APRA

It’s Halloween week, and that means e’er’body acting a fool for tricks & treats. Dogs included.

As if we need an excuse to eat candy….or anything made with a pumpkin…

I’ve never been much for dressing up in costume – either for myself or my dogs — but sometimes we will deck a seasonal collar and a hoodie.

And that is just what we plan to do for Saturday’s Pugs & Pumpkins event to support Alabama Pug Rescue & Adoption at the Pelham National Guard Armory. Whether you have a Pug or just love their funny faces, come support the rescue. Guaranteed fun for all.

Evelyn will be sporting a special accessory to the party this year.

From the early days of fostering her, I noticed a bump under the skin on her back left leg. I paid little attention to it because she had so many other things going on with her health. I watched it, and it didn’t seem to change in size, shape, color, etc. Until last Sunday when all of a sudden, there were two.

I took the picture below and sent it to Pug Rescue Queen Pam Mayes, who sent them to the most amazing Dr. Jay Crisman at 280 AMC. We all agreed an in-person visit with Dr. Jay was in order.

This is what Mast Cell Tumors look like. — They look to be Mast Cell Tumors.

After examination and discussion, we decided they should be removed and tissue samples should be analyzed to verify whether they were in fact cancer. MCTs, like many cancers, are treatable with high survivability when caught early. Stage I MCTs are considered benign. Stage IIs can be effectively treated. Stages III & IV are more serious and treatments can be less successful. So, we’re praying for Stage I.

Dr. Jay said they are fairly common, and easily removed. Since Evelyn is due for the shot that will kill off the adult heartworms hanging out in the bloodstream in just 2 weeks, we decided she would fair far better to proceed with this removal before getting that shot. So we did.

She came home looking like the spokesdog for Staples.

Frankenstein's got nothin' on my Evie. #tuffstuff — Ouch! Frankenstein’s dog.

The staples come out the same day as the big heartworm shot. But hopefully we’ll get good news on the biopsy before then.

In the meantime, I’m going to embrace the season and play up her most remarkable feature for Halloween.

pugs & kisses,

After years of supporting from a distance, it finally came time for me to get more involved in the Alabama Pug Rescue & Adoption. But, because I get so attached, I’ve never been able to commit to being a foster parent…

…until now…

Last week, I learned from APRA that a stray Pug had been brought to the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. She was heartworm positive. Translation: long-term (min. 5 mos. ) foster commitment. Was I willing to take her?

Of course! (duh)

But, will I be able to give her up in the end…??

A few days later, I learned she did not do well after her spay surgery. She was very frail, and things might end sadly, which could be difficult on a first-time foster parent. APRA would get her from the GBHS and take her to their vet for a more thorough assessment and let me know.

A day or two after that — Good news! In addition to heart worms, she’s just anemic, is extremely malnourished, has an ear infection, and may be deaf. She’ll be fine!

In celebration of The HOL Dog’s 1st Birthday (woot!), I picked her up on Monday while I was off work for the holiday. (Thank you, labor unions, for my last work holiday till November) (Thank you to my followers for an awesome 1st year).

Everybody, meet Evelyn!

Hey, can I come home with you? — Hey lady, can I come home with you?

She weighs a whopping 11 lbs.

ELEVEN.

Less than half what Pearl weighs.

Pearl is a hoss, but still.

Heartbreaking.

This is what an underweight dog looks like. You can count her ribs without touching them. — You can count her ribs without touching them. Bless her heart.

Not sure how old she is. Tough to say for several reasons.

She’s had at least one litter of puppies, but the vet said she hasn’t had many.
She’s gray in the muzzle, but her teeth are very clean and it looks like she has a full set.
Her coat is a wreck. It’s thin, rough, and she has multiple bald patches.
Her ear is torn.
But, she is spry, energetic, loves to play, and clearly is happy to be in a home.

Maybe once she adds some weight, we’ll get a better idea.

Challenge accepted!

She loved the car ride.

She chirped like a little bird all the way home.

She’s been around people, is not afraid of men, and has lived inside a home, possibly with a cat.

She blew past Chester like he wasn’t standing there, and let him come get a good sniff a little later sans reaction.

Once she explored the yard and the house, I fed her what is surely her first raw meal.

I mean, she is a little sack of bones. Why make her wait till 6pm?

Start slow.

2 ounces of Answers raw goat milk (aka, miracle food) #pouralittlelove in a bowl in the crate so she can drink it undisturbed by her ~~always starving to death~~ foster siblings.

They need to get a good look & recognize. IJS.

She lapped it up and wanted more.

2 hours later, 2 more ounces. Then, she found a comfy spot for a good nap.

She's finding her place in the house, and got a good nap a couple of hours after we came home. — Bad quality pic, but didn’t want to wake her.

3 hours later, dinner consisted of a whole raw farm egg (pasture raised chicken egg from a great local farm) mixed with 2 ounces of goat milk, a pinch of unrefined sea salt, and a bit of powdered kelp (for iodine & hair growth).

I’ve decided to stick with the egg & goat’s milk regimen for the next few days to see how she does. She needs easily digestible proteins right now, and probiotics.

Powerful antibiotic (heartworm eradication process) + ear drops + eye ointment AND abdominal surgery = gut in need of gentle repair.

I’ve never seen a dog this skinny in real life. Ever. We’ve got to take it easy.

My hopes are up, but I’m trying to remain realistic. I don’t want to get over-zealous in my desire to heal this sweet pup and end up doing more harm than good.

Big shout out to the GBHS for working with Pam Mayes and APRA so that we could give this starving, neglected little angel a fighting chance. I’m honored to have been chosen for the task.

I’ll keep you posted.

pugs & kisses,

Pugenstein

Happy Birthday to us! Meet Evelyn, the newest (foster) member of our pack!