Chocolate

Diagnosis: Heartworm positive
August 1, 2001

I received a phone call about a small dog someone picked up, so I had her bought over to Los Chavez Animal Rescue. Chocolate was rescued before a car hit her, after being dumped on the side of the road without a collar.

I took her the next day to a veterinarian, who feels that the people who dumped her used her as a breeding machine in a pet mill. When she got too old to breed, they dumped her instead of getting her medical attention. The doctor spayed her and did a physical. She found that Chocolate's sight couldn't be saved because she has blown pupils. A heartworm test revealed that she is heartworm positive.

I spent an extra 100.00 dollars out of my own pocket to have her eyelids repaired, so her eyes are not irritated. With her eyelids repaired she is more active and seems happy. I go out to feed her and she comes to me with tail wagging.

Chocolate is home now, and she has hope for a better life outside the pet mill. But that life is still threatened by heartworm. Please help me get that treatment for her.

From a generous donation through IMOM Chocolate can now get her treatment!

Oscar

Diagnosis: Bilateral severe lower eyelid entropion
Needed: $200

August 16, 2001

Oscar, the semi-blind dog wandered onto a man's property in the East Mountains in Albuquerque, NM. It just so happens the man is an attorney who does services for an animal rescue group called ANEW (Animal Network Efforts by Women). This attorney has helped ANEW in several cases related to animals.

He called ANEW and asked if we could help the dog and it had some type of eye problem. ANEW said yes, of course and to bring it to the vet.

The dog was site unseen rescue by ANEW. He was examined by the vet which determined he had bilateral severe lower eyelid entropin with no corneal damage at this time.

He is a small male sharpei x with a very good disposition even though his eye sight if very poor. Currently he is in boarding and on the list for the next available foster home which can provide foster care and after care surgery for him once his eyes have had surgery on them.

ANEW needs financial assistance because we currently have another dog named "Freckles" who needs medical surgery for his left rear leg.

These medical cases tend to very new to ANEW rescue. Most come in very healthy and only needs current shots and sterilized before being placed into a 2nd chance adoptive home at adoption clinics.

IMOM was able to donate the $200 so Oscar can have surgery which is scheduled for 8/29/01

Oscar had surgery on Aug 29. Jan from ANEW wrote us the following update:
Oscar can see now. He is a little hand-shy but has a great appetite and good energy level. He is housebroken according to the kennel worker at Bolton, a little skinny, and hard to handle because he is big. But, with some walks, I'm sure he will settle down. He is on antibiotics for a week

Talleyrand

Diagnosis: Bilateral Cataracts
My dog needs cataract surgery very badly. He is almost entirely blind and bumping into things. He will be completely blind in a few months without surgery.. He's very healthy otherwise or I wouldn't request help. I've had Talleyrand for eleven years and I got him in Charleston, SC. The cost of cataract surgery is far beyond my means. I feel that I can't let him go blind because he's a wonderful dog, and obviously my best friend, but without assistance its hard to see how I afford it.

IMOM Blind Dog Fund was able to give David the money he need to get Tally's surgery done on Aug 14, 2001. Talleyrand can now see.

Lobo

Diagnosis: Glaucoma and KCS in both eyes
Estimated cost: $1665.96

My name is Karen and I am Lobo's mommy. I found Lobo 6 years ago on a porch, starving and almost frozen. He was unconscious, and so small. I took him to a local vet and it took four days to revive him. We have been attached to each other ever since, inseparable, and we go everywhere together. Lobo has also repaid me for saving his life. He save my life from an abusive husband. If Lobo wouldn't have been there, I would be dead. I feel so guilty because he took the blow to the eye for me and now he is blind. Lobo is my life. If I lose him I will lose myself. You see, I suffer from mental illness, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and severe Panic disorder. Sometimes I hear voices and the only way I know they aren't real is because Lobo isn't barking and it makes me feel safe knowing that. My therapists say that Lobo is better therapy for me than them and they are equally concerned about my mental health if something happens to Lobo. I am recovering but I still have a long way to go yet. I am so afraid what will happen if I lose Lobo now. We have shared our pain and our joys together and we only have each other. I've even wrote him a poem, which will be attached at the end of this.

