AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE  
               
PAWS was hoping to put a new listing on the website in a few days for Goodie the Shih Tzu. His name was chosen because he was around 10 years old and the Pound staff had decided if he was not claimed by his owner he would be euthanased as they considered him to be not rehomable. Our rescuer Denise decided to give Goodie a chance even though he was in a dreadful state. Goodie had a matted coat, hair completely covering his face, six large lumps on his stomach and other places throughout his body, rotten teeth and an ear infection that was so severe we believe his head hung down a lot of the time because of the dreadful pain he was suffering. Goodie also had the most shocking stench coming from his little body, making anyone who handled him want to vomit!  

Sadly Goodie had to stay his 7 days at the Pound and, the Wednesday he was due out, Denise made a special trip there to collect him. She wanted to get him out immediately so that he could get the veterinary attention he needed as soon as possible. 

 

The vet soon discovered that the putrid smell was not from Goodie's coat as we first thought, but that poor little Goodie’s ears were so badly infected that the pus had dripped onto the hair on and around his ears and had been rotting there for a long, long time. He would have been in severe pain from his ear infection and rotting teeth for goodness knows how long. Goodie's ears were syringed out the minute he arrived at the vet and a swab was taken, The vet said that it was a very nasty infection and started him on antibiotics immediately then his coat clipped off and he was given a bath..

 

This photo (click to enlarge) shows one of Goodie's ears which are often called ‘pumpkin ears’ when they are in this condition. Goodie's heart was good (no heart murmur) and, when the hair was gone from his face and his eyes were revealed, they were found to be bluish (which meant he was vision impaired) but fortunately there was no infection present.  

 

The vet checked Goodie's lumps and diagnosed that they were not cancerous and could all be removed This would be done when he was under anaesthetic for the dental surgery that was so badly needed. Denise does a full blood screen for all dogs she rescues that are over 8 years of age and, as Goodie was in such dreadful condition, this test was done as a matter of urgency so the vets knew exactly what they were dealing with. Goodie's blood was taken to the laboratory within the hour and the test results were back to the vet clinic by 5pm. His white cell count was very high but this was put down to the extremely nasty infection he had in his ears and the fact that he was suffering from malnutrition, But luckily everything else looked OK for a dog of Goodie's vintage. 

 

When Goodie woke on Thursday he was like a new dog. His tail was wagging and he could finally lift his head. Because his ears needed to be monitored by the vets he was to stay there for two more nights and go into foster care on Saturday. Sadly on Thursday afternoon Goodie started to have attacks of diarrhoea. Finally little Goodie's body could take no more and he passed away soon after from suspected parvo virus. This, and his dreadfully affected ears, was probably the reason his white cell count was so high.  

  

Goodie had about another 5 years of life left and we would have found him a home where he would have been happy, pain free and loved. The only consolation we have is that Goodie had 24 hours where veterinary staff were working their hardest to take his long suffering pain away. He was also clean, clipped and loved by all who worked at the vet clinic and the staff were devastated when Goodie became so gravely ill that his little body just gave up. He had suffered for so long and parvo was the last thing that he needed. Goodie had many people looking out for him, his rescuer Denise, kind sponsors Andrea and Lorraine and his potential foster carer Sheila, who was waiting anxiously to take him into her home to love and nurture him and to let him know that life could be good. He would have had regular cuddles, kisses when he needed them, lots of sunshine, a walk to the park, good food and very good doggy company for this old gentleman to enjoy in his twilight years. Goodie also had many followers waiting to see him on our website. Instead they will see this memorial to Goodie and read his story, not as we wanted to tell it, but the way it is. Fly free Goodie ... you touched our hearts in such a way that we will never forget you and your little face will stay in our memory forever. 

 

Denise is hopeful that Goodie has not died in vain. Pounds are in a difficult position and can't always let dogs go out under duty of care. This could open the floodgates to rescue groups wanting to take dogs out this way just because they don't want to see them sit in a Pound for the necessary 7 or 14 days. Goodie needed veterinary treatment urgently but the Pound staff did not realise that he was so sick and the vet who visits the Pound did not look at Goodie for that reason. They are now aware that his situation was dire and are working towards making sure that little dogs like Goodie don't ever again have to suffer once they are in their care. 

 

 

THANK YOU TO ANDREA OF BANGOR AND LORRAINE FOR SPONSORING GOODIE

 

(Background Music - 'Evergreen' by Barbra Streisand)