We’re Currently Working Hard to Save Clyde!
This 19-week-old trooper has been through a lot already in his short life. Although he came to the shelter perfectly happy and healthy, a routine neuter sent him spiraling. He was struggling to recover—running a fever, battling an ear infection, and excessively drooling. Clyde started on medications and went to a foster home to recover. Within a few short days, it was clear something else was going one. Clyde was breaking out in hives and becoming lethargic. After consulting with MOAS veterinarians and a trip to the emergency vet, there were no clear answers as to what was ailing Clyde. He had tested positive for ehrlichiosis, a tick-borne disease. However, many dogs can test positive for it, even if it is not active in the body at the time. So it wasn’t clear that that was the cause of his symptoms. Additionally, all the lymph nodes on his body were swollen, his platelet and red blood cell counts were low, and he was still running a fever off and on. Worse, he had developed blood filled pustules all over his body, including in his mouth and ears, which were very painful and made it hard for him to eat.
Clyde’s treatment has been a roller coaster with various medications, fluids, repeated bloodwork, and multiple overnight stays at Firehall 4 Animal Hospital. After an increase in his dosage of doxycycline, Clyde still was not responding, and his platelet and red blood cell count continued to drop. Worse, his skin was sloughing off on his ears and paws, creating raw red sores. The veterinarians started to wonder if he was suffering from Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis possibly caused by a severe allergic reaction to medication. They needed to do a biopsy of his skin and send it to UGA. However, Clyde would have to be sedated, and he was not strong enough to survive at the time. The veterinarians at Firehall 4 gave Clyde a much-needed blood transfusion that allowed him to undergo the biopsy procedure safely. The biopsy was sent to UGA and we are awaiting the results.
While his final diagnosis is still unclear, the blood transfusion and steroid treatments have made a world of difference for Clyde, at least temporarily. He is starting to get some energy back and his foster parents even managed to work on house training and crate training. His appetite is now a healthy one, and we are so grateful for this progress. His foster parents are continuing care and medications for the next several weeks as Clyde’s veterinarians continue to search for answers and monitor his progress. While we’re not out of the woods yet, we have every hope that Clyde will be available for adoption soon once he is healthy again!
To date, Clyde’s care has cost close to $2,000. Many shelters wouldn’t have had the resources to care for Clyde, and it’s very likely that Clyde would have been euthanized elsewhere with so many unknowns. But thanks to heroes like you who generously support our shelter, we were able to commit to Clyde.
