Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Frosty the American Eskimo

Shortly after I received a VERY rude email that really mad me angry and vented a little earlier, I received a phone call from a women named MaryAnn.

MaryAnn's husband was good friends with my Dad. His American Eskimo passed away of old age in Oct 2009. He came to me and asked me to find him another. They were older, lived in a mobile home and I knew darn well a rescue wasn't going to adopt to them. I am sorry to say it but some rescues and rescue people can be real snobs. The way I look at it is if people are wiling to love their dog and give it a wonderful life with all the things it needs (grooming, vet care, food, exercise, etc.) then I don't care if you are a millionaire or not.

Anyway, I told MaryAnn's husband that I would find him and Eskie and I did. It was a lot of work but I was able to get him pulled and transported from Darke County Ohio to me and then to the man. The man was so happy to have him, he cried. He promised to get all the dogs medical taken care of, I did the vaccinations but h e needed heartworm test, rabies and to be neutered. I was able to get him the dog, I want to say right at the beginning of Dec.

Right before Christmas I received a phone call from his wife. The man passed away and she was stressing out about the dog. Being an Eskie he of course is the sweetest dog EVER but he clearly had lead a horrible life and was older. MaryAnn didn't know how she was going to pay for his vet care, how she was going to take care of him and what she was going to do.

MaryAnn depended on her husband to take care of everything and she was totally lost without him. MaryAnn didn't drive either.

I told her that I would pay for him to be neutered, have a dental, etc. She made the arrangements took Frosty in and picked Frosty up. I told her if she ever needed anything to let me know. From time to time I called her and checked in, if she needed anything I made sure to get it to her... dog food, grooming for the dog, etc.

Well tonight after the email that made me really upset, she called and said Frosty was sick. She took him to the vet yesterday and was given some medicine but she wasn't able to get him to take it today. She said he went outside this morning and wouldn't come back in. He has been outside on the porch (a slab of concrete) all day.

I finished up what I was doing at work and rushed over to her house. Frosty was laying on the concrete with a blanket over him, drool and or pee all over, coughing and just looking miserable. I picked him up, put him in the car and asked her for the paper work from the vet and the medicine and RUSHED him to my vet. It was 6:30ish and my vet closes at 7pm. Well really their last appointment is 6:40.

Long story short the vet that saw the dog didn't really do anything to help him, the poor dog is suffering and he is now at my vet overnight. My vet told me what was going on or what they could figure out and gave me some options. I said "before I have a total melt down can you please keep him overnight and just make him feel better"

I LOVE MY VET OFFICE!! Seriously, some days I don't know if I could do this dog rescue stuff without them. The tell me how it is, they don't screw me and will do whatever they can for the dogs I bring in.

I came really close to crying today... the stress of everything is really getting to me.

And the funny thing about this story.... MaryAnn doesn't have a contract with me, yet she calls me and tells me when she needs help and doesn't mind me calling to see how everything is going. YET people who do sign contracts try to screw me. isn't that interesting!!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Vets can rock. Soon after we got a new vet into my vet's office, I had to bring in my Bossy Aussie, whom I had found down with a bounding heart beat. She was already on 5 meds. I called, I drove. The new vet kept suggesting meds; I kept saying she was already on them. She was not responding and we sent her to heaven. One thing this vet, now a good friend said, I am learning if you call, someone really does need to be seen. Good for you with the poor Eskie and grieving MaryAnn. I really hope all is well.