Wesley is a dog that was surrendered to the Saratoga County Animal Shelter in August 2022. When he arrived, the staff was uncertain if he truly was a dog! It was clear that he needed a great deal of medical attention immediately. But that was just the beginning of the story. His weight was less than three pounds and his overall body assessment was extremely low. He was missing fur on several areas of his frail little body and his ears were so brittle, they would crack like corn flakes. It was also determined that he was blind in one eye and somewhat visually impaired in the other. So now the question is what to do with his complicated medical issues.
Well, after all of the shelter medical assessments were completed, it was decided that specialists were needed to decide on treatment options for him. The first was a neurological appointment. Wesley was seen for a slight head tilt to the left and a circling pattern to the right in his ambulatory movements. The neurological assessment suggested possible hydrocephalus. A very costly MRI would probably confirm that diagnosis. However, the neurologist advised that the MRI results would most likely not change the protocols that we were already following. No MRI was done. The next step was an internal medicine specialist. It was there that we learned that he has a very small liver, disproportionate to his size and of course some liver concerns. No changes in his daily protocol were made. Wesley at that time was deemed a hospice case. He then went to a foster home to live whatever life he had left.
Wesley decided for himself that he did not want to be a hospice case. It has been almost two and a half years since he moved to his foster home. He is no longer on any medications and his weight had increased to a healthy five pounds. And his exercise routine includes sprinting around the kitchen table daily. Friends of the Saratoga County Animal Shelter was able to cover the specialists expenses to determine his ongoing care. We still do refer to him as a special needs case. However, he is thriving. He has a cat brother and a dog sister who tries to play with him, sometimes successfully. We thought he might have a couple months and we gave him the best that we could. Over two years later, he has surprised everyone. And Friends made this possible.
Donations for Friends of the Saratoga County Animal Shelter make stories like this one possible. We are saving pets, one animal at a time. And giving them the homes that they deserve.
