Wrangler's Chance at Life
Donation protected
To our friends, Wrangler fan club members, and animal lovers of the world, we are reaching out for your help.
Let me begin by saying that we don't do this lightly, as we know there are so many causes in the world today that need help. From personal tragedies, medical care for children and those with cancer, ending hunger. The world just needs help, and we get that. So it is not without that understanding that our family asks for help for our little guy, our pup.
For the last year we have been avidly treating Wrangler for what we thought were severe allergies. When I say "treating", I mean we have been at the vet at least monthly, if not more often, to try to find relief for his symptoms which included a very snotty snoot, sneezing, swollen eyes . . your typical allergy symptoms. His nose has been scoped, we've had special serums made to help him fight allergens, he's been on a myriad of pills, pain relievers, antibiotics, you name it. We've done everything we can to give him relief, keep him comfortable, and just try to figure out what is going on with our fella.
About 1 month ago we took him off of antibiotics after about 8 months. After that long, what can they really be doing anyway? Well, we got our answer quickly. Two weeks later he was lethargic, barely eating, sleeping in the closet. We all know what those signs mean, so we took him back in frantically asking for help. It was at that time we realized we had been treating a secondary problem and had not actually found the source of his issues yet. We put him back on antibiotics, this time a different and stronger kind to see if he would rebound. If he did, we knew our next option would be to seek help at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO (about 6 hours from us here on the Western Slope). Peter, I, and Wrangler took the next few days to go camping to get quality time together, have some hard conversations, and see if he would respond to the new meds. For those of you that know me well, you know I think first with my heart and only after with my head. Peter is my stability, my sense of reason. After talking, crying, and lots of snotty snuggles with our guy, we came to the conclusion that if he rebounded on the new meds we would take him to CSU. We would let him tell us if he was ready to go or wanted to fight, and we vowed to respect what he told us.
You guys, he rebounded like you wouldn't believe. His energy improved, his eyes were bright, his tail was super waggy. He was not ready, and of course, neither were we!
On Wednesday, July 18th, we had an appointment with CSU. Prior to going we got a blood test done to check for traces of fungus, as that was where everyone was leaning toward at that point. We paid to overnight the test to CSU from Montrose, packed up our guy, and after Peter got out of work Tuesday we hit the road to Denver. At 12:00 Wednesday we had our first appointment which included blood tests, x-rays, and discussions with the docs to determine what we could do to find out what was going on with our boy. All tests came back fine, so we scheduled a CT scan and rhinoscopy (scoping the nose) for Friday. Peter had to return to work, but Wrangler and I stayed in Denver while waiting to get in for his procedures.
Friday morning, little man and I were back at CSU for his big day. We got there early (this Momma wasn't sleeping anyway), and we got to have some quiet time together before everything got started. At 9:30 they took him back. First would be CT Scan, then rhinoscopy. It was 3:30 before I heard anything (Friday was a terribly long day).
The first thing they said was they found no traces of cancer. At first, I thought this was good news. As it turns out, cancer is easier to treat than what is actually going on.
Diagnosis : the fungal infection in his nose is severe. It was probably picked up in Virginia (they have had other cases in VA dogs that were this severe). It has eaten away at his septum (which isn't really there anymore), his ocular bone around his right eye, and is beginning to eat at the bone that separates his sinus from his brain. As it turns out, some of the treatments we've been doing were feeding the fungus. So not only have we not been treating correctly, we've possibly been helping it along. To say I was/am a heartbroken mess is an understatement. We've had it all wrong all along. (Let me say here, our vet(s) are compassionate, caring folks who have done everything they knew to do. We and they just didn't know.) Peter and I have not yet been blessed with human children, but we love this dog as if I carried him in my own womb. This news was devastating.
We have been given a few treatment options, but the only one that will get rid of the problem is to perform another rhinoscopy while scraping the fungus away and a debridement of the infected bone in his nose and sinus. This is no small procedure (he'd be on the table at least 4 hours) and it comes with some risks.
I want to be fully transparent about what we're looking at with this procedure:
- We are limited on time. If we can get this thing going within the next few weeks then we don't have to have another CT scan done before the procedure. If we have to redo the CT, we're looking at another $1500 before we can move on toward the procedure.
- We could lose him on the table. Because the bones toward his brain and his right eye have been compromised, there are risks such as blindness and even him having a seizure on the table and not recovering. These aren't small risks, but the alternative is to watch his pain increase, or to give him pills that will cost the same as the procedure over time and kill his liver over a short period of time.
- We may have to do the procedure again. The first treatment has a 56% chance of working. This isn't as high as we'd like, but they have had cases this bad that have worked with the first treatment, so there's hope.
What we're asking for is help from those that wish to give (and are financially able to give) our boy more time loving life and being with his people. Our guy isn't ready to give up the fight! However, Peter and I have exhausted our funds trying to find a solution for the last year and taking him to CSU for the diagnostic procedures last week.
It is important to us that you all know that any money given will go toward his procedures ONLY. Travelling expenses will be on us, we'll figure that part out somehow. Any money that is given that we don't use will be given to CSU to give other pet parents a chance to save their baby. Every dollar given will go toward helping a beloved furry companion, whether it is our boy or someone else's beloved family member.
