An update as of April 26, 2017
On February 13, 2017, Roscoe’s luck changed – he was adopted! He had a long road to recovery…after a lengthy surgery in early January to remove an obstruction from Roscoe’s stomach, and he came to Pets Alive to heal. It was “touch and go” for the first two weeks. We had to monitor him closely on crate rest to ensure he did not have complications from the surgery, and our staff had to feed him small amounts multiple times a day to ensure he didn’t overextend his stomach. He also needed to gain 30 pounds because he came to us severely underweight.
Roscoe and his family
But with a lot of tender-loving care by Pets Alive staff and volunteers, he made a huge turnaround; within a month, he had gained over 5 pounds and his friendly nature helped him become a staff and volunteer favorite. He captured the hearts of the family of one of our volunteers, and in February, he went to his forever home! Check out the picture of him with his new family!
Today, he does all the things a dog should be enjoying. He’s gained his weight back and is having a wonderful time with his new family. We wish Roscoe the best!
Thank you for your support and making this happen!
Original post on January 6, 2017
Roscoe – pre-surgery
Emaciated…bed sores on his body…in pain. That was Roscoe yesterday when his owners brought him to the veterinarian to be euthanized. They could no longer care for him.
Bed sores on Roscoe’s back
After an initial examination of Roscoe, it appeared that he suffered from an intestinal blockage that had gone untreated. Roscoe, who should have weighed about 60 pounds for his size, weighed in at a mere 37 pounds, and his back had bed sores causing a painful condition.
With surgery, the obstruction could be removed and given his young age – 4 years old – Roscoe had a good chance for survival. We agreed he deserved a second chance – and his emergency, life-saving surgery began.
Obstruction removed from Roscoe’s intestines
Two hours later, Roscoe was out of surgery. The veterinarian removed a large intestinal string / foreign body that extended from Roscoe’s stomach to mid-intestines – that’s THREE feet long of intestines! There was also an intestinal perforation that had to be repaired. He was literally moments from developing severe peritonitis, a life-threatening abdominal infection. Roscoe went into recovery and was given a number of antibiotics and medications to maintain his blood pressure.
Roscoe, a day after surgery
A report earlier today from the veterinary hospital gave a “thumbs up” for Roscoe. He is now resting comfortably – and even wagging his tail! He has a normal temperature and his heart rate is improving. He will continue to receive a treatment of antibiotics, pain control fluids and laser treatment for pain and wound healing. And check out this short-video of Roscoe taken earlier today!
Roscoe should be able to come to Pets Alive this weekend to continue his recovery that will include medications, a feeding schedule to help him get to a healthy weight – and a lot of tender loving care. Roscoe will be available for adoption once he heals – but we need your help now to pay for Roscoe’s surgery and post-surgical care.
The initial surgical and treatment expense is about $3,000 – plus continued follow-up care at our sanctuary until he fully recovers. Please help Roscoe by donating to cover his medical and care expenses. At the time of this writing, we have raised about $800 towards his care – but we have a long way to go to reach our goal. Even a small gift will help Roscoe recover and find a new forever home. We cannot do this life-saving work without your help.
Prefer to send in a check? Make checks out to Pets Alive and mail it to us at 363 Derby Road, Middletown, NY 10940. Write “Roscoe” on the check.
Thank you so very much for your support. And thank you to the dedicated staff at Catskill Veterinary Services for working tirelessly around the clock to save Roscoe’s life!