River is in critical need of a foster home and of funding to support his ongoing medical care. Please click here to donate, or click here for a foster/adoption application!
We know for sure that River’s life was saved by the kind soul who rescued him from the Colorado River last week. What we don’t know is how many times his life had been saved before, and how many more times it will take before River can breathe easy.
The poor guy is sweet as they come, but just can’t seem to catch a break.
River was found last weekend, barely clinging to a rock in the Colorado River. He was emaciated, heartworm positive, suffering from hypothermia, and one side of his body was covered in deep, gritty wounds and scratches. Nobody saw him fall in to the river — or the events leading up to it — but his injuries suggest that he may have been hit by a car before his tumble.
After being pulled by Love-A-Bull and moved to a partner vet’s office a few days ago, River’s deep wounds and infections were cleaned up, and Xrays were taken to determine the extent of his injuries. It was at that time that the vet discovered that River had a fractured hip, a broken toe, and had BB pellets embedded deep in his chest from where he had been shot at some point in his prior life.
But River is a brave, strong boy who just won’t give up. He won over everybody at the vet’s office with his sweet personality and his courage, and we are amazed at how loving, optimistic, and happy he seems despite the suffering he has endured.
A few days ago he began daily hydrotherapy for his necrotic hip wound. He has taken to the treatment very well, and his wounds — though still dramatic — look much better than just a few days ago. In addition to the therapy that River is already receiving, he will likely need surgery to repair his fractured hip and heartworm treatment.
But in the case of River, when it rains, it pours. During a routine examination last night, River collapsed, went pale, and stopped breathing. He came back on his own without CPR, but the incident led to the discovery that River suffers from a heart condition called an atrioventricular block (or AV block), which impairs the conduction between the chambers of the heart. Although it is unclear what causes this condition in River’s case, we know that it can be exacerbated in any incidence of high stress or excitement, which can potentially lead to another collapse. River will be seeing a cardiologist to determine the cause of the AV block, which may be resolvable with treatment of the underlying issue.
What River needs right now is lots of TLC and a steady, quiet foster home where he can be kept calm and given the peace and comfort he needs to rest and recuperate.
If you may be able to provide a foster home for sweet River, click here. To donate toward his rapidly expanding medical needs, click here.
American Pets Alive No-Kill Seminar 2012
