Iris has barely been given a chance at life, and it may be over soon. She was born on the streets of South Carolina and is suffering from an unknown illness. Her health is deteriorating and doctors don’t know why, but her rescuers are doing everything they can to save her.
This comes from Jennifer Quesenberry of Shenandoah Shepherd Rescue:
Iris is a four-month-old puppy who was caught in South Carolina two weeks ago. She was born on the streets and is incredibly terrified of humans. She was brought to Charlottesville, VA to join Shenandoah Shepherd Rescue on February 4, 2017.
On February 8, in a matter of hours her health plummeted. She was so weak that she didn’t even try to get away when I walked up to her, could not lift her head or stand up. She was brought to Greenbrier Emergency Animal Hospital at 9 PM in very poor condition. The vet suspects that she has Leptospirosis, a very serious infection.
This bacteria can be found in stagnant water or soil, often in wooded areas. Leptospires spread throughout the body, and can reproduce in the liver and kidneys, causing severe damage to these organs. It is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted to people and other animals through some bodily fluids, so latex gloves should be worn when handling infected animals. Symptoms include but are not limited to fever, stiffness, weakness, depression, loss of appetite, dehydration, respiratory distress, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody discharge, and jaundice.
Her liver is currently in very bad shape, and she is on an IV, has a catheter hooked up, and is on antibiotics every six hours. The vet bill for her first night at the ER was over $1,000 and her estimated bill for today is $460. Tonight Iris will need to be transported back to the ER for overnight care, and she will more than likely be hospitalized over the weekend.
We are expecting her medical costs to add up past $4,000 at this point, but we are doing everything we can to save this little girl. Every day she was with me I saw little improvements that showed she wanted to trust humans, and wanted to be loved. Please help us save her life, so she can know what it is to be a dog.
If you would like to give Iris her very best chance at survival, please CLICK HERE to donate towards her medical care.
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