Due to his behavior, the vet fully believes that this is a chronic
condition - he just didn't get this way overnight. He has been suffering with severe
anemia for a long time now.
What this all boils down to is this - Christopher needs a blood transfusion. He also
needs to be put on an IV. The e-vet dewormed him last night to get rid of the
hookworms. She also put him on Albon - even though he tested negative for
coccidia she wasn't convinced that he didn't have it. So, to be safe rather than sorry,
she started him on Albon in the event that he does have coccidia and it just wasn't
present in the sample that she got from him.
As it was already 3am, I brought Christopher home for the few hours until my
regular vet opens. The e-vet gave Christopher a dose of Sub-Q fluids to help
hydrate him and some very tasty canned dog food to encourage his appetite. All of
his test results have been forwarded to my vet, and Christopher will be treated very
soon.
Please keep this precious boy in your thoughts and prayers. He is so special and
has already stolen my heart. He's a fighter though and I just know that he is going
to pull thru this awful time in his life.
If you'd like to make a donation to help cover Christopher's expenses, please use
the ChipIn! posted above, send it directly to the vet (just make sure to say that it's for
Christopher!) - the address and phone number are noted above, or PayPal directly
to this email address:
Barbara.Tilton@dittydatsanddogsrescue.com
angel is a 12 week old male boxer mix who came from the Marion County Shelter in
South Carolina. He arrived late on 7/18 via a transport from Paws To The Rescue
(PTTR). Christopher had been found by a citizen in the woods near a clubhouse
and taken to the shelter. It was found that he had been attacked by some kind of
animal, as he had some bite wounds on his head and neck. He was also
malnourished. When Christopher arrived, he was covered in poop and fleas. He
immediately got a warm bath and the fleas were hand picked off of him since he is
too weak and small to handle any kind of pesticide like Frontline. He rested
comfortably on Sunday and I managed to get some food and water into him. He
has become pretty attached to me already and loves nothing more than to snuggle
up on my lap though. As you will see if you watch the video, Christopher is in a
horrible body condition, but his spirit is strong! This baby sure has a will to live.
At 11pm last night he was taken to the emergency vet, because he seemed so
lethargic and had diarhea. He weighed in at a heartbreaking 4.10 pounds. After
bloodwork, a fecal and a parvo test, the diagnosis was in. He has several strikes
against him. Christopher is so horribly infested with hookworms that there were
too many on the one small fecal sample that the vet couldn't even count them! He
is also horribly anemic. A normal red blood count is around 35. Christopher's
count is 10. The vet said that if a dogs count was to go to 10 in say a 24-48 hour
period that the dog would not be able to stand, and would be extremely close to
death. However, Christopher with his fighting spirit was alert, and tottering around
the exam room. Due to his behavior, the vet fully believes that this is a chronic
condition - he just didn't get this way overnight. He has been suffering with severe
anemia for a long time now.
What this all boils down to is this - Christopher needs a blood transfusion. He also
needs to be put on an IV. The e-vet dewormed him last night to get rid of the
hookworms. She also put him on Albon - even though he tested negative for
coccidia she wasn't convinced that he didn't have it. So, to be safe rather than sorry,
she started him on Albon in the event that he does have coccidia and it just wasn't
present in the sample that she got from him.
As it was already 3am, I brought Christopher home for the few hours until my
regular vet opens. The e-vet gave Christopher a dose of Sub-Q fluids to help
hydrate him and some very tasty canned dog food to encourage his appetite. All of
his test results have been forwarded to my vet, and Christopher will be treated very
soon.
Please keep this precious boy in your thoughts and prayers. He is so special and
has already stolen my heart. He's a fighter though and I just know that he is going
to pull thru this awful time in his life.
If you'd like to make a donation to help cover Christopher's expenses, please use
the ChipIn! posted above, send it directly to the vet (just make sure to say that it's for
Christopher!) - the address and phone number are noted above, or PayPal directly
to this email address:
Barbara.Tilton@dittydatsanddogsrescue.com
Donations Needed = $1447.06 Donations Received = $1305 STILL NEED = $142.06 |
The following people have donated to help us pay for Christopher's Vet Bills so that he could have his blood transfusion. Thank you all so very much! Christopher thanks you too and sends you lots of puppy kisses!
|
Christopher is being treated here: Towne Animal Clinic ~~ Dr. Len Rice ~~ 338 E Market Street Leesburg, VA 20176 Phone# : 703-777-6350 |
 |
 |
7/22/2009 @ 9:30AM - Christopher slept well last night. However, he is still having
diarrhea. His appetite is good though. I think the hookworms are still reeking
havoc on his belly. Hopefully they will all be killed off soon and he can get back to
"regular". He DEVOURED the Drontal de-wormer that I gave him last night. You'd
think it was the tastiest thing he'd ever eaten! This boy gets lots and lots of kisses
though! He's a super snuggler. He loves it when I wrap him up like a little burrito in
a soft blanket! :)
diarrhea. His appetite is good though. I think the hookworms are still reeking
havoc on his belly. Hopefully they will all be killed off soon and he can get back to
"regular". He DEVOURED the Drontal de-wormer that I gave him last night. You'd
think it was the tastiest thing he'd ever eaten! This boy gets lots and lots of kisses
though! He's a super snuggler. He loves it when I wrap him up like a little burrito in
a soft blanket! :)
7/27/2009 @ 5:00PM - Okay - so you're probably going to laugh at me, but I am
doing the HAPPY DANCE!!!! Christopher had his first normal poop today!!!!
