I apologize in advance for doing this. I'm just at the point where the dog needs me to do everything I can think of, and I can think of this. So I have to do it.
For those of you who know me, you know I'm active in dog rescue and fostering. It's not uncommon to foster dogs with medical issues, and usually that's just part of the deal. The sponsoring rescue organization is usually able to scramble up enough donated funds to cover routine and even some emergency medical care.
Enter Lugnut.
Lugnut came to us from a kill shelter in Kentucky, on his last day. He sneezed, once, in the car on the way home.
Three days later, all of my dogs were sneezing, hacking, coughing, retching balls of misery, as the worst case of kennel cough I've ever seen roared through my pack.
They all got better; Lugnut didn't. He continued to lose weight, which he didn't have in abundance to begin with. Vet diagnosed coccidia and severe hookworms. Treated for those. Didn't help.
Finally the vet put him on serious, strong antibiotics for suspected atypical ehrlichiosis, and that helped. He started to get better.
Until something in the yard either bit or stung him on his foot. We don't understand why, but it isn't healing. The sore became a raging infection, despite the continuing antibiotics. He may lose the toe, or worse, he may lose the leg. We're continuing to do what we can, but here's the problem, and here's why I'm telling this story. The sponsoring rescue -- Lonestar Pyrs and Paws North -- is just about out of money to treat him. They're committed to seeing this through, and they will continue to make small monthly payments to the vet, but his treatment costs are up over $700 at this point and are about to go even higher.
They need help. We need help. So I've come to this community, hat in hand, half dying of shame that I have to ask. But I have to.
We've created a ChipIn page for Lugnut here.. Any help -- any at all -- will be deeply, deeply appreciated.
Sorry.
Update Commenter quityurkidding had a good suggestion, to include the name of the vet where he's run up his bills and where he's still receiving treatment, so here it is:
Oak Ridge Veterinary Hospital
513 Oak Ridge Turnpike
Oak Ridge, TN 37830
Thank you, everybody.