Toby
Living in Romania when young and on a gypsy camp was no easy life, even harder when you loose the only home you know to. A fire and have to flee for his life, toby found a ditch he could excape the smoke but it still may have affected his lungs.
From that day on he was on his own. Sleeping in shop doorways, begging for any scraps he could and just trying to survive on rubbish. Winters were hard and summers just finding something to drink was a challange. If dogs like toby are not welcome they get kicked,, things thrown at them beaten..its not a good life but he managed to survive for 10 years doing just that!
He was taken into a shelter where he could relax and be cared for , for once in his life he was safe. He had tests to make sure he was healthy but unfortunatly he had heart worm, goodness knows for how long..this moscito transmitted condition is a hard one to live with. At his age he was too old and weak to go through the harsh treatment to cure it so he was in for the long hall of months 2 injections a month..
Here at the retreat we had just lost a special boy, so we had a space for another pup who needed a little extra help and a home...our wonderful friends found him and Alex, as he was known then, was on his way to the Raggie Dog Retreat.
He traveled with a little girl called Kelly who was also coming here to be with her friends she had not seen for a year. They drove into Paris and to a friends house, she came to Lemanns and Stephen collected them from there. A real team effort.
Arriving home Hanna collected kelly from the footwell, such a little dot..and went back for Toby who we were told was small... he was wedged into a travel crate , a big fluffy boy sound asleep and reluctant to come out...after some persuading Hanna carried him in.
Wondering were this little dog was as he must have expanded on route. The poor lads breathing was not good so a soft bed a small tea and then relax time for him. Toby settled in well. He enjoyed his food and gentle plods around the garden, he had injections twice a month to keep on to of his heartworm. Which would aventually cure it.
Jump forward 8 weeks his breathing was terrible he could hardly get out for wees and then he stopped eating. Something was very wrong, so off to the vets. They kept him in on a drip which had to be so slow because of his condition. Two echo graphs , blood taken and checked. This poor little man had an ulsar in his pancreas which had burst and caused infection..fluid in his lungs. He was seriously in pain. His liver was so discoloured from years of eating rubbish. Thank goodness for good vets and supporters he was safe.
He is doing great now. It was a joy to see him enjoy his food again..he is on a special diet. His breathing has improved ten fold and he wags his tail . He is Hanna's shadow, turn around and hes there looking up at her. He must be feeling at home and loved. He is the sweetest boy with the courage of a lion. We love him dearly.