Yippeeeeeee!!!!! This boy is now regular and chowing down on food like there's no
tomorrow! LOL His little tail just doesn't seem to stop wagging. I am so darn
happy, and I just had to share my happiness and excitement with all of you. I think
that Christoper thinks I'm nuts since I was literally doing the happy dance when he
pooped!!!! Course he didn't complain when I picked him up and gave him a big fat
kiss for doing such a spectacular doodie! :)
7/27/2009 @ 8:30AM - Christopher had a great weekend. He is definitely feeling
more like a spunky puppy! He has a lot more energy and has enjoyed quite a bit of
time playing with his toys. However, his favorite thing is still to snuggle up and be
held all day. I am laying all blame for this on Rebecca from Towne Animal Clinic
since she started it!!! I would NEVER coddle an adorable puppy like that!!! ;) He!
He! He has a pretty voracious appetite and if I had to guess, I do believe that he is
finally gaining weight. His poops aren't 100% normal, but they do look much
improved. He drinks plenty of water and he's a real champ about taking all his
meds. This boy is definitely well on his way to becoming a happy healthy puppy. I
think that he's finally turned the corner and I'm now breathing a huge sigh of relief!
7/24/2009 @ 7:00AM - When I took Christopher to Towne Animal Clinic yesterday to
board him while I was at work Dr. Rice decided to do some more tests to see if he
could determine why the little guy still has diarrhea. The hookworms shouldn't be
causing anymore problems for him. They ran another fecal cytology which did
come back with results that indicated that Christopher needs to be on
Metronidazole for a little while. The PCV test came back showing that Christopher's
Red Blood Count is in a normal range - yay! Also, they weighed him, and he hasn't
gained or lost since Monday. He still weighs in at a very sad 4 pounds 4 ounces.
Once the diarrhea is under control I'm sure that he will start to pack on the pounds.
Dr. Rice also noticed that Christopher's belly is always distended. He did a quick
ultrasound to take a look at his stomach and intestines to make sure that he didn't
have an intussusception (telescoping of the bowel). There was food in the
intestines and that looks to be moving nicely. However, there was a large lump of
what looked like food that seemed to be just sitting in his stomach. As they had
held off on feeding him before the ultrasound it was surprising to still see food in
his stomach. So, even though Christopher is obviously hungry, we are witholding
food for a bit to ensure that the lump of food does indeed move down into the
intestines. We don't want to cause problems in his stomach. Dr. Rice prescribed
some Metoclopramide which will help get the stomach and bowel contracting
nicely like it should. It's possible that since Christopher wasn't getting proper
nutrition that his bowels just aren't contracting like they should be, which is causing
the food to sit longer than it normally would. I was also sent home with some very
bland prescription diet (Z/D) for Christopher as well. It will make it much easier for
him to digest and to absorb the nutrients.
It's also quite obvious that Christopher has a huge fan club at Towne Animal!!!! The
girls there are totally smitten with the little guy. I was told that Rebecca was super
excited when she heard that Christopher was going to spend the day there so she
could give him lots of extra love. :) She made me promise to bring back "her
puppy" for a visit again so she could love on him some more! LOL It's great to
know that when I leave him there that he's so spoiled and doted on!
7/23/2009 @ 8:40AM - Christopher's life pretty much consists of sleeping, eating,
going outside to enjoy the sunshine and pooping! LOL He played a little bit with
one of his toys this morning. I had to buy him some very small toys (some of them
cat toys!!!) because all of mine were bigger than he is! He was still a little too weak
to enjoy too much play time though. I know that he will soon once he's built up his
strength some. He still has runny poops. :( I'm going to be dropping him off at
Towne Animal Clinic this morning while on my way into work. That way he can
board there for the day while I'm at work. Couldn't stand the thought of the little guy
home alone all day, especially when his belly is still upset. I'll scoot by and pick
him up when on my way home though.
7/22/2009 @ 9:00PM - Christopher has a new video posted below so that you can
all see how he's doing. What a little love he is!!!! :)
doing the HAPPY DANCE!!!! Christopher had his first normal poop today!!!!
Yippeeeeeee!!!!! This boy is now regular and chowing down on food like there's no
tomorrow! LOL His little tail just doesn't seem to stop wagging. I am so darn
happy, and I just had to share my happiness and excitement with all of you. I think
that Christoper thinks I'm nuts since I was literally doing the happy dance when he
pooped!!!! Course he didn't complain when I picked him up and gave him a big fat
kiss for doing such a spectacular doodie! :)
7/27/2009 @ 8:30AM - Christopher had a great weekend. He is definitely feeling
more like a spunky puppy! He has a lot more energy and has enjoyed quite a bit of
time playing with his toys. However, his favorite thing is still to snuggle up and be
held all day. I am laying all blame for this on Rebecca from Towne Animal Clinic
since she started it!!! I would NEVER coddle an adorable puppy like that!!! ;) He!
He! He has a pretty voracious appetite and if I had to guess, I do believe that he is
finally gaining weight. His poops aren't 100% normal, but they do look much
improved. He drinks plenty of water and he's a real champ about taking all his
meds. This boy is definitely well on his way to becoming a happy healthy puppy. I
think that he's finally turned the corner and I'm now breathing a huge sigh of relief!
