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MEET BERT
Bert was 4 in March. He is black with a white chest and a graying muzzle. His race name was AC Galaxy Hood and came to Valley Animal Hospital as Hood. He ate his dog collar a couple of days ago; it takes a little while for the dogs to get sick. He was brought in vomiting and dehydrated. Again, another kennel at TGP wanted to euthanize the hound. Bert raced in Phoenix and Tucson and was a successful racer with 155 races. Is that any way to treat a winner?
The vet did a barium x-ray and because of his discomfort, hard abdomen, and not being able to pass the collar, Bert had surgery to remove it. While he responded well after the surgery, by Saturday he had a lot of swelling in his extremities. His platelet count is very low, protein very low. He did some excessive bleeding during his surgery. The vet is suspecting some kind of tick fever or babesiosis that maybe really flared up with the surgery. Bert’s condition is extremely critical. Send him some healing light.
Addendum
Bert had to be euthanized. Valley Animal Hospital spent a lot of time and effort trying to help Bert. Because they couldn’t deliver a dog for us to foster, they did not charge us. Thanks to VAH for their kindness and generosity.
It is sad Bert never got to know a forever home. His last race was June 30, 2007. Bert worked until nearly the end of his life. He went to the Rainbow Bridge on July 8.
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MEET ERNIE Can you please help?
Addendum
Ernie gets better!
Ernie the Wounded Wonder Hound
Ernie was 3 years old on July 1; his racing name was GT’s Real Estate. He had not raced at Tucson Greyhound Park since December 2006. It’s a shame he was still there but because of an ongoing bottleneck of retired racers waiting to go somewhere and be adopted, Ernie was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was in a dog fight a few weeks ago. Greyhounds are not violent by nature. We don’t know what caused the fight – over crowding, not wearing a muzzle, not monitoring a turnout – that’s a missing link. To their credit, his kennel did take him to a veterinarian who did some stitching up, put drain tubes in, and gave him an e-collar. He got the e-collar off and began ripping out his stitches and ate his drain tubes. The track was just no place to heal.
Whoever brought Ernie from TGP took him to Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center. They asked that Ernie be euthanized. He vomited his drain tubes. Even in all his pain, this red fawn male was still wagging his tail and giving kisses. He most likely wasn’t being turned out regularly because he was covered in urine and feces. He has multiple wound sights around the shoulder and armpit areas. Physically, his body is very beat up and he may need surgery and lots of TLC.
Ernie deserves a wonderful life as a pampered hound. Ernie was released into the care of Dale Peters and Jim Hoy yesterday. These guys deserve a medal! He has extensive bite wounds on both his front and back legs. For these, he has to have major bandage changes everyday. Thus far, his flesh is beginning the healing process, though he has a long road ahead. For now, no surgery is indicated. We’ll see how the healing process goes. He also is on several medications. His appetite is good and spirits great, considering all he has been through.
He is a friendly, happy boy. The folks at SAVSEC were really taken by him. In fact, one of the vets, sent him to his foster home with two toys she had purchased for him. His daily bandage changes are quite expensive over the course of a week.
We already have over $2,200 invested in Ernie with more to come. Can you help?
Ernie’s right shoulder
Ernie’s left shoulder & leg
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