St Nick's rescue story:
We received notification that this poor old man was picked up as a stray and taken to the local shelter.
He is microchipped, but when the shelter called, the individual who answered said they never owned a bulldog.
So this guy had to sit in the shelter for 4 days until his stray hold was up.
He is microchipped, but when the shelter called, the individual who answered said they never owned a bulldog.
So this guy had to sit in the shelter for 4 days until his stray hold was up.
First thing's first... a bath!
Getting dropped off at my new foster home!
He may not be able to see (at all) but he's learned the layout of his foster home.
And his nose definitely still works!
And his nose definitely still works!
Update 12/18/19: Yesterday St Nick made his way to the toy box and chose a toy to play with. Today he will undergo surgery to take a look at his teeth and palate. Every time he eats, food comes out his nose and he sneezes like crazy. His teeth are so rotted that he can’t eat solid food. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about putting him under anesthesia today. But he really needs surgery now to decrease the risk of aspiration pneumonia, reduce risk of bacterial infection from his decaying teeth, and simply provide him with some pain relief and comfort. |
He's definitely feeling better...he opened his Secret Bullie Santa box !
Vet check for Nick and Hermione!
12/30/19 Update
The culture came back on the gunk in St Nick’s airway. There’s some pretty serious bacteria growing in there. Unfortunately the two bacteria present are not responsive to any one antibiotics. So he needs to start 2 new antibiotics. One of which can cause some damage to the kidneys. He started the one antibiotic Saturday and will start the next one in a few days. He will need his urine checked every 2 days while on it. We’ve also started him on some natural antibiotics, including Manuka honey and Colloidal silver. His tear production increased from 0 to 2. He may not be able to see, but that nose sure works! Overall he looks so much better! He’s being spoiled rotten with his foster family. He’s on a lot of supplements to boost his immune system and help his poor joints. He currently eats a mix of The Honest Kitchen and Fromm canned food. The cans really help get the right consistency that he can swallow. But canned food is more pricey. As are all of his meds and supplements. Please consider helping to sponsor St Nick’s care. He’s the best old man and deserves it!! |
12/31/19 Update
They did an echo but they still cannot determine the cause of his arrhythmia. His foster mom and I did some research as we waited and found that one of his antibiotics can cause heart issues! Soooo we will be stopping that now, just in case that’s it. He also has a little enlargement of the right side of his heart, but no fluid was seen or masses. Nothing hugely abnormal that should explain it. Right now we have 2 options a) Take him to Purdue for further testing or b) Start some meds, hope they help, and just keep him comfortable. We are opting to take him home and spoil him like crazy. We want him to be in a familiar place with people who love him. Let’s be honest, he’s 12. He has a crazy bad infection of the airways, an elongated palate, and severe dental disease. He’s in bad shape. We just want to give him the best we can without putting him through something really invasive that may risk his life anyway. So right now we are waiting for our discharge paperwork so he can go get a PupCup!💙 |
1/20/20 Update: He was having some coughing spells this weekend. Not good when you have a heart condition. He will be spending the day at the vet getting fluids & nebulizer treatments. Chest X-rays were sent off for review - they think they see something in his lung. Also- the antibiotic he was on for his infection has also caused his kidneys to start to shut down. We knew this was a risk but it was the only antibiotic that the culture indicated would work. He’s also on colloidal silver and Manuka honey for some natural antibacterial support. He kinda needs a miracle right now. We knew he was in bad shape as soon as we picked him up at the shelter but this still really sucks. |
01/21/20 Update: Nick’s oxygen levels are up to 95% right now (from 81% yesterday!) The radiologist thinks it’s infectious bronchitis. Nick needs a nebulizer and probably some more belly bands and butt paste since he will be getting daily Sub Q fluids for his kidneys. Update: Thank you to whoever bought the nebulizer ! Since we only need one I’ve adjusted the settings to take items off the wish list once purchased. I added a couple bags of treats on there and his supplements. Thank you!! |
Today is a perfect day for naps
Well I haven’t had another episode since I got home. Don’t tell, but I was just getting stir crazy and needed a ride to the magic window #quarantinelife #ididitforthenugs #nuglife #itchoseme
Everyone has their own talents in life. St Nick’s is wiggling out of all belly band contraptions to pee on his three beds in the middle of the night, and then go back to sleep on a blanket as if nothing happened. #itwasanintruder #peeburglar His foster mom says “For someone with debilitating arthritis, his ability to get out of a diaper and pee on everything is both maddening and impressive.” Well done sir. Well done. |
The new anxiety meds are working fine so far. St Nick is on some antibiotics since his lungs sounded a bit crackly at the vet visit couple days ago. Aspiration is always a concern for this old man. We started some anxiety meds at night also to help him relax and sleep. Seniors can have a bit of anxiety at night. We usually start with melatonin but sometimes they need something with a little more kick. This stubborn old man is so sweet tho. We love every day we get to have with him. We’ll do what we we can to keep him comfortable in his retirement home. |