7/24/2009 @ 7:00AM - When I took Christopher to Towne Animal Clinic yesterday to
board him while I was at work Dr. Rice decided to do some more tests to see if he
could determine why the little guy still has diarrhea. The hookworms shouldn't be
causing anymore problems for him. They ran another fecal cytology which did
come back with results that indicated that Christopher needs to be on
Metronidazole for a little while. The PCV test came back showing that Christopher's
Red Blood Count is in a normal range - yay! Also, they weighed him, and he hasn't
gained or lost since Monday. He still weighs in at a very sad 4 pounds 4 ounces.
Once the diarrhea is under control I'm sure that he will start to pack on the pounds.
Dr. Rice also noticed that Christopher's belly is always distended. He did a quick
ultrasound to take a look at his stomach and intestines to make sure that he didn't
have an intussusception (telescoping of the bowel). There was food in the
intestines and that looks to be moving nicely. However, there was a large lump of
what looked like food that seemed to be just sitting in his stomach. As they had
held off on feeding him before the ultrasound it was surprising to still see food in
his stomach. So, even though Christopher is obviously hungry, we are witholding
food for a bit to ensure that the lump of food does indeed move down into the
intestines. We don't want to cause problems in his stomach. Dr. Rice prescribed
some Metoclopramide which will help get the stomach and bowel contracting
nicely like it should. It's possible that since Christopher wasn't getting proper
nutrition that his bowels just aren't contracting like they should be, which is causing
the food to sit longer than it normally would. I was also sent home with some very
bland prescription diet (Z/D) for Christopher as well. It will make it much easier for
him to digest and to absorb the nutrients.
It's also quite obvious that Christopher has a huge fan club at Towne Animal!!!! The
girls there are totally smitten with the little guy. I was told that Rebecca was super
excited when she heard that Christopher was going to spend the day there so she
could give him lots of extra love. :) She made me promise to bring back "her
puppy" for a visit again so she could love on him some more! LOL It's great to
know that when I leave him there that he's so spoiled and doted on!
7/23/2009 @ 8:40AM - Christopher's life pretty much consists of sleeping, eating,
going outside to enjoy the sunshine and pooping! LOL He played a little bit with
one of his toys this morning. I had to buy him some very small toys (some of them
cat toys!!!) because all of mine were bigger than he is! He was still a little too weak
to enjoy too much play time though. I know that he will soon once he's built up his
strength some. He still has runny poops. :( I'm going to be dropping him off at
Towne Animal Clinic this morning while on my way into work. That way he can
board there for the day while I'm at work. Couldn't stand the thought of the little guy
home alone all day, especially when his belly is still upset. I'll scoot by and pick
him up when on my way home though.
7/22/2009 @ 9:00PM - Christopher has a new video posted below so that you can
all see how he's doing. What a little love he is!!!! :)
Mary Tipping who graciously donated for Christopher's vet bills emailed me yesterday. She sent me "The Starfish Story" and told me that she felt like Christopher was my Starfish! I was touched by the sentiment, and wanted to share the story with all of you. Christopher is by far the BEST Starfish that I've ever met! The Starfish Story... A young man is walking along the ocean and sees a beach on which thousands and thousands of starfish have washed ashore. Further along he sees an old man, walking slowly and stooping often, picking up one starfish after another and tossing each one gently into the ocean. "Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?," he asks. "Because the sun is up and the tide is going out and if I don't throw them further in they will die." "But, old man, don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it! You can't possibly save them all, you can't even save one-tenth of them. In fact, even if you work all day, your efforts won't make any difference at all." The old man listened calmly and then bent down to pick up another starfish and throw it into the sea. "It made a difference to that one." |
Christopher Thinks that Angela is "Pawsitively Fabulous"!!!! Angela Smathers donated to Christopher's vet bills as well. She was also kind enough to mail Christopher a "care package"!!! She sent him a navy blue blanket, an orange stuffed squeeky bone, a swirly pink and white puppy kong, a green nubbed Doozie rubber kong, and a navy blue and gold collar that he will definitely need to grow into! I think that it gives him something to look forward to!!! :) I will take pics this weekend of Christopher enjoying his gifts. I know that he will LOVE them! Christopher wanted me to tell you THANKS ANGELA and to send you a special puppy kiss too! |
8/1/2009 @ 8:25PM - Christopher is doing AWESOME!!!! I know that he's gained
some weight, because his hip bones aren't protruding as much, and his shoulder
blades aren't as noticeable. He is also just full, full, full of playful energy!!! He has
a super time playing with toys and playing with me! Christopher has also
thoroughly enjoyed his time at "puppy day care" with Linda, Dawn & Family! They
absolutely spoil this boy ROTTEN!!!! It's obvious how much he loves them all.
Every morning he puts his paws on Dawn's face and licks her up in his excitement
to start his day at daycare! :) Christopher also got to meet one of his sponsors
who donated for his vet bills. On Friday he had the pleasure of meeting Susan
Blakeney! Susan was excited to meet the little imp! Here is a picture of
Christopher and Susan....
some weight, because his hip bones aren't protruding as much, and his shoulder
blades aren't as noticeable. He is also just full, full, full of playful energy!!! He has
a super time playing with toys and playing with me! Christopher has also
thoroughly enjoyed his time at "puppy day care" with Linda, Dawn & Family! They
absolutely spoil this boy ROTTEN!!!! It's obvious how much he loves them all.
