05/28/2025
๐ข๐จ DEVASTATING ๐จ๐ข
We could be forced to close with this crisis.
Do you remember the 8 chihuahuas we just rescued? Only one had been vetted when we said yes to them and the other 7 have only had one set of vaccines so far with us. They recieve their booster soon but tonight, the unimaginable happened...
One of these babies tested positive with parvovirus. And with a horrible case of bloody diarrhea we feel it isn't even a false positive. (photo in comments)
Treating parvo is extremely expensive, costing sometimes thousands per dog in order to save their life. We desperately don't want to loose potentially 15-20 dogs in our care, so we are begging you to donate if you can. We are always cautious and thoroughly clean/quarantine our facility and we monitor the animals that come into our care, but this is potentially a $30,000 hospital bill for our animals and literally a matter of life and death. Honestly, it could break us. We could have to shut down the entire rescue if we cannot properly treat these infected animals and have to put a hold on adopting out several others to watch them for any signs of parvo.
We don't have a huge reserve. We don't have the luxury of a veterinarian on staff. We have a small group of dedicated animal lovers who work tirelessly 7 days a week, 365 days a year to save and this was not on our bingo card. Please help us, help them. We are asking you to donate so we don't have to close our doors to this unfortunate turn of events. We are scared. They need so much prayer and good thoughts to try and pull through this. It isn't fair to them that they are now sick and already came from such a cruddy situation.
Love,
MagPie, the one who has seen so much
WHAT IS PARVO?
Canine parvovirus infection is a highly contagious disease that attacks white blood cells and the gastrointestinal tract of dogs. In puppies, the virus also can damage the heart muscle. The signs of parvovirus infection vary from dog to dog, depending on the severity of the infection, but below are some symptoms:
โข Lethargy
โข Loss of appetite
โข Vomiting
โข Severe, often bloody, diarrhea
โข Abdominal pain and bloating
โข Fever or low body temperature (hypothermia)
Persistent vomiting and diarrhea can quickly cause dehydration, and damage to the intestines and immune system can cause septic shock. This can lead to death, with most deaths occurring within 48 to 72 hours after signs first appear.
Canine parvovirus is easily spread by direct contact with infected dogs, contact with f***s (stool) from infected dogs, or contact with virus-contaminated surfaces. Such surfaces can include kennels, food and water bowls, collars and leashes, and the hands and clothing of people who handle infected dogs.
The virus is resistant to heat, cold, humidity, and drying, and can survive in the environment for long periods. Even trace amounts of f***s from an infected dog can contain the virus and infect other dogs.
Dogs with severe infection need immediate, intensive treatment and 24/7 monitoringโwhich often involves several days of hospitalization. Supportive care is provided to correct dehydration and physiological imbalances caused by vomiting and diarrhea, control nausea and pain, keep the dog warm, prevent other infections from happening, and provide nutritional support. Additional treatment may be needed to help fight the infection and/or combat diarrhea. This can all be very expensive, and the dog may die despite treatment.
Thankfully, we have our facility setup with separate buildings so this helps us quarantine the Chi space until they have shed the virus. We also stay firm on quarantine for every new dog that comes here. However, we have 7 little 1 month old puppies on the property who are extremely susceptible as well as a few other dogs that have not finished their vetting yet and could have been exposed to the virus. We have a long road ahead of us.
๐จDONATE๐จ
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Cash/checks can be mailed to PO Box 444, Cape Girardeau, MO 63702
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