Thanks everyone.
I got started with Pit Bulls in 2007 when a 6 week old pit puppy was brought into my office sick. They automatically suspected Parvo, because where we are located and because of the breed, it was the most logical. Before testing, we gave the owners an estimate for the cost of any treatment, they couldn't afford it obviously, and didn't want the long term hassle of a sick dog.
I had no dogs at the time, just 4 cats so I offered to adopt him.
They signed him over. We ran the test, no Parvo!!! But ended up having Megaesophagus. A definite long term commitment, but most dogs with this don't live a year past their diagnosis, usually die from Aspiration Pneumonia.
So it was love at first site with my new little pup, who I named Ralphie because he was always, well.... "ralphing"
It was quite a trip with him. We had what we called a Ralphie dance, I stood him up on his hind feet after he ate so it would help move his food down to his stomach. I was planning on building him the chair that many people use for megaesophagus dogs, to help him eat sitting up.
Ralphie went to puppy classes, new tricks of all kinds, was very wonderful. We decided to adopt a little friend for him. When he was 5 months old we adopted a 2 month old female puppy.
They were best friends.
Come April of 2008, I was planning on changing his snap collar to a martingale one because he was getting bigger and stronger I didn't want anything to happen. One night, April 17th 2008, I had switched his old collar back because it had the tags on it and I didn't want him sneaking out of the house and not having his tags on his new collar since I hadn't changed them over yet.
We were also in the process of building a fence for him and his new little sister.
That night, my husband had him out on his lead to go potty, and Macie (new pup) on a leash.
Ralphie had caught site of something across the street, took off. As soon as he hit the end of his lead, his collar broke. He ran out into the busy street, 10pm at night, and was hit by the only car on the road.
I heard my husband scream his name from the upstairs bedroom, dropped what I was doing, ran through the front door only to find him picking up Ralphie from the street and running him back to our yard.
I fell infront of Ralphie, saw that he was clearly in danger, struggling to breath while the blood filled his lungs. I frantically called my friend who was a vet I worked with, she met me at emergency, but it was too late.
as I was holding him on the ride out there, he had passed in my arms. I had never screamed more in my life, never cried more in my life and just couldn't get out of bed for 4 days. I was drugging myself to sleep because I just didn't want to be awake for any of the pain.
It was a year ago this past April, so much has gone on.
After he died I devoted my life to saving these dogs. Did some research and found SPBR which I joined and started fostering for.
I can't even tell you how many dogs I have fostered through there in less than a year now. A tough ride, that I am trying to get off of.
I will always be in it for the dogs. Even though I am financially unable to handle the number of fosters I have, I can't just dump them.
I have a lot of history I could share about my experience but another time. This story is about Ralphie and I can't maim his memory by complaining about my poor decisions.
I am so glad I joined this forum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!