Every morning he puts his paws on Dawn's face and licks her up in his excitement
to start his day at daycare! :) Christopher also got to meet one of his sponsors
who donated for his vet bills. On Friday he had the pleasure of meeting Susan
Blakeney! Susan was excited to meet the little imp! Here is a picture of
Christopher and Susan....
| THANKS SUSAN!!!! CHRISTOPHER REALLY LOVED BEING ABLE TO MEET YOU AND THANK YOU IN PERSON FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATION FOR HIS VET BILLS!!!! |
8/10/2009 @ 8:45AM - I have created another ChipIn! to cover the additional vet
bills that Christopher has incurred. Also, since he has at least one more visit with
the vet to redo the CBC blood test, recheck his hookworm and ringworm status and
the potential for more meds, I put down the anticipated money that that vet visit will
cost as well into the ChipIn!. Please crosspost out Chrsitopher's story so we can
raise all of the funds needed for his care. He's a little trooper and doing just
splendid! He's very feisty and he thinks that he's a guard dog! LOL He barks at
everyone that walks by the house now - on high alert for suspicious people!!!! :)
Also, I believe that this little guy is actually a dachshund mix, not a boxer mix. The
more he fills out he looks more and more like a doxie. He will be a pretty small guy
when he's full grown. He sure is a cutie!!! (Not that I'm biased or anything!)
8/8/2009 @ 9:45PM - I noticed late last night that Christopher was scratching at his
"good" ear. I took a peak and realized that it too has ringworm on it. :( So,
Christopher went in to see Dr. Rice this afternoon, as he needs to be put on an oral
medication since the ringworm is spreading. But since Christopher has gone thru
the whole blood transfusion he needed to have a CBC blood test done to ensure
that his counts are within normal ranges as the oral meds are systemic and can
affect bone marrow - which of course is what creates the red blood cells!!! So, we
did the CBC which came back within acceptable levels (even though he's still a
little low on red blood cells still), so he was prescribed the oral meds for the
ringworm. He will still get the anti-fungal topical cream though and I'll still give him
baths in the anti-fungal shampoo twice a week too. He'll be on the oral meds for
only 14 days. If at that time there is no improvement then we'll have to do the CBC
test again to make sure that his blood is still okay then the prescription will be
extended for him. Due to the additional vet visits, tests and meds for Christopher
we are back in the negative range for his bills. We now need to raise another
$177.06 to cover all of his bills. Oh - good news though - Christopher gained more
weight. He has now gained a total of 2.2 pounds - he is up to a whopping 6.6
pounds now! :)
8/6/2009 @ 10:45PM - Dr. Rice called me today to let me know that the fungal
culture he did to check for Ringworm came back POSITIVE. :( We weren't
expecting this, as the tip of his ear didn't look like ringworm. So, we're now doing a
topical anti-fungal cream on his ear to get rid of the ringworm. He'll also get baths
several times a week in an anti-fungal shampoo as well. Good news is that
Christopher continues to gain weight and gets healthier every day. He looks
absolutely amazing and has such a zest for life! He's one feisty dude!!!! :)
Christopher is also one lucky guy too. He received another care package in the
mail last night from Mary who has fallen in love with the little guy. She sent him
some yummy home made treats, a few toys, some dry food and a few cans of
puppy food as well. Christopher really loved the toys and treats! He wants to send
Mary some GREAT BIG FAT PUPPY KISSES for everything too!!!
8/3/2009 @ 2:10PM - I took Christopher to see Dr. Rice today for his check-up
appointment. He was weighed, and the little guy has gained a whole one pound!!!
:) He's now a heavyweight at 5.4 pounds! Dr. Rice was concerned about the tip of
Christopher's ear. He said that it's possible that he had such poor circulation from
the lack of red blood cells that the tip might have actually died. Christopher isn't
bothered by the ear and it's not itchy. So, Dr. Rice went ahead and did a fungal
culture on it to make sure that it's not ringworm. It didn't glow under the light, but
that's not always 100% accurate. The results from the culture will take about 5-7
days to come back from the lab. Also, Christopher has been having a bit of a
weepy eye lately, so Dr. Rice gave him some Neo-Poly-Bac Hydro ointment for it.
Lastly, we did another fecal just to be totally sure that the hookworms were gone.
Low and behold, they are NOT!!! I can't believe that after getting a dose of Strongid
and a dose of Drontal that he still has hooks! So, he got another dose of Drontal
for it again today. We'll retest and give him another Drontal in 2-3 weeks to be very
sure that they are all gone! Lastly, we went ahead and revaccinated Christopher for
his DHPP and Bordatella. Now let me tell you about Christopher's behavior at the
clinic today. He was FEISTY!!!!! He was barking and he loves, loves, loves to bite at
fingers! Really need to start working with him on "no bite"! He also thought that it
would be a nifty idea to gnaw on Dr. Rice's stethoscope! LOL I think Dr. Rice got a
pretty good chuckle out of Christopher's antics today! :)
8/1/2009 @ 10:30PM - Christopher has a new video to share with everyone! He
wanted you all to see how playful and energetic he is now! We both hope that you
enjoy his silly antics!!!
bills that Christopher has incurred. Also, since he has at least one more visit with
the vet to redo the CBC blood test, recheck his hookworm and ringworm status and
the potential for more meds, I put down the anticipated money that that vet visit will
cost as well into the ChipIn!. Please crosspost out Chrsitopher's story so we can
raise all of the funds needed for his care. He's a little trooper and doing just
splendid! He's very feisty and he thinks that he's a guard dog! LOL He barks at
everyone that walks by the house now - on high alert for suspicious people!!!! :)
Also, I believe that this little guy is actually a dachshund mix, not a boxer mix. The
more he fills out he looks more and more like a doxie. He will be a pretty small guy
when he's full grown. He sure is a cutie!!! (Not that I'm biased or anything!)
