While most were busy preparing for New Year’s Eve festivities, five month old Dave was busy fighting for his life. That night, two options became available to him: emergency surgery or euthanasia.
This sweet, stocky puppy came into our shelter at eight weeks old, full of life and ready to find a forever home. As a puppy, his shelter stay should have been short, but unfortunately we kept uncovering one medical issue after another. Most of his issues were treatable with medication but he also had an auto immune system making recovery difficult. Dave was immediately placed in a foster home where he could get the medical attention and socialization he needed.
An x-ray soon revealed Dave’s biggest issue: a rare scrotal hernia. Dr. Misty Sumner, immediately performed surgery to repair Dave’s scrotal hernia and neuter him. This surgery was one of Dr. Sumner’s most difficult due to the size of Dave’s hernia and the limited amount of resources available in our clinic. Although Dave weighed only twenty pounds, Dr. Sumner could fit half of her hand through the hole before she removed 2-3 feet of small intestine from his scrotum. Due to the severity of the hernia, Dr. Sumner feared there was a possibility the repair may not be permanent and began to seek outside alternatives.
On New Year’s Eve, Dave’s foster mom woke up to Dave screaming in pain. She called our director who recommended taking him to the nearest emergency vet clinic. Dave’s condition proved to be rare and complicated, earning him a recommendation to Michigan State University Veterinary Hospital.
A team of surgeons and residents spent more than five hours saving Dave’s life, and even though his severe condition was one they had never seen, their expertise paid off. Dave is now spending the next four weeks recovering with little to no activity. He has proven that he isn’t ready to give up and neither are we. This inspirational little fighter overcame every obstacle in his way so far, including a diagnosis of dwarfism. He’s beat the odds with an incredible zest for life. He’s happy, charming, obsessed with his foster mom and loves everyone he meets. He even provides comfort for his human foster brother who suffers from anxiety. Most of Dave’s issues are a direct result inbreeding. However, he’s ready to make an impression on the world around him, showing that it’s okay to be different; we’re determined to give him that chance.
Dave’s life is priceless; the bill for his emergency surgery is not. While we cannot save the life of every animal, it is our mission and obligation to at least try to save every animal in our care. Dave never asked for the extensive list of medical issues he was given, but he is grateful for the life he now gets to live because of you and your support. Dave is begging for your help. Can you please help us cover his medical bills and become one of his life-saving heroes? He is happy to repay you in puppy kisses.
