Rescued With Love

19/12/2025

Crosby is still at the vets. His assessment consult took over an hour - so much is going on. Firstly we want to check his electrolytes again so more bloods taken for that.

His previous blood test at the shelter show a possibility of either Addisons disease or Cushings. We will be running an ACTH stimulation test to determine this issue.

He has a mouth full of infected teeth. Grade 4 out of 4. :( Our lovely vets have squeezed him in to do surgery on Christmas Eve. We cannot ever thank them enough.

Meanwhile his skin. He has had a cytopoint to stop the chronic itching. He is on Pred to reduce the inflammation. He has had a flea and mite treatment as he was heaving in fleas - and could very well have a mite infestation as well. Covering all bases here. And a skin scraping to determine what else is there - so we can quickly make him comfortable and start the healing process.

Crosby also has a Grade 4 out of 5 Heart murmur and is currently still in the clinic having an ultrasound done on his heart. This way we will know which medication to start him on to assist his little ticker.

His ears are chronically infected and his eyesight is poor due to cataracts. We will not give up on him.

With all of the results in - we will then start gathering what we need, but we have begun the treatment plan today.

His mum Bron is teary as they went through each issue in the consult room, taking their time with him and sorting each problem with a solution.

While there are those who bag us mercilessly for taking the small easy older dogs - there are few who would take a dog with such a huge and expensive number of problems, and that is why we are here.

We will do what we do best. Test, get results, work out a plan, medicate, care, feed and love. Repeat.

19/12/2025

Harriet had a bad coughing fit last night and it has concerned Mum Joanna - as the last time she ended up extremely ill from aspiration pneumonia.
A trip to the vet today shows there is some crackling in her lungs. :( Not what we wanted to hear. So she is back on antibiotics, and we HOPE more than anything it will kick in and do the trick for her this time.

Please keep Harriet in your thoughts. x

19/12/2025

As you know we have taken on Arki the little 13 yo poodle as a 'pay it forward' case to help him stay with his Mum.

His testing has now come back positive for Cushings - so he will start on medication - a low dose to start and see how he goes.

Not only that he also has a gallstone, but also has the forming of a mucocele which as you know can be treacherous to his health.

We have started him on Ursofalk to slow down the process and contacted a Specialist to see what they say.

It is what my Wix had a few years ago, exactly the same, and he died suddenly in recovery after the surgery. I just want to see if we can avoid that for Arki and his Mum. :(

I will keep you posted. x

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19/12/2025

Ex-RWL Pipsqueak hates having her photo taken so refuses to look at the camera but she always enjoys me sharing my Vegemite toast with her out on the back veranda.

19/12/2025

From his foster Mum, Foundation dog, Sparky always looks sad even when he’s happy ! He’s had his favourite Brekky this morning (chicken necks) sorry chickens and is waiting on his cuddles and pats after Pipsqueaks. He’s such an incredibly shy traumatised dog but he really loves me. The cruelty he endured before RWL saved him has had a life long impact on him unfortunately but he’s safe here ♥️

18/12/2025

It has been a traumatic and upsetting week for everyone, and I hope this will help you heal a little, knowing there at good people out there doing extraordinary acts of kindness.

This week, I have been talking to a Manager of a shelter we work with. (Hi Brad!) We are long time friends and I admire his work SO much.

We were discussing a sad case of a little malt in their care. He had been impounded some months back, in a terrible condition, their vets cleaned him up, clipped his nails, and have a stern talking to the owner who reclaimed him. With the absolute promise of treatment - he went home with the owner.

Until this week, he was found at large, and impounded again in a shocking state, the deterioration evident.

This is how the silent ones live in back yards. They slip through the system (no one's fault) and disappear (it happens) and through sheer luck he got out again, and he was 'seen'.

He spent the days in the shelter being treated by staff, vets have run bloods and prescribed baths for his ye**ty little body, but he has scratched and cried mainly - and all of us involved said, enough.

Up stepped Mum Lea who on the hottest day of the year drove hours to pick him up from the shelter. She met Mum Bron half way and handed over our precious cargo.

The first thing he had was a nice soothing bath on his inflamed and painful skin. He had dinner, and he didn't move all night, sleeping on a soft bed. He will see the vet early this morning, and we will let you know how he is.

Crosby is almost 14 years old. I don't know who will want to adopt him. It didn't seem relevant when we thought about helping him to be honest.

I think for me, the thing that got me was the filthy blue coat he was wearing. It undid me.

He slept in the car, he is elderly, and he is exhausted.

Last night, he slept all night on a big soft bed after having a bath and dinner.

His teeth are green, his ears stink, his skin is appalling and his nails are long. His bloods have some odd markers. He is so utterly sweet.

We have named him Crosby.

All of these people who were involved didn't hesitate. The help from the shelter was absolutely brilliant. My thoughts were this is how it CAN be, and should be, and I will fight tooth and nail for every shelter to do this - there is no room for any nonsense. So if you don't - I will call you on it. Rescue take what you don't want. The least you can do is provide absolutely the best possible information and be respectful about it.

In a world gone mad, the simplest acts of kindness are healing us this week. This was our act of kindness to a dog who quite honestly will probably not find a home, unless the absolute right person comes along.

We hope you feel better knowing this week, there is love out there. x

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18/12/2025

We are working through Arki's medical issues slowly. Last week he had a dental and a groom now and is looking super gorgeous.
His ACTH stimulation test for Cushings came back negative but he shows all the signs of Cushings (pot belly, drinking a lot of water, voraciously hungry) and its very difficult to manage with Diabetes. Its been recommended we do an ultrasound and make sure nothing else is going on, so we will be providing that to Arki's owner - to give the best possible care.
Here is he at our Vet Clinic getting cuddles - we provide all the good bits of care too!
As you know Arki is staying with his owner and we are providing his food, medical treatment and care via RWL to pay it forward to someone in the community who loves their hubby and is struggling. We know he is loved, and this is something we like to do.

17/12/2025

Our darling Sebastian has found his new family and will be heading to a happy life just after Christmas. He is a darling gorgeous boy and we know he will be so loved. A big hug and thanks to Mum and Dad Bron and Terry for their amazing work as always.

17/12/2025

Ex RWL girl Bubbles is ready for the Christmas break! Looking good there Miss Bubbles!

16/12/2025

It is not without sadness I see the effect my posts have on the Lost Dogs Home.

To know they are so sensitive to the exposing of their practices.
It is clear they watch, and 'react' when I post an experience someone has had in there - instead of reconciling they could do better, and being honest and transparent in their struggles - they close down and bunker in, and defend what they have done.

It doesn't instill confidence going forward.

Last night I was sent a link of the elderly little Jack Russel we highlight a few weeks ago as a stray. He has gone through their system and has come out the other end, and is on the adoption page.

What influence did we have in his survival - were we, the community holding them in the spotlight so brightly they felt they HAD to save him? At 15 years of age, you don't see many dogs up for adoption at the LDH.

It saddens me, that it takes this - to make them feel so pressured they have to save his life, if that is what has really happened. Or maybe I'm just overstating my influence here. Maybe it's that.

For those looking for an elderly bubby who needs a lot of love and care for his twilight years - this little fellow is in Nth Melbourne. I hope he finds a loving home with someone. If you are interested head in there.

You know what to do.

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