GWINNETT, GA.....Every day I wish I knew the facts that made up the Life of each dog we rescue. The only thing that matters to us is the dog needs rescue or will be euthanized. Those words speak volumes to us. It is now or never for most animals we take in.
We had offered to take a pup that had been hit by a car and needed medical care, or they were going to put him down. We worked on transport when we got a note saying the owners had claimed the dog we offered to help. Several other dogs had been picked up during the interim, and we offered to take the worst one. Burt was the lucky one because the others were highly adoptable.
They had informed me the dog we were getting tried to bite several people and had a bit of an attitude. I decided he needed out since his leg was probably the reason for his bad mood. Once Burt arrived at CVRC in Charleston, we soon realized why he felt so rotten. He had a lot more going on than a bad leg.
He was an unneutered middle-aged dog with one of his testicles swollen and inflamed. He also had a nasty cough that appeared to be causing his trachea to collapse. Antibiotics cleared the cough. The original issue was his rear leg. X-rays were done, which showed he had surgery when he was much younger for a broken leg. A plate had been put in that was now infected. The implant needed to be removed.
Dr. Rachel Seibert went over everything wrong with Burt and decided it was best to remove the implant and culture. If he were stable during the procedure, he would be neutered, and his enlarged testicle would be sent off for a biopsy. All went well during the procedure. Adorable Burt was not happy right after the procedures but was coming around. All Burts bloodwork was improving once we removed the infected implant.
Burt's culture came back Aerobic Actinomyces, rare to be found around an implant in a leg. Actinomycetes are part of the normal bacterial flora of the mucous membranes of mammals. This bacteria is rarely located outside the mouth or lungs and is usually associated with pneumonia.
Two types of tumors were found in Burt's testicles- Leydig cell tumor and a seminoma. Leydig cell tumors are benign. Seminomas are usually benign but can spread very rarely elsewhere in the body (<10% of the time). Neutering Burt should have taken care of both of these spreading.
The Vet Staff was a little concerned about Burt's hostility, but we were not concerned. We knew once we got him out of the hospital, he would begin the healing process of learning to trust people. It took about a day for Burt to get comfortable enough to allow us to cuddle and love on him. After a week, his leg felt 1000% better, and he was hooked on all the love and care he was getting. Life is always better for any animal we rescue once they arrive at our Rehab Facility.
Sweet does not even begin to describe this amazing dog. Burt is a delight to be around and runs into our laps every morning for his daily kisses. He loves playing with the other dogs and has never given us any trouble. Why his previous Owner abandoned him is a mystery we will never understand. I believe losing your Family, being alone and in pain would make any dog angry with the World.
Once you go through the doors of Noah's Arks Rescue, your new Life begins. The rest of the World no longer exists. All that remains is the most dedicated Staff of loving individuals in the most beautiful serene environment you could ever imagine. We bring peace and joy to every animal we rescue. Life is Good at Noah's Arks Rescue for the animals and the people that Love and Nurture them back to health.
Burt is on the mend, and now we have to pay his bills. Please, Donate whatever you can to help more abandoned dogs like Burt get the medical care they need to survive and thrive. Thanks for being part of his amazing Journey. Your support is greatly appreciated.