8/8/2009 @ 9:45PM - I noticed late last night that Christopher was scratching at his
"good" ear. I took a peak and realized that it too has ringworm on it. :( So,
Christopher went in to see Dr. Rice this afternoon, as he needs to be put on an oral
medication since the ringworm is spreading. But since Christopher has gone thru
the whole blood transfusion he needed to have a CBC blood test done to ensure
that his counts are within normal ranges as the oral meds are systemic and can
affect bone marrow - which of course is what creates the red blood cells!!! So, we
did the CBC which came back within acceptable levels (even though he's still a
little low on red blood cells still), so he was prescribed the oral meds for the
ringworm. He will still get the anti-fungal topical cream though and I'll still give him
baths in the anti-fungal shampoo twice a week too. He'll be on the oral meds for
only 14 days. If at that time there is no improvement then we'll have to do the CBC
test again to make sure that his blood is still okay then the prescription will be
extended for him. Due to the additional vet visits, tests and meds for Christopher
we are back in the negative range for his bills. We now need to raise another
$177.06 to cover all of his bills. Oh - good news though - Christopher gained more
weight. He has now gained a total of 2.2 pounds - he is up to a whopping 6.6
pounds now! :)
8/6/2009 @ 10:45PM - Dr. Rice called me today to let me know that the fungal
culture he did to check for Ringworm came back POSITIVE. :( We weren't
expecting this, as the tip of his ear didn't look like ringworm. So, we're now doing a
topical anti-fungal cream on his ear to get rid of the ringworm. He'll also get baths
several times a week in an anti-fungal shampoo as well. Good news is that
Christopher continues to gain weight and gets healthier every day. He looks
absolutely amazing and has such a zest for life! He's one feisty dude!!!! :)
Christopher is also one lucky guy too. He received another care package in the
mail last night from Mary who has fallen in love with the little guy. She sent him
some yummy home made treats, a few toys, some dry food and a few cans of
puppy food as well. Christopher really loved the toys and treats! He wants to send
Mary some GREAT BIG FAT PUPPY KISSES for everything too!!!
8/3/2009 @ 2:10PM - I took Christopher to see Dr. Rice today for his check-up
appointment. He was weighed, and the little guy has gained a whole one pound!!!
:) He's now a heavyweight at 5.4 pounds! Dr. Rice was concerned about the tip of
Christopher's ear. He said that it's possible that he had such poor circulation from
the lack of red blood cells that the tip might have actually died. Christopher isn't
bothered by the ear and it's not itchy. So, Dr. Rice went ahead and did a fungal
culture on it to make sure that it's not ringworm. It didn't glow under the light, but
that's not always 100% accurate. The results from the culture will take about 5-7
days to come back from the lab. Also, Christopher has been having a bit of a
weepy eye lately, so Dr. Rice gave him some Neo-Poly-Bac Hydro ointment for it.
Lastly, we did another fecal just to be totally sure that the hookworms were gone.
Low and behold, they are NOT!!! I can't believe that after getting a dose of Strongid
and a dose of Drontal that he still has hooks! So, he got another dose of Drontal
for it again today. We'll retest and give him another Drontal in 2-3 weeks to be very
sure that they are all gone! Lastly, we went ahead and revaccinated Christopher for
his DHPP and Bordatella. Now let me tell you about Christopher's behavior at the
clinic today. He was FEISTY!!!!! He was barking and he loves, loves, loves to bite at
fingers! Really need to start working with him on "no bite"! He also thought that it
would be a nifty idea to gnaw on Dr. Rice's stethoscope! LOL I think Dr. Rice got a
pretty good chuckle out of Christopher's antics today! :)
8/1/2009 @ 10:30PM - Christopher has a new video to share with everyone! He
wanted you all to see how playful and energetic he is now! We both hope that you
enjoy his silly antics!!!
7/21/2009 @ 4:30PM - I took Christopher to the clinic today to have his catheter
removed. He was a very good boy! His appetite has really improved, and he really
enjoys eating now. :) I put him in his crate earlier today so I could eat lunch and he
surely let me know about his annoyance with me for doing that!!! It was the first
time that I'd heard him bark or fuss since he got here. He really prefers to be
touching me all the time, so he now has the energy to tell me his opinion and feels
free to do so at anytime! Especially when I put him down or lord forbid in his crate!
LOL He's a cute little buggar though. I'm just thrilled that he's made such a quick
turn around. Oh - GREAT NEWS - all of the funds have now been raised to pay off
his bill with the e-vet and my regular vet, as well as the money to pay for his
follow-up appointment which is already scheduled for August 3rd. Thanks again
everyone for caring so much about Christopher! I will do another video of him soon
and get that posted so everyone can see how he's progressing!
7/21/2009 @ 9:50AM - Christopher is very spunky this morning. His little tail just
wags so happily!!! He did have some diarrhea this morning though. I tried to get
him to eat some canned chicken dog food, but he stuck his nose up at it. So, I tried
some canned beef food, and he turned his nose up at it. But, when he heard the
"crinkle" of the bag of dry puppy food he got REAL excited!!! LOL He scarfed that
right down! So, I believe that I may have a little puppy food conisor on my hands
here! :) I'll be taking Christopher into the clinic this afternoon to have his catheter
removed. His gums are still pretty pale, so I'll be asking Dr. Rice about when to
expect that to clear up.
