Dear Friends, Adopters, Supporters, and Volunteers of The Forgotten Dog Foundation,
While March Madness determines the national champions of college basketball, our role, as animal rescuers, is to champion dogs in need. This month brought us two small dogs with very big medical emergency needs. We never turn away from a dog in need … and sick and injured dogs always have huge medical bills. We need your help to save their lives. We rely on the kindness of our amazing donors, like you. We hope that these two little girls, Cici and Baby, will touch your hearts.
Please read their stories below.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Linzi, Gina, and The Forgotten Dog Team
A 501(c)3 non-profit organization
BABY
LITTLE 6-YEAR-OLD MALTESE GIRL FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE.
OWNER-RELINQUISHED – TWO TORN ACL’S AND A SEVERE
ANEMIC CONDITION (IMHA)
We take in a lot of owner-relinquished dogs. These are dogs that might otherwise be dumped at a shelter, so we intervene before these poor dogs’ fate is sealed. Baby’s owner reached out to us- she had bought Baby as a puppy- a purebred Maltese from a breeder. The owner was concerned as Baby had lost weight — 2 whole pounds — in the past months, and apparently had been injured LAST JULY. Although she was taken to a vet, nothing was done and Baby suffered in pain for 8 long months.
The owner said she simply did not have the funds to take care of Baby medically. We had her immediately go to a local vet to get Baby started on pain medication, which she did, thankfully, and of course, we covered the cost.
Fortunately, a wonderful prior adopter responded to our plea for a foster. Jean and her husband Doug did not live far from where Baby was, so the exchange and relinquishment of Baby happened quickly.
Our fosters immediately started Baby on multiple daily feedings of home-cooked food. Between the pain meds and nourishment, Baby perked up! We had an appointment for Dr. Pedraza, our orthopedic surgeon, to look at Baby and he confirmed that she would need surgery done on both legs. Unfortunately, during the exam, we also discovered that Baby’s red blood cell count was dangerously low! It was determined that Baby had severe anemia.
A common cause of anemia in pets is immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA). In this case, the dog’s immune system wrongly recognizes the red blood cells as foreign and works to destroy them. Baby was started on prednisone, antibiotics, and cyclosporine. Poor Baby had been going every few days to Jean’s local vet to keep track of her red blood cell count, which was improving.
We were all feeling hopeful, but just this past Saturday Baby’s breathing became labored and she was taken immediately to the vet. Several X-rays were done and it was determined that her lungs were filling up with fluid, so that was removed. Baby’s lung cavity was filling with fluid again and she is currently hospitalized at an emergency specialty hospital getting round-the-clock care.
Our vet bills to date for Baby are $9,000. We are all praying that we can get this beautiful little girl through this medical crisis.
Videos of Baby
Baby – in the oxygen tank
Baby – licking foster mom’s face
If you would like to donate to Baby’s care, click here.
CICI
FOUND ON THE STREETS, EMACIATED WITH A BROKEN LEG- NOW, POST-SURGERY SHE IS DOING GREAT!
Cici – a 4-year-old Maltese-Poodle mix was found on the streets in the San Fernando Valley just before the rains started. She was emaciated, with a mangled, broken front leg.
We got an urgent call from another rescuer, Lisa, who had been contacted about a dog abandoned on the streets. Once Lisa had the dog, she immediately called us, as she was overwhelmed with medical puppies. We agreed right away to take the injured animal. The dog — now named Cici — was taken to Veterinary Care Center. She was skin and bones, weighing just six pounds, with a badly broken leg. She was also filthy and in pain. After two days on IV fluids, pain meds, and antibiotics, Cici was cleaned up, her leg wrapped and she was sent to one of our amazing fosters.
We worried that her leg would need to be amputated, but the wonderful Dr. Pedraza said he could save her leg.
Cici gained a few pounds before surgery and she was spayed and microchipped while under anesthesia. Now 3 ½ weeks later, Cici is a happy, nine-pound, playful four-year-old pup. She gets bandage changes weekly but is in no pain and her leg is healing well.
Cici will be up for adoption in about a month. Vet costs to date are $6000. This now-happy girl was worth every penny!
Videos of Cici
Before
After
If you would like to donate to Cici’s care, click here.