5 Week Old Rocky is Fighting to Survive

April 29th, 2012Uncategorized 14 Comments

spacer Poor little Rocky had one of the roughest starts to life we’ve ever heard of.  When he was rescued by a friend and brought to HUA we were completely horrified.  Both of his eyes were badly damaged.  He fit in the palm of our hands he was so tiny.  He still had the strength to cry out in pain and hunger, begging us for help.  He was rushed immediately to the Animal Emergency Clinic in Omaha.  They said he was the worst cases of starvation and dehydration they had ever seen.  He could not blink his painful little eyes because he was so dehydrated.  They fed him his first solid meal of canned food ever and he gobbled it up so fast that he got the hiccups.  They immediately put him on warmed IV bags as make shift hot water bottles and started him on small amounts of morphine for the pain.  He was full of worms so he received medicine for that too.  Soon he was passed out, sleeping like the tiny, precious little baby that he is, with a full tummy and relief from the pain he had been experiencing since he was only 2 weeks old.

On Monday morning, after spending the weekend at the Animal Emergency Clinic, he transferred to Mobile Animal Clinic where he would spend the week receiving further tests and care.  They found that he had giardia and had only half of the red blood cells and blood proteins that he should have.  The good news came a few days later that he is capable of making red blood cells, so with continued good nutrition and care he should rebound without transfusions.  He also made a trip that Monday to Veterinary Eye Specialists of Nebraska.  Dr McIlnay said that after approximately a month he can have his badly damaged eye removed assuming he has regained his health enough to do so.  He is much too small and weak to undergo any operations right now.  His other eye, also damaged but not as badly, has no pressure, no sensitivity to light and will also likely be better off being removed.

With each passing day Rocky appears to gain strength and spunk.  Dr Jensen at Mobile Animal Clinic says that he isn’t thriving, but he isn’t failing either.  We are working hard to turn that around and help him thrive.  On Thursday he was able to transfer to foster care where he is eating every couple of hours.  He chews on his foster mom’s fingers when he is hungry.  He is eating and well on his own now but still needs to drink from a syringe.  He has antibiotic eye ointment treatments in both eyes 6 times a day.  He loves his soft bed, blankets and many toys.  He has a heating pad under his bed to make sure he is warm.  Most of all he loves to be cuddled and hugged.  It’s his favorite thing ever.  He will continue to go in once a week to be weighed and have follow up blood tests.  Weight gain will be a very good sign that he is starting to thrive.  Rocky is doing his best to study hard for his weigh in test this coming week.  He likes it when his foster mom warms up his canned food and puts a little water it in for him.  He is eating over a half a can a day now.

Rocky’s breeder will go on to sell his litter mates without much of a thought of the money that should have been spent on Rocky’s care.  We know that.   We see it all the time.  But this particular case has hit us hard, really punched us in the gut.  It is one of the most tragic things we’ve ever seen.  It drives home how reckless and disgusting the dog breeding business can be, whether a full fledged puppy mill or a poor, uneducated, unkind backyard breeder as in this case.  We received word that this happened when Rocky was only two weeks old, and that it was an injury from his mother or litter mates.  We are hard pressed to believe that was the means of injury, and so is our veterinarian.  This steels our resolve to educate the public never to buy puppies from pet stores, puppy mills or backyard breeders.  Without demand breeders like this would have no reason to fill orders for the supply of sick, neglected puppies they churn out.

We would like to extend many heartfelt thanks to our wonderful veterinary clinics who always come to the rescue at moment’s notice, and to all of our supporters who have been rooting for Rocky and donating for his emergency and extended care.  He has many fans, and if love can pull him through he is certain to grow big and strong very soon!  Please visit our donation page at www.hua.org if you would like to donate toward Rocky’s care, or feel free to mail a donation to the shelter at Hearts United for Animals PO Box 286, Auburn, NE 68305.

Click here to like our Facebook page where we will post updates on Rocky.

Slide Show + -
Full Screen

14 Responses to “5 Week Old Rocky is Fighting to Survive”

  1. Julie Siebler Says:
    April 29th, 2012 at 11:06 am

    This makes my heart weep…………..

  2. LISS Says:
    April 29th, 2012 at 11:29 am

    MY PRAYERS ARE WITH THIS LITTLE GUY. I KNOW THAT GOD WILL PROTECT AND HELP HIM IN THIS DIFFICULT SITUATION HE’S GOING THRU. KEEP HOLDING ON ROCKY . U STILL HAVE TO LIVE A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL THINGS IN YOUR LIFE. I WANT TO SAY THANKS TO U GUYS FOR THE HELP, CARE N LOVE U ARE PROVIDING TO HIM GOD WILL BLESS U GUYS FOR THE WORK U DO EVERYDAY. TAKE CARE, KEEP POSTING UPDATES OF ROCKY PROGRESS.

