Cautiously Optimistic...

First, a correction to the information in the last post.  The 11 dogs that were surrendered were only the first group.  The next day, the lady was back with 20 more.  It was a full-blown puppy mill operation. 

When I first saw Callie, (as I have decided to nickname her) I was a little shocked.  The pictures that I posted yesterday were actually quite flattering.  She looked worse in person.   The shelter definitely down-played the severity of her condition.  As I sat in the parking lot of McDonald's where I met the shelter director, picking the dying fleas off of her recently insecticide-coated body, I actually wondered what I had gotten us into. She stood in front of me, wobbling back and forth on her weak, decrepit legs.  She was a mess.  Her left rear paw was swollen and red and obviously painful.  She tried not to put weight on it, but the other rear leg was too weak to hold her up on it's own.  So, she swayed.  She spread her legs out as far as she could to try to keep her balance and not fold to the ground.  Her head had two oddly shaped scars, one on top, and one between her eyes.  One of her eyes had a clouded glaze over it, resembling a cataract.  And she seemed completely indifferent to everything that was going on around her.  These were my initial observations.

When we got her home, we didn't concern ourselves with dog introductions.  It was clear that she was in no shape to be around the others.  Instead, we made up the "guest room" for her.  As I showed her the dog bed, and she looked at me expressionless, I realized that it was likely the first time she was ever given a soft bed to lay on.  Perhaps the first time she was given a quiet, cool room to sleep in too. 

In the morning, we realized that she had thrown up her dinner and I couldn't convince her to eat breakfast either.  My worries were increasing.  Our appointment was at noon.

The looks on the faces of the vet and techs told me that they shared my fears.  This is one sick dog.  Dr. Butler immediately listened to her heart and discovered that her heart rate was extremely slow.  Her body temperature was low as well, which was hard to believe on an 84 degree day.  That told us that she isn't getting very good circulation.  We did a full blood work-up, expecting to confirm the worst.  To our surprise, the blood work came back pretty normal, especially for a dog in her condition.  Good news.  Under the light of the scope, the doctor discovered that the cloudy eye was caused by a scar on her cornea.  I assume it happened at the same time as the rest of her head injuries.  That is actually good news too.  She can see out of it, and unlike a cataract, it won't get any worse.  As far as the rear legs go, there is little that can be done diagnostically until she gains some strength back.  Unfortunately, it could be neurological, but, it may just be extreme weakness and muscle decay from lack of nutrition and being cooped up in a kennel her whole life.  If she starts to gain weight, and is still lame,  X-rays and more testing will need to be done.  She is too sick to handle the antibiotics for her swollen foot, so that will have to wait too.  Dr. Butler found a couple of small masses that will need to be biopsied and removed, eventually.   The list just goes on and on.  Before we get to that point, we need to get some weight on her.  I have a few different medicines and some vitamins to help.  She needs to make it through the next two weeks.   When we go in for our recheck, they will be able to give a more accurate long-term prognosis. 

If she can make it through the physical disaster that she has become, I think she will be a great dog.  She isn't really afraid of people, just unsure.  She doesn't understand affection.  She doesn't back away, she just stares.  She has a blank look on her face almost all of the time.  I know her personality is in there somewhere, she just needs the chance to find it.  There is a quote that I read just the other day, referring to what becomes of dogs forced to live in cages for long periods of time.  It's from the new Book "The Lost Dogs" , by Jim Gorant, which is the complete story of the Michael Vick dogs. 

"They are no longer Kinetic, but each is simply potential energy now, a possibility, a hope, a dog waiting to happen"

That is Callie.  She is a dog waiting to happen.  We will give her every opportunity.  She will be made comfortable here.  No matter the outcome, she will never go to bed hungry or thirsty again.  She will be loved.