Meet 10-year-old  Loki. On September 14, YGRR received an urgent call to pick up a senior dog. We sent the request out to our wonderful volunteer team, and we were able to respond quickly to this plea for help. What our volunteer found was heartbreaking. A sweet senior guy that had an open wound, was painfully thin, infested with fleas and unsteady on his feet.

We never judge the circumstances that led up to an owner surrender. YGRR finds that this is so important, because we never know what the dog’s owner has been through. Our mind is always on the dog, and how grateful we are that their owner made the call for us to intervene. We do everything in our power to attend to all the dog’s medical needs, and perform whatever testing is necessary to find out what is happening health-wise with dogs in our care.

When our volunteer Jane arrived at Riverview with Loki, our staff member Alyssa gave him a bath for his fleas. He was then taken to Tufts Foster Hospital for Small Animals to be evaluated. Loki had a fever of 105, and it was determined that he should stay there for further testing. Loki was released into our care after his fever broke and some tests were done.

Medical costs for Loki are expected to exceed $5000. What has been determined so far is that he is deaf, and he has severe arthritis and mouth ulcers. It was not possible for him to have all the tests that Tufts wanted to perform due to his weakened condition. We are still not sure of the extent of his health issues. He needs a very regimented diet to help him gain weight, and small walks, 5 minutes at a time, to increase his muