The happy Christmas story!

MTWaggin - I HAVE IT! A happy Christmas story!

On Christmas Eve, a very nice woman and her daughter showed up at our clinic. In tow, they brought a yellow labrador. Based on his teeth, he appeared to be about 1-2 years old. He should have weighed a good 60 pounds. Instead, he weighed in at 31.7 pounds. He'd been outside a trailer and left to die without food. The lady that brought him in had thought he was being fed, but she kept noticing him outside the trailer without food, no cars in the driveway. Finally, one day as she drove by, the Lab happened to stand up, and she saw how shockingly thin he was. She banged on the trailer door and realized it was empty. She took the dog then and there (Christmas Eve).

For being half-starved, he was remarkably chipper. I was assuming the lady had come to turn him over to our clinic (and I likely would have been forced to euthanize him...). Instead, she wanted to take financial responsibility. I explained how expensive it could be, especially given that he was completely starved. He would have to be fed VERY carefully to avoid refeeding syndrome (a killer of concentration camp victims, first recognized in WWII). We would have to monitor his electrolytes and hydration status.

Further, as it turned out, he was heartworm positive.

I was sure he would be euthanized.

Nope. The lady wanted to do what he needed, regardless. And despite his starving, the Lab was in good spirits and relatively healthy condition. We started treatment for his starvation and he did amazingly through the weekend. She picked him up this morning, did not complain about the $850 bill (I knocked off $200 due to my cheery Christmas spirit), and is taking him to a day veterinarian to discuss heartworm treatment, vaccinations, and other preventative care.

My good cheer is fully restored this morning. I've been cooking in preparation to go home for Christmas dinner (one with my family, one with my husbands), although me + punch drunk/slap happy + knives and hot cooking oil...maybe not such a good idea. Only one small bleeder so far and that came from a sharp can.