One Dog at a Time ODAAT: COVID-19 Operation Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
Unexpected medical expenses
Our organization has a stray-hold license in Pennsylvania. While we do not take in every stray, we do take in strays who need medical care, emergency grooming or could possibly be neglected or abused. There is an investigation that is needed in each case. We expect there to be some medical costs associated with these animals. We are not a basic rehoming rescue. We deal with emergency medical cases and abused and neglected animals, and assist the police departments in handling potential cruelty cases. Every nickel counts with our rescue. With Covid came a lot of medically needy animals whose families could not afford vet care. We have assisted with a lot of those cases also and animals have been able to remain with their families.
How many pets did this grant help?
One
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
When an animal is surrendered to our rescue who is in need of medical care, oftentimes there is no way to know the extent of the need until we physically get our hands on the animal. This was the case with Joey. A woman approached our rescue asking if we could take in a pup that her friend had recently gotten from a person. She said the dog “was in rough shape.” She described him as needing a grooming and they had no vet history. There was no way to know just how badly this poor boy needed help.
We took a surrender from the girl and had a volunteer pick him up. I received a call saying the dog could barely breathe. They could hear a crackle with every breath he took. I advised them to go to the closest ER vet and have him assessed.
Joey was immediately taken back once he got to the vet’s office. Bloodwork, x-rays and an overall exam were done. His matting was cut away so he could even potty. He was bathed as best they could and he was placed in oxygen while we awaited the test results.
His heart was enlarged and his chest was full of fluid. He was basically drowning. Meds were given to reduce the fluid so we could get an x-ray in which we were actually able to see the organs. The next morning, unfortunately, Joey’s x-ray revealed that the fluid had not gone down, but moved into his chest through a tear in the abdominal wall. It also showed a large tumor in the chest. We were all heartbroken.
We had already made an appointment for the cardiologist. We wish we would have found him sooner, but now the greatest gift we could have given him was to humanely euthanize him. His case was one that has lingered with our volunteers. We expect losses, but they are never easy.
