COLUMBIA, SC.....We got a desperate phone call late yesterday afternoon from a Clinic in Columbia, SC. They had been treating a beautiful sweet four-year-old lab for heartworms when the dog suddenly began to develop bleeding issues. Remi was rescued from Life on a Chain by a young lady that lived next to the Family that had him. All was going well for this sweet pup until it was discovered he had heartworms and needed to be treated for it. Within several weeks of the first fast kill treatment, Remi began to decline. He was in lots of pain and was given pain meds and steroids. Over the next two weeks, he declined to the point where he needed a blood transfusion. He would do well for a short period after the transfusion and then hours later he needed another one. We were contacted when he was crashing after the third transfusion. I agreed to help the new Owner if she would agree to sign Remi over to us so I could make the medical decisions. She would then have to fill out our Adoption Application to be approved to get him back. We do not want to keep her dog but need to have the legal power to make decisions for his medical care. She agreed, and we had him immediately taken to CVRC in Charleston, SC.
Remi had to have two transfusions and was put in ICU the minute he arrived. Tests were done, and the results were consistent with GI ulceration and septic peritonitis. He had to have emergency surgery. After the second transfusion, he was stable enough to do exploratory surgery. No perforation noted, but his colon was distended and filled with large amount of melena from bleeding internally. His body is sloughing off the wall of the colon and allowing bacteria to escape, and it is bleeding. Remi is not doing well at all. We are preparing the do another transfusion and will have to keep doing this until his body can repair the damage that has been done by the medicine he was given. It is a chain-reaction that started with his Heartworm Treatment. We see this so often that it is a wonder any dog survives the treatments. We only do them under strict conditions with Medical Specialists on hand to handle any reaction the animal will have.
Remi's bill is already over $5000. and he hasn't even been there for 24 hours. Transfusions are expensive, and he has to have as many as it takes to keep him alive until his body resolves this mess. At some point, his body will reject the transfusions. We are hoping and praying we do not get to that point. Sad does not even begin to describe what a tragedy this is. Remi is saved from Life on a Chain and is finally getting medical care only to have a reaction to the treatments. Life is not fair at times which is why we stepped up to do the right thing for this wonderful dog. Please, say a prayer for Remi and DONATE as much or as little as you can. This sweet dogs Life depends on it.
