So you want to rescue!
 

A couple of weeks ago I was called about a 5 pound, 5 year old, male yorkie mix with luxating patellas, who was picked up as a stray and was going to be euthanized in the morning. I took him in on Sunday and Monday morning we were at the vet's office. The patella problem was obvious, he holds one leg up when he walks, but he also had uncontrollable, violent sneezing.

The sneezing was diagnosed as nasal mites (I'd never heard of that before) and he was given a shot of ivectin, and needs to be followed up with 2 more shots.

The vet was shocked by the condition of his legs and said it was the worse he'd ever seen, but couldn't be sure of what could be done until he was ex-rayed.

The ex-rays showed that right leg did have a grade 4 luxating patella, the left was a different story. His leg is deformed. The bones have curved outward, there is no groove in the knee and the tibial crest is turned about 90 degrees. The vet went into what he would have to do to try to correct it.

That would consist of cutting wedges out of the upper and lower leg, then piecing them together with metal plates and screws, repositioning the tibial crest and creating a groove in the upper and lower bones to create a knee. He's never heard of anyone doing such radical surgery on a leg this small before and wasn't sure if it would work. That sounds too drastic to me, and experimental.

I asked about other options. He said: repair the right luxating patella and amputate the left leg at the knee, just repair the right luxating patella, or just amputate the left leg. He was so excited - he kept saying it would be such a "challenge" to do this surgery and rebuild the leg!

Of course my next question was cost! With the "generous" 10% rescue discount, the fees are:

The "challenge" with a chance that it would work $3,500
Repair luxating patella 1,200 - $1,400
Amputate left leg 900
Put him to sleep ?? not an option in my mind

I can tell you without hesitation that this is a happy, for the most part - healthy little boy. He loves to eat, he can jump, run and play with all my dogs. Yesterday he had Bodie in a chase and it was shocking to see how fast he can run. Beyond that - he's the sweetest, gentlest little creature and still has the face of a puppy. I don't see any signs that he's in pain, except when I bathe him and put pressure on his hip. Oh, and he does something I've never seen before - he puts his head straight up and does a soft howl at the dog on the other side of the fence - you can't imagine how cute it is to see. Because of that I've been calling him Kyo (short for coyote). He asks for nothing but love.

I told the vet (I've been going there for 7 years) that it was a tough one and that the "challenge" was out of the question....... all the time thinking to myself........ climbing Mt. Everest is a challenge and people pay big money to risk their lives. How can you ask my rescue to pay for you to take on a "challenge" that IF successful would further your career and reputation? How much would it actually cost you to do this, how much time would it take out of your busy life to do any of the options to give this little boy a chance? He must have read my mind because he looked right in my eyes and said: "Trish, this is the real world."

My point? There is no point. No one ever said rescue would be easy. Sadly, I've realized that this is the real world. I've called every vet and every clinic in the area and no one else is willing to give a discount for rescue. I'm not angry but I am disappointed ---- in humans.

Thanks for reading......... and most of all........ thanks for caring.

Best regards,
Trish
Yorkie Rescue Colorado

Aww Trish, your little boy sounds precious. I would LOVE to see a picture of him :p I'm so sorry for all that he and you have to go through for this and God bless you for taking this on like a trooper. I know it isn't easy. I will say a Prayer for you and Kyo. I agree with you, the real world is not the best place and sometimes humans suck.

I can't believe not one person will help you. Although a lot of times when you look through the rescue pages you see them asking for donations to help the dog. I agree with you, though. There are people who can afford to pay those amounts, and there's people who can't. If each vet in a town would do one probono case a week it would help a lot of people out, and I'm sure they wouldn't go broke.

Why not apply for that IMOM thing! i just heard about it yesterday and i read about it. They help you pay vet bills that you cant pay. Also you might not want to think of it as bettering your vets career but that if another dog was found like this near you that your vet could give him a chance to maybe use that leg again.

JMPO

Sorry, my mistake. luxating patella surgery is not 1200, but 890.

I have never heard of IMOM. What is it? Where is it?

Are there any teaching veteranary facilities close to you that could use this "Challenge" to help this poor little guy out.

TX, thank you....... what a wonderful idea! I checked and we don't qualify because we don't have our 501 yet. But it's still a great idea for other rescues and individuals who need help.

Are you going to take him to another vet for a second opinion? And perhaps a more compassionate vet not interested in their own career.

I understand you have a long relationship with this vet, but if I was going to undertake such a serious surgery, I would certainly find a vet who has done this surgery before. Just like I wouldn't put my own life into the hands of a surgeon who had performed the specific surgery before.

