Scroll down for most recent UPDATE 12 - 16 - 09

URGENT NEED!
Twitter - Emergency Prolapsed Rectum at Shelter
Surgical Care - Vet Bill

9 - 22 - 09 PM - OH MY!!! We got another emergency dog!!! Mesquite Shelter ACO April (I may be wrong on the name) called Jim who our liason with that shelter and we got a boy that was Owner surrendered cause he has some kinda something with his rectum that needs vet treatment. So Jim is going over to verify if he is a Boston and if so to pick the dog up and take him immediately to his vet. I know I am fuller than full, but… it is an emergency dog and I can't let it suffer. I have turned down 5 dogs the past 2 days, but this is an emergency.

.

Another update same day late in evening: OK, Jim has picked the boy up and there is more to the story. Here is what Jim says about this little boy, Quote: It sure turned out to be a "Wanda Day" as you'll discover...

Got a call from April at the Mesquite shelter about 2:30pm, that they had gotten in an owner surrender who had just adopted this beautiful Boston from them, but after taking it to his vet for all shots and a neuter, something bizarre happened the next day, so he surrendered it back to Mesquite, not wanting to expose himself to huge vet bills.

She tried to explain to me how it looked like a certain female dog problem, but on a male...Well, I called Wanda and we agreed that I'd pick up the dog and take it to my own vet, since I was supposed to pick up Blatz from his second heartworm treatment and he had been there overnight.

When I saw the dog, I could not believe the situation. He is a gorgeous brindly, bubbly loverboy with the most bizarre and gross protuberance - I wrapped him in a towel and tore off to my vet, where Dr. Vaughn took him in immediately for surgery. He said it was a prolapsed rectum (colon?), and was surprised to learn how quickly this had allegedly happened, since there was a slew of vet work done the day before! He didn't see how the neuter job could have caused this, but anyway, he fixed it and stitched up the rectum, but poor Twitter will have to stay at the vet until at least Saturday and won't be able to have any food until then, so that his poor system can recuperate in order to be able to defecate again.

I named him Twitter, and though I couldn't find one now, I just know there will be an official Twitter cocktail in the not-too-distant future. He was "all atwitter" when I met him in the shelter, so it seemed appropriate.

Again, these photos are graphic if you have a weak stomach, don't look.

So folks, as you can see with having the Tequila family and their surgery, all the extra dogs and now this Emergency surgery for Twitter at a fantastic vet who took him in at the end of his day, we need some donations!!! We would appreciate any help you can send our way. Thank you. We probably won't put an update on the webpages again until Sunday the 27th.

If you want to send a donation directly to our vet send to:

Grand Avenue Animal Clinic
822 N. Grand Avenue
GAINESVILLE, TX 76240
Please Make a note it is for ABTR's Twitter -

Thank you so much. IF you want to send a check directly to me rather than using paypal you can mail to

ABTR
P.O. Box 525
Sanger TX 76266

Thank you again for your prayers for this poor little boy and for your support. HUGS
Wanda

9 - 24- 09 - Jim Sez: The good news is that Twitter is doing fine during his recuperation after surgery. He was so cute - just whimpered and waggled when I went back to visit him this morning. He has to wear one of those nasty plastic cone collars, and has IV tubes, but he sure looks lively and perky in spite of what he has to endure. It really cheered me up, even though I had tears in my eyes (I'm weird that way). Anyway, it looks he will pull through to fight another day.

9 - 27- 09 - Jim Sez: Wanda and Group,

I spoke with Dr. Vaughn yesterday, and he said Twitter is doing fine. Finally got to eat, and absolutely inhaled his ID food - that is what I am supposed to feed him, just the canned Hills Prescr. ID with no additives except for salmon oil.

Will pick him up today (Sunday) and it's probably best that I foster him for at least a week or so, so that I can keep an eye on him. The vet said that the only time he had ever seen a prolapsed rectum was in the case of hookworms, so they dosed Twitter for worms whether or not that was the cause of his situation. I have been warned that it can happen again, so I need to keep a pretty close eye on him until he's passing food regularly without any trouble, and it's fortunate that they are so close by my home for any emergencies. (plus they have office hours 7 days a week)

I'm getting another wire crate today that will stay in front of the front door, in full view of where we all hang out in the living room. I'm not sure if he'll interact well with the Furkids or not - he might be too bubbly and excitable to leave him loose with them (or they might be too inquisitive and sniffy with his butt). Just to be on the safe side, I'll be able to keep him separate if need be.

