Hi, I am the owner and Momma of this wonderful 3 year old Old English Sheepdog named Bennington AKA Bennie. On Thursday, Aug 26 Bennie started showing signs of being under the weather. Not quite interested in drinking or eating but was doing his business (although much less frequently), and most alarming was the color of his urine. I called my vet that day and they set up an appointment to see him the following Tuesday. They advised me that if he stops eating, drinking, or going to the bathroom that I should call them immediately. That day came on Sunday, Aug 29th. I called the vet first thing Monday to let them know and they had him come in for some blood tests. Things just got worse with no eating and the lethargy. I even tried feeding him ground turkey. By Tuesday he was not himself at all and I knew something must be really wrong. Blood test results from Monday confirmed this on Tuesday afternoon. Bennie's Kidney's were failing. He had significantly raised kidney levels of 17.8 creatinine (normal pups are less than 1.6). The vet called the two emergency veterinary animal hospitals in our area but ultimately sent me to Foster Hospital for Small Animals (which is Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University). Bennie has been there ever since. He has had two rounds of dialysis. His platelets were non-existent and he was not producing urine as well. He has had a PICC line put in, an esophageal feeding tube, catheter, and tons of care to get him on the path to recovery (antibiotics, anxiety meds, blood pressure meds, lasix). What was the underlying culprit? All signs lead to Leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a disease caused by infection with Leptospira bacteria. These bacteria can be found worldwide in soil and water. There are many strains of Leptospira bacteria that can cause disease. Dogs can become infected and develop leptospirosis if their mucous membranes (or skin with any wound, such as a cut or scrape) come into contact with infected urine, urine-contaminated soil, water, food or bedding. We still have no idea how he contracted it. According tot he doctor, even lap dogs who don't go outside have come through with it. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/leptospirosis-in-dogs-the-disease-and-how-to-test-for-it

While this has been a major emotional rollercoaster for me, it has also been an awesome financial responsibility as well. Bennie, being a young 3 year old otherwise healthy boy needed this treatment and I have no doubt in my mind he would not be with us today had he not been sent to Tufts in North Grafton. They have been amazing in his care, communication, and overall dedication to my boy. Bennie is still not in the clear. While his levels of creatine continue to go down, he still is not at a safe enough level to go home. While his case was considered acute, he will most certainly be considered a chronic kidney patient now. He is also producing 10x as much urine as his body normally should which means he needs the hospital to ensure he's getting ample fluids as to not dehydrate his kidneys during the healing process. Any words of encouragement, prayers, and financial contributions are much appreciated (His vet bills are over 10k and climbing) . All funds will be allocated towards his long list of medical bills. We have a long road to go but I am certain with all this support from friends and family it will all be OK :)