7/20/2009 @ 11:30PM - Christopher had his blood transfusion today. Dr. Rice was
able to get a donor from right there in the clinic, so he didn't have to contact the
local Blood Bank! About half way thru the transfusion, it became apparent that the
catheter in his leg wasn't flowing very well. So, they stopped the transfusion and
removed that catheter then put one in his other leg. When the transfusion
resumed, the flow was great and went off without a hitch! Christopher's
temperature did start to drop some, but after putting him on a heating pad his temp
came right back up and he was fine. Christopher had a really good appetite today,
and he even growled at Dr. Rice when he came near his food bowl!!!! This is one
hungry baby! LOL Christopher even attempted some acrobatics when he tried to
get out of his cage and into one next to him because the kitten in that cage was
being fed some canned food and he thought that he had every right to eat the
kittens food!!! Thankfully Rebecca is quick and she stopped the little imp! When I
picked him up from the clinic tonight he was pretty sleepy as he'd had a long day.
Having a 6 hour transfusion can wipe a little guy out! But, by the time I got home he
had his second wind. He was scampering around the kitchen at my feet looking
up at me with those big beautiful eyes and that scrawny rat tail of his was just
wagging as fast as it could go!!! He was definitely a happy little guy tonight. After
some dinner he went to his doggie bed and curled up and fell fast asleep. I'll be
taking him back to the clinic tomorrow for a quick follow up. If he is still doing okay
then they will remove the catheter in his leg. Oh, and good news -- his poops were
almost solid! Yay!!!! Lastly -- HUGE THANKS goes out to all of the fabulous people
to quickly donated today to help pay for Christopher's vet bills. You are all amazing
and Christopher and I truly appreciate your generosity! Only $310 left to go to pay
off everything!
removed. He was a very good boy! His appetite has really improved, and he really
enjoys eating now. :) I put him in his crate earlier today so I could eat lunch and he
surely let me know about his annoyance with me for doing that!!! It was the first
time that I'd heard him bark or fuss since he got here. He really prefers to be
touching me all the time, so he now has the energy to tell me his opinion and feels
free to do so at anytime! Especially when I put him down or lord forbid in his crate!
LOL He's a cute little buggar though. I'm just thrilled that he's made such a quick
turn around. Oh - GREAT NEWS - all of the funds have now been raised to pay off
his bill with the e-vet and my regular vet, as well as the money to pay for his
follow-up appointment which is already scheduled for August 3rd. Thanks again
everyone for caring so much about Christopher! I will do another video of him soon
and get that posted so everyone can see how he's progressing!
7/21/2009 @ 9:50AM - Christopher is very spunky this morning. His little tail just
wags so happily!!! He did have some diarrhea this morning though. I tried to get
him to eat some canned chicken dog food, but he stuck his nose up at it. So, I tried
some canned beef food, and he turned his nose up at it. But, when he heard the
"crinkle" of the bag of dry puppy food he got REAL excited!!! LOL He scarfed that
right down! So, I believe that I may have a little puppy food conisor on my hands
here! :) I'll be taking Christopher into the clinic this afternoon to have his catheter
removed. His gums are still pretty pale, so I'll be asking Dr. Rice about when to
expect that to clear up.
7/20/2009 @ 11:30PM - Christopher had his blood transfusion today. Dr. Rice was
able to get a donor from right there in the clinic, so he didn't have to contact the
local Blood Bank! About half way thru the transfusion, it became apparent that the
catheter in his leg wasn't flowing very well. So, they stopped the transfusion and
removed that catheter then put one in his other leg. When the transfusion
resumed, the flow was great and went off without a hitch! Christopher's
temperature did start to drop some, but after putting him on a heating pad his temp
came right back up and he was fine. Christopher had a really good appetite today,
and he even growled at Dr. Rice when he came near his food bowl!!!! This is one
hungry baby! LOL Christopher even attempted some acrobatics when he tried to
get out of his cage and into one next to him because the kitten in that cage was
being fed some canned food and he thought that he had every right to eat the
kittens food!!! Thankfully Rebecca is quick and she stopped the little imp! When I
picked him up from the clinic tonight he was pretty sleepy as he'd had a long day.
Having a 6 hour transfusion can wipe a little guy out! But, by the time I got home he
had his second wind. He was scampering around the kitchen at my feet looking
up at me with those big beautiful eyes and that scrawny rat tail of his was just
wagging as fast as it could go!!! He was definitely a happy little guy tonight. After
some dinner he went to his doggie bed and curled up and fell fast asleep. I'll be
taking him back to the clinic tomorrow for a quick follow up. If he is still doing okay
then they will remove the catheter in his leg. Oh, and good news -- his poops were
almost solid! Yay!!!! Lastly -- HUGE THANKS goes out to all of the fabulous people
to quickly donated today to help pay for Christopher's vet bills. You are all amazing
and Christopher and I truly appreciate your generosity! Only $310 left to go to pay
off everything!
Christopher Says "THANKS BUNCHES MARY"!!!! Christopher is also one lucky guy. He received another care package in the mail last night from Mary who has fallen in love with the little guy. She sent him some yummy home made treats, a few toys, some dry food and a few cans of puppy food as well. Christopher really loved the toys and treats! He wants to send Mary some GREAT BIG FAT PUPPY KISSES for everything!!! |
8/17/2009 @ 8:50AM - Okay....maybe I'm wrong about the Soy. I just did some
research online and it turns out that Soy really isn't good for dogs, because it gives
them excessive gas & bloat and provides no nutritional value except to make them
feel more full and sated. Back to the drawing board I guess! Will keep you posted.
