Sweet Billy has had a terrible time of it. On Friday, the Specialists that had been overseeing his care determined that he was not going to make it if we did not get him to a hospital with a Dialysis machine. His kidneys had almost totally shut down and his body was showing signs of this. To see a dog that wanted to live suffer this way was horrible. You feel helpless. I decided the only chance Billy had was for him to be removed immediately and taken to Auburn University where they have a Dialysis machine. The hospital received all of his medical records and his condition was discussed in great detail with the person in charge of the Dialysis Center. There was no guarantee Billy would make it, even after being on the machine. The only guarantee we had was that he would not make it without the machine. It was either now or never.
Once I step up for an animal, I am committed to them to do whatever is medically and humanely possible to save their Life. Money does not enter into the equation. If it costs a fortune for this one animal and we do not raise the funds, then it just means I cannot step up for another animal for a while since i will be the one paying the balance. Those are the facts. No sugar-coating it. That is just the way it is. For Auburn to even consider taking Billy, it was going to be $15,000. for his Dialysis treatment and that did not guarantee he would live. Out comes the AMEX card and off he went.
I have never had a dog on dialysis and did not have a clue what it entailed or the cost of it. Billy's first couple of days were very touch and go. The machine is purifying his kidneys and his blood to rid his body of whatever has caused this shut-down. Billy is in a semi-coma state during this process not because of medication but because of how sick he is. He will be on the machine for 7 days. The Specialists will then begin the process of weening him off the machine so his kidneys will begin to function on their own. We do not have any clue if he will be able to maintain on his own. We will not know until the process is over. As Billy's body gets healthier, he should then begin to wake up. If he does not wake up on his own, then we will know he will not be able to come out of this and he will have to be PTS. There is no guarantee if he will make it or not. The ONLY guarantee I know is that I am going to do whatever is required to give him the best possible chance. Right now, the news is promising but guarded. He is still in Critical Care and will remain there until his dialysis is complete. Billy needs all your prayers and positive energy to help him pull through this.
If you haven't donated, please contribute toward his care. If you have donated and can afford to donate again, please, do so for this wonderful dog that was tortured. His Life may be in the balance but we don't have to be. Thanks for caring and being a part of his Journey to fight to be here.
