LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA......A jogger in Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville, GA, contacted Gwinnett County Animal Control after finding a tiny five-pound abandoned poodle mix. Animal Control initially called him Casper, but we changed his name to Cricket.
Cricket, barely able to walk, was found in a distressing state. His legs were stiff, his rear end soiled, and his abdomen marked with urine burns. Despite his condition, he appeared not to be in pain. The Team at the shelter, recognizing the severity of his situation, immediately began their efforts to diagnose and treat him.
Despite his condition, Cricket's spirit remained unbroken. Initially thought to be eight months old, he was just a 16-week-old puppy. His medical condition required him to be placed in a Rescue, but due to the severity of his condition, finding a Rescue for him was proving to be a challenge.
I sent a message saying I would take Cricket and immediately sent his info to Live Oak Neurology in Savannah, GA. When Cricket arrived, Dr. Jason King was shocked at how bad he was. His bladder was so distended that he would have to have it expressed. The problem is he could not express his bladder. No one was able to because of his rigidity. Instead, a catheter was inserted to drain his bladder. Dr. King said it was the largest volume he had ever removed from such a tiny dog.
Cricket was referred to CVRC, a facility with specialists dedicated to diagnosing his condition. He spent a week in the ICU, with every possible test and procedure being conducted to determine the cause of his health issues. A urine catheter was placed to monitor his bladder, and every possible neurologic parasite was tested for.
At first, everyone thought Cricket had Muscular Dystrophy. The problem is that it did not explain his bladder issue but could account for his stiff gait. X-rays were taken, and CVRC discovered Cricket's left greater trochanter, or femoral head, was fractured. When Cricket was sedated for an ultrasound, they tried to express his bladder while under sedation. It proved to be impossible, so the catheter was reinserted.
Cricket's urine culture came back. Two nasty bacteria were growing, so he was started on several antibiotics. Our once energetic puppy was becoming very down and had a high fever. Every Specialist in the Country was consulted on this adorable puppy. Every test and procedure they recommended was done.
Lots of negative results were coming back, and very few positives. Frustration and Fear do not even begin to describe how I was feeling. Every test imaginable was done to look for an obstruction, and none could be found. The MRI provided some valuable information. Cricket either has remodeling where he fractured or early osteomyelitis, a bacterial infection of the bone. The second issue they found was bilateral distal iliopsoas myositis, which is inflammation of the muscles which is extremely painful.
The Iliopsoas muscle in dogs combines the psoas major and iliacus muscles that extend from the lower back and pelvis to the upper thigh bone. It helps dogs flex their hips and stabilize their core. Poor Crickets were highly inflamed. Cricket's urine culture finally returned, and he grew two bacteria. The antibiotics he was prescribed would also address the infection in his bone at his fracture site.
Cricket's catheter had to be removed during the MRI procedure. When they reinserted the catheter, they discovered that Cricket would posture and push urine through the tube, which had never happened before. They decided to clamp off the catheter at various intervals to see if his holding urine for several hours would get the same response they had seen earlier. Cricket was able to do this one more time.
Unfortunately, Cricket developed a fever that lasted several days. They decided to remove the catheter and not insert it as long as he could urinate. He started to urinate in lots of stop-and-go postures. They would monitor how full his bladder was, and he would remove more urine daily. Cricket was also on a prostate formula since his prostrate was slightly enlarged.
Cricket was on a long list of medications, and gradually, they started to work. It took several days for his fever to subside and his normal, cheerful personality to return. Although he was not out of the woods, signs of improvement were visible. Cricket's hospital bills, even after our discount, averaged $2,000 daily. He was too sick to leave the hospital, and my only option was to keep him where he was. Cricket was in the hospital for seven days. He was improving, and that was all that mattered.
We have no clue why someone would abandon a tiny puppy that could not take care of himself and could barely walk or urinate. It is inhumane what happened to this puppy. If you don't want a dog, take him to a Humane Society. Don't leave him to suffer, and worse if another animal attacks him.
Euthanizing Cricket was never an option for me. I had rescued him to save his Life, and I was determined not to give up, even when we had no answers. Every negative result was still valuable information that would guide us in the right direction. There were times when I, along with the vets and specialists, felt helpless. But giving up was never an option for anyone on the Cricket Team.
Cricket is not out of the woods. He must be on antibiotics for six weeks to clear the bone infection. He must also be closely monitored to ensure he eats and drinks enough fluids to keep his bladder functioning normally. Every time Cricket postures to urinate, we have to make sure he is urinating and not just posturing. Cricket's case is one of our more complicated ones. The financial burden of having a puppy that can't leave the hospital or they will die is mentally debilitating.
We need everyone to please DONATE as much as possible for this tiny Angel discarded like trash. We do not know what horrible abuse happened. We know he is improving, and we will not give up on saving his Life. Your generosity makes saving pups like Cricket possible. Without you, none of this is possible.
