Oscar's Recovery

Oscar was surrendered 6 months ago and the minute I laid my eyes on him I knew I had to help him. His ears were so infected that they were almost swollen shut, he had over 50% hair loss, almost no muscle mass, and his skin was incredibly swollen, red, infected, and full of scar tissue from self-trauma. You could clearly see the discomfort and pain in his eyes.

We believe Oscar was kept in a crate for a much of his life, which caused him to lose such significant muscle mass that he is now showing signs of mobility issues as well. He was so starved and dehydrated when we first examined him that we had to give him food and water in small amounts so he wouldn't make himself sick by devouring everything we put in front of him.

Over a year old, Oscar didn't know how to walk on a leash, play with toys (or even what they were), or even play with other dogs. He had no understanding of any basic commands. It has been an incredibly long journey and it's not even close to being over.

As you can see, Oscar looks like a completely different dog. He has been treated for everything that could be treated medically. Unfortunately, we are still trying to determine what triggers his flare ups. We started Oscar on allergy medication but, had to stop it when he had a bad reaction. He is currently being managed with Prednisone, a steroid that’s not intended for long-term use as it can cause other negative side effects on his organs. Our vet clinic was able to obtain a generous donation of Atopica, another allergy medication, to get us started with an 8-week trial. If this is successful, Oscar will be able to wean off the Prednisone. Unfortunately, this medication is very expensive and will cost over $450 a month for a dog of Oscar’s size.

Ideally, Oscar should see Dr. Gortel, the amazing dermatologist at Tri Lake Animal Hospital & Referral Centre, so we can find out what he's ultimately allergic to and hopefully, begin to desensitize him with allergy shots so that he won’t need the Atopica for the rest of his life.

This is the medical care that Oscar still needs:

Medication and supplements that he is currently on and still needs:

Even though he physically looks better, I still need to bathe him with a medical shampoo once a week, as well as wash and treat his paws once a day to address his reoccurring flare-ups. We aren't entirely sure what's going on with his ears but, we believe there is likely something stuck at the base of his ear canals (possibly a build-up of wax) which is still causing him pain, prolonged itchiness, and recurring ear infections.

All I want is for this lovely boy to finally feel comfortable, to have a chance at a long and happy life. It breaks my heart that I cannot afford all of the care he needs and deserves. He is such an incredible dog and since I am in school full time, I'm having trouble providing for his medical care alone. I have been fostering Oscar since his surrender; he struggles with separation anxiety and as such, he has become quite attached to me. Oscar is also not just best friends with my other dog, they are inseparable. She has literally taught him how to be a regular dog and he's slowly getting the hang of it. At this point, I couldn’t imagine the potential psychological trauma or medical relapse that he might experience should we try to rehome him so I have officially adopted him.

I am trying my best to provide for him as much as I can but, I admit I need help. It's been a very long road to recovery and it’s not over yet. I'm trying to raise $2000 to cover some of the medical costs listed above. If you can help, anything would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for reading Oscar’s story.

The photos below is of Oscar’s amazing transformation so far. This is in large thanks due to the incredible efforts of Dr. Teresa Keating at Tri Lake Animal Hospital & Referral Centre. We will both be forever grateful for all the patience, time, and energy that she has already invested and continues to put into Oscar's care.