9 - 27- 09 PM - I was going to pick up Twitter and then they brought Twitter out. OMG - he was berserk to see me and it took 3 of us to hold him still long enough to snap a leash on his collar. He was bouncing off the walls and twirling around, obviously in "good spirits". And this was on pain medicine. His little butt looks a bit pooched, but basically normal for a Boston, and they said he had had one small bowel movement that was normal. I got him home and It was total bedlam, so I brought him upstairs with me and shut the gate. It took quite some time to settle him down - he would jump up on me, spin around, just bouncing off the walls and panting. I realize he'd been pent up in a small cage for 5 days, so tried to "play" some of this energy off, and he was a worthy opponent. Finally he did curl up on one of the beds behind my desk, with several forays exploring around upstairs.

Twitter was bopping around with the girls and a bunch of toys, so I think we'll be okay. I tried crating Twitter in the living room, and if I were not within his field of vision, he would scream and whine like a banshee until I came back into sight.

He is supposed to get 3 or 4 smaller meals a day, only ID canned with a spritz of salmon oil and "Missing Link" supplement. He certainly has a good appetite, but didn't totally snarf his food down - he actually chewed between swallows!

He truly is a gorgeous, dazzling brindle boy, and with some patience and training, he will make someone a wonderful companion - but not for ME!!!!

If I can ever get him to slow down, I'll get some pics, and I can't wait to get some in the sun, when his coat just glows like Tigers Eye quartz.

9 - 28- 09 - Jim Sez: Twitter slept with us last night and after he finally settled in, he was a pretty good bedmate - stayed in basically one spot and slept with his chin on my shin!

Twitter is not aggressive. He just wants to be friends and play with everybody, but will stand up for himself.

He has NO manners and will jump up on you, very mouthy and pupplylike, though Dr. Young said that from the tartar buildup on his teeth, that he is likely 3 years old or so... sure acts like a young heathen. I've tried the "ignore" ploy with minimal success.

He had another nice normal stool yesterday evening outside, so I am pretty confident he will not have a relapse of his prolapse - if that does happen, he will have to undergo a pretty invasive surgery where they tack the colon in several spots along the inside. YUCK! Hopefully that will not be an issue.

He will have to undergo a second round of Panacur for worms in about 2 weeks, but I don't expect he'll still be under my care by then .

Forgot to post these yesterday - did manage to get a few of Twitter flitting about on the patio, but there is no F-stop quick enough to freeze his action when he's on the move, and he's CONSTANTLY on the move! I truly have never met a "busier" Boston, and I've seen some hyperactive examples...Here he is with a much more normal looking rectum

10 - 13- 09 - Twitter is in process of getting his 2nd round of panacur to prevent any problems with worms causing his rectum to pop out from straining so hard to take a poop. His rectum is looking much better as you can see in the photos. I think as long as the new owner keeps him wormed on a timely basis they shouldn't have this problem again, but... the possibility is always out there once they have this happen. you just want to keep him with firm stools and not diarrhea over an extended period of time.

Twitter has calmed down some from his initial time with Jim. He is a busy boy, but he is a typical young Boston with lots of energy to burn. I think he would do well with a lively playmate in his new home. Twitter is a sweet little guy who wants to please his person badly, he just has more energy than his little body can contain. This is a boy that would be good to be a running buddy as long as it wasn't too hot outside. And I bet he would excell at agility and obedience.

10 - 17- 09 AM - It never fails, if I have a day I don’t have to go somewhere, something happens. I just looked down and Twitter’s rectum has prolapsed again. IT was perfectly fine when I went to bed last night cause I watch his booty just in case and it is one of those turn off the computer check, put dogs in right rooms for the night check, look at Twitters butt no rectum hanging out check. I am taking him up to Dr. Shelly’s office now. I think they open at 9 today. I will let you know more when I do.

10 - 17- 09 PM - Twitter and I got to Dr. Shelly's and Dr. Boone was in. Gave her Twitter's background info and told her what the first vet said about the surgery he would need called proctopexy or rectoplexy which is basically tacking his colon to the wall of adjacent tissue. She said she had never done one and would do some research into the surgery. By the time I got home, Dr. Boone called me stating that this was a surgery that she did not feel comfortable doing this surgery since there was such a high risk associated with it. But she did call around and find an emergency clinic that would do the surgery in Sherman.

So I drove back up to Gainesville, then over to Sherman to the Emergency vet. When I got there, I got to talk to the vet. She was willing to do the surgery, but she too had never done this particular surgery before. Her name was Dr. Mays. She said that it was a very risky surgery and had a high risk of infection due to it being the colon and the surgical needle possibly perferating it when stitching to the other tissue. She said if I elected to do this type of surgery, she would do it, but the risk was higher with her doing it since she had never done it before and it was a risky surgery in the first place. Dr. Mays stated that he would have a better chance if a surgeon that has done the rectoplexy before although it would still be risky.

