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Last Sunday (9/15) was one of the happiest days of our lives, as we brought our Goldador puppy, Jerry, home; however, come 3:00am the next morning, Jerry's health suddenly declined, so we rushed him to the ER where we received devastating news-- he was suffering from the potentially fatal Canine Parvovirus ("Parvo").
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Parvo, it is a disease that attacks a dog's GI tract, causing vomiting, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, lack of appetite, lethargy, and depression. Since Parvo is a virus, there is no cure-- there are only supportive treatments that prevent dehydration or secondary infection until the dog's immune system is able to fight off the disease.
The vet said that Parvo is essentially a rollercoaster ride with no promise of survival, and she did not blame us if we opted to immediately put him to sleep, rather than bear the financial burden of several days of hospitalization. To TJ and I, there was no choice. God trusted us with this puppy, so we are going to continue to do everything in our power to try and heal him.
Upon receiving Jerry's diagnosis, we tried to contact the breeder so that he could notify the other puppy parents, as Parvo is highly contagious, and possibly refund our payment to offset some of the medical bills. Unfortunately, he disconnected his phone line, so we have no way of reaching him. The only explanation we can think of is that he knew Jerry and his siblings were sick but sold them anyway. Our hearts cannot fathom how someone could be that cruel, but we have chosen to release our anger and forgive so that we can put all of our strength towards ensuring Jerry's recovery.
It is now Jerry's 5th day at the hospital, and we are blowing through our savings, as the bill is quickly approaching $10,000. Most dogs who survive the first 3-4 days of Parvo go on to make a full recovery; however, the recovery times may vary. Some puppies need as many as 11 days in the hospital.
We will not allow finances to keep Jerry from winning this battle. If you are able to, please consider donating to help save Jerry's life. We are a young, newly married, military couple, so every dollar truly makes a difference. Regardless of whether you are able to donate, please keep Jerry in your prayers-- As Mark 11:24 says, "whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
Thank you for helping bear our burden as we do everything in our power to save our sweet boy. We pray for the day that he is able to give each and every one of you all of the puppy kisses to show his gratitude. In the meantime, please hug your pets a little tighter tonight for us.
With love,
TJ and Olivia Powers
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Parvo, it is a disease that attacks a dog's GI tract, causing vomiting, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, lack of appetite, lethargy, and depression. Since Parvo is a virus, there is no cure-- there are only supportive treatments that prevent dehydration or secondary infection until the dog's immune system is able to fight off the disease.
The vet said that Parvo is essentially a rollercoaster ride with no promise of survival, and she did not blame us if we opted to immediately put him to sleep, rather than bear the financial burden of several days of hospitalization. To TJ and I, there was no choice. God trusted us with this puppy, so we are going to continue to do everything in our power to try and heal him.
Upon receiving Jerry's diagnosis, we tried to contact the breeder so that he could notify the other puppy parents, as Parvo is highly contagious, and possibly refund our payment to offset some of the medical bills. Unfortunately, he disconnected his phone line, so we have no way of reaching him. The only explanation we can think of is that he knew Jerry and his siblings were sick but sold them anyway. Our hearts cannot fathom how someone could be that cruel, but we have chosen to release our anger and forgive so that we can put all of our strength towards ensuring Jerry's recovery.
It is now Jerry's 5th day at the hospital, and we are blowing through our savings, as the bill is quickly approaching $10,000. Most dogs who survive the first 3-4 days of Parvo go on to make a full recovery; however, the recovery times may vary. Some puppies need as many as 11 days in the hospital.
We will not allow finances to keep Jerry from winning this battle. If you are able to, please consider donating to help save Jerry's life. We are a young, newly married, military couple, so every dollar truly makes a difference. Regardless of whether you are able to donate, please keep Jerry in your prayers-- As Mark 11:24 says, "whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
Thank you for helping bear our burden as we do everything in our power to save our sweet boy. We pray for the day that he is able to give each and every one of you all of the puppy kisses to show his gratitude. In the meantime, please hug your pets a little tighter tonight for us.
With love,
TJ and Olivia Powers