Meet Rudi: Born on November 29, 2013, Rudi was six weeks old when I first met her. I’d driven three hours through a Montana blizzard to meet this blond bundle of puppy fuzz in Billings and I was glad the risk had been worth it. Rudi was a healthy weight and size for her age, quiet but very curious. She passed all the temperament tests I put her through. Rudi would be my new Search & Rescue partner and I’d been waiting a long time for her.
Rudi’s Story: The story that came with Rudi was that her dam was not tending to the puppies and since I’d seen this happen before I didn’t question it. Rudi’s breeder had sold Rudi and another pup to my daughter’s Billings friend who had, within a week, determined that two adult dogs and two puppies was more than she could handle. At that point, my adult daughter entered the story and decided it was time for me to train a new Search & Rescue partner.
Dianna’s Story: I’ve always been physically active and community oriented but in 2005, while working with my previous Search & Rescue partner, Ellie, something happened that changed my life. While traversing boulders, Ellie jumped in front of me and to my left, knocking into me. I tumbled 15 feet down and landed on my head, sustaining multiple injuries including a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). Today, I continue to struggle with the effects of my injuries and training a new Search & Rescue partner and volunteering together would go a long way towards regaining the quality of life I desire.
Rudi’s Health: Before driving Rudi back home, I noticed some swelling of her muzzle and eyelids and my daughter’s friend explained that Rudi’s littermate may have bitten her in play and that she suspected the pup had managed to get laundry detergent on her face. Neither explanation turned out to be accurate. By late that evening, Rudi’s muzzle was more swollen and she’d developed blisters around her nose, lips and eyelids. She was one sick pup! Rudi had an autoimmune disease known as Puppy Strangles or Juvenile Cellulitis. She looked like she had the mumps and she didn’t feel well, either. Puppy Strangles is not a minor illness and requires veterinary care and medications. After some internet research, I began contacting local veterinary clinics and although some weren’t taking new patients, I finally found a clinic that would take Rudi and offered me a payment plan. I’m disabled and that means that my income is very limited ($498/month).
Puppy Strangles is relatively rare and that, combined with her sweet disposition, made Rudi something of a celebrity at the Vet clinic. After months of treatment, multiple relapses and emptying out my meager savings account (I’d been saving for new brakes rotors but decided payment in-full for vet bills would be preferable to a long, slow payment plan) Rudi has finally outgrown her Puppy Strangles and came through without any visible scarring. She is beautiful!
Unfortunately, now eight months old, Rudi has developed a new medical problem. She has a sideways gait, she skips, her hip makes clicking sounds and my brave, sweet girl has been falling and unable to take even small hikes. Rudi has hip dysplasia. I’ve talked with every clinic in my region including the one where she is an established patient and cannot find a provider who will do the surgery and allow a payment plan. Everyone wants money up front and I simply don’t have it. I’ve explored other sources of financial aid and been unable to locate any that apply to my area. I’ve even raised some money selling my jewelry and drawings on Etsy, but only enough over the course of the last two quarters to buy a single bag of dog chow.
Friends, I’m exhausting my resources but I’m not willing to give up on this lovely, intelligent pup. She deserves better than to have to continue indefinitely with a painful and debilitating medical condition.
Please Help: Please donate to TeamRudi to help pay for the cost of surgery, medications and rehabilitation. Other things you can do to help include purchasing items from my Etsy page http://etsy.me/YESwjN and sharing Rudi’s story far and wide. Thank you!
