A Pug Rescue

Last year we were hit hard with some very needy rescue pugs. We have spent thousands of dollars trying to save these pugs. Now our funding is very low and limited. We have resorted to using credit cards to continue our mission to save these precious pugs. Could you please help us help them? Make your tax deductible donation today..... and your name will appear on this page as one of the angels us helped us save her. Updates as they come available will be posted here.

(For those of you who do not know Cathleen, (Luna's foster Mom), but Cathleen is a nurse, so Luna is in the best of hands)

New updates are coming in several times daily, so please be sure to click your internets browser "REFRESH" button to be able to view these new updates about Luna

Operations Coordinator for VA

January 26, 2006:

Luna has maintained her own temperature and urinating though the night. She received a unit of plasma and is stable. She had one diarrhea stool last
night at 8pm. They are not feeding her until she is seen by Dr. Cramer for the endoscope. They say she is depressed but wouldn't you be if your whole life you were sick with diarrhea. I will go, if they let me, to visit her after I get off work tonight, Cathleen

I called at 1530 she was resting quietly and Dr. Cramer has seen her and will let us know when the scope will be. Her albumin is back to normal with the plasma. So we are making head way

I called the hospital to check on E-Luna at 0600, I had a sleepless night one eye on the phone, knowing no news was very good news. I found out that her condition had improved with the plasma treatment and that they were going to do the endoscope sometime today. I called and got updates though out the day. Until finally at 1630 they tell me she is in there right now. I prayed to god again to make everything right for this little baby pug. I sat by the phone waiting for the call from Dr. Kramer. It was just half an hour but it was one of the longest times of my life.

I asked a lot of questions, a lot we still do not know, biopsies were done and there was dried flakes of blood in the stomach so it was good we did this test. This is the only way we will get to the source. Dr Kramer was honest and said he has never seen this severe of plasma loss in such a young puppy. That he really does not know until the biopsies come back what we are looking at. The good thing is that this little girl is a fighter and she wants to live.

She has maintained her own temp, with only skin and bones. She has needed no medications to treat anything life saving. She is totally own her own, breathing and blood pressure. If all goes well though the night chances are she will come home and be on a very strict diet of hand cooked chicken and rice.

We all need to pray and keep E-Luna in our prayers until the biopsies are back and then the fight begins to heal this baby. E-Luna still needs our help and the rescue needs help to pay her medical bills. I know Chris has asked but please I beg of you please send a donation to pay her vet bills.

I went at 1930 after work to see her. She was wide eyed and when I called her name and they put her in my arms she gave me pug kisses and I just melted. Her little tail was wagging her whole body. Everyone in the waiting room was just making over her. They all told her to fight and how cute she was and she wagged her little tail at them. She snuggled in my arms and I whispered in her ear and she grunted like she knew the WHOLE RESCUE WAS HOLDING HER. We are all this little girls "ANGELS" and united we can SAVE HER LIFE.

I will call tomorrow and keep everyone updated as soon as I find out something. Please check back often and read her story, Foster Mom Cathleen

January 27, 2006:

E-Luna did well though the night and they plan to try feeding her today and if all goes well changing her antibiotics to an oral one by mouth. The Dr. did say there is a liver test that can be done to see if her liver is making protein from what she eats. I told her to hold off on that until we have the other results on Monday. But it is another option if the biopsies don't give us any answer, Cathleen

I called at 1530 and she was barking in the back ground and Angie, the tech said it sounded like she was saying "MORE FOOD". So far so good no vomiting. I have to call at 2000 to see if she comes home tonight.

I was tickled to death when they said said Luna could come home with me. So far she had diarrhea and it was a orange maroon color. No concept about not peeing and pooping the towels.... she liked them better than the newspaper (Ok my me). I will keep a journal for the doctor about color, consistence and frequency. Must be the nurse in me. I am disappointed about the diarrhea as she has still got new blood in there. We may need that colonoscopy and/or liver test to get to the bottom of this. This little girl is still very sick and in need of money for past and now future medical bills. We may have a chronically sick pug on our hands here. She is so sweet and just loves to be right there with you...hates the crate/ dog pen even with my pug inside for company. She is so tired but is fighting it tooth and nail, Cathleen

E-Luna slept last night next to me or on me. No dog playpen for her, she was so upset to be in it, even if I sat right by her and the pen. She woke up about every hour to reposition or check to make I was there. She is a very light sleeper and does not want to miss a beat. She really had a good dog day, we just laid around slept, ate, and went outside an checked out the yard. She is walking around the house on her own now. My other dogs stay clear like they know she is sick and cannot play. She will go in the crate to pee and poop. Not to be gross but her poops were more semisolid today.

