Bentley has got to be one of the most challenging cases we have had in a while.  To go forward or stop has been a question we ask ourselves daily with the beautiful dog.  Every day is a new discussion with his Surgeons and Critical Care Team.

Yesterday, I got the news that he had lost four pounds, even with his liquid feedings every four hours.  His wound was ready to close, and we had to make sure he could survive the surgery.  After going back and forth with his Surgeons, we decided he was strong enough to close the wound which would physically help him recover.  We normally would neuter at that time but chose not to given his medical state.   We did decide since he had bone exposed on his tail to dock one inch of it to close that area.

Everyone loves this special pup, but he has proven to be challenging in the hospital environment.   He will wag his tail and be all happy and then will either lunge at a Vet Tech or attempt to bite someone given him his meds.   We are assuming it is because he is in scared in the hospital and also wants to eat more solid food which he cannot have at this time.  The Specialists tried feeling him more solid food, but it caused fluid to back up in his abdomen which we cannot have.  A high caloric liquid diet works best for him.  We have to get more food down him.

A lot of energy is spent healing an open wound that Bentley has had for weeks.  Now the wound is closed his body can hold onto more of the calories he is consuming and hopefully start putting his weight back on.  We are doing everything medically and humanely possible we can for this sweet pup for him to have the best Quality of Life given how sick he was when he arrived.  Everyone was focusing on his wound before we got him and no one was looking into obstruction problems for his weight loss.

We would normally not have a dog in the ICU this long, but Bentley's case is complicated because he has two separate critical medical issues. He has the abscess in his pylorus we had to repair and his open gaping wound.  Both were infected and becoming septic. Both areas have been addressed, and now his body has to adapt and heal.  We want him out so he can relax in a home, but sadly he is not stable enough for that to happen.   In the meantime, he has to stay in ICU to get stronger.

We could have said NO when his Vet. reached out to us and let it be someone else's problem.   He would have been put down that afternoon.  Not my problem is what we hear all the time when it comes to Abused Animals. We help Abused, Neglected  Animals when no one else will.  Not my Problem soon becomes our Animal.  The money that we put into saving each animal is nothing compared to the Heartfelt, deep commitment and emotional strain we take on.  Quality of Life and unconditional Love for every animal is our ultimate Goal.   We are blessed because your support enables us to do that.

Thanks for all the help with our special pups.  We have so many that are critical that even I have lost count.  All we can do is to keep going forward with each dog and loving them as if their Life depends on it because it does.  Warm hugs and much love, always from Noah's Arks Rescue.

I also wanted to let everyone know that Juno is doing well.  I will be doing an update on her tomorrow once her x-ray results are in.  Her pneumonia has to have resolved and her lungs clear before we can do any surgery.