Willow --- working together to help this sweet girl

Willow was a stray at Leech Lake Reservation. She had mange so we arranged to have her taken to our partner vet, Animal Care Clinic in Bemidji where she spent a few days and to begin treatment for mange. As is the case with pups who come in with mange, we have limited options and we often send our mange pups up to our partner Karen Good up at Red Lake Rosie's Rescue/RLRR (on Red Lake Reservation). She continues treating our mange pups until we are able to find a rescue to take them.

So Willow was transported to Red Lake Reservation. A couple days later we learned Willow was not doing well. She had blood in her stool. She tested negative for parvo. We had plans to bring Willow down on transport on 2/22/14. Our partner, Pooches United with People/PUP, was able to take Willow into their foster program. We are truly grateful to both RLRR and PUP for helping us with the dogs who come to us at Leech Lake Reservation with mange.

On Feb. 20th, we got an email from Karen that Willow's stool was 'practically pure blood.' Karen immediately took Willow to the Gonvick vet. They once again tested for parvo and she tested negative. We received the following from Karen this morning with an update on Willow:

"She had about 12 inches of her necronized intestines removed 3 days ago due to them telescoping inside themselves.  This poor girl came in starved, mangy and in pitiful condition last week from Leech Lake-and we are thankful to LLL for rescuing her.  We had her tested for parvo- thinking that was why the bloody stool and lack of appetite-but that was neg.  So we finally had her x-rayed and then went in for exploratory suspecting an impaction of some sort to find the condition in her bowels.

Thankfully she is alive, and taking little bites and drinking a special vegetable, barley beef broth I made for her. She is still at the vet and will be bringing her home tomorrow. I will be keeping her
in my house until she is well enough to be transferred."

Please send positive energy Willow's way. When she went in for surgery we weren't even sure if she would survive. She's a fighter and with the amazing love of Karen we know she has the best chance possible. And thank you to Jeanne and Margie of PUP for always being willing to take the animals from us to need the most help.

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