Let me begin by saying that we don't do this lightly, as we know there are so many causes in the world today that need help. From personal tragedies, medical care for children and those with cancer, ending hunger. The world just needs help, and we get that. So it is not without that understanding that our family asks for help for our little guy, our pup.
For the last year we have been avidly treating Wrangler for what we thought were severe allergies. When I say "treating", I mean we have been at the vet at least monthly, if not more often, to try to find relief for his symptoms which included a very snotty snoot, sneezing, swollen eyes . . your typical allergy symptoms. His nose has been scoped, we've had special serums made to help him fight allergens, he's been on a myriad of pills, pain relievers, antibiotics, you name it. We've done everything we can to give him relief, keep him comfortable, and just try to figure out what is going on with our fella.
About 1 month ago we took him off of antibiotics after about 8 months. After that long, what can they really be doing anyway? Well, we got our answer quickly. Two weeks later he was lethargic, barely eating, sleeping in the closet. We all know what those signs mean, so we took him back in frantically asking for help. It was at that time we realized we had been treating a secondary problem and had not actually found the source of his issues yet. We put him back on antibiotics, this time a different and stronger kind to see if he would rebound. If he did, we knew our next option would be to seek help at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO (about 6 hours from us here on the Western Slope). Peter, I, and Wrangler took the next few days to go camping to get quality time together, have some hard conversations, and see if he would respond to the new meds. For those of you that know me well, you know I think first with my heart and only after with my head. Peter is my stability, my sense of reason. After talking, crying, and lots of snotty snuggles with our guy, we came to the conclusion that if he rebounded on the new meds we would take him to CSU. We would let him tell us if he was ready to go or wanted to fight, and we vowed to respect what he told us.
You guys, he rebounded like you wouldn't believe. His energy improved, his eyes were bright, his tail was super waggy. He was not ready, and of course, neither were we!
On Wednesday, July 18th, we had an appointment with CSU. Prior to going we got a blood test done to check for traces of fungus, as that was where everyone was leaning toward at that point. We paid to overnight the test to CSU from Montrose, packed up our guy, and after Peter got out of work Tuesday we hit the road to Denver. At 12:00 Wednesday we had our first appointment which included blood tests, x-rays, and discussions with the docs to determine what we could do to find out what was going on with our boy. All tests came back fine, so we scheduled a CT scan and rhinoscopy (scoping the nose) for Friday. Peter had to return to work, but Wrangler and I stayed in Denver while waiting to get in for his procedures.
Friday morning, little man and I were back at CSU for his big day. We got there early (this Momma wasn't sleeping anyway), and we got to have some quiet time together before everything got started. At 9:30 they took him back. First would be CT Scan, then rhinoscopy. It was 3:30 before I heard anything (Friday was a terribly long day).
The first thing they said was they found no traces of cancer. At first, I thought this was good news. As it turns out, cancer is easier to treat than what is actually going on.
Diagnosis : the fungal infection in his nose is severe. It was probably picked up in Virginia (they have had other cases in VA dogs that were this severe). It has eaten away at his septum (which isn't really there anymore), his ocular bone around his right eye, and is beginning to eat at the bone that separates his sinus from his brain. As it turns out, some of the treatments we've been doing were feeding the fungus. So not only have we not been treating correctly, we've possibly been helping it along. To say I was/am a heartbroken mess is an understatement. We've had it all wrong all along. (Let me say here, our vet(s) are compassionate, caring folks who have done everything they knew to do. We and they just didn't know.) Peter and I have not yet been blessed with human children, but we love this dog as if I carried him in my own womb. This news was devastating.
We have been given a few treatment options, but the only one that will get rid of the problem is to perform another rhinoscopy while scraping the fungus away and a debridement of the infected bone in his nose and sinus. This is no small procedure (he'd be on the table at least 4 hours) and it comes with some risks.
I want to be fully transparent about what we're looking at with this procedure:
- We are limited on time. If we can get this thing going within the next few weeks then we don't have to have another CT scan done before the procedure. If we have to redo the CT, we're looking at another $1500 before we can move on toward the procedure.
- We could lose him on the table. Because the bones toward his brain and his right eye have been compromised, there are risks such as blindness and even him having a seizure on the table and not recovering. These aren't small risks, but the alternative is to watch his pain increase, or to give him pills that will cost the same as the procedure over time and kill his liver over a short period of time.
- We may have to do the procedure again. The first treatment has a 56% chance of working. This isn't as high as we'd like, but they have had cases this bad that have worked with the first treatment, so there's hope.
What we're asking for is help from those that wish to give (and are financially able to give) our boy more time loving life and being with his people. Our guy isn't ready to give up the fight! However, Peter and I have exhausted our funds trying to find a solution for the last year and taking him to CSU for the diagnostic procedures last week.
It is important to us that you all know that any money given will go toward his procedures ONLY. Travelling expenses will be on us, we'll figure that part out somehow. Any money that is given that we don't use will be given to CSU to give other pet parents a chance to save their baby. Every dollar given will go toward helping a beloved furry companion, whether it is our boy or someone else's beloved family member.
Organizer
Katie Dubinski
Organizer
Montrose, CO
