Now that we have posted the great news from the Barker's Dozen, we have to post the not so great news. Tinkerbell has had an enlarged belly for most of her short life. At first we assumed it was just worms, as is so common with pups. But then they were all dewormed and the belly remained. It isn't unheard of to need another round of dewormer, so we tried that. No help. So Tink went into the Lake Austin Blvd Animal Hospital for some blood tests a few weeks ago. The great folks there were so sweet to her and ran lots of test to see what could be the matter. It was determined that it might be a parasite.
So we started her on meds for that as well as vitamins for anemia. The vitamins definitely worked as she has had a major growth spurt and has almost caught up with some of her siblings in size. But the belly remains bloated. So we have now sent off a urine sample to be tested to see if perhaps little Tinkerbell has a liver shunt or some other liver malfunction. We might also try a round of another anti-parasite drug. The good news is that Tinkerbell feels fine and is as feisty as ever. And she has also really blossomed into a beautiful little pup. she has had some interest from adopters, but we want to make sure she is healthy before we adopt her out. The bad news is that all these tests are costing APA! valuable resources. So as the foster mom who loves this little pup, I am asking for your help. Any donation you can make to APA! to help offset Tinkerbell's medical costs would be greatly appreciated. We don't even know what is wrong yet, and the bills are piling up. With the number of animals APA! helps, every dollar spent on one dogs medical care might mean that another dog can't be saved. Unfortunately, that is the truth of rescue. You do this for the true love of animals. It is an expensive hobby. And sometimes money drives decisions. We don't want that to be the case here. Please click here to help if you can. Thank you!
