It has happened again, folks. Another little needy pup has come into my life and stolen my heart. I can’t really say that I will be keeping this one–my goal is to foster him until he is well and then adopt him out to a permanent, loving home. If no suitable adopter is found, well, I’ve got room for one more, I guess.
On the second day of the new year, this little guy was brought into my veterinary clinic on an emergency basis. He was rushed to the treatment area for triage because he had been run over, not once, but twice by his owners in their driveway. He wasn’t walking, was shocky, had blood in his mouth and, as visible in the picture above, road rash and irritation to his skin. His lungs were harsh and he looked miserable. Of course, because of the trauma, he immediately received an injection of morphine to keep him comfortable until other diagnostics could be performed.
His owners felt horrible. The family had three young boys who always left toys in the driveway, so they assumed that was what they had run over. They literally had no financial means to even pay for the visit, much less any further diagnostics and treatments. To alleviate his suffering, euthanasia was decided upon.
I was involved with his triage, but not with the conversation with his owners. One of my co-workers asked me to go ahead and place an IV catheter in him as we were going to perform a mercy euthanasia. I, like everyone else, knew this was probably the kindest thing as this pup had to have serious internal trauma or, at the least, broken bones. I asked my coworker to give me a minute to just talk with the pup and then I would put the catheter in.
You know what the little guy did? He wiggled his tail. Morphine is a great narcotic and all, but it doesn’t inject gratitude into a dog. He whacked his tail back and forth, faster and faster as I spoke quietly to him. Well, if his tail works, I thought, maybe more of him does, too. I opened his kennel door all the way, stepped back, squatted down and said to him, “Here, little puppy. Come see me.” He heaved himself up and did.
If you follow some of the stories here about Grimm, you know that his tail was his saving grace. It appeared that this pup’s tail would also be his savior. At that point, I had made up my mind. I would tell the family about his extraordinary will and, if they couldn’t treat him, I would ask them to sign ownership over to me.
My coworker came back and said the family was ready to say goodbye to him whenever the catheter was in. I told her that I needed to talk to them first. I went into the exam room to find the mom of the family and her oldest son, who was probably about ten years old. The father and the other young boys were too distraught to be in the clinic, much less the exam room. The child in the room was crying but he had pulled his hoodie over his face to hide the fact and was trying, but not succeeding, to be tough. I explained to them that we still didn’t know the extent of the damages, but that he could walk (with a limp) and was more bright and alert and less shocky. She told me they absolutely could not afford to do anything for the pup. I gave her the option of transferring ownership and she readily agreed. I was very frank with her and told her that if he was too damaged and seemed to be suffering, I would euthanize him. If he lived, I would either place him with a new owner or keep him.
Having that sort of conversation in front of a young kid is hard. I knew her boy loved the pup and was angry at the situation. To see your parents struggle day by day to make ends meet is one thing, but to have it drug out in front of you when a life is on the line has to be excruciating. I sat next to him and talked, really talked, to him. We spoke about the pup and what he meant to him and I told him all about me and my life with dogs. You could see the anger drain from him. All I wanted was for the boy to know that I understood his love for his pup and that I would give the pooch nothing less. After our conversation, he sincerely thanked me for taking care of his dog. Maybe there is hope for the human race, after all.
After I became the four month old pup’s official owner, multiple x-rays were taken and, miraculously, nothing was broken. His lungs were severely bruised, but his diaphragm was intact and his internal organs did not appear crushed or ruptured. I swear this puppy must be made of rubber. Pit bulls are tough, though.
The little pup whose name was “Crash” is now here at my house with me. He coughs some and is still limping on his front leg, but his tail wags faster even than Grimm’s. He is now on oral pain medication and antibiotics for the skin injuries. He was fairly thin and covered in fleas, so I treated him for internal and external parasites, bathed the tire tread marks off him, upped his food intake and confined him to strict crate rest. Zella has already decided he’s her baby and Grimm thinks he makes an awesome little buddy. Charley just sniffed him all over, looked at me as if to say, “Another one?” and went back to sleep. Because Charley was originally run over when I first took him on almost 15 years ago, he and the pup (who needs a new name, by the way) can commiserate together later.
