Bonnie's Battle: Hospitalization and Surgeries
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Please help us save our little girl! Bonnie is a 5 year old terrier mix that we rescued from the shelter back in 2016. She has been in the ICU unit at Veterinary Specialists of Birmingham for the past 14 days after she went into septic shock due to wounds from a recent dog attack becoming infected. Please read more about Bonnie's story below.
Two weeks ago on 10/15, Bonnie got into a fight with another dog. Her injuries were fairly extensive (multiple bite and puncture wounds, torn blood vessel and exposed cartilage in her right ear, and a penetrating mouth wound), but they were not necessarily critical and she was stable. She got fixed up at our local vet in Tuscaloosa with multiple sutures, staples and a drain under her chin ($700). The next day, Friday, Bonnie still wouldn't eat or drink anything and by the evening we could tell that something wasn't right and we rushed her to the 24 hour emergency vet hospital at Veterinary Specialists of Birmingham (VSB), about an hour away from our house. By the time she arrived at VSB Bonnie was very lethargic and couldn't stand up on her own. She was rushed to the back where they immediately started IV fluids, ran bloodwork and did x-rays to make sure she didn't have any internal damage from the fight that wasn't initially seen. The vet came in and told us that she was in septic shock: her white blood cell count was very low, her pulse was weak, her blood pressure was low and her blood sugar was low as well. Basically, her body's internal defenses were completely overwhelmed by an infection. Bonnie would not have made it through the night if she hadn't gotten help at VSB.
Bonnie has been at VSB in their ICU since Friday, October 16th. On Monday, October 19th she had to have surgery to remove the source of the sepsis: several large abscesses that had formed under the skin at her bite wounds. While Bonnie was very sick, she made it through the surgery! She now has to have her bandages changed every day, which requires her to be sedated. We are hopeful that she is on the upward trend but she still has a very long ways to go and will likely have to stay at VSB for at least another week.
The care Bonnie has received at VSB has been exceptional! The vets, vet techs, and receptionists have all been amazing. This wonderful care, however, comes at cost. The total original estimated cost for Bonnie's stay is $7000 to $9000, although it's possible it could be more, especially if she needs to stay longer. While some people might be shocked that we would spend $10,000 to save a dog, she is MUCH MORE than just a dog: she is our baby girl who has so much life left to live and love to give. Bonnie is young (about 5-6yo) and otherwise healthy, so she potentially has many more years left to be with us. We knew we could not look back at this time and be able to live with ourselves if we didn't do everything we could for Bonnie because of money, but you probably feel the same way if you're still reading this.
We would be eternally grateful for any amount that you could donate to go towards her medical costs at Veterinary Specialists of Birmingham!! If a miracle happens and we get more money than is due for her medical bills, the excess money will be donated to an amazing rescue organization: Canine Compassion Fund. CCF was one of the organizations the helped us find Bonnie back in January 2016.
Bonnie's freedom ride with her new Mom, Dad, and brother, Steve, on January 22, 2016 ❤️
Two weeks ago on 10/15, Bonnie got into a fight with another dog. Her injuries were fairly extensive (multiple bite and puncture wounds, torn blood vessel and exposed cartilage in her right ear, and a penetrating mouth wound), but they were not necessarily critical and she was stable. She got fixed up at our local vet in Tuscaloosa with multiple sutures, staples and a drain under her chin ($700). The next day, Friday, Bonnie still wouldn't eat or drink anything and by the evening we could tell that something wasn't right and we rushed her to the 24 hour emergency vet hospital at Veterinary Specialists of Birmingham (VSB), about an hour away from our house. By the time she arrived at VSB Bonnie was very lethargic and couldn't stand up on her own. She was rushed to the back where they immediately started IV fluids, ran bloodwork and did x-rays to make sure she didn't have any internal damage from the fight that wasn't initially seen. The vet came in and told us that she was in septic shock: her white blood cell count was very low, her pulse was weak, her blood pressure was low and her blood sugar was low as well. Basically, her body's internal defenses were completely overwhelmed by an infection. Bonnie would not have made it through the night if she hadn't gotten help at VSB.
Bonnie has been at VSB in their ICU since Friday, October 16th. On Monday, October 19th she had to have surgery to remove the source of the sepsis: several large abscesses that had formed under the skin at her bite wounds. While Bonnie was very sick, she made it through the surgery! She now has to have her bandages changed every day, which requires her to be sedated. We are hopeful that she is on the upward trend but she still has a very long ways to go and will likely have to stay at VSB for at least another week.
The care Bonnie has received at VSB has been exceptional! The vets, vet techs, and receptionists have all been amazing. This wonderful care, however, comes at cost. The total original estimated cost for Bonnie's stay is $7000 to $9000, although it's possible it could be more, especially if she needs to stay longer. While some people might be shocked that we would spend $10,000 to save a dog, she is MUCH MORE than just a dog: she is our baby girl who has so much life left to live and love to give. Bonnie is young (about 5-6yo) and otherwise healthy, so she potentially has many more years left to be with us. We knew we could not look back at this time and be able to live with ourselves if we didn't do everything we could for Bonnie because of money, but you probably feel the same way if you're still reading this.
We would be eternally grateful for any amount that you could donate to go towards her medical costs at Veterinary Specialists of Birmingham!! If a miracle happens and we get more money than is due for her medical bills, the excess money will be donated to an amazing rescue organization: Canine Compassion Fund. CCF was one of the organizations the helped us find Bonnie back in January 2016.
Bonnie's freedom ride with her new Mom, Dad, and brother, Steve, on January 22, 2016 ❤️Organisator
Kathryn DeTore Oswalt
Organisator
Northport, AL