Canelo Is Struggling

Poor Canelo. Now the right middle lobe of his lung has collapsed. The vet can't get it to re-inflate and we don't know why this happened. Canelo also turned blue while they were taking new x-rays ... he couldn't breathe.

He's been in an oxygen tent since yesterday. Hopefully he can be released today and go back to his foster home. (Yes, we found a foster home for him!)

More tests are needed than originally thought ... this poor boy has been through so much! He hasn't been able to shake off the pneumonia entirely either.

We're hoping it's fungal and then they can hit him with the right anti-fungal meds. I sure hope it's not bacteria resistant or a virus ... then we're kinda up a creek, so to speak. If that's the case, it's a matter of getting his body stronger so he can fight this off.

It can also be COPD (lung disease) or PIE syndrome (Pulmonary infiltration with eosinophilia; a disease of dogs of unknown origin.

We need help for his medical bills and his subsequent treatment. Click Here to donate via Paypal.

Thank you for caring about this little sweetie.

Canelo Back At the Vet--Again! Need Foster!

Canelo was coughing up a storm, so we took him back to the vet on Saturday.

We took another x-ray. The lungs looked OK. There was some consolidation and some bronchial changes but nothing to indicate why he's having problems exhaling. His cough is dry and hacking, and my vet said he could hear him wheezing across the room. So sad to see him cough his little lungs out like that!

My vet wanted to check if there was some kind of blockage around the trachea, which could be an easy repair. So poor Canelo had to spend the night--again--at the vet. This morning, Canelo was put under to examine the trachea. Unfortunately, it was wide open--no blockage here. So no easy fix.

The vet then added a bronchial dilator pill to the mix. He started Canelo on a lower dosage to build up tolerance and then we'll be upping the dosage in a few days. Let's hope this works. Keep your fingers crossed!

Canelo was released today. This bill was approximately $105. So far, the vet bills have totaled about $1,500--and still he's not well.

We need to do the BAL immediately, but we can't because we don't have the funds. We need to raise $1,200 to $1,800.

Canelo has to go to a specialist for this procedure. They'll put him under, take a sample from the lungs using brush cytology and then do a culture from the sample.

It's the only way we can find out why he's still coughing and wheezing up a storm.

Please go to http://crittersrescueonline.org/index.html to donate via PayPal.

And we still have no foster for him! He's now at our group's founder house, but she's having surgery in a few days and will not be able to look after him.

Canelo really is an easy dog to foster. He just needs to have his meds and that's about it.

Please email us at Dogs@CrittersRescue.com if you can foster.

Thank you all for caring about this special little boy.

Canelo Needs Specialist & New Foster Home!

It's confirmed. Canelo needs to see a specialist.

Canelo went back to my vet today to see how he's doing on the prednisone. Unfortunately, his breathing is still quite labored. Just terrible. And you can hear the wheezing and whistling in his lungs just by putting your ear near his chest. He also had a coughing spell while we were waiting in the lobby--I described it as a coughing spasm to the vet. He just couldn't stop.

His energy level is low and can't go on walks. He was more playful today, his foster told me, which was good news. Although, he is still thin, he has gained a pound since we got him out of the shelter, so luckily, he is no longer skeletal.

My vet confirmed today that he needs to have the BAL (Bronchoalveolar lavage) with a fiber optic scope as quickly as possible. They'll use a brush to brush the lungs and gather a sample for culture.

Some of you have donated already for Canelo, and this is so appreciated. However, we need to raise about $1,200 to $1,800 just to have the BAL, and so far, we've raised about $300. If anyone knows of a specialist for lung issues like this, and who might do the BAL for a lower cost, please let me know.

We also need a new foster for Canelo by Wednesday (in Orange County or Long Beach). His current fosters love him very much, but they were only able to keep him for three weeks, and it's been more than that. They're going out of town on vacation on Thursday.

Canelo is an easy little dog. He loves to be petted and he gets along with dogs and cats, too. Because of his labored breathing, he shouldn't be taken on walks yet.

Canelo is one of the nicest, gentlest little dogs I've had the privilege to meet.

The Facts About Canelo ...

Canelo was released by my vet on Wednesday, after being hospitalized for nine days. He was put on prednisone and a cough suppressant. Other than that, there is nothing else my vet can do for him.

We'll know more by Monday, but it looks like Canelo will need to go to a specialist for a BAL (Bronchoalveolar lavage) with a fiber optic scope. Brush cytology. They'll use a brush to brush the lungs and gather a sample for culture.

This is an expensive procedure ... I got a quote from one internist that the procedure will cost between $1,200 and $1,800.

Also there are possible dangers to this procedure; however, we may have no choice in the matter. The need to find out what is going on outweighs any possible risks. And the belief is that this is a fairly safe procedure.