She agreed with the first surgeon that prolapsed rectums often happen again and again as the muscles that hold the rectum in have either torn loose from the muscle walls or gotten too weakened to hold the rectum in. AS the first surgeon told Jim the next time this happened he should have a rectoplexy.

The vet gave me 3 options, a rectoplexy which she gave us an estimate of over $2000, another purse surgery for about $550 to hold the rectum in to give us time to raise the funds to pay for the surgery that he needs to have or to put him to sleep as without the surgery this will be a perpetual problem as he will keep having his rectum prolapse when he has to strain to potty if he is having diarrhea or constipation.

I didn't have the $2000 plus to pay for the rectoplexy today, so we had to do the purse string thing to give us time to raise the funds for the rectoplexy with a surgeon in Dallas. Choosing to put him to sleep was not an option for me. Twitter is too young and full of life for us not to try and give him the best chance we can even if it is a risky surgery.

So I left him there for his surgery and went to Books a Million to spend my birthday money that my friend Joannie sent me. THANK YOU JOANNIE!!! She knows how much I love to read, so I spent about an hour in there picking out several sci-fi books I wanted. Then Teddy (my boxer who rides everywhere with me) and I went to Burger King and got a meal to take over and sit in the Emergency Vet's parking lot and READ!!!

I just got parked and into my book when the vet tech came out and told me that Twitter's surgery was done and the vet wanted to talk to me.

Dr. Mays said that Twitter came through surgery just fine, BUT... that he was definitely gonna need the rectoplexy. She said that his rectum slid back into his body without any problems. Unfortunately there is no muscle tone back there to hold it in if there is any straining going on so we have to make sure that he has soft stools that are not diarhea and he doesn't get constipated. So I am gonna have to get Heidi working on some fundraising for my sweet little boy so he can have the surgery as soon as we can raise the funds for it.

She brought Twitter out and he was still pretty groggy from the anesthesia. We came on home and he is now resting on the sheepskin in his crate with his cone on his head. Gotta keep his cone on so he doesn't take his stitches out for himself.

So please pray for our little fellow to keep his bottom inside until we can raise the funds for hte surgery. I have to ask you to help us raise the funds to get the surgery that he needs to fix his behind so it don't keep falling out. Thanks so much for your help.

10 - 27- 09 - Sorry for the late update, but I had a transport to Little Rock on Thursday and Friday when Twitter was scheduled for Surgery, then our Barktoberfest in Frisco on Saturday, picking up the incoming dogs from Louisiana and meeting pug rescue with the 3 puggers we brought with our 3 Bostons, and vetting 17 dogs on Monday etc. I am just now having time to sit down and compose what all is going on with our Twitter.

Last week, Our wonderful volunteer Jim, checked with his surgical vet for us. Here is what he found out, QUOTE: Had a nice chat with Dr. Vaughn this morning about Twitter and his colorectal woes. Dr. Vaughn has done this procedure before successfully, and though it is risky due to the delicate nature of the colon wall, and the consequences of even a tiny puncture, he seemed confident of a positive outcome, though there are of course no guarantees...

His nurse called back with a detailed verbal estimate, soup to nuts, of the procedure, and the total would be about $964.97. That's all blood tests, prep, ICU for 2 days, anaesthesia, the surgery itself, pain meds and follow up care. Just let me know, Jim END OF QUOTE.

Due to the urgency of Twitter's condition, we did not wait to try and raise donations to get the surgery scheduled. To me and the rest of the Board, poor Twitter's butt falling out was an issue that needed to be addressed as soon as possible. So... We borrowed the money to pay for the surgery. So, now we have to raise the funds to pay that loan back as we get donations in to cover the cost of the 3rd surgery.

I dropped Twitter off with Jim on Wednesday afternoon so Jim could be at his surgeon's office bright and early on Thursday with him. Twitter was to spend 2 days in the hospital, so had a Saturday am release date, at which time Jim would bring him up to Barktoberfest and hand off to me.

ON 10/22/09 pm Jim sent this update:

Got an update from the vet's office that Twitter's surgery went smooth as silk, and that he's resting comfortably in the ICU. I'll get a more detailed update tomorrow on specifics, but at least he pulled through with flying colors and is doped up enough to be snoozing! Both good things...
Jim

This is Jim's last update on Twitter, Quote: One reason I love my vet office, is the detailed "report card" that accompanies the detailed bill with each visit that entails surgery or an involved checkup. The bill includes specifics of what was done, aftercare and the meds and their dosage and/or application. It turned out to be $1,093.35 - just slightly higher than the estimate, but half what the E-vet estimated.

