BEAUFORT, SC.....We were contacted by one of the Vets we work with on Lady's Island about a neglected Maltipoo that was brought in by the Owner to be euthanized. The Owner said Dusty had fallen down some stairs, had broken his leg a week prior, and she wanted Dusty put to sleep. The Vet knew the dog they had brought in and was shocked how he looked.
We were contacted because the same Family had brought in a Shiba Inu about ten months ago that had severe flea allergies, no fur, a limp and the Family wanted that dog also euthanized. The new dog Dusty was Critical and needed to be in ICU, or he would not survive. Dusty was signed over to the Vet, and they relinquished him to us.
I have seen abuse, but I have never seen anything quite like this. Dusty had jaundice so badly that his skin was bright yellow. He had a fractured leg, and his abdomen was one big bruise. His blood panel was off the chart abnormal. Dusty was not going to make it through the night if we did not have a Critical Care Team working on everything that was wrong.
Dusty has severe acute pancreatitis and obstruction of his bile duct. His liver values and most notably his bilirubin is markedly elevated making him jaundiced. He has no interest in eating from his pancreatic inflammation. His liver disease has been evaluated with bloodwork and a fine needle aspirate which confirmed severe inflammation and no evidence of cancer or toxic injury. Inflammation can be secondary to trauma or infection. He was started on an antibiotic due to his severe liver insufficiency. He was significantly anemic and required a blood transfusion.
Dusty is so critical that we can only treat his fracture with pain meds at this time. Surgery will have to wait until he is stable which may never happen. We have had to put an NG feeding tube in since Dusty feels so terrible that he will not eat anything.
The Specialists feel Dusty is sick because of trauma he has sustained. This kind of trauma does not come from rolling down the stairs. Bruises like this come from someone kicking a small dog hard enough to cause such bruising and trauma. We have contacted Animal Control, and they are investigating the case. The most disturbing part is the Family that had both of these dogs, are both Family Physicians. These are Medical Professionals that are supposed to care and nurture people.
The neglect and abuse this poor dog has endured is unimaginable. Even if they did not do what we think they did, they kept Rusty for one week with severe injuries without any Medical Care. Everyone that has seen Dusty is outraged by what they are seeing. If they did not do this, then why didn't they get him treated IMMEDIATELY.
Dusty is Critical and will be for quite a while. He is an adorable little bundle of fur that has suffered unimaginable pain. What kind of people do this? The idea that Medical Doctors did this makes the abuse that much worse. These are educated people that should do everything to prevent this kind of abuse.
We need for everyone to please, Donate whatever you can so we can do whatever is needed for Dusty to survive. We have to get his blood values to stabilize, and we are not even close to that happening. We are prepared to do as many transfusions as necessary to get this sweet pup feeling better. It would be one thing if Dusty had cancer and that is what was causing this, but that is not the case. Severe inflammation from Trauma is what all the tests are showing.