My vet had Canelo on broad spectrum antibiotics but had to switch him to the most potent antiobiotic that they have--Amikacin. You can't use this drug long-term as it can cause kidney damage. Yet still he was coughing and heaving even with this drug.

As of today, Canelo is still exhibiting very deep breathing. When you hold him, you feel his lungs--his body--heaving. It's the weirdest thing to see and feel--very disturbing

The pred is helping; his coughing is down and he's eating. But he's still deep breathing.

Canelo could have several things going on ... the problem could be:

• fungal
• resistant bacteria
• COPD (lung disease)--Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• PIE syndrome--Pulmonary infiltration with eosinophilia; a disease of dogs of unknown origin characterized by dyspnea, reduced exercise tolerance, diffuse pulmonary infiltration by eosinophils and an eosinophilia.

Boy, do I hope it's fungal and can be easily treated!

We will assess Canelo again on Monday. If he is still breathing heavily by then, we will have to go through with the procedure.

Sadly, we don't have the resources to cover this procedure, so once again we turn to you for donations so this sweet boy may get the medical help he needs to recover. And Canelo deserves to live a long, healthy and happy life--he really is a special little dog.

Click Here to donate using Paypal.

Critters in Need now offers dog clothes and accessories, available by donation. So deck out your dog in the latest fashion and help Canelo at the same time.

Thank you so much for caring about this special little boy.

Canelo Needs To See A Specialist!

The vet called me this morning ....

Canelo had been taken off of meds for two days, but the coughing came back just as strong as it had been when he was first admitted to the hospital eight days ago. His little chest is heaving, yet his lungs are clear. I'm sure glad I opted to keep him at the vet that extra day. It was important to know this.

There is no more that my vet can do for him; he needs to see a respiratory specialist. A sample needs to be taken from the lungs to see what is going on. But Critters in Need Pet Rescue, a group made up solely of volunteers, does not have the $1,000 to pay for this procedure.

Canelo will be released today to his foster home with prednisone and cough medicine. I'm hoping these new meds will help manage the coughing. It's important that scarring of the lungs does not occur.

But pred can only be used for a limited time, so it's important that Canelo go to the specialist as soon as possible.

We need your help to raise the $1,000 for this procedure. Please click here to donate.

Canelo Had a Relapse!

Sweet Canelo is back in the hospital!

He never quite kicked the pneumonia and suddenly began struggling to breathe. His whole body heaved with the effort. When I put my ear to his chest, I could hear the wheezing and rattling. Little Canelo also was very dehydrated.

But all through the examination at the vet, Canelo was such a trooper. I put my arms around him while he was on the examining table and he began showering me with kisses. He kissed me so much that he licked all my freshly applied lipstick off!

The vet called me today and said that it was good news. The x-rays show that the pneumonia is not consolidated, which means that it's spread throughout the lungs and is therefore much easier to treat.

Canelo will be hospitalized for at least several days, which again, means a large vet bill. He'll need several x-rays, IVs, antibiotics, breathing treatments, hospitalization ... it all adds up. My guess is that it will end up being what it was the last time--$1,200.

Canelo is such a special little boy. He has to be the gentlest little dog I've ever met, and he has so much love to give. Your donations will help us help Canelo so he never has to go through this again.

Thank you so much for caring about this special little boy.

Click Here to donate using Paypal.

Critters in Need now offers dog clothes and accessories, available by donation. So deck out your dog in the latest fashion and help Canelo at the same time!

UPDATE: May 7 - Canelo will be moved out of ISO today. They'll continue with the breathing treatments, antibiotics, IVs. He hasn't coughed since yesterday. If he continues to not cough, they'll probably be able to send him home tomorrow.

UPDATE: May 8 - Wow. Poor Canelo is "still hacking up a lung." He's coughing and coughing, Dr. Mark Malo said this morning.

They're throwing pretty heavy-duty antibiotics at him, too. He's eating well for them, which is good. He's on IVs.

Dr. Mark wants to keep him over the weekend and see if he can get him to improve by Monday. He's not in danger of dying; it's just a matter of getting him through "this craziness," Mark said.

They'll do another x-ray before sending him home, plus Canelo will need a re-check in a week, which means another x-ray.

UPDATE: May 12 - Canelo had to go back to ISO. He was taken out of ISO yesterday and monitored. He wasn't coughing really, but he sounds hoarse.

The vet said he could go home. I opted for them to keep him one more day, off of drugs, just to make sure he wasn't going to backslide. So if all goes well, which is should, little Canelo will be released tomorrow!

PLEASE donate for Canelo's vet bill. Click Here to donate using Paypal.