My name is Rita!

10/25/13: Lots Of Good News And A Little Bad News For Baby Rita

The very good news is that little Rita is much much better. She has survived all of her multiple ailments and is on the mend. She has been a trooper through it all. The somewhat bad news is that the sore on her leg that was detected when she first came to the hospital turns out to be ringworm. Diagnosis has been confirmed by a fungal culture.

The doctor has prescribed an oral medication (Itraconazole) which Rita will need to take daily for at least 5 weeks. Treatment will also include a lime sulfur dip and topical fungal medication. Two negative skin scrapings will be required before she is considered fungus free. Her latest blood results are showing improvement but she has a ways to go before they are back to normal. She will need more blood tests and a skin scraping in a couple of weeks.

Rita is now starting to act more like a happy puppy and is even beginning to play. Although her appetite is not yet up to par she is now eating on her own. She lost a lot of weight while she was sick and it will be a while until she is looking like she should. She has gained a little in the last week and is now 10.3 pounds. One thing for certain is that she will continue to need lots of TLC.

Poor little Rita has endured so much hardship for such a young pup. She is being released from the hospital and will continue to recover in the care of her foster home. We are committed to making sure that sweet baby Rita has a bright future.

10/22/13: A Slight Set-Back For Baby Rita

Little Rita has been gradually improving. However there has been a complication due to the severity of her Parvo virus symptoms. Rita has developed a condition called Hypoproteinemia where there is an abnormally low level of protein in the blood. Decreased serum protein decreases the osmotic pressure of the blood, leading to loss of fluid from the blood vessels which results in edema. Treatment consists of administering human albumen given by a slow IV drip over the next 24 hours. It is necessary for her to be carefully monitored for signs of an allergic reaction or other negative side effects.

Rita has started to give the doctors and medical staff sweet little kisses when they are near. She must understand they are trying to make her feel better. All the different medications she is taking has been successful in controlling her diarrhea and vomiting. She is still not eating much on her own but she will eat a little when she is fed by hand. Rita is receiving the best medical care possible. Although she has had a slight set-back we are still hopeful that little baby Rita will survive. Please continue to keep her in your prayers.

NOTE: Please spread the word about Rita. Her medical costs are climbing higher. We need your donations to pay for Rita's care. We THANK YOU in advance for your help no matter how large or small.

10/17/13: Rita Update - The Doctors Are Cautiously Optimistic
Sweet baby Rita is responding to treatment and has made some improvement. Intravenous fluids and medications have made her feel much better. She was able to sit up on her own but she is still refusing to eat. Rita’s color has improved and she is a little brighter and more alert.

Rita has been getting drugs to control her vomiting and diarrhea which are now working well. She was fed a nutritious gruel by syringe today and thankfully she kept the food down. The doctor gave her a medication to stimulate her appetite and they are hoping she will start to eat soon.

The doctors will be doing more tests tomorrow to compare with previous tests and they are cautiously optimistic that they will confirm that Rita is improving. She is not yet “out of the woods” but we are happy her health is at least going in the right direction.

Please keep your good thoughts and prayers going for Rita. She needs all the help she can get.

10/15/13: Rita Is Fighting For Her Life

Rita is an 11 week old boxer who is near death. This very sick little girl was brought in to an emergency hospital and was diagnosed with a strong positive parvovirus. Poor Rita was also severely anemic most likely due to a heavy load of intestinal parasites. Of less concern at the moment is a sore on her leg and fly bites on the tips of her ears. The people who brought her in could not afford the high cost of medical care to try and save Rita’s life. We were asked to step in and we knew we had to give Rita a chance.

Vigorous treatment so far has included two blood transfusions. She is currently in the Intensive Care unit at the hospital and is being monitored 24 hours a day. She is severely dehydrated and is battling bloody diarrhea and vomiting. At this time the doctors cannot predict if she will survive. As we know, boxers are little fighters so we are hopeful she will beat the odds.

We want to thank the Doctors who are diligently working to save Rita’s life. We also offer a special Thank You to Rita’s namesake. This wonderful dog donated her blood for both transfusions which this puppy could not have survived without.

The cost of Rita’s medical care is significant. Please consider making a donation to help with the incurred costs. Rita will also need a foster home if she makes it through the next 48 hours. Contact us for more details if you think you can help. Your prayers are needed and appreciated.

JaneScott@BoxerRescue.com

http://www.BoxerRescue.com