Jethro's Fight For His Life!

Our best friends,  Jon & Jackie have a gorgeous dog name Jethro. He was admitted to the emergency animal  hospital Saturday, September 10 due to not being able to urinate. After blood work and x-rays he was found to have bladder stones, more than 200 bladder stones of all different sizes. One large stone, the size of a pea,was blocking his urethra. Surgery was deemed necessary. The procedure was supposed to be 45 minutes however his was 4 hours 20 minutes!

Sunday, September 11 recovery was going very slow.  Jethro did not wake up well from the anesthesia. Jon & Jackie were able to see him but he was anxious wanted to leave the room and go back to his treatment cage.

Monday, September 12 he was still very out of it, not resting and very anxious.

Tuesday, September 13 Jon & Jackie received a call that Jethro had declined and was doing poorly. He was unable to maintain his body temperature and no longer eating or drinking. Be became very lethargic. He had low blood count but high white blood cell count. Jethro's abdomen began to swell. The doctor drew some fluid from his belly and found it to septic! He had a server infection in his abdomen that lead him to being in critical condition. Jon & Jackie made the decision to give him a fighting chance to save his life. He needed a plasma transfusion that night to try to make him stable enough to have another surgery this time to clean out the infection.

Wednesday, September 14 Jon & Jackie received a call while he was in surgery.  The doctor found the source of the septic infection. Jethro had a hole in his stomach from a piece of plastic. The hole was leaking stomach acid and anything that he ate into his abdomen. They repaired the hole and took out the infected tissue. Visitation wasn't aloud until Jethro was stable enough to move from his treatment cage. The surgery went as well as expected and that recovery would be long and slow.

Thursday,  September 15 Jethro was aloud visitor. Jon & Jackie able walked into the room to see he was still very groggy, couldn't walk straight and the catheter lines kept getting stuck inbetween his toes. He was still urinating a lot of blood. He had an abdomen drain that was collecting fluid from his incision. He had a feeding tube placed so he could get liquid nutrition. Friday, September 16 Jethro was beating the odds and was responding to the 3 types of antibiotics he was on. Urinary catheter came out still passing blood but was getting better.  And Jethro was doing well with tube feed.

Saturday, September 17 he was still drawing alot of fluid off the abdomen. They able to pull the feeding tube that evening. If he could keep food and water down Jon & Jackie were going to bring him home Sunday and do abdomen drain care at home.

Sunday, September 18 the doctor called and said she still wasn't pleased with the amount of fluid his drain was putting out so they wanted to keep him another night.

Monday, September 19, now over a week later, Jethro was FINALLY well enough to come home!!  Since he's been home, Jethro is comfortable and recovering.

As you can imagine an ordeal like this was so scary, stress and painful for Jethro, Jon and Jackie. Jethro's medical bills are $18,000.  If you are able to help Jon & Jackie pay down this massive expense,  it would be incredibly appreciated.