K9 Freekz Rescue: Emergency Medical Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
Ramona weighed 2.5 lbs. and had not consumed food or nutrients in almost two weeks due to her regurgitation. Our rescue immediately scooped her and her sister up and our amazing networkers got Ramona into the hospital as soon as possible.
The veterinary staff determined that she needed megaesophagus surgery, as she was regurgitating everything she consumed. Megaesophagus is considered a combination disorder in which the esophagus (the tube that carries food and liquid between the mouth and stomach) dilates (gets larger) and loses motility (its ability to move food into the stomach). When esophagus motility is decreased or absent, food and liquid accumulate in the esophagus and have difficulty getting into the stomach. This is why poor Ramona was only 2.5 lbs.
This surgery was estimated to be approximately $4,000. The Emergency Medical Grant assisted in paying for this surgery.
How many pets did this grant help?
1
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Ramona came into the rescue with her two siblings and only weighed 2.5 lbs. She had not consumed food or nutrients in almost two weeks due to her regurgitation. The veterinary staff could not believe she was still alive.
Ramona was in the most amazing foster home, where she sat upright to eat so her food would make it to her stomach. Our Earth Angel and networker, Linda, spent countless hours holding this sweet little nugget upright as she slowly fed her a special diet until she was healthy enough for her surgery. She finally hit the 3-lb. mark — the weight of a small can of Crisco shortening!
Ramona’s surgery was in April 2022. Her veterinarian said she did fantastic! The day after the surgery, she was doing so well that Dr. Millard took her chest tube out and gave her the okay to go home!
The doctor had a seven-day caloric regimen all mapped out and went over everything with her foster mama. Ramona continued to eat upright for the next week and they re-evaluated her a week later.
She was already up to 3.9 lbs.!
She was adopted less than one month later and is thriving. Now sweet Ramona is approximately 20 lbs. and you wouldn’t even know that she was the same pup!
