Foster was at a local shelter and we were contacted about him by staff there. As you can see Foster is emaciated. Foster is heartworm positive, anemic (which means has a low blood count), full of worms, has numerous tumors on his body (as you can see in the pictures), his BUN is elevated (which means his kidneys functions are not great) and he has a serious wound on the left side of his face which is infected and his canine tooth on that side is broken. Foster also has some neurological damage either from being hit by a car in the past or from abuse. His back end "wobbles." Foster has no idea that his back end "wobbles" though. He won't ever be able to go on walks around the neighborhood b/c he drags his back feet when he walks sometimes.
Despite all of this, Foster loves people and other dogs. I am shocked on a daily basis as to how anyone can treat animals the way they are treated but when I see dogs like Foster I am truly amazed. As his foster mom Judy said, "If it was me, i would hate every person i saw." But not Foster...He wiggles and jiggles and is glad to be alive. Fosters recovery process will be long. He is on ten days of antibiotics (for the infection in his mouth) and then will go back and if his white blood cell count is down (it was elevated when we had blood work completed on him yesterday, which means he has infection in his body, probably from the wound on his face and in his mouth) then he will start his heartworm treatment. After he has completed his heartworm treatment he will be neutered and have the tumors on his body removed. Foster is one of these dogs that makes you remember why you rescue animals. It isn't for the glory, or the acknowledgement or the pure selfish joy of having them in your home. It is b/c each and every one of these dogs needs us in their own way and if it weren't for BRBR, caring shelter staff and you, these babies wouldn't have a chance.
Thank you!
Mandy Hawkins
Anne Rogers
Jon Edmiston
phil bullington
Alan Crafton
Allison Nishan
Michele Frankl
Jeanette Cline
Ann Wilson
Jeffrey Brown
Stefanie Connolly
TOTAL RAISED
$920.00!
Update from Foster: Hi..I am Foster and I will say right from the start I do not wish to talk about or think about my former life. You see I have been neglected in a lot of ways for a very long time and much to my foster parents surprise I am still a very loving boy. I am going to be a very good sized boy and have a beautiful Mahogany coat and cropped ears. I am eating lots of good food many times a day and I get vitamins and treats. I am not food aggressive at all which everyone says is just amazing considering how very skinny I am or was...I am still not fat mind you, but gaining weight at a steady rate and building muscle tone to help stabilize my back end which wobbles. I have an old injury to my rear and yes I wobble and drag my feet some but don't be sad for me. I take in stride and deal with it very well. My Mom hopes once I put on some weight and build up my muscles I will be much more stable. If not then hey, I get around pretty well already, so no worries! I am a big love bug and give lots of kisses so get ready! I go back to the Vet's office at the end of this week for another blood panel and a weigh in. We hope my BUN level [which shows kidney function] is back down to normal levels, and my white blood count is back to normal..you see I had a infection and have been on medication. But feel 100% better. "IF" all is good my Doctor will start my heart worm treatments right way. Then after we get those past us and build me back up- I have to have surgery. I know I have a lot of things going on but don't feel sorry for me...I am going to be better then new soon. During surgery I have to have some tumors removed, a broken tooth [or 2] looked at and maybe pulled, and be neutered. They are also going to scrub out my ears which Mom says have never been washed out since I left my birth Mom. Sorry,,,,I couldn't reach them myself! I have done the best I could for myself. Either Mom or I will post over the next few weeks to let you know how my visits to the Doctors are coming along and I will have new pictures up soon. Think good thoughts for me and hope to talk to you soon!
All my love,
Foster
LOOK LOOK LOOK AT OUR BOY! FOSTER IS AT THE VET NOW TO HAVE MORE BLOODWORK COMPLETED AND TO SEE IF HE HAS GAINED ENOUGH WEIGHT TO START HIS HEARTWORM TREATMENT. PLEASE KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR THIS BOY. WE WILL UPDATE YOU THIS AFTERNOON AFTER HIS APPOINTMENT. FUNNY WHAT A LITTLE FOOD AND LOVE DOES HUH?
6-30-08Foster is still doing wonderful! His heartworm treatment is almost complete and then he will have all the growths he presently has removed! Once those are gone he will be ready for his forever home.
5-30-2008Foster received his 2nd HW shot this morning and he is doing great! The vet techs have had him up and moving around..they don't want him to get stiff.....and he is eating fine and has not been sick at all!! Please keep praying for him we still have a L O N G road to go with him.
5-23-08 Just wanted everyone to know....Foster is weighing in at 68 lbs. [10 days ago he weighed about 54.5]. I can't believe it! His blood panel came in GREAT....his BUN [kidney function] is now NORMAL and his liver is also still functioning perfectly....his white blood count is normal BUT...he is still slightly anemic but Dr. Randall says that is something that takes time and can't be fixed in a few days. Foster's lungs are good and his heart is beating strong! THEN he addressed the tumors...Dr. Garrin the Young Doctor in the practice checked them out and said they have to come off. I knew that! However Dr. Randall looked today [old Doctor in the practice!!] and he squeezed the one on his right [I think} rear and it actually started "squirting " out goo! He showed me and it was ingrown hairs! He has no clue how many years it would of taken or how many hairs could of caused that...it had a big name by the way....which I forgot....but he feels it is a callous that is full of infected ingrown hairs! It is full of scar tissue and he is still gonna remove it and get good margins around it and yes it will still be biopsied...but at least he thinks we have a good shot of that one not being a mast cell. A couple of the smaller ones he does not feel as good about..but I trust him and he will clean Foster all up as soon as possible. So with that being said YES Foster can start his HWT"S next week! Thanks for all the prayers and good thoughts, keep them coming we still have a LONG road ahead and have not only HWT"S to get him through but a long surgery to remove everything!! Judy (Fosters "foster" mom!)
