COLUMBIA, SC........Sweet little Rusty is a 4 year old Pomeranian Mix that was picked up with his best friend Presley. His owner had passed away several weeks prior and no one had thought to check on the two dogs that were locked up in a pen outside with no food or water. They were both skin and bones. They were brought to the Laurens County Shelter where they were scheduled to be euthanized because of their condition. We were contacted by volunteers to see if we could help this adorable pair. We had them brought to our vet in Columbia, SC. Rusty’s friend Presley was treated and placed in a wonderful home but Rusty has been in and out of the emergency room in Charleston for various medical conditions over the past month. We had been treating him for his emaciated state and also for anemia. He is also heartworm positive so we started him on the usual pre-heartworm protocol. All was going well until he developed Hemolytic Anemia and had to be rushed to CVRC (Charleston Veterinary Referral Center) to be stabilized. He was kept there for several days and then brought back to our vet in Columbia. All along sweet Rusty is slowly gaining weight, not a lot but enough to not worry us. His Spirits have always been great during this entire time. Rusty started showing physical signs of heartworm disease and was having a hard time breathing. He was rushed to see the Cardiologist at CVRC and was in ICU in an oxygen chamber for three days. They finally got him stable and he went back to the vet in Columbia. He is still not well enough to even go to a foster home until his heartworm treatment has been completed. He is scheduled in one week to have the Cardiologist at CVRC administer the heartworm treatment. We begged them to surgically remove the heartworms but he is not a candidate. The heartworms had to have crossed over to one of the heart valves for that to be done. Rusty is the sweetest little boy you will ever get to meet. He is going to make someone the best family member you will ever have. Sweet and loving does not even begin to describe how adorable he really is. We will be so happy for our little Angel to finally be able to be out of the hospital and in a loving home where he can run around and play. This little boy has been through enough trauma in his life. A simple pill every month would have prevented all of this.
We have wonderful news. Beautiful Rusty is now Heartworm Negative. He did not have to do another round of Immiticide with the Cardiologist. He is finally free and clear of all the terrible worms he had in his chest and lungs. We are now dealing with a leg issue. He had a fractured leg when we got him that has been slowly healing without surgery. We have had it in a cast to give it support while it healed. We just removed the cast and he is still limping a little. The Orthopedic Surgeon will do another X-Ray this week and if it hasn't healed sufficiently, we will do surgery to repair it. We think he will be fine without surgery but want to be sure before he is placed in a Forever Home. We are still looking for a great Family for this wonderful boy. He loves everyone and dogs.
