Whew! OK... I just spoke with Amanda, the Animal Control Officer, who has arranged to have Amelia/Dewette picked up from the vet tomorrow, even though they are officially closed on weekends. I spent about 15 minutes on the phone with Dr Hecht, and I am so relieved that Amelia got treatment today. She had what the vet described as a "dinner-plate-sized hot spot" that needed to be debrided (if you don't know what that means, just know it is gross and painful). The wound was full of maggots. They shaved off all of her mats, cleaned her ears, treated her for fleas, hookworms, whipworms, tape worms and coccidia. She had multiple injections of antibiotics and steroids, and is being held overnight to minimize the risk of further maggot infestation- to let the wound close a bit. (I understand that the shelter is 'sort of' climate controlled, but there are lots of flies and it stays hot). She will be returning to the shelter with oral prednisone, to help resolve the hot spot, and spray with both antibiotic and fly retardant. The excellent news is that she is heartworm negative. Woo-hoo!
The vet assured me that she is definitely a pure-bred Saint, but he also told me that she is probably 6 years old. She weighs around 85 lbs, but is grossly underweight, and should rapidly gain weight now that her intestinal parasites have been treated.
So... I do not know how all of this news will affect anyone's offer of help, but I am so relieved that Amelia is not suffering anymore, and that we are working on getting her into a good home.
We have until Monday morning to make a plan. I will cover her vet current bill- less than $200- and I will do anything I can to facilitate/coordinate a transport. What we need now is a destination.
My name is Heather. My email is mooheather1967@yahoo.com and my home# is (910)675-8952. I will be away from the phone 10a ET-7p ET on Saturday, doing a transport and an adoption event. Answering machine and email are always an option.
What a whirlwind way to introduce myself to BPO. Thanks for being here, and for being here for the dogs! I can't wait to really meet ya'll!