Oh, new year! You didn’t even give me a whole 48 hours before bombarding me with new dilemmas. If I can give a dog a new lease on life, then I won’t complain. Just saying. Hopefully in a few weeks this little guy will be better than new and on his way to a new home…or here with the rest of the crew, devising strategies to make life more entertaining. Either way works for me.
You are such a wonderful person! Thank you for what you did and are doing for this cute little guy!
I had to give the little munchkin a chance. His little soulful hazel eyes, added to his blur of a wagging tail, really left me no choice. I don’t consider myself wonderful, but rather quite a big sucker…or big softie, whichever term works.
Very nice of you to think so, though!:)
He is adorable! We had a client come into my work today ready to euthanize her cat (she is unable to care for her & give her a good life) one of the technicians I work with decided to give her a second chance and adopted her 🙂 it’s not easy for the owners but they are usually very grateful.
I think most technicians get their pets from work!
Yes, almost all of the doctors, technicians and receptionists where I work have acquired pets in this fashion, and we are a modest sized hospital, so lots of critters have found a new lease on life.
The problem is, though, I’m a sucker for pit bulls and they are the most over represented type of dog here (and probably the one breed who seems the most disposable to people). They usually come in the most damaged but their owners tend to be the ones who are severely financially restricted or don’t want to spend any money on treating them when they come in. It’s an uphill battle at times and I feel like I am only throwing pebbles into a giant abyss that needs to be filled. I keep throwing, though, because even enough pebbles can fill a void.
Wow what an amazing start to your New Year!! And what a lucky pup to have been brought to you!! He is adorable, look at those appealing eyes!!! I’m sure he will make a swift and speedy recovery.
He is a fun little guy and never stops wiggling. His original owners sent me a very heartfelt thanks via email yesterday and, in it, she stated, “There were several other places we could have taken him but we were led there [my veterinary hospital] so I believe you truly are his angel…” I think sometimes the powers that be nudge us in certain directions for a reason. This pup was meant to live. What fate has in store for him, I don’t know, but I know he’ll make a difference somewhere.
“crash” is so cute! What a amazing story, you are truly a hero! It makes me so happy that there seem to be more and more wonderful people like you who will rescue, even if you’ve already been amazing already in saving some already. I feel bad for the boy, as it wasn’t his fault his dog got run over or that his parents can’t afford the to treat him, but I am really glad you saved his life.Truly amazing, I am so glad he is getting along with the others too. Will be re-posting this!
He is a cute little guy, in a sort of homely way! He has an underbite, which is pretty funny on him. He really has no neck and he is very barrel chested (and skinny–I can see all his ribs and back vertebrae). We’re working on the fattening up. The boy can eat!
I, too, felt very sad for the young boy. He was losing a little buddy and no one seemed to want to hear his opinion on the matter. That’s why I felt it was important to talk everything through with him as he seemed to be the one in the family who was the most emotionally attached to the pup. He was the one who named him “Crash”, by the way, because he would just “crash out” on the couch next to him and sleep for hours on end.
Awww, I never would have guessed he had that “so ugly he’s cute attribute”from the picture, he looks kinda like a cartoon 🙂 Its sad the parents let “Crash” get to that point where his ribs were showing,I am glad he is in your hands, even if you are poor I find it hard to find a excuse for that, as even homeless people’s dogs still look to be of a relatively healthy weight.That was so nice of you to talk to the boy, I have a feeling your explanation/talking to him far outweighed anything his parents would have said. I hope you find him a home soon, you actually kind of remind me of a youtuber eldad75, he does the same kind of thing you do, he just documents it in videos, quite moving!Will be checking back thttp://wordpress.com/#o see how the gang isdoing!
oh dear, the tears are flowing. Poor little guy, Such a heartwarming story.
Definitely a bittersweet tale. A boy lost his dog, but a pup got to live. The cruelty in the world seems overbearing at times, but it’s the little sparks of hope that make it worthwhile. I just hope that my talk with the boy eased the bitterness that he felt about his family’s and the pup’s situation. To me, easing his pain was just as important as saving the little pooch.
I always well up when I read these sorts of stories!! It’s such a shame that owners are put in that position when accidents happen 😦 I quite like the name Crash! Again – the world is a much better place with people like you in it. Looking forward to reading the pup’s recovery story as it progresses! 😀
I will definitely keep you guys updated! I like the name “Crash”, but part of me feels like a new name will distance him from the trauma suffered in his previous life, if that makes any sense. He doesn’t know his name at all right now, anyway, and for me, whenever I hear “Crash”, I think of him being run over. I don’t want his life to be one of pity. Purely a human issue, as the pup doesn’t care what his name is, but what can I say? We humans attribute too much meaning and emotion to a name, but for us it creates individuality.
