This is a very sad story for everyone. A tiny sick, emaciated, dehydrated chihuahua was brought into the shelter on a ten day stray hold. Carole Sax a fantastic rescuer bailed the dog as soon as she could. SavingK9Lives bailed the dog March 25, 2013 and took her to the vet. The vet letter stated the dog was very emaciated, had mouth ulcers, a cough and nasal discharge, see vet letter below.
The rescue stated, "Miracle was found in a box at Los Angeles Downey Shelter. She is 2 lbs only one year old. She was starved and had eaten something toxic possibly meth or an electrical cord." Here is their photo. The purple is spray used for fleas or fly strike I think. Because it was left in a box with no note it was considered stray with possible owner. It's possible the owner neglected it then dumped it just like poor Otto. Dog was bailed March 25 and died March 31 seven days later.
After the vet visit they posted this, "The vet said she has severe necrosis tissue in her mouth and ulcerations. Her bloodwork and X-rays were actually good. She is severely dehydrated and starving to death cause its too painful for her to eat. She likely got into something caustic like lye or chewed on wires or some type of caustic drugs. The purple stuff is gentian violet not caustic . She is hospitalizing her putting her on fluids and antibiotics and pain meds. Time will tell if all works but she is cautiously optimistic."
Here is the first video. Dog is alert, eyes look shiney, has some energy but has labored breathing.
I don't have all the facts yet but I'm going on what I know so far. I feel the death of this dog may have been preventable if he were allowed out of the shelter earlier or treated more rigorously in the shelter. He could have been fostered or perhaps given better medical care. I don't have a necropsy report so I don't know for sure. It's possible the dog was too far gone when he arrived at the shelter as a stray. It's also possible that the person who dropped him off might have been the owner who just didn't want to pay the $25 fee. Perhaps the owner was embarrassed because the dog chewed a wire and was burned or ate poison and they didn't take him to the vet. You never know with these animals.
Here is the vet letter
Carole Sax posted this yesterday.
"Everyone, our beloved Miracle passed away this morning. My heart is broken and I'm full of tears. If she only had some meat on her tiny body she could have fought this off. We will have vet records and photos, the shelter killed this dog. If only we could have got to her sooner she would have never gotten pneumonia. Fleas were not the problem like stated in the report, her mouth was burned she could not eat. I'm sick to my stomach. Thanks everyone for your donations and prayers."
First I wrote an article about treating severely emaciated, dehydrated, ill and injured animals. Here it is.
http://animaladvocateswildliferehabilitation.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-to-care-for-severely-emaciated.html
The dog was at the Los Angeles County shelter. Dogs with possible owners are held on a ten day stray hold so the owner can find the animal. We are in puppy, kitten season so I'm sure the shelter is full. The County shelter is not that well funded. They take in many animals.
In this situation the dog came in severely emaciated, dehydrated with burns in her mouth. She wanted to eat which is a good sign but she couldn't. She may have burned her mouth on an electrical wire or ate something caustic. We don't know the history.
Any cat or dog that enters the shelter will get upper respiratory infection, kennel cough. The stress of the shelter causes a weakened immune system and they succumb to disease.
I believe the problem was the ten day hold. In LA City Animal Services you can foster a very sick dog while it's on hold for animal cruelty case or other situation. In LA County the situation is different. If it may have an owner they must keep it there. That animal could be someone else's property. What if someone bails it and accidentally kills it or exposes it to leukemia. County does not want to be responsible.
The County should have put the dog in ICU and given it better care or given it to a foster. Again, the dog might have been too far gone when it was dumped. We don't know if the owner dumped it and lied saying it was a stray or not. So much is unknown here.
If you remember Otto the dog he was dumped at County by his owner. For that reason there is only a one day hold. Plus it had a euth note. That is why they were able to give that dog to rescue who saved him.
We get in severely emaciated, dehydrated squirrels with burned mouths from chewing electrical wires. They cannot eat or drink and are swollen. We get the animal warm. When they are warm we tube hydrating fluids into them gradually. I'm not talking about a permanent feeding tube but tube feeding. Tube goes in and out quickly for each meal.
After we slowly hydrate the animal we treat the burns, infections, swelling. When fully hydrated we introduce liquid food very slowly. We keep the animal in a dark quiet place away from other animals or humans. Very slowly they can heal from the mouth burns, infection and eat again. I think I've only lost one squirrel that burned it's mouth.
Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.
The rescue stated, "Miracle was found in a box at Los Angeles Downey Shelter. She is 2 lbs only one year old. She was starved and had eaten something toxic possibly meth or an electrical cord." Here is their photo. The purple is spray used for fleas or fly strike I think. Because it was left in a box with no note it was considered stray with possible owner. It's possible the owner neglected it then dumped it just like poor Otto. Dog was bailed March 25 and died March 31 seven days later.
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| Miracle, dog, SavingK9Lives rescue, Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates, Los Angeles, Califonria |
After the vet visit they posted this, "The vet said she has severe necrosis tissue in her mouth and ulcerations. Her bloodwork and X-rays were actually good. She is severely dehydrated and starving to death cause its too painful for her to eat. She likely got into something caustic like lye or chewed on wires or some type of caustic drugs. The purple stuff is gentian violet not caustic . She is hospitalizing her putting her on fluids and antibiotics and pain meds. Time will tell if all works but she is cautiously optimistic."
Here is the first video. Dog is alert, eyes look shiney, has some energy but has labored breathing.
As I look at the later video the dog is non-responsive, even more labored breathing. It looks weaker. It's possible the kennel cough progressed and dog just did not have the strength to fight it.
I don't have all the facts yet but I'm going on what I know so far. I feel the death of this dog may have been preventable if he were allowed out of the shelter earlier or treated more rigorously in the shelter. He could have been fostered or perhaps given better medical care. I don't have a necropsy report so I don't know for sure. It's possible the dog was too far gone when he arrived at the shelter as a stray. It's also possible that the person who dropped him off might have been the owner who just didn't want to pay the $25 fee. Perhaps the owner was embarrassed because the dog chewed a wire and was burned or ate poison and they didn't take him to the vet. You never know with these animals.
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| Dog "Miracle" very sick |
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| Dog "Miracle" vet letter about condition |
Carole Sax posted this yesterday.
"Everyone, our beloved Miracle passed away this morning. My heart is broken and I'm full of tears. If she only had some meat on her tiny body she could have fought this off. We will have vet records and photos, the shelter killed this dog. If only we could have got to her sooner she would have never gotten pneumonia. Fleas were not the problem like stated in the report, her mouth was burned she could not eat. I'm sick to my stomach. Thanks everyone for your donations and prayers."
First I wrote an article about treating severely emaciated, dehydrated, ill and injured animals. Here it is.
http://animaladvocateswildliferehabilitation.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-to-care-for-severely-emaciated.html
The dog was at the Los Angeles County shelter. Dogs with possible owners are held on a ten day stray hold so the owner can find the animal. We are in puppy, kitten season so I'm sure the shelter is full. The County shelter is not that well funded. They take in many animals.
In this situation the dog came in severely emaciated, dehydrated with burns in her mouth. She wanted to eat which is a good sign but she couldn't. She may have burned her mouth on an electrical wire or ate something caustic. We don't know the history.
Any cat or dog that enters the shelter will get upper respiratory infection, kennel cough. The stress of the shelter causes a weakened immune system and they succumb to disease.
I believe the problem was the ten day hold. In LA City Animal Services you can foster a very sick dog while it's on hold for animal cruelty case or other situation. In LA County the situation is different. If it may have an owner they must keep it there. That animal could be someone else's property. What if someone bails it and accidentally kills it or exposes it to leukemia. County does not want to be responsible.
The County should have put the dog in ICU and given it better care or given it to a foster. Again, the dog might have been too far gone when it was dumped. We don't know if the owner dumped it and lied saying it was a stray or not. So much is unknown here.
If you remember Otto the dog he was dumped at County by his owner. For that reason there is only a one day hold. Plus it had a euth note. That is why they were able to give that dog to rescue who saved him.
We get in severely emaciated, dehydrated squirrels with burned mouths from chewing electrical wires. They cannot eat or drink and are swollen. We get the animal warm. When they are warm we tube hydrating fluids into them gradually. I'm not talking about a permanent feeding tube but tube feeding. Tube goes in and out quickly for each meal.
After we slowly hydrate the animal we treat the burns, infections, swelling. When fully hydrated we introduce liquid food very slowly. We keep the animal in a dark quiet place away from other animals or humans. Very slowly they can heal from the mouth burns, infection and eat again. I think I've only lost one squirrel that burned it's mouth.
Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.
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