Lobo doesn't even know he's blind except for the pain he is in every day. He used to lye around with his eyes closed but I took him to the Vet last week and they gave me five different Medications for him. He is a new little man. He try's to play now, and runs around the back yard chasing me, then I chase him. He misses playing ball though. He can no longer find it when I throw it so I put my perfume on it and he finds it now. He is sitting be the door right now asleep with the ball in his mouth. He is so much fun for me and he gives me the unconditional love I need. Yesterday I took him to a park near bye and it has a duck pond, there were a lot of people around and everything was going great until Lobo heard a duck. Lookout! Here goes Lobo into the pond, missing the ducks only by inches, and dragging me along, right into the pond. The people there where helping me out of the pond and were very surprised to find out Lobo was blind. One gentleman said "I can't believe this dog is totally blind, the way he took off after those ducks you would never know it."

To put Lobo to sleep would be a great loss, and I try not to be selfish about this. I know he is in a lot of pain and if he doesn't get his operation soon I will have him put down. He is depending on me to save him and I depend on him to keep me alive. Without Lobo in my life to help me with my mental disability I am not sure what will happen to me. I'm so very afraid with out him by my side, yes I understand there will come a time when he will have to leave, but for now he is very much loved and needed to help me recover from the after mass of the abuse and also from being a victim of an armed robbery. Please help us to remain together. We are soul mates and I honestly believe that god sent hi to me to protect me and be my guardian angel.

Update: Due to a very generous donation made to Lobo....Lobo will be able to have his surgery, which is scheduled for Aug 9. He will than be free of pain. Thank you to Lobo's guardian angel for the donation!!!!!

Here is a note Karen left on the Pets in Need update forum:

Lobo had his surgey, All is well. Of coarse he will never see again but he is no longer in pain. I would like to thank the angel for the donation that made Lobo's operation a success. I have been taking pictures and would love to send them to you. I will make a scrap book for you and you will see what a great dog Lobo is and pain free thanks to you. Thank you, You dont know how releave I am to know that my son is no longer suffering. (smiling from the inside out) Lobo goes in on the 22nd ofAugust to get the stitches out and we will know for sure how successful it was. I'll tell you a secret! We already know. He's doing wonderful. Thank you to all thats helped in Lobo's recovery. I love you all and Lobo says "I ruv roo roo"

Chelsye

Chelsye has had the distinct misfortune of inheriting cataracts. But this did not stop her previous owner from constantly breeding her to attempt to have white Miniature Schnauzer puppies, which they would sell for $800-$1000 each and are predisposed to cataracts also. The last 6 months that Chelsye was in their custody, she had TWO litters of puppies. And even with the incredible amount of money the breeders were profitting from Chelsye's puppies, they still could not "afford" to have her surgery done. Fortunately, Chelsye was removed through the efforts of a dog rescue group AND IMMEDIATELY SPAYED.

Now that Chelsye has a new home she is very grateful that she is loved. She is very thankful that she doesn't have to live in a utility room any longer. She is very thankful that she doesn't have to whelp puppies constantly. She is very thankful that she had her first "haircut" so that she could at least see patches of light and blurry shapes for a while until she goes completely blind. She would be even more thankful if she could have the cataract surgery necessary to live many more years with sight.

I have already pulled together enough money to have all of Chelsye's preoperative testing. The great news is that they can correct her vision! It is still operable, but eventually her blindness will be irreversible. So time is not on her side and that is why I am asking for financial help, so Chelsye will have this surgery as soon as possible. We can't undo the tragic life that Chelsye has lived for the past 5 years, but we can make her future brighter.

On July 19,2001 we were able to assist Susan so Chelsye could have her cataract surgery. Sweet Chelsye can see now and is acting like a everything is a new experince for her. Here is Susan's update after the surgery:

"Chelsye is home now and it truly is amazing to watch her "see" things. She was so excited to see us when we picked her up yesterday. She just cried for the first little while. I know it must have been confusing to be able to see, but to be in such a strange place. When we got home yesterday, she
walked up the sidewalk to the house and a bumble bee flew past. She watched it for the longest time and followed it with her eyes meticulously.

