Save Lola - Please help
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Time is running out -- Please help our precious Lola... We welcomed Lola into our family 10 years ago during a very difficult time in our lives, she filled our hearts with joy and happiness. Lola has shared many happy and sad times with our family and we couldn't imagine losing her like this. We want to pay it forward for all the love she has brought into our family. Lola started vomiting about 2 weeks ago, I treated her as if she had stomach bug, gave her rice and coconut milk and lots of TLC. Lola showed signs of improvement, however this past Saturday Lola took a turn for the worse, she started vomiting again, lost an extreme amount of weight, loss of balance, collapsing, shivering and not her usual happy Lola. This was one of the most scariest things anyone could feel! I felt helpless, sad, and scared, every emotion running through my body, I felt numb. The first thought was, where do I get the money to help our Lola? The panic strikes, heart racing, and the tears start to fall. I am a single Mom with one income, the anxiety of not knowing where or how I would get the money put me at my knees in prayer. I rushed Lola to the Ocean State E.R., they took her vitals, did blood work, administered fluids under her skin, did a partial CBS panel of blood work (all we could afford) Cortisol snap, and a few other things. As we wait hoping that it's only a minor treatable ear infection, turns out it wasn't, Blood work showed elevated kidney values, and high potassium levels were elevated, her Cortisol level was normal, ruling out Addison's disease as a cause of her sign. As I ask the Vet a million questions, she was just as concerned as I was due to the rapid weight loss and loss of balance. The bill was up to $300, the panic struck again.
The Vet came back with bad news, " I am very concerned for Lola" we recommend an abdominal ultrasound to elevate the organs in her abdomen, including her GI Tract and her kidneys. Her collapse may be caused by a heart problem, episodic low blood pressure, neurological problem, neurological changes mediated by vomiting, and other causes. The Vet hands me the estimated bill and both myself and my daughter couldn't hold back the tears, as we cry and explain we can not afford $1500-$1900 dollars. I ask her to give us a little bit of time to gather our thoughts and to think this threw. We had no other option than to discharge Lola and bring her home until we could gather our thoughts and pray. My daughter had already gone into her savings to pay the $395.60 to pay for services rendered that night. The tears wouldn't stop, we were both at a loss for words.
My brain could not shut down, thinking why, how, what happened the last 2 weeks, why did our Lola get so sick, so suddenly, what triggered this? These thoughts kept going over and over in my head. As tired as I was, with only 2 hours until I have to get up for work, I google kidney failure in dogs, etc. and couldn't believe what I read....... GRAPES - TOXIC listing every single symptom Lola was experiencing. I had no idea that Grapes were toxic to dogs, I had given Lola a few green grapes 2 weeks prior! I could not believe was I was reading, I called the E.R. to provide them with the information. They said that explained it all. I would also like to raise awareness to other animal owners who are not aware that Grapes are highly toxic to dogs.
"Not so long ago, grapes are not considered as harmful to dogs. Before pet owner were warned about the harmful effects of grapes to canines, this fruit as well as raisins were used as treats when training dogs. The toxic effects of grapes has puzzled dog owners and scientists as not all dogs are affected by this fruit. While some dogs can get away with eating a lot of grapes some dogs will manifest toxicity symptoms by eating just a few. The toxicity of chocolates is dose dependent, this is not so with grapes.
A dog that is affected by the toxic effects of grapes will show symptoms of poisoning at once. Hyperactivity that is followed by depression and sluggishness are first obvious signs. Diarrhea and vomiting are signs that the dog was poisoned. A dog affected by the toxins found in grapes would need immediate medical treatment. This kind of toxicity will cause renal failure as the toxins will prevent the kidney from functioning" http://dogobediencetrainingguides.net/why-are-grapes-harmful-to-dogs/
I am coming to you for help, every little bit goes a long way. Please help us get Lola back to the E.R.
If anyone has ever experienced this with their animal due to grape toxicity, please share your story. I hope our story can help another animal and family before it's too late.
The Vet came back with bad news, " I am very concerned for Lola" we recommend an abdominal ultrasound to elevate the organs in her abdomen, including her GI Tract and her kidneys. Her collapse may be caused by a heart problem, episodic low blood pressure, neurological problem, neurological changes mediated by vomiting, and other causes. The Vet hands me the estimated bill and both myself and my daughter couldn't hold back the tears, as we cry and explain we can not afford $1500-$1900 dollars. I ask her to give us a little bit of time to gather our thoughts and to think this threw. We had no other option than to discharge Lola and bring her home until we could gather our thoughts and pray. My daughter had already gone into her savings to pay the $395.60 to pay for services rendered that night. The tears wouldn't stop, we were both at a loss for words.
My brain could not shut down, thinking why, how, what happened the last 2 weeks, why did our Lola get so sick, so suddenly, what triggered this? These thoughts kept going over and over in my head. As tired as I was, with only 2 hours until I have to get up for work, I google kidney failure in dogs, etc. and couldn't believe what I read....... GRAPES - TOXIC listing every single symptom Lola was experiencing. I had no idea that Grapes were toxic to dogs, I had given Lola a few green grapes 2 weeks prior! I could not believe was I was reading, I called the E.R. to provide them with the information. They said that explained it all. I would also like to raise awareness to other animal owners who are not aware that Grapes are highly toxic to dogs.
"Not so long ago, grapes are not considered as harmful to dogs. Before pet owner were warned about the harmful effects of grapes to canines, this fruit as well as raisins were used as treats when training dogs. The toxic effects of grapes has puzzled dog owners and scientists as not all dogs are affected by this fruit. While some dogs can get away with eating a lot of grapes some dogs will manifest toxicity symptoms by eating just a few. The toxicity of chocolates is dose dependent, this is not so with grapes.
A dog that is affected by the toxic effects of grapes will show symptoms of poisoning at once. Hyperactivity that is followed by depression and sluggishness are first obvious signs. Diarrhea and vomiting are signs that the dog was poisoned. A dog affected by the toxins found in grapes would need immediate medical treatment. This kind of toxicity will cause renal failure as the toxins will prevent the kidney from functioning" http://dogobediencetrainingguides.net/why-are-grapes-harmful-to-dogs/
I am coming to you for help, every little bit goes a long way. Please help us get Lola back to the E.R.
If anyone has ever experienced this with their animal due to grape toxicity, please share your story. I hope our story can help another animal and family before it's too late.
Organizer
Nancy Ferreira
Organizer
Providence, RI