8/17/2009 @ 8:30AM - Last night around 11pm Christopher had a good bowel
movement. Yay! This morning he still looks to be regular. I compared the
ingredients of the canned food versus the dry food. The biggest difference is that
the canned food has Soy in it and the dry food has Corn in it. I suspect that
Christopher is allergic to corn. His belly isn't bloated anymore and he's much more
energetic. If he is allergic to corn, that could very well be the reason for the new
hairloss that he's now experiencing. I'm going to run it by Dr. Rice to see what he
thinks. In the mean time, I'll be looking for a Soy based dry dog food to test out my
theory.
8/16/2009 @ 9:00AM - This sweet boy has taken a turn for the worse. Friday
evening he started having diarrhea. It's now Sunday and it hasn't stopped. :( I
called Dr. Rice and he said to stop the oral ringworm meds until Monday to see if
that helps. So far it hasn't. I've moved him back to the canned food in the hopes
that may be what caused the belly upset. He's also getting FortiFlora again and a
little bit of pumpkin once a day too. Oh - and he's starting to lose a bunch of hair on
his body now too. I gave him a bath on Saturday and when I was toweling him off a
lot of hair fell out. He now has a large bald spot on his back between the shoulder
blades, and his neck and top of head are speckled with bald patches. He's also
very itchy now. Ugh!!!!! I'm beginning to wonder if this new hair loss is due to
maybe mange or possibly an allergic reaction to either the meds or the dry food I
put him on. I'll be taking him back to the clinic on Monday to see Dr. Rice to figure
out what the heck is going on with him.
8/14/2009 @ 9:00AM - Christopher is doing awesome! He is so close to being the
correct weight now. He has been moved off of canned food and is now eating dry
food. The switch went great and his appetite continues to be ravenous! I wonder if
he will ever think that he's full an doesn't need to eat constantly?!?! The tips of his
ears are looking MUCH better too. The thickness has left and they are back to a
nice texture. The hair hasn't started to grow back yet though. I'm not sure how long
before he shows hair regrowth. He's a spunky guy and he sure loves to play
though! He is a complete CHEWER though. This boys mouth is constantly going -
gnawing on your hand, on the step, on the toy, on your hair, on your nose, on the
bannister, etc, etc, etc!!!! His mouth never stops chewing! I've never seen a puppy
with such a zest for chewing everything in sight that he can get his mouth on. I've
been working with him to try to redirect his mouthiness by giving him proper things
to chew on - like toys. For instance I bought him a really bright cheerful puppy
teething ring that he really likes. He has already gnawed the heck out of it though!
LOL I hope that he outgrows his chewing phase soon, but there doesn't appear to
be any end in sight yet! We still need to raise $237 for Christopher's bills. Please
keep getting the word out there so people will know that his bills are no longer
completely covered! Thanks much - we both appreciate it! :)
8/10/2009 @ 12:15PM - I just posted Christopher's latest video below. It's a
special tribute to say thanks to Mary for his care package. Hope that you enjoy it! :)
research online and it turns out that Soy really isn't good for dogs, because it gives
them excessive gas & bloat and provides no nutritional value except to make them
feel more full and sated. Back to the drawing board I guess! Will keep you posted.
8/17/2009 @ 8:30AM - Last night around 11pm Christopher had a good bowel
movement. Yay! This morning he still looks to be regular. I compared the
ingredients of the canned food versus the dry food. The biggest difference is that
the canned food has Soy in it and the dry food has Corn in it. I suspect that
Christopher is allergic to corn. His belly isn't bloated anymore and he's much more
energetic. If he is allergic to corn, that could very well be the reason for the new
hairloss that he's now experiencing. I'm going to run it by Dr. Rice to see what he
thinks. In the mean time, I'll be looking for a Soy based dry dog food to test out my
theory.
8/16/2009 @ 9:00AM - This sweet boy has taken a turn for the worse. Friday
evening he started having diarrhea. It's now Sunday and it hasn't stopped. :( I
called Dr. Rice and he said to stop the oral ringworm meds until Monday to see if
that helps. So far it hasn't. I've moved him back to the canned food in the hopes
that may be what caused the belly upset. He's also getting FortiFlora again and a
little bit of pumpkin once a day too. Oh - and he's starting to lose a bunch of hair on
his body now too. I gave him a bath on Saturday and when I was toweling him off a
lot of hair fell out. He now has a large bald spot on his back between the shoulder
blades, and his neck and top of head are speckled with bald patches. He's also
very itchy now. Ugh!!!!! I'm beginning to wonder if this new hair loss is due to
maybe mange or possibly an allergic reaction to either the meds or the dry food I
put him on. I'll be taking him back to the clinic on Monday to see Dr. Rice to figure
out what the heck is going on with him.