For the life of me, I can’t think of anything else at the moment to call him, so he may stay “Crash”. I can’t call him little puppy forever! Any recommendations would be appreciated!
You are such the deal. I don’t think that puppy is going anywhere. Pet your pack for me.
Thanks, Doug! I really like the pup, but it is really too soon to tell. Plus, I feel I am really, seriously in danger of becoming the crazy pit bull lady. Not that I already wasn’t, just more of a cemented fact with one more in the bunch. **Sigh.** I’m in trouble, I know.
Give my best to your family and Coda!
You are a freaking rockstar… I’m serious… you make me proud to know you through blogging. This sweet little pup will have a chance at life because of you. Whether he stays for a while or forever, he’s a lucky boy.
I greatly appreciate the sentiment, Emily. I had to step in…there are already too many injustices in the world. The funny thing is, I wasn’t even supposed to work on Wednesday at all, but got called in because my coworker was ill. Talk about planets aligning! I don’t know…I firmly believe in things happening for a reason, so maybe I was doomed from the beginning. 😉
I don’t know that I’d call it doomed… it was fate!
That brought tears to me eyes – and the pictures! It`s a good job I live on the other side of The Pond or I`d be right over!
Ha Ha! I know, right? Soulful little bugger and stoic like you would not believe! He’s been really good considering he gimps around and coughs a lot, but his tail and back end never stop wiggling! When he gets bigger, his tail is going to be a deadly weapon for sure!
I love a happy ending, and you are an angel!!!
I am really looking forward to reading about his progress, and all the adventures you guys are going to have together.
I appreciate the kind words, especially coming from you as you are an angel, too! Seriously, all the hard work you do for the pups you have is an inspiration to everyone. Plus, the pictures you take of them are phenomenal.
I will definitely keep you guys updated on his progress as he is now a part of the Grimm universe here in my house. The woofers are just as much a part of his rehabilitation as I am.
OMG! How adorable! That face needs a soft comfy couch!
Oh, not to worry. The first thing he did when he got here was to jump on the couch, wrestle with Grimm and Zella, and plop down for a nap. The couch is getting too small for all of us, and it’s a sectional.
He really likes his kennel, though. It’s nice and comfy and he gets to eat something every time he’s in it, so he will run to his kennel (well, gimp really) and wait for treats. I told Grimm to take a lesson from the newbie.
I am glad he is going to be okay. He looks like such a character. Love the ears!!!
They are pretty cute! He has been such a good puppy, is excellent in his kennel and has had no accidents so far in the house. He also walks awesomely on a leash. As soon as his leg has healed, we’ll start more formal training in regards to manners, but he is a little character for sure!
He’s darling. I can’t wait to see pictures after he’s had a chance to heal and put on some weight. You are an angel for taking him in.
He really is sweet and his personality is starting to bloom. I swear, just after 3 days he already looks like a new pup! I was going to post some pictures that I took of him today in a little while.
He has hardly coughed at all today and the leg is less and less gimpy. Puppies recover so darn quick! His skin is already almost healed…amazing to see such a miraculous recovery for him. Plus, I think he’s already gained a few pounds!
I have to agree with you, puppies are like rubber – they bounce back! Glad that there doesn’t seem to be any lasting damage to “Crash”. 🙂
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What an awesome story! It reminds me of my grandparents’ dog, who has since passed away. She was brought into the veterinary clinic where my aunt worked after she had been hit by a car. Her back was broken, her owners didn’t want her, and when my aunt and the vet went to put her down, they couldn’t do it. Because she looked up at them and wagged her tail. My aunt nursed her back to health, and my grandparents fell in love with her. She lived to be about twenty years old. Thanks for making my day once again with one of your heartwarming posts!
Sounds like you have a family full of animal lovers! Such a lucky dog.
I sincerely believe in second chances, especially when a critter shows you that they haven’t yet given up. However, I do know that in some instances, euthanasia can be the kindest thing to do. The ones that could do okay but just aren’t given the opportunity are the ones I feel for.