Veterinary Bills for Lugnut

Some of the swelling has gone down and some of his pad is regenerating! He started a new injectable antibiotic today. Have to watch for kidney trouble symptoms but I'm hopeful. It looks a good bit better. The special wound dressing stuff isn't in yet, talk about slow shipping! But with the recheck and new antibiotic this ticker keeps ticking upward.

Still, I'm much more hopeful we might not have to amputate his toe. A toe isn't a lot in the whole scope of what could happen but gee... he's only a baby. LOL a very BIG baby, this morning he tried to play with me and go between my legs. Ummm puppy you're too tall to do that any more.

He's going to be a big guy, he's only six months old now. He feels better, he's been whacking at me with the bandaged foot when he wants to play. He's almost 54 lbs. now, we're winning on that front. He could use more weight but since he can't build much muscle mass on his restricted activity, I'll take what I can get.

Thank you all.

The primary strains in the culture are bad things to have in a wound. Psuedomonas Aeruginosa and Klebsiella P.

Unfortunately many of the drugs to treat them are contra indicated in a pup of his age, of giant breed, and with his medical history. We may be looking at the toe amputation to prevent spread to the paw/leg or sepsis.

My vet and other veterinary contacts and friends who might have experience or contacts got an email from me this morning requesting referral or information regarding any new, alternative or useful approach to healing this thing up.

Anyone with information on treatments or referral to a vet with information can email me at Tanisgsd@aol.com or call the veterinary hospital he's being treated at. Oak Ridge Veterinary Hospital, Oak Ridge, TN. Megan is the staffer who is handling any Lugnut contact. 865 483 6614

While it's looking some better and his energy level is up, this is some tough stuff for the fuzzbucket to fight. We appreciate all the care and concern you've shown him.

Well, as we suspected the culture of Lugnut's wound IS growing something. While not great news - at least we'll soon have a specific bacteria to target with antibiotics.

And this weekend the wound appeared to reduce in swelling and began to scab some. Having only rarely seen (and with bad results) a few wounds flat refuse to start granulating and scab, this was one of the most worrisome of his symptoms, but common of the possible snake bite we had begun to suspect. We have copperheads, they're very active this time of year.

The liquid B vitamins and iron, and additional liver may be helping perk him up as well, he's offering to play a bit, even pawing and (nomming - mouth on arm/hand) both Laura and I, something he hadn't done in weeks.

His bill will bump up again with the right antibiotic and new wound dressings the vet ordered for him but if it's working the cost is far less the possible toe amputation that was fast approaching. Septicemia is both expensive and deadly and we didn't want to go there.

We're grateful for all your interest in our sweet Fuzzcadet, he didn't deserve what happened to him but his future is vastly brighter now. Lonestar Pyrs and Paws North is still accepting adoption applications.

Pyrs are unique, sweet but independent, huge, have huge grooming needs and are nocturnal and loudly territorial. Convincing a Great Pyrenees that you're a competent partner and to work with you is a task most humans who take in the fuzzy puppies fail at. This is neither a labrador, nor a poodle in mindset. These are proud, tough Livestock Guardian Dogs with hundreds of years of independent character and decision making.

They are great partners in the right home. Lugnut is going to be amazing but determined. He's not among the less independent ones, however sweet he is. I happen to love them all but the stoic, determined ones best of all.

Thank you for helping him have a future at all.

This is Lugnut. He was thrown out of his first home at a few months of age and left to roam and starve. A neighbor finally brought him to a shelter. Unfortunately for Lugnut, starvation and lack of normal vet care took it's toll. By the time we pulled him from the shelter he had Kennel Cough, coccidia, severe resistant hookworms, erlichia, he should have weighed in at 50 or more pounds, he weighed 37. He eventually needed three different anti-biotics, three different worm treatments, stomach meds and cough medicines.

By the time we actually got him tested and diagnosed, he'd lost weight. Luckily we found what worked. And Lugnut has been fast gaining weight. Until bad luck reached out and grabbed my sweet foster boy once again and he was bitten or stung by something while out playing in the yard.

He tore into the injured toe with a vengence and now must wear bandages and take five new meds for pain and inflammation and infection.

Bad luck for a sweet sweet pup who deserves better than this rough start in life.

We need help meeting the bills resulting from his testing and illness, and now his new injury.

Thoughts and prayers, for better luck, also greatly appreciated.

<img src="<center> <a href="http://s520.photobucket.com/albums/w328/walkswithdog/?action=view&current=ducksdexlug042.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i520.photobucket.com/albums/w328/walkswithdog/ducksdexlug042.jpg" border="0" alt="lugnut handsome"></a><br /><br /> <a href="http://s520.photobucket.com/albums/w328/walkswithdog/?action=view&current=ducksdexlug046.jpg" target="_blank">
<img src="http://i520.photobucket.com/albums/w328/walkswithdog/ducksdexlug046.jpg" border="0" alt="lugnut vet 3"></a><br /><br /> </center>">