Last year was a year of substantial medical bills and dogs that took almost a year to heal. Bills for surgeries that generally cost $3800. now cost close to $8,000. Complicated surgeries such as what Maya had were over $20,000. by the time we got her squared away. She has finally reached the point where we are comfortable with her outcome. The list goes on and on for each dog we have in our care.
My top priority has always been not to see how many dogs I can take on but to ensure the dogs I take get every medical procedure they need to have the best possible outcome. There is no limit to what we will do for the dogs in our care. We are very different than other rescues since all we do is the worst of the worst cases that no one else wants.
I understand why other rescues do not take on the challenge or the expense. You never know what the end result is going to be or the final medical and rehab bills. It isn't fair to the animals to stop short of giving them the best Life possible. When I can't take an animal I know can be saved, I donate toward their medical bills when a good rescue steps up. Our focus will always be on the animals in our care right now.
We have 38 dogs that require round-the-clock care. The cost of running the facility and caring for their needs does not go away when you don't hear from us. It just means we are busy treating, training, and nurturing the animals that have become part of our Family. Most of the animals will live out their natural Life with us because of medical or emotional issues that prevent them from being adopted.
I started Noah's Arks Rescue over 20 years ago. Our Mission is still the same. Take on abused and neglected dogs and give them the best possible care, no matter the outcome. Never give up on an animal fighting hard to survive and thrive with unimaginable obstacles.
Two months ago, we took on a young 4-month-old German Shepherd puppy named Sully, who was critical and needed surgery for infected tonsils. He was lethargic and could barely breathe, and the Owners could no longer take care of his emergency medical needs. They had done all they could and gone into debt doing their best. I agreed to take on Sully's Care and get him the needed surgery.
Sully had abscesses in his throat, and his tonsils were infected. He had enlarged lymph nodes, was having a hard time breathing, and had pneumonia. Surgeries were done, and Sully remained in the ICU until he had recovered. For the next two months, we nurtured adorable Sully and got him through four more bouts of pneumonia. The minute we would clear the pneumonia and bring him home, he was back in the hospital.
Sully was diagnosed with Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy (HOD), which causes pain and swelling in the long bones in his legs. That would cause him to have a fever and lots of pain. Puppies with HOD usually outgrow it as their legs fully develop. HOD is an autoimmune disorder that we felt was causing him not fully to recover from the pneumonia. It was a vicious cycle we were going through.
Every Specialist known to man was brought in to help us figure out what we could do to save dear Sully. Our hearts were hopeful one minute and crushed the next. Sully would return to the Rehab Facility, bounce back for a week, and feel fabulous. He would run and play with the other pups and was so happy. Each time, we were cautiously optimistic. We so loved Sully and wanted our precious boy to get well.
Sadly, Sully took a turn for the worse, and his pneumonia returned with a vengeance. He was back at the hospital, and this time, he needed to be on oxygen. He never fully recovered and was so bad he could not come out of the oxygen chamber. I was willing to do anything for this incredible puppy. I had to make the hardest decision of all for sweet Sully. I decided our dear boy had given all he could, and he could no longer fight to survive. It was time to help him cross over The Rainbow Bridge. Sully passed instantly surrounded by people who loved and adored him.
While grieving for Sully, we soon became aware of several dogs now sick with unknown respiratory issues that had been in contact with Sully. We now have six dogs we have had to quarantine sick with upper respiratory problems. None of these dogs have been to the vet since the vets came out to us. We have determined that Sully must have contracted a new strain of virus that he brought back to the facility, and that is why he became so ill this time.
We have taken drastic measures to protect all the dogs in our care. We have too many dogs that are immune compromised. We are in full lockdown mode until we get every dog with this severe respiratory issue well. We have vets coming into the facility to care for those who are not well. We are not taking any chances of this spreading to another dog.
This new respiratory virus is killing thousands of dogs. Be very careful when taking your dog to the vet, dog park, or boarding facility. Routine vaccinations are not stopping this virus/bacteria. It appears to be a variant of kennel cough that lasts for months and becomes pneumonia. Don't take any chances with your loved family pet.
We need everyone to donate in honor of dear Sully so we can help all the new ones in need now. Sully's bills were beyond anything you could imagine. His visits to the hospital and ER were non-stop. I do not regret taking on Sully. He needed someone to step up and fight with him so he could get well. Unfortunately, his immune system was compromised, and he could not recover from all the ailments he kept getting.
Please, DONATE so we do not lose any more dogs in our care.
