Pit Bull Terrier

Free to GOOD Home... It is with a very heavy heart that I have to tell Cinders story. It was in mid December that we were contacted by a local DCO to see if we had room for a puppy that was found abandoned beside the road. After two weeks in the kennel, no one stepped forward to claim or adopt him and his cage was needed one way or the other for the new arrival that had just been picked up. I could not bear to let a mere puppy be put to sleep simply for lack of space, so I agreed to give him a chance and foster him until he was ready to find a home of his own. The dog warden told me that he was found in a heap of dirt and snow by the road as a baby ~5-6 weeks old but he was doing fine on his own (though pot-bellied and very skinny). How could someone have left this baby by the road to fend for itself? It's actually not that uncommon in this area even in the middle of winter...puppies, kittens, dogs and cats are deemed disposable found in the giveaway section of all area newspapers titled "Free to GOOD home." We have approached many people with unwanted litters that have babies every year simply because they "never have a problem finding homes for them." Unfortunately, not all homes are good and just because something is given away doesn't mean there is no monetary investment needed to keep it happy and healthy. I believe Cinders was a victim of "Freedom" and after the first few nights of crying or peeing in the house, he was dumped to fend for himself while his former owner probably picked out their next "Freebie". Cinders was examined and brought home to be deflead, dewormed and given lots of TLC to make him a happy, healthy puppy I knew he could be. Within a week he was showing signs of getting better and stronger so he recieved his first vaccine to keep him on this path. Just a few short days later, however, he started exhibiting the signs of parvo. You see, parvo incubates for 7-14 days prior to showing signs in dogs and puppies. Even though Cinders was vaccinated, the virus had been incubating in his tiny body for a week or more prior to getting his first shot. In puppies, they need a series of vaccines to be fully protected against this highly contagious virus. Most veterinarians recommend vaccinations at 6wks, 9wks, 12wks and even 16wks for the most susceptible breeds (Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, Labs, Dobermans). Even if your dog or puppy isn't around other pets, this virus can be easily spread and life-threatening since tracking it home on your shoes is a highly effective way to transmit it. For this poor boy, the vaccine came a bit too late and over the next Cinders found himself fighting for his life. He was on several medications and needed to be given fluids under his skin to keep him hydrated. He had profuse diarrhea, lethargy and was vomitting daily for 5 straight days. I spent many nights with Cinders holding him in his crate, kissing him and loving him through what I thought was the hardest battle he would ever have to fight. With the help of fluids, medications, warmth and lots of love and prayer, on the fifth day Cinders started wagging his tail and by the seventh day he was eating again on his own. This strong boy had made it, he was going to be o.k. As a licensed veterinary technician, I was able to provide a lot of Cinders care at home, please understand, however, that if you have a dog or puppy exhibiting signs similar to Cinders IT IS CONSIDERED AN EMERGENCY AND NEEDS VETERINARY MEDICAL ATTENTION. IF LEFT WITHOUT MEDICAL HELP EVEN FOR JUST A DAY YOUR PET HAS A GREAT CHANCE OF DYING! In most instances, a series of vaccines costing under $100 will PREVENT this disease from ever occurring. Over the next month Cinders continued to grow and maintain his "lap dog" personality. I couldn't believe how much love and affection could be packaged in this little pitbull puppy...a breed far from the top of my "favorites" list. He did wonderfully with the cats and dogs of the house and didn't meet a person he didn't like. Though he had a fenced yard to play the day away in, he preferred to be a couch potato and curl up on my husbands lap while lavishing him with kisses. For me, he was a perfect puppy and a joy to be around ...we knew he would make some lucky family a wonderful new addition. Until that time came, however, he was a member of our family and would know the love and attention every puppy deserves. The next few weeks went as expected, no inquiries on our little Cinders. He had a few things going against him, you see. First and foremost, he was a pit bull puppy. He had a lot to prove to prospective adopters trying to undo stereotypes that go along with the breed. Second, he was black. Black dogs and puppies are much harder to place than any other color. Third, he was a male. Females tend to be easier for us to place than males. I knew he would be with me for a while, it's all part of the commitment that goes along with being a foster mom. We would train him, socialize him and love him until he found a home of his own. In return, Cinders would remind us why we do rescue in the first place by always being happy to see us, welcoming us with kisses and loving us no matter how lousy of a day we had. He put us on as much of a pedestal as he could and made us thankful for having the opportunity to get to know him. By early February, Cinders had starting getting a bit pot-bellied again so he was dewormed and we had written it off to another growth spurt. After a few days of just not looking right, it was back to the vets office for a check-up. It was here that we would find out that this wasn't just a case of worms...it was fluid in his abdomen most likely from his heart. In rare cases, parvovirus can travel to the heart causing damage as puppies grow. Cinders now had a severe heart murmur, a rapid heartrate and was diagnosed as having congestive heart failure probably resulting from the parvovirus he had as a baby. I decided to try him on a water pill and keep him comfortable as long as I could. Just as fast as he became ill, he started to fail. I watched him sit rather than walk or play. He started breathing heavy and even tried to sleep sitting up since it was easier to breathe that way. He didn't want us out of his sight and would curl up in our laps for hours at a time. His appetite remained good but within 3 days of going to the vet he was obviously not doing well and just breathing was becoming difficult for him. We had to make the hard decision to let him go...giving him permission to go to a better place without us. My husband and I were with him until the end, telling him how good of a puppy he was and much we loved him. He would not leave this world as an orphan, but would go as a member of our family "Cinders Sherwood." Though only on this earth for a few brief months, this puppy touched our lives forever and we will not soon forget him. It is in his memory, that we will continue to take care of animals in need at our rescue and our sick pet fund will now be called "Cinders Fund" with me making the first donation of $10 so that the next needy pet that comes to our rescue can have the medicines they need to become happy, healthy pets that they so deserve. We love and miss you Cinders (10/15/05-2/10/06), Beulah, Jim and the rest of the furry Sherwood family.