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Meet my Chow.
Lazaro.
He was born in Columbia. As a puppy, barbed wire was used in place of a collar. He grew and grew, as puppies do, while the barbs continued to cut through his flesh and muscle everyday. In July of 2015, a call came in about a dog with a gaping neck wound, who smelled horribly, and was a nuisance to the surrounding community. He was found nearly decapitated, infested with maggots and parasitic disease. A gofundme page was created in the hopes of raising money for surgery and a flight to the USA. After an overwhelming response, and 3 cargo flights later, Lazaro landed in Buffalo, NY, a healthy, happy puppy, uncertain of what life had in store.
Enter our family.
Do you ever get that feeling that something is just meant to be? That's the feeling I got the first time I saw a photo of Lazaro on the Internet. I was determined to bring him home with us, where I always felt he belonged. I succeeded in doing this on March 28, 2016. The adoption papers were signed, and we officially gained the 5th member of our family.
Life was great. Lazaro's favorite thing to do is go to the park and go swimming in the creek. He loves to go on walks with his brother. He also loves his food! Treats and dinner are both at the top of the list. He is the most gentile soul I've ever known and his laid back demeanor adds to his charm.
On July11, 2016, almost a year to the day he was rescued, we noticed Lazaro had a rather significant nose bleed. We took him right to the vet, which turned into the nightmare that would be the next 3 days. After dozens of tests, it was determined that he has a condition called Chronic Ehrlichiosis. It is a tick disease that he contracted in Columbia that has turned to a severe state. The strain of this specific organism is extremely rare. Lazaro's bleeding lasted for 12 hours and he ultimately needed a blood transfusion and dozens of meds. The general consensus at the hospital is that he is dying and if he bleeds again, no further treatment will be necessary or beneficial.
Lazaro is the heart of our family. We are determined to get a second opinion on his prognosis and diagnosis and there have been discussions of taking him to Cornell, which is home to some of the best Veterinarians in the world. This may sound extreme to some, but Lazaro is only 2 years old, and after all he has overcome in his short lifetime, he doesn't deserve to go out this way.
Unfortunately, it costs money for his paws to even walk into the door of any clinic. Lazaro's 2 night stay at the emergency hospital cost us $1600.00. I have totally drained our savings account and opened another credit card. If Cornell does not end up being a viable option, we will be searching for local vets who specialize in extreme cases such as Lazaro's.
For anyone who would like to donate to this cause, I can whole-heartedly promise you that we are working as much as we can to bring in as much income as we can on our end, as well. I am not totally relying on donations. I want you guys to know I am putting in the work. I am working on cutting costs in other areas of our life, to contribute as much towards Lazaro's care as possible.
*Your generous gift will be used directly for the cost of medication, lab work, any necessary scans, transfusions, and help towards the bill if we make it to Cornell. It will not be used for any travel accommodations relating to that trip. All donations will contribute to current and future care. It will NOT be used to compensate for any past treatment he has received.
In the event that Lazaro does not make it through, despite exploring every avenue of treatment, the extra funds will be used for his cremation costs, so that we can bring him home.
(I have included some photos at the very end of this post of how Lazaro looked when his new journey in life was about to begin. CAUTION: They are graphic)
Lazaro.
He was born in Columbia. As a puppy, barbed wire was used in place of a collar. He grew and grew, as puppies do, while the barbs continued to cut through his flesh and muscle everyday. In July of 2015, a call came in about a dog with a gaping neck wound, who smelled horribly, and was a nuisance to the surrounding community. He was found nearly decapitated, infested with maggots and parasitic disease. A gofundme page was created in the hopes of raising money for surgery and a flight to the USA. After an overwhelming response, and 3 cargo flights later, Lazaro landed in Buffalo, NY, a healthy, happy puppy, uncertain of what life had in store.
Enter our family.
Do you ever get that feeling that something is just meant to be? That's the feeling I got the first time I saw a photo of Lazaro on the Internet. I was determined to bring him home with us, where I always felt he belonged. I succeeded in doing this on March 28, 2016. The adoption papers were signed, and we officially gained the 5th member of our family.
Life was great. Lazaro's favorite thing to do is go to the park and go swimming in the creek. He loves to go on walks with his brother. He also loves his food! Treats and dinner are both at the top of the list. He is the most gentile soul I've ever known and his laid back demeanor adds to his charm.
On July11, 2016, almost a year to the day he was rescued, we noticed Lazaro had a rather significant nose bleed. We took him right to the vet, which turned into the nightmare that would be the next 3 days. After dozens of tests, it was determined that he has a condition called Chronic Ehrlichiosis. It is a tick disease that he contracted in Columbia that has turned to a severe state. The strain of this specific organism is extremely rare. Lazaro's bleeding lasted for 12 hours and he ultimately needed a blood transfusion and dozens of meds. The general consensus at the hospital is that he is dying and if he bleeds again, no further treatment will be necessary or beneficial.
Lazaro is the heart of our family. We are determined to get a second opinion on his prognosis and diagnosis and there have been discussions of taking him to Cornell, which is home to some of the best Veterinarians in the world. This may sound extreme to some, but Lazaro is only 2 years old, and after all he has overcome in his short lifetime, he doesn't deserve to go out this way.
Unfortunately, it costs money for his paws to even walk into the door of any clinic. Lazaro's 2 night stay at the emergency hospital cost us $1600.00. I have totally drained our savings account and opened another credit card. If Cornell does not end up being a viable option, we will be searching for local vets who specialize in extreme cases such as Lazaro's.
For anyone who would like to donate to this cause, I can whole-heartedly promise you that we are working as much as we can to bring in as much income as we can on our end, as well. I am not totally relying on donations. I want you guys to know I am putting in the work. I am working on cutting costs in other areas of our life, to contribute as much towards Lazaro's care as possible.
*Your generous gift will be used directly for the cost of medication, lab work, any necessary scans, transfusions, and help towards the bill if we make it to Cornell. It will not be used for any travel accommodations relating to that trip. All donations will contribute to current and future care. It will NOT be used to compensate for any past treatment he has received.
In the event that Lazaro does not make it through, despite exploring every avenue of treatment, the extra funds will be used for his cremation costs, so that we can bring him home.
(I have included some photos at the very end of this post of how Lazaro looked when his new journey in life was about to begin. CAUTION: They are graphic)