Ray Update 8/30

Ray is the first official “Mended Hearts” dog. He is a blind lab/shar-pei mix that was pulled from a high kill shelter in Gary, IN. Our friend had posted him on Facebook, looking for rescue, and he ran out of time. We begged them to keep him another day while we looked for options. We’d been toying with the idea of starting our own rescue, so the decision to pull him solidified our plan. Originally, we were told that Ray was a 2 year old female (called “Whoopi”)… so imagine our surprise when we picked him up from the transport! Our vet has also indicated that Ray is probably more like 4 or 5.

We were also unaware that he had a mass the size of a softball on his neck. Our vet, Dr. Johnson at Keystone Animal Hospital, biopsied the mass. The results came back negative for cancer, but no definitive diagnosis. Dr. J referred us to VCA Speciality Veterinary Center for a consultation.

Ray saw the specialist today. They confirmed Dr. J’s suspicion that the mass was due to a blocked salivary gland. It’s not life threatning per se, but can lead to recurring infections and other complications if not removed.

So, we’re begging our friends and family to contribute, even a little bit, to help pay for the cost of Ray’s surgery. $1200 for the salivary gland removal, and they will neuter him at the same time. I’m hoping to raise half the needed funds before making the appointment, as our bank account is getting a little low with all these dogs!