8/14/2009 @ 9:00AM - Christopher is doing awesome! He is so close to being the
correct weight now. He has been moved off of canned food and is now eating dry
food. The switch went great and his appetite continues to be ravenous! I wonder if
he will ever think that he's full an doesn't need to eat constantly?!?! The tips of his
ears are looking MUCH better too. The thickness has left and they are back to a
nice texture. The hair hasn't started to grow back yet though. I'm not sure how long
before he shows hair regrowth. He's a spunky guy and he sure loves to play
though! He is a complete CHEWER though. This boys mouth is constantly going -
gnawing on your hand, on the step, on the toy, on your hair, on your nose, on the
bannister, etc, etc, etc!!!! His mouth never stops chewing! I've never seen a puppy
with such a zest for chewing everything in sight that he can get his mouth on. I've
been working with him to try to redirect his mouthiness by giving him proper things
to chew on - like toys. For instance I bought him a really bright cheerful puppy
teething ring that he really likes. He has already gnawed the heck out of it though!
LOL I hope that he outgrows his chewing phase soon, but there doesn't appear to
be any end in sight yet! We still need to raise $237 for Christopher's bills. Please
keep getting the word out there so people will know that his bills are no longer
completely covered! Thanks much - we both appreciate it! :)
8/10/2009 @ 12:15PM - I just posted Christopher's latest video below. It's a
special tribute to say thanks to Mary for his care package. Hope that you enjoy it! :)
| NEW CHRISTOPHER VIDEO!!! |
9/22/2009 @ 5:00PM - Christopher was neutered today. His surgery went great.
When I picked him up he was his typical spunky self!!! He got his last DHPP
booster vaccine and his rabies vaccination as well. Christopher must be going
thru a growth spurt, as he weighed in at a whopping 16.7 pounds!!! :) Yup, in 8
short days he has gained 1.1 pounds! He sure loves to eat! I modified his ChipIn!
to reflect the actual costs for his vet bills. It is no longer an estimate. Only $142.06
left to reach the goal to pay for all of his vet bills. HUGE thanks to everyone who
has donated for him so far.
9/14/2009 @ 11:00AM - I know, I know... it's been a LONG time since I sent a
Christopher update. Hopefully you will forgive me! :) What can I say - it's been a
busy end of summer! Christopher as you can imagine is growing like a weed! He
weighed 15.6 pounds as of this morning. That is a far cry from the pathetic 4.4
pounds that he weighed on the day that he arrived in rescue. He has filled out and
as his friend, Dawn, likes to say - he looks like such a jock!!!! He's built very square
and blocky. A very, very handsome dude!
About 98% of his hair has grown back in now. So, it appears that he has the ring
worm licked! There are just a few tiny spots on one of his ears that is still hairless.
And, the cutest thing has happened. The hair on top of Christopher's head was
always very thin - not bald, but super thin. Well... as it has grown and filled in, it
became very apparent that Christopher has a black facial mask!!!! It is absolutely
precious! Along the way, I found out that Christopher is highly allergic to corn
products. So he is now on a diet with no corn, soy or wheat. Ever since I moved
him to that food he has done spectacular. It's amazing what some good food can
do to a growing puppy!
I'm sure that you are all anxious to see how amazing he looks, so I did a short
video of him. He's a very active puppy, so he's a constant moving target - hope you
don't get dizzy watching it! LOL His video can be seen below. Christopher is
scheduled to be neutered on September 22nd. Once that is done then he will be
officially up for adoption. I've had a few interested inquiries on him already, so I'm
sure that he will have a loving home very soon.
I wanted to thank you all again for your quick and generous support for Christopher.
There is no way that this precious angel could have made it this far without
everyone who came together to save him. He's a happy and sweet pup that was
definitely worth the fight!
When I picked him up he was his typical spunky self!!! He got his last DHPP
booster vaccine and his rabies vaccination as well. Christopher must be going
thru a growth spurt, as he weighed in at a whopping 16.7 pounds!!! :) Yup, in 8
short days he has gained 1.1 pounds! He sure loves to eat! I modified his ChipIn!
to reflect the actual costs for his vet bills. It is no longer an estimate. Only $142.06
left to reach the goal to pay for all of his vet bills. HUGE thanks to everyone who
has donated for him so far.
9/14/2009 @ 11:00AM - I know, I know... it's been a LONG time since I sent a
Christopher update. Hopefully you will forgive me! :) What can I say - it's been a
busy end of summer! Christopher as you can imagine is growing like a weed! He
weighed 15.6 pounds as of this morning. That is a far cry from the pathetic 4.4
pounds that he weighed on the day that he arrived in rescue. He has filled out and
as his friend, Dawn, likes to say - he looks like such a jock!!!! He's built very square
and blocky. A very, very handsome dude!
About 98% of his hair has grown back in now. So, it appears that he has the ring
worm licked! There are just a few tiny spots on one of his ears that is still hairless.
And, the cutest thing has happened. The hair on top of Christopher's head was
always very thin - not bald, but super thin. Well... as it has grown and filled in, it
became very apparent that Christopher has a black facial mask!!!! It is absolutely
precious! Along the way, I found out that Christopher is highly allergic to corn
products. So he is now on a diet with no corn, soy or wheat. Ever since I moved
him to that food he has done spectacular. It's amazing what some good food can
do to a growing puppy!
I'm sure that you are all anxious to see how amazing he looks, so I did a short
video of him. He's a very active puppy, so he's a constant moving target - hope you
don't get dizzy watching it! LOL His video can be seen below. Christopher is
scheduled to be neutered on September 22nd. Once that is done then he will be
officially up for adoption. I've had a few interested inquiries on him already, so I'm
sure that he will have a loving home very soon.
I wanted to thank you all again for your quick and generous support for Christopher.
There is no way that this precious angel could have made it this far without
everyone who came together to save him. He's a happy and sweet pup that was
definitely worth the fight!