CP foster Slater and his surgery - won't you be one of his guardian angels?

Written by CP's Director of Foster Homes

Amy has shared some information on Slater, who was brought into Col. Potter and is being fostered by Amy. Slater spent his life outside in the backyard because his owner could not house break him. What she did not know was that it was not his fault. He was not dumb, he was not being stubborn, he could not help it! After many tests, very expensive scans ($400+ for these), it was determined that Slater had a portosystemic shunt, which basically means, the main blood to his liver was being routed around his liver instead of through his liver. Because his liver is not working properly, he has to eat very low protein foods as his liver does not have the capacity to break these down, be on many medications, one of them lactulose to control his ammonia level. When an ammonia level is too high, it produces hepatic encephalopathy and until we were able to figure out his issue and start him on these meds, he was aggressive, almost uncontrollable. Once Amy started on the lactulose and got his ammonia level down, his whole demeanor changed and he became a "new" boy.

Slater needs very expensive surgery to correct this congenital issue he was born with. Ideal time to do this is before a year old. Slater is 4 years old. He is past the ideal time but the surgeon feels he has a very good chance of correcting this and allowing him to live a normal life. Due to the liver not working properly, Slater drinks huge quantities of water and because of this, urinates huge quantities of urine. If he wants to have a good life and get to live as an indoor dog in a home, he needs this surgery.

This surgery is almost $3000 - a stunning blow to Col. Potter. I know we are hitting you all up left and right for donations but this little boy desperately needs guardian angels and donations so that we can provide him this surgery. We do not want to have to tell him "no", sorry, you are not worth it. He is worth it, he is still very young, he deserves to be live in a home. He deserves to be free of the many medications we now have to give him. He deserves this surgery. Will it be risky due to his age, you betcha. Do we owe him this change, you betcha. We can do this if everyone pitches in just a little to make his life better.