Just looking into this boy’s eyes you can see his sadness and feel his emotional pain. After being part of the same family for his entire 13 years of life, he was surrendered to a high kill shelter. All he wants is to be loved, held close and cuddled and instead he almost lost his life.
Meet Victor, our newest special needs senior Sanctuary resident, and there was simply no way we were going to allow his life to end in a cold noisy shelter.
Victor is truly one of the sweetest boys ever! He simply looks at you and your heart just melts. We find it very difficult to comprehend owner surrenders, but we do understand how it affects the dogs and Victor is no different. He’s sad, confused, lost, and doesn’t understand what has happened to his family.
We have often discussed our feelings about owner surrenders. Owner surrenders can be some of the most heartbroken dogs we see in the shelters. People don’t seem to understand or accept the reality for the surrendered pet, and what it does to them.
Paws Give Me Purpose is picking up the broken pieces of Victor’s heart and we will make him whole again – that is a promise!
Victor has been seen by our Veterinary team. We have discussed quality of life and a hospice plan if deemed necessary. Victor has severe muscle wasting in his hind legs and bilateral hind limb paresis (weakness); a CT scan was taken, and the reason for this issue seems to be intervertebral disk extrusion. Since this injury is suspected to have happened long ago, and it was not addressed medically, surgical intervention is no longer possible.
Victor actually gets himself around pretty well using just his front legs and is not in any pain. He does love to be picked up and carried. Due to this same old injury Victor has difficulty going potty so he does suffer from incontinence; nothing a pair of fashionable doggie pants can’t handle. Many of our senior males here have similar issues and it is no big deal to us. We will be looking into getting Victor a set of wheels so he can get around more comfortably himself when the dogs spend time outside in the yard.
Victor’s blood work looked pretty good for a dog his age; nothing overly concerning. He does however have a mass on his outer front right paw which we will need to keep a close eye on. Additionally, Victor has a 3/6 heart murmur, some mild-moderate dental disease, and some allergic dermatitis. He will be seeing our Cardiologist as soon as possible so we can get him started on any heart medication he may require.
Victor has an amazing appetite, is loving the homemade cooked foods and treats we make here and takes his supplements and medications like a champ. He eats sitting down, and does need someone to hold the bowl up for him, so he doesn’t lose balance; again we have no issue with that.
Although Victor presents with many medical issues, none of them really inhibits his ability to enjoy life and live out his golden years to the fullest. Above all else, we at Paws Give Me Purpose put quality of life first, and Victor most certainly has shown us his desire for life, for love and this second chance.
Victor came to us because no one else stepped up to help him during his time of need. Our promise to Victor is to provide a safe and loving environment for the rest of his life.
If anyone ever doubts us, know that this is what we do at Paws Give Me Purpose.
We ask that you please consider making a donation to help us with Victor’s care. If anyone is interested in sponsoring Victor’s lifetime care in Sanctuary, please reach out to us directly.
PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/pawsgivemepurposeinc
Venmo: @PAWSGIVEMEPURPOSE-INC
