Help Herbert Heal



Herbert is a 5 month old rescue puppy out of Fulton County, Georgia. He was rescued from a house fire alongside 90 other dogs that were being hoarded in horrific conditions. I was drawn to him instantly. He is a sweet, tough pup, but has been quite ill lately.

He has been vomiting and lethargic, with a swollen and distended belly. He just wants to be held by his mama. He was rushed to the emergency vet on Monday, March 12 where they did blood work, took X-rays, set him up with an IV, and performed an ultrasound. His liver, pancreas, and intestines are quite inflamed. His liver enzymes were very elevated which (along with his symptoms) led the veterinarians to believe that he is fighting pancreatitis and a GI infection. He is making improvements, but we have a long road ahead of hospital stays and follow-up appointments (including seeing an internal medicine specialist) once he is home. The vets at his animal hospital haven’t seen a case quite like his but they are very hopeful he will be home soon.

***Update: Herbert had major abdominal surgery on Monday, March 19 - they were able to remove the fluid in his stomach, place a stint in one of the ducts near his gallbladder, and take biopsies of the liver, pancreas, and intestines. They were also able to see that there are no obstructions or blockages.

***Update on biopsy results: they were less than helpful. They simply showed severe inflammation. We do know he’s fighting a bacteria that’s so far hard to beat. Herbie came home at the end of March but is still receiving medicinal treatment and returning to the vet frequently for follow-ups.

***Update as of April 15th: Herbie’s white blood cell count and liver enzymes have continued to rise in a way that is very concerning in spite of medicinal treatment.
Yesterday (April 14), Herbie received his first Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment. These are 90-minute treatments known to help severe inflammation, pancreatitis, gastrointestinal and infections. White blood cell counts and liver enzymes have been known to return to normal with this treatment. Herbie will be spending a few days in Athens, GA starting tomorrow April 16 to receive 8 more hyperbaric oxygen treatments. We will re-evaluate on Thursday afternoon following a blood work recheck. Please pray that these help him heal! He will continue to receive medicinal treatment as well.

***Update as of April 23: On Thursday (April 19), I received a call from the vet saying that despite the many hyperbaric oxygen treatments he had receive, Herbie took a turn for the worse. He is now at the University of Georgia’s Vet Hospital where he is receiving supportive care and where they are working to get to the bottom of his sickness. PLEASE pray, donate if you are able, and share his story!

The emergency vet, surgery, post-operative care, and treatments are incredibly expensive and adding up fast! I am asking for help in covering the costs of his emergency and medical care. Herbert means the world to me and every little bit helps. I am a second-year grad student who simply doesn’t have thousands of dollars lying around. Herbert and I will be forever grateful for any donation no matter how small.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every donation, sharing of his GoFundMe, prayer, positive vibe, and love sent our way. Herbie and I can't imagine this journey without caring and compassionate people like you.

For those who don’t know, sweet Herbie passed away on April 29th around 11:50 pm in my arms. He fought so hard but lost so much muscle mass along the way that he was having a hard time breathing. I miss him every day but each contribution made to his medical care allowed us to have more precious time with him. Your donations mean the world. ❤️ If you are still feeling led to donate, I will put that money toward his vet bills. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.