Go Scottie, Go!

I met Scottie on the morning of April 26, on the way to a meeting. I was driving along Commonwealth South Bound, when I noticed a white dog with brown spots, visibly disoriented and slowly walking towards the other end of the hi-way. I pulled over thanks to light traffic, and waited for him to come to my side of the road. As he walked closer, I saw that he was wearing a collar and leash made out of an old bicycle tire and chicken wire. His eyes were both shut – blinded by mucus, ribs jutting out of his stomach and with hind legs so weak that he was dragging them.

Cars honked as I tugged his rubber collar. Scottie resisted and felt afraid that he peed for a good 30-seconds. Good thing I had a towel in the car, which I used to cover his head so he would relax. Once he stopped struggling, I petted him, made him feel safe, and carried him into the car. He got inside and just lay there (as seen in the photo), almost out of breath and panting heavily.

I rushed him to a clinic and found out a piece of good news: Scottie wasn’t blind. His eyes are closed because of the thick mucus from years of neglect. I learned that he is about 3-4 years old and has probably lived in the streets all his life. The doctors ran tests, and we found out more about his diagnosis. This is where I need your help:

According to the doctors, Scottie has 2 major diseases. One is Erlichiosis, a disease that dogs usually get from tick bites. The doctors said it’s "dengue for canines". There’s no treatment for this kind of disease, only prevention that he can get through anti-tick medication. The second disease he has is Canine Distemper. Distemper is a highly contagious viral disease and often fatal. He was given Sears Serum to help stop the progression, but there are already symptoms of neurological damage (i.e. twitching, seizures) which means the disease has already advanced. Should we get through this - and I for sure hope he does - he will have these symptoms for the rest of his life.

The hospital bill is running but I am not losing hope. I look forward to seeing Scottie healthy again and I hope you join me in caring for him through your kind donations. With an abundance of love and proper care, Scottie can live longer and see the world again :)