I am glad to hear that he is a joy in your life!

Trish the work you do is just wonderful You and Bettye are the greatest! I hope you find all the help this little guy needs he sounds like a champ:)

Hi, Trish. Are you in the process to obtain the 501 status? Warmly, Deborah

Yes, we are in the process of applying for non-profit status. To us, it's all about the dogs. We also have to apply for non-profit status with the state and pay their fees, then the application fee to the IRS is $750.00.

We've had so many unexpected medical expenses for yorkies, that we haven't had the time or the money to get this all done yet. Can you imagine... this small rescue getting two liver shunt dogs within 2 months! When I have to make a decision as to spending money to make a dog well, or turning it down, knowing it will be euthanized or sending a check to the IRS instead, my heart gets in the way of my head......... well, it's clear what the decision has been.

I've called EVERY vet in the area, including Alameda and CSU......... there is no help available for rescue. It seems they are already helping many others.

Our rescue, unlike some of the national groups, cannot afford to spend that much money on one surgery, especially since he isn't sure it will work. I've decided that the best thing to do for Kyo is to repair the luxation that can be repaired without the pins and plates. Repairing that one will put him in better condition than when he came to us. Sadly, he will be a handicapped yorkie; happlily, with a long life ahead of him . . . it sure beats where he'd be if he hadn't been rescued.

Thanks to all of your for your concern and support. We really do appreciate you!

I'm sorry to hear all the struggles this poor guy is having. :( You are such a saint to take him in. Now, I know that amputating a leg seems so cruel and a last resort, but I watch Animal Planet all the time, and the vets say it's not as bad as we think it is for the pups. They get along very well without a limb and just adjust. He will still be a happy boy with 3 legs. Whatever you decide to do, good luck! I know it would be a very hard decision for me to make too. Hugs to you.

Trish is a saint!!! We have such love and compassion for these babies, we can't just let them suffer!! I am back in Colorado and have come out of retirement .... I just can't sit by and not help! Trish knows all the things about fostering and trying to "fix" these babies and I am clueless, so the only thing I know how to do is work and hopefully make things for our website "store"! Hopefully, we will be able to get our 501 soon and hopefully be able to get donations and get help from places that require us to have the 501 status to qualify. The problem after getting these babies "repaired" is that there aren't that many out there who want to adopt these flawed little ones! Everyone wants the perfect baby and that's understandable but if you ever once look into the eyes of these helpless little ones or feel that "first" little nuzzle of one who is ready to finally trust humans is so heartbreaking .... you just can't imagine how it feels. We just have to keep trying ... one Yorkie at the time! ;)

The thing is, if we can't adopt these little ones to loving homes, we can't take the next one that needs our help, and there will always be a "next one". Until we are able to shut down these "mills" and "BYB's" .... there will always, always be a need!!

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: You both are Saints Bettyanne:)

UPDATE on our rescue boy
 

Dear concerned friends of homeless Yorkies,

Kyo's teeth are deplorable condition so this morning I took him in for a dental...... his teeth are in deplorable condition and also had a blood panel done to be sure that he was ok to go under anethesia. I asked them to check his hind end because he raised the dickens when I tried to clip that area. Got a call from the vet... always heart stopping! His blood work was fine, ......but....SURPRISE!!!!....when the vet palpated his back and abdomen he found that he has not been neutered! Both of his testicles are undescended and in his abdomen and he is still able to breed. So, let's add another chunk of money to this little ones vet bills.

And some people ask WHY we charge an adoption fee!

Thanks for caring,
Trish

I just want to know who is telling everyone that if you run across a rescue that isn't healthy and has really expensive medical problems and you don't want it, call Trish & Bettye!!! They're too stupid to realize their limitations and will "sell their silly souls" to try and get them fixed!!! JK :rolleyes: Sorry, but lately we just have the most heatbreaking luck. If it were only the "fixing" part and nursing them back to good health, it would be different. But then we have to take all the insults from people who assume adopting a rescue is free. Sorry, I suppose that was a "vent", but I am so frustrated right now, all I want to do is cry!! ;)

I can't believe what the vet found ... this little guy has been through so much ... but I am so thankful he found it. Trish has been trying so hard to get the skinny little guy to gain weight and he just doesn't. Please remember him in your prayers!!

A tiny update ....
 