  3. Jo Anne Garvey Says:
    April 29th, 2012 at 3:30 pm

    I love Dr. Jensen at Moblie Animal Clinic. I spoke with him last week , he is my vet. Rocky couldn’t be in better care. Prayers go out to this little guy and all those who help him..I hope his previous owners get their day in court.

  4. HuaLori Says:
    April 29th, 2012 at 3:54 pm

    Dr Jensen has been a wonderful blessing for the animals at HUA for many years. Feel free to like Mobile Animal Clinic’s facebook page and thank them for helping Rocky and so many other HUA dogs in need. https://www.facebook.com/mobileanimalclinicomaha

  5. Marcia Seever Says:
    April 29th, 2012 at 9:42 pm

    It just makes me sick to see a poor little soul like Rocky and know that it’s a human being that was the cause of such pain and neglect. It makes me ashamed for them whoever they are. I’ve been watching Rocky’s progress and Bless his little heart, I sure hope he’s going to be okay. It just breaks my heart to think about what he’s gone through. I truly hope that there is a special place in hell reserved for people who abuse animals. Hang in there little guy and know that you’ll have a wonderful life and lots of love from now on.

  6. Carrie W Says:
    April 30th, 2012 at 10:35 am

    Rocky’s story has broken my heart ever since I first heard about him, but I hadn’t heard that his injury happened when he was only 2 weeks old! To think he spent all that time in pain and undoubtedly in fear of the world around him. It’s so heartening to know that he is in wonderful hands now where he will learn that the world isn’t a bad, painful place. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has helped this little angel and I will continue to keep him in my thoughts (how could I not?). Hang in there, little Rocky! You’ve got all the right stuff around you now to go ahead and make those leaps and bounds to grow into a healthy little fellow!

  7. Karlie Contreras Says:
    April 30th, 2012 at 1:00 pm

    Thank God he got rescued. I almost was in tears reading this story. He is very lucky to already have a good home. I would adopt him in a heartbeat but, he’s already takin. I hope that the person that did this gets punished for what they have caused they obviously dont need to run a puppy breeding business at all. I will keep Rocky in my prayers and will think of him all the time.
    Rocky: things will get better for you. just keep your little head up and know that the people that are with you today love and care about you.

  8. Mary Shimshea Says:
    April 30th, 2012 at 2:50 pm

    On my FB page…EVERYONE LOVES A DACHSHUND, we promote rescue but most of all advocate against puppy-mills and ignorant breeders. Promote and educate everyone. So many people write back to us that never knew what a puppy-mill was! Everytime someone posts a pic of a new puppy, we encourage them to adopt next time and not support these devils. Thank you for your work.
    donated today

  9. Teresa Cox Says:
    April 30th, 2012 at 6:58 pm

    Hey little guy!! You hang on, many great people are helping you and praying for your swift recovery!! Thank you to all of you that are taking care of this sweet baby!!!

  10. Nyla Says:
    April 30th, 2012 at 10:31 pm

    This is sooo sad…How does this breeder sleep at night…Thank you HUA for saving him and easing his pain….

  11. Debbie Baxley Says:
    April 30th, 2012 at 11:34 pm

    made me grab up my little guy and just hug and kiss him. rocky has the sweetest little face. i have fallen in love with him…Dr Jensen there is a special place in heaven for you.

  12. Heather Says:
    May 3rd, 2012 at 11:35 am

    I am so heartbroken by this story. This is something that should never happen, he is such a beautiful dog. My prayers are with Rocky.

  13. AJ Says:
    May 5th, 2012 at 6:45 am

    IM ONLY 9 AND FEEL SO HEARTBROKEN THAT SOMEONE WOULD DO THAT AND BECAUSE I LOVE ANIMALS SO MUCH!I WILL PRAY FOR HIS HEALTHNESS AND NOT FOR HIS SICKNESS!!!

  14. Jean Says:
    May 8th, 2012 at 2:00 pm

    Rocky is a survivor. Minna was another starved dog that took weeks to recover enough to eat and drink on her own. Dulcea has no eyes but has learned to cope. How forgiving these little creatures are! When given proper medical attention, good care, and love, they can thrive. Prayers are with you, Rocky.

Leave a Reply

©Hearts United for Animals is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) organization. Your contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
All rights reserved. No Content or images on this Webste bay be used without prior written consent.

spacer spacer spacer | BLOG | Contact Us spacer
Related searches:
little clinic animal wonderful should
gipoco.com is neither affiliated with the authors of this page nor responsible for its contents. This is a safe-cache copy of the original web site.