Note that Twitter must remain on Hill's Science Diet prescription ID food...that's what is strongly recommended.

At least he seems to have FLOWN through the surgery with no visible ill effects - he was as bubbly and effervescent as ever (witnesses Lisa, Kristi and Heidi!), and Dr. Vaughn seemed confident there would be no problems with Twitter's convalescence. The "purse string" stitches were to remain in him until next Tuesday or so, just to be sure, but once those are removed, he should be good to GO (pun intended).

The whole staff came out to see him off, and he was a very happy camper to roll around in Velma's booster seat and cuddle with Furdaddy on the trip up to Barktoberfest in Frisco. It was bittersweet to see him go with Wanda - he is one of those personalities that quickly wrap around your heart, but as active as he is, I realized there was no way he could stay here. Sure hope he finds a wonderful forever family who will play and exercise with him and love him as much as he wants to be loved!He will be missed, though.

Jim

Wanda's note: Twitter is all those things and more. So far he is having good poops and is as happy and fiesty as ever. I think as long as we keep him on the ID and keep his poops solid then he should not have any more issues. We will make him available for adoption in about 2 more weeks I would think when I feel confident that his behind will stay where it belongs with the right care and food given.

As always, we at ABTR appreciate your continued support of our rescue efforts. Without your generosity and support, we could not have helped as many dogs as we have over the years. :) Thank you so very much. Wanda

If you would like to contribute to Twitter's care and vet bill, please feel free to use paypal for your payment or you can mail the payment to our vet with the notation "American Boston Terrier Rescue - Twitter" to:

Grand Avenue Animal Clinic
822 N. Grand Avenue
GAINESVILLE, TX 76240


Otherwise, PLEASE MAIL DONATIONS TO:

American Boston Terrier Rescue
P O Box 525
Sanger, TX 76266
Thank you for your support.

We at American Boston Terrier Rescue have no ongoing sponsers, subsidies, grants or other steady supporter paying for the vetting care of the rescue dogs. All vet bills, dog food and anything else the dogs need are paid for from donations, adoption donations and my own pocketbook. Any Donations are always appreciated.

ABTR is very grateful for the generous show of support for this little boy. Your prayers are so appreciated as well as the donations for her vet care. All donations raised in excess of Tequila Stinger and puppies's expenses will be used for the care of the many other dogs in our rescue program such as The demodex babies, the older dogs such as Andes, Gerties, Peeps, Old Fitzgerald, and Mr. Magoo who will probalby never be adopted, but still need our love, vet care, dog food and Prayers. Thank you again for your donations and support.

12 - 16 - 09 It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our beloved Twitter. Our energetic, joyful little dog is now at the Bridge with our Boston angels.

The burden of his unfortunate genetics left him with a medical issue that could not be permanently corrected. Before Twitter's last surgery - a very risky and challenging procedure - we were warned that it may not be his golden ticket. However, we were aware that the surgery was his only hope, so we pooled our resources to give him the best chance at a normal life that we could offer. Twitter was fortunate to have a veterinarian who had previously performed the procedure successfully, and for a while it appeared that Twitter was one of the lucky ones. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

Twitter once against suffered a prolapse on December 16th. Despite our hopes and best efforts, we were forced to face the fact that Twitter was not going to get better. We knew from his vets and specialist that there were no more surgical options for him, and forcing him to endure future physical trauma would be inhumane. There is simply no way to successfully manage a physical deformity of this nature and severity in an active little dog, and our only option was to send our sweet little Twitter to the Bridge where he would finally be whole and healthy.

Twitter was such a beautiful and effervescent little guy - it was hard not to fall in love with him. He stole many hearts along the way, and he had a large group of people who cared for him, donated toward his surgery, and offered prayers for his recovery. We thank you all. Without your help, Twitter might not have had the chance to live and be loved. And you can bet he was loved, and he loved right back.

ABTR would like to send a very special thanks to our very own Jim Gadient for his generosity and rock-solid support of Twitter every step of the way. Jim truly was Twitter's "fairy godfather", who worked silently and completely behind the scenes. Jim bestowed his own brand of magic on Twitter and allowed him to shine. We appreciate his efforts on Twitter's behalf. Fly high, Twitter. You were loved and you'll be sorely missed.

HOME PAGE