New Hope for Hope
by Dorothy Christiansen
Rescue Coordinator, American Shetland Sheepdog Association
They named her "Hope" though "Hopeless" seemed like a better choice at first. Her medical condition was rare, complete recovery more so. Yet she had a will to live so the chance was taken. Read about another reason to hate puppy mills.
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In the autumn of 2003, a tiny Sheltie girl was born in a puppy mill in Wisconsin. Her struggles were monumental but this little one, to be named "Hope," has given dog lovers everywhere reason to believe that canine miracles can happen ... given a little help from their human friends.
"Hope" came to the attention of ASSA Rescue when she was just six weeks old, weighing one pound, six ounces. The miller said there was something wrong with the puppy and to either take it or he would destroy it.
No time was wasted in finding the pathway to a better life for this very damaged baby. Chris Tresch of the Southeastern Wisconsin Herding Dog Rescue (SWHDR), who had significant experience in helping distressed herding dogs, was contacted and her response was immediate. Hope could go there.
"We took in Hope on a Saturday night," Chris remembers, "and it was obvious that something was really wrong." Promptly taken to a veterinarian, Hope was found to be afflicted with a rare condition ... one that results from overbreeding and poor prenatal care. Hope’s colon was not connected to her rectum. A rectal/vaginal fistula had formed, forcing this tiny little pup to excrete feces through her vagina. How she managed to survive so long
with the constant contamination of the urinary system is unknown. That was just another part of the miracle.
According to Chris, the question was whether or not to attempt surgery. Shetook Hope to the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison for an extensive examination and battery of tests. When completed, it was determined that Hope’s only chance for a cure was surgery, which was performed in mid-November, 2003.
The rest of this story can be found in the August-September 2004 issue of Sheltie International. See subscription page on this website, or email dogmag@fix.net.