... on little Kyo! He did get to come home ... couldn't imagine Trish not having her watchful eye on him! :) Oh, he is just the sweetest little guy .... slept for most of our visit but Trish was able to syringe a little water down him and he finally ate a couple of tablespoons of cottage cheese! Hopefully he won't be in too much pain tonight ... he had to have two incisions for his neuter .... one on either side of his little "hoo hoo" ... his little "guys" were so far up in his abdomen!! He has the most adorable little face .... can't wait until he's on the mend and I can really get to know him. I just gently rubbed him between his little eyes and he napped and was content. Maybe today he will feel like standing and trying to walk.

Please keep this little one in your prayers!!

Trish,
You need to start fundraising. Get some crafters together and find out what noone else in your area sells and go for it.

Also, do you have a Petco in your area? They will let you set up a table and you could hand out your literature and always have that donation jar with the pups name on it. I bet on saturday afternoon you can make $100. Have the pup there with you for exposure.

We are a small rescue, not national and we have done some major surgeries of which have cost $5000. each. It's all about exposure and fundraising to cover the costs.

Good Luck!

Fundraising
 

Thank you, Carole, I know you're right and we are trying! Thanks.......

Update on our little guy ....
 

with the bad legs! He's doing great! We went over to Trish's last night for the absolute, best ever French Onion Soup, and spent time with the "pack"! Little Kyo has been so withdrawn and didn't want to do anything, we were worried sick about him. We got two little new rescues [father & son] and Kyo absolutely came to life!! He was zipping around and seemed to be actually happy! :p He actually let me hold him briefly .... what a sweet little man! Poor baby is just soooo skinny and Trish hasn't been able to get an ounce of weight on him and that's a first!! :( Hopefully, since his neuter and dental, he will begin to put on a little weight. The other side of the coin ... more weight is going to make his little legs more painful. I have never seen so much "butt sniffing" going on in my life!! :p At one time, there was a "congo line" of "sniffers"!! It was hysterical! :sidesplt:

Our new "men" will be having their neuters today and I hope to get some good pics of them to post in the next couple of days! They are just so sweet and well mannered and sooooo healthy!! ;)

What an amazing story. This little guy is so lucky to have you on his side. Please keep us updated!!

I'm sorry you don't have your 501. How long would it take to get it, and would they reimburse you if you did. Just a thought.

You're not gonna believe this!!!
 

Remember ... Trish took little Kyo in for his dental & upon finding that he had never been neutered and his little "guys" were so far up he had to have two incisions?!? :eek: We also found out that the correct term for this condition is "cryptorchid". Welllllllll .... today she took our two little new fellas for their neuter, got a call from the vet ... yep!! One of them had the very same thing!! :( The Dad had a routine neuter but the poor little son was cryptorchid! They both are doing well and Trish is on her way over there now to pick them up. Geeeezzzzz, can you believe it?? :rolleyes:

Please say a little prayer for Kyo ....
 

He may have found the most wonderful Mom ever!! He is spending some time with this absolute "Angel" lady who wants to adopt him and give him a wonderful life, even knowing everything we have learned about his "handicap"! It's more than we could have ever dreamed of for this sweet little guy! He was a day away from being euthanized when Trish rescued him and just the most heartbreaking little thing you could imagine! This is Kyo:

YAY! :D I hope Kyo gets his new forever home!!!!!!!

Thanks for the update on this little guy.He is a cutie.

Maybe everyone reading this could send a dollar to this saint for her little dog.

Yorkie Rescue Colorado - update
 

We have another one with a compromised liver, her name is Mia. She's not even two years old. We don't know if it's MVD, HEP or shunt yet. Nothing seems to be helping her. She has all the classic signs inspite of lactulose, milk thistle, anti-biotics, and a low protein diet.

I referred another liver shunt dog to another rescue because we could not afford to care for him. He was only 10 months old with a BAT of 224! Sadly, he died 3 days after coming into rescue.

Then we got a bonded pair - Papa Bear and his son Buddy. They are bigger Yorkies and were used for breeding. Much to my surprise, and to my vet's surprise...... when they were preparing to neuter Buddy...... guess what! Another cryptorchid! Well, they are both now neutered and up to date on their shots. I'm hoping to find them a wonderful home with children. They are sturdy and playful......... only 2 and 4 years old. What a wonderful team they are!

And now for Lily..... our first liver compromised pup. Her bile acids were checked a couple of weeks ago........... wonderful news.............. Down from a post of 76 - to 13............ within normal limits..... anything under 15 is normal.

I count our success as a rescue......... one dog at a time!
Thank you for all your support!
Trish