An Old, Blind Cocker Spaniel

Our go-everywhere volunteer, Jerry Black, drove down to Hamilton today to pick up an old, blind Cocker Spaniel that the Bitterroot Humane Association had called us about yesterday.  A motorist had seen this old girl stuck and floundering in a snowbank by the side of the road last week, in sub-zero weather.  This good Samaritan stopped, helped the dog out of the snowbank, and took her to the shelter.  After a week of notices and ads in the paper, no one came forward to claim her.  The day after the dog legally became the shelter's, the director called us. 

Jerry called to say she was a sweet, beautiful little thing.  He dropped her off this afternoon with our specialist in Missoula, Dr. Dave Bostwick, who will do an exam tomorrow morning, including an echocardiogram (Cockers tend to have heart problems) and an ultrasound of her major organs.  I'll have photos to post tomorrow night.

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Today I had a call from the director of a northern Idaho shelter about a litter of 4-week old puppies with an apparent case of rickets.  The shelter's vet had recommended euthanizing the puppies.  The shelter director wanted to know if we had dealt with rickets before.  (She knows we've had a lot of strange medical cases here!)  We did not have any experience with rickets, but we referred her to our veterinary surgeons in Spokane, Drs. Lawrence and Harari, for a second opinion.  Neither the shelter director nor I could imagine euthanizing 4-week old babies without at least finding out if there was something that could be done to save them.

Comments

[Roz]

I'm so glad the samaritan stopped to pick this girl up. How horrible for her to be floundering around out there. Thanks to Jerry for transporting her.

[Karen/ TX]

I think Ricketts is a type of Herpes virus, like Chicken Pox of the nerves of the skin, very painful, and contageous! Be careful!

[Leigh]

Thank goodness for the good soul who stopped for her. It makes my heart hurt imagining her out there in the snow. I hope she gets a clean bill of health. Looking forward to the photos.