Healing Hiccup

Hello there, you may not know me, but you might know my dog, Hiccup. Short version: The rescue that agreed to pay for his spinal CT, using funding that had been donated specifically for him, is spreading a false narrative regarding Hiccup’s story for their own gain. They delete comments and block anyone who mentions who really saved Hiccup. I would prefer to advocate for Hiccup myself, as I have done for the over 7 months he’s been in my care. SUPER Long version: He was saved from a high kill shelter in Georgia in July. Initially he was going to go to a rescue group I volunteered for as medical coordinator, but after seeing his medical chart, I realized he would not survive the two week quarantine necessary for rescue dogs to cross into Maine. I knew in my gut I had to help him, so I volunteered to privately adopt him, which would allow me to get him to Maine asap. ️️I left my home at 2am and drove to Boston to meet a volunteer transporter. After picking him up we went directly to the vet clinic I work at. Shortly after his arrival it was apparent he was gravely ill. Anemic, skin sloughing off, almost all attempts for a IV catheter were thwarted by hitting pockets of pus instead. I then rushed him to the specialty clinic so he could get a central line, IV antibiotics and the best round the clock care possible. A few days there and he was finally showing some signs of improvement! He came home on loads of meds, daily medicated baths, medicated ointments, you name it. He was improving…until he wasn’t. He started to have severe nasal discharge, but oddly, very little coughing for the severe pneumonia he was diagnosed with. He stayed by my side nonstop, with his trustee humidifier and medications around the clock. His hair was falling out from the previous severe neglect, but his skin looked healthier! He was improving again…until he wasn’t. Despite having a daily skin regiment more intense than most models his skin pustules stopped getting better, and more started coming. Then, he started to get VERY lethargic and was walking very oddly, almost sideways like a crab. More tests: Skin culture = MRSP. Blood culture = the Infection had spread to his blood stream. X-rays = discospondylosis (the infection was attacking his spinal cord). He was then started on a heavy duty antibiotic. So heavy duty I had to wear gloves when handling it every 8 hours. He was getting better!…until he wasn’t. He started to fade. He wasn’t the happy go lucky goober anymore, he was quickly becoming dull, and for the first time since I rescued him, he didn’t want to eat. Bloodwork showed his liver values elevating. The amazing doctors on his team deduced he was having an unheard of reaction to his heavy duty antibiotics. The decision was made to switch his medication again, and hope that it would continue to control the infection in his spine, with less side effects. It was a risk, knowing the infection might not respond to this one, but staying on the other medication would have killed him. ⏳So here we are. In a holding pattern of antibiotic administration every 8 hours, for the foreseeable future. X-ray check ups every 3 months to ensure his spine is healing. Rechecks with his neurologist at the specialty clinic. All leading up to him needing a CT to ensure the infection in his spine is ACTUALLY gone, with no pockets or lesions of infection just waiting to go crazy and ruin all of his progress. I have since stopped working with the rescue that I proudly volunteered for, for almost 5 years. All this time Hiccup has been in my care I was the one making his HICCUPDATE posts. I am saddened to say that despite my hope of an amicable departure, it does not appear to be such. I do not want Hiccup to have gotten this far, just to be failed again due to human nonsense. Please consider donating. I have loved, and cared for Hiccup since the moment I saw him. Blood, pus, sweat, tears, and many many kisses have been endured to help this silly little knucklehead live a wonderful life of happiness.