We are forever grateful for all of the help, both financial and emotional, through this ordeal.

Oh yeah, you know that they were only able to place the lens in one of her eyes and I thought she wouldn't be able to see out of the other. Well, the doctor says that she CAN see out of the other, she just can't focus like she can with the eye that has the artificial lens. That was even better than I had hoped for.

July 2001

Molly

I am doing this for my elderly neighbors. They are on a fixed income and do not have computer access or knowledge. They have 5 year old cocker spaniel named Molly.

Molly is like their child!! She has suddenly become blind over the last couple of months due to cataracts. Her sight can be restored with the removal of the cataracts with surgery, however the surgery is very expensive. Molly also has allergies which require medication for at this time and that is expensive enough for them.

They came to me for help and now I am reaching out to you. Molly is a sweet little girl who is too young to be blind. My neighbors are always there to lend a helping hand to us and I wish I could help them out in this situation. Any assistance is greatly appreciated!

Kimberly

The IMOM Blind Dog Fund was able to help Molly and her owners restore her sight in 1 eye. The surgery took place on June 29. Kimberly said Molly is running around like a puppy...not bumping into anything and looking up at peoples face, which shes never done before!!!

June 2001

Peaches

Diagnosis: cataracts on both eyes
I'm not sure where to begin....As I write this I am in tears because Peaches is the most special little dog in the world and she doesn't deserve to be blind unnecessarily; just because her mother happens to be going through a rough financial period at the time when she developed diabetes. It is absolutely breaking my heart.

Peaches was rescued from an animal shelter in Boone, NC from one of my best friends in the world when she was just a baby, eleven years ago. We have been inseparable ever since. At that time I wasn't really an "animal person", but my friend must've known something I didn't, because from the moment he showed up on my doorstep with this scared, shaking, tiny little puppy, my heart would never be the same. I had no idea how to take care of her: what food to get, potty training, how would she manage when I was at work, etc. but I learned fast because this little baby needed me as much as I needed her. When I asked people for advice on how to take care of her!
one of the things they said was "Whatever you do, don't put her in bed with you at night, no matter how much she cries. She'll get over it." Well, that lasted about ten minutes! She was my baby and I wasn't about to let her cry and be lonely. She still loves to be cuddled, held, and rocked like a human baby. She'll come up and make a cute little baby sound and put her paws up in the air so I will hold her and snuggle. I had only had her a few days when she became ill. I took her to the vet and they thought she had parvo and might not make it through the night. I realized just how much she meant to me in that short time span because I was devastated and felt a new type of emotion when they told me. The tests were negative and Peaches fully recovered.

Peaches has always been such a comfort to me and helped me through some extremely traumatic and difficult periods in my life, including debilitating illnesses. Whenever I'm sad and crying, she comes over and puts her little paw on my arm and "hugs" me. Then she whimpers and "kisses" my tears away until I can no longer possibly be sad. She even does that now that I am sad over her blindness as if she is comforting ME instead of the other way around. I love her so very much. She is my only family as I am single with no children. She loves to go for rides and watch people in cars and bark at other furbabies. When we pull into the Petsmart parking lot (she gets to pick out a treat after vet check-ups or shots), or a favorite park she goes crazy with glee! Of course she also loves all the attention she gets in the store or park because she's so sweet and cute! Since she has gone blind, she hasn't been able to enjoy any of these things and it truly breaks my heart. She wants to play "catch" with her ball and our special "hide-and-seek" game but can't because she can't see. She must be so bored and confused. She deserves to be happy.

