I am one of the forty-seven percent of the U.S. population with a dog in
their home. Like many others I consider my dog, Buster, a part of my family and will always
remember how that came to be.
I was like most eighteen year olds, just out of high school, starting
college for veterinary technology, and going to party. Entering into this small
apartment filled to capacity with people I was immediately greeted by this long
bodied, short legged hound mix. I kneel down and reciprocate the attention and
say to the host, “Your dog is adorable. What is his
name?”
“Buster” responded my friend.
Throughout the night’s activates I had a permanent shadow, being
followed by new furry friend. I sat on a bed and told Angel how great her dog
was. She then proceeded to tell me that she was unable to keep him and that she
has been trying to find a new home for him. Angel began to feel guilty that she
wasn’t able to spend enough time with Buster or have enough money to give him
the care needed, understandably so having a two year old son in the home. While
Buster was given to the new family as a puppy a couple years prior he has never
seen a veterinarian before. Therefore, was intact and never vaccinated, due to
lack of financial resources. I told her that I was very interested in him and I
would love to further discuss the transfer of ownership another night.
A few days later I receive a call from Angel that she would not be able
to give up Buster because her boyfriend of the time also loved him dearly and
couldn’t part ways with him. I of course understood. About a month following the
call a received a text message from Angel saying at this point they could no
longer afford to even provide Buster with food, that is wasn’t fair for him at
this point, and if I were still interested that I could have him. I drove back
to the apartment the next day to find the adorable hound mix running around
outside to eagerly greet me. I came inside to gather some toys and painfully
watch the good-byes and then off we went.
Upon my arrival home Buster was great, minus the fleas, we went for a
walk, played outside, and then went to sleep with him at the foot of the bed.
Then next day I noticed Buster didn’t seem quite himself, lying around more I
assume he was going through his transition phase and was missing his former
family. The following day he did not want to eat and had very loose stool. New
food, new home, I understood. Then day three I finally realized it wasn’t the
change, there was something wrong. I came home from work to find multiple pools
of pure liquid, bloody diarrhea. With buster looking hurt followed by wretching
in the corner. Immediately, I called the veterinarian letting him know that
facts my new, unvaccinated dog, was very sick.
I arrived at my family veterinarian around midnight. The doctor just
pulling into the office from home. We met inside and I put him on the exam room
table, both looking at this sickly dog, head lowered, tail between legs, and
body shaking. The doctor declared he was very dehydrated and very sick; he was
concerned about parvovirus (parvo). Parvo is an extremely contagious intestinal
disease transmitted through feces and a fear for unvaccinated dogs. The virus
causes symptoms such as vomiting, bloody diarrhea, lethargy, a painful abdomen
caused by gastroenteritis, and in many cases death even with treatment. The
signs cause severe dehydration and anorexia which causes the organs to shut down
cause the death of the virus’ victims as oppose to the virus itself. The doctor
gave subcutaneous fluid, an antibiotic injection and ran a parvo test and
informed me that buster should be hospitalized, but only if he makes it through
the night. (McCurnin)
I took my new, very ill dog home, petrified that I wouldn’t be able to
take him back the next day. I stayed up with him all night between the vomiting
and the diarrhea he was much too uncomfortable to sleep. The next morning he was
still there, as painful as ever we went first thing in the morning back the
veterinary hospital were the doctor told me what we feared, that his test
results were back and he was parvo positive. We went over the treatment plan
which came to over $1,000.00 and a week stay in the isolation unit of the
hospital. This was of course before I worked at an animal hospital and was still
just waiting tables trying to get myself through classes so no employee discount
was available. Which brings up the terrible decision do I spend everything I
have on a dog I’ve only had a few days? I agreed putting everything I saved up
towards fronting the bill and hoping he survives through it all. If I did not
take ownership of him he would not have been able to be treated because of his
former families’ financial state.
Every day and some days twice I called there hoping not to receive bad
news. By the fourth day I was finally allowed to come up there and see Buster. I
would walk down a hall and before I could enter this small room I had to dip my
shoes in bleach, I finally enter and see him excited as ever to see me and that
was it, he wasn’t allowed out and I wasn’t allowed to touch him. The doctor
proceeded to tell me his is doing very well so far but he wasn’t out of the
woods yet. Finally, in a few what seemed like forever days I got the call that I
can come pick up my now happy, healthy best
friend.
Works Cited
McCurnin,
Dennis Michael. "Canine Viral Enteritis." Clinical Textbook for Veterinary
Technicians. St. Louis: Saunders of Elsevier, 2010.
207-208.
The
Humane Society of the United States. The Humane Society of the United
States. 30 January 2014.
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/pet_ownership_statistics.html.
16 June 2014.