The hospital just called to check on her this evening, everyone there was so nice to her and I know they took turns holding her and keeping her company.

I am happy to say we really had an uneventful day. I think we were both worn out from the last couple of days. She had a little #2 accident on the carpet tonight but that is ok, I told her not to worry that I was not mad, after all she is just a puppy. I did send Steve to the store for doggie diapers, he is being a super Foster Dad to her, and just loves her too! She looks cute with it on and does not seem to mind. She really has been a super dog though all this. Cobey our other foster pug, my pug Stitches and E-Luna seem to stay close together.

January 30, 2006:

E-Luna had a good night last night slept from her last feeding at 11:30 pm until morning. She seemed very happy today and was eating good. I took her to be weighed and she was 8.2 pounds!!!!! I thought she looked heavier but I thought it was my eyes getting used to her. I called the vet but the biopsies are not back.

This evening she went outside to poop and upsetting to say there was more blood in her stool then she has had. I also noted something protruding from her rectum. It was dark outside and the lighting was bad but with a baggy I tried to see if it was stool but did not feel like stool and it was bloody. I scooped her up but by the time we got inside so I could look in the light. It was back inside of her and there was bright red blood coming her anus. I used a cloth and held pressure and the bleeding stopped. This could be another problem or part of this problem she has had. I will place a call tomorrow to Dr. Browning. It is hard to know if she just has a hemorrhoid from all the diarrhea.

The wonderful people at dog stuff also do doggie day care and agreed to allow E-Luna spend the day with them while we work. I have been blessed to be off all this time since she has been home from the hospital.

Keep this sick girl in your prayers.

Cathleen

January 31, 2006:

E-Luna went to doggie care today and the wonderful people at Dog Stuff took wonderful care of her. I was able to go to work knowing that she was in good hands. I tired multiple times yesterday to speak to the vet but they had back to back emergencies.

February 1, 2006:

WE HAVE A DIAGNOSIS FROM THE BIOPSIES E-LUNA SUFFERS FROM LYMPHANGIECTASIA. Simply put she cannot absorb triglycerides in her diet. She will be on a special diet with multiple supplements for the rest of her life. I am running to the store now to purchase the vitamins, MCT oil that she will also take along with her diet. They are hoping that her stools will become more normal and the protrusion that I saw last evening continues to go in and out, until healed. If it remains out it will require emergency surgery. The vet feels it is her rectum from the chronic diarrhea and straining she has done. This pug for what ever reason was born with this disorder. I thanked god that I got the phone call from Kasha Winston from Animal Management Center to pick her up. We will need to see how she responds to her new diet. More updates to follow as she progresses and I speak to the specialist tomorrow.

Foster Mom Cathleen

February 2, 2006:
Luna is a very sick puppy and has been taken back to the emergency hospital. It does not look good, we do not expect her to make it!..................

February 3, 2006:

It is with a broken heart and tears in my eyes that I must tell you that we had to send Luna over the rainbow bridge today. With all her chronic diarrhea she had a intestinal prolapse (unreduceable) which came out of her rectum over an 1 and 1/2 inches. I placed a wet towel over it and rushed her to the Tidewater Vet.

We also found out that the congenital lymphangiectasia greatly shortened their life expectancy and is a miserable existence were they finally wither away, chances are she may not have made it to her first birthday. Luna had Friday thru Tuesday and even this morning where she ran and played with the other dogs. I commend you for what you did and hope you continue to help rescues find the funding to help the sick and unwanted pets find a happy home. She was a joy in my home and I have included some last pictures of her. We loved her as are own and mourn her lost even though we only had her a short while.

If it is possible someone needs to find this breeder and they need to know what happened to Luna. She could have litter mates with the same problem and which need medical attention and the correct diet. They should be told not to breed these dogs again or more pugs will suffer this fate. I hope it is possible to reach these people and possibly help to save other pugs. People need to be aware of this condition, incase other puppies exhibit the same signs not only pugs

May she rest in peace.................

Sincerely,

Cathleen

If you would like to help us save Luna as well, send your tax deductible donation to