I lost my job due to a company reorganization last August. I have been working in a new career since then, however, my income thus far has been about a third of what it was. (I tried to find a job in my old field just so that I could get more money for Peaches, but no matter how many resumes I sent out, it just didn't happen). I was just barely making ends meet when Peaches developed Diabetes. I have already spent hundreds of dollars so far on her tests, diagnoses, insulin, glucose curves, ophthalmologists exams, eye drops, and various other things that she needed to get her glucose regulated and to help her eyes. It has taken every extra penny I've had. I paid for her medical bills even before my rent and I am now behind on that. Now that she has become blind, I have absolutely no money left for the surgery. The surgeon that examined her on May 8th (two weeks ago) said that she was a good candidate for surgery, however, she could only go one or maybe two months longer without the surgery or it would be too late and she would be permanently blind. The specialist hospital does not take payments..they require the full amount at the time of surgery. I have no credit left and cannot qualify for more now. I have no one I can turn to for financial help. If you were able to provide financial assistance at this time, I would be able to pay back the full amount, beginning in November or the beginning of December, because my company has offered me a promotion (in sales, where my income could increase four to five times what it is now) at a new property that will be opening in November or December. I would also like to make a donation after I paid back any assistance, if I received it, so that other pets and owners don't have to go through this heartbreak. I have already scheduled Peaches surgery (praying for a miracle) for June 6th, because it took at least a couple of weeks to get an appointment and I don't want her to miss her window of opportunity for getting her sight back. I don't think I will ever forgive myself if Peaches has to be permanently blind just because I didn't have the money in time. It's so senseless and frustrating!

Any other time in my life, this would not have been a financial problem. I guess God really does test our faith. If your wonderful organization can help us I will be more grateful than you will ever know. I wish you could see how special Peaches is. Her vet says she has many healthy years in front of her as long as we keep her diabetes under control. She also says that Peaches is very smart, well-behaved, extremely cute, and has a wonderful attitude (sorry, I can't help bragging). I'm asking you from the bottom of my heart, for my precious Peaches. Thank you.
Roslyn

With the help of the IMOM Blind Dog Fund, the Diabetic Pets Fund and Emergency Fund Peaches was able to have Surgery June 6. Roslyn sums it up!

I AM SO GRATEFUL!!! Because of IMOM's support, and lots of prayer, Peaches was able to have her surgery today! It went great and she can see!!! Her sight was saved in time! Unbelieveably, last night when I got home from work, I found her standing on a huge blood soaked carpet stain and with bloody paw prints all over the carpet and floor. She had knocked over cushions that knocked over a glass object on a table and cut herself. She had to have stitches last night and at first they weren't sure if she would be able to have the eye surgery in the morning. Well, everything turned out OK, and she is doing great! Bless her little heart, she's got wounds all over but she's so happy to be able to see and she'll be good as new real soon. I can't even express my gratitude to IMOM and all of your support and kind words. When I am back on my feet later this year, I will become a lifetime contributor to this great organization and hope I can help others as I have been helped. My precious Peaches and I thank all of you from the bottom of our hearts.
Roslyn and Peaches

March 2001

Magoo

Diagnosis: Entropian/eye lashes and eyes fold into eyes and scratch, irritate and cause infection. Eye sight is being affected.

Prognosis: Eye surgery to cut out skin that is folding into the eyes. Treat with antibiotic drops until treated with surgery.

Dear IMOM,

My husband works in Miami Florida. Mostly construction sites, where he has come across many homeless animals. Over the last several years he has brought home to me several of the dogs
and puppies that he has found abandoned. As you can imagine, many of them have needed immediate attention. Medically and nutritionally. With a lot of hard work we have managed to always find them good homes. How we wish we could keep them all.

Magoo is one of the one's we kept as our own. He is a misfit of sorts, because of his disproportion size. He seems to be part Sharpei, Basset hound and possibly Chow. Many times my husband tries to tell which of the homeless adults were the parents. He seems to think his dad was a Sharpei. Anyway, because of his mix he has been blessed with medical problems that are known to the Sharpei, breed amongst other medical conditions. He has a condition where his eyelashes and skin fold into his eyes and scratch his eyes. This is affecting his eye sight. He always has yellow infection oozing from his blood shot eyes. Far worse is the pain the vet tells me he is and still will have until the eye surgery is performed to remove the excess skin and lashes. I am desperately trying to find financial assistance, since I have exhausted my funds on other medical needs for Magoo. I am aware that IMOM's funds are depleted at this time, but I would certainly appreciate it if you can keep me in mind. Any assistance at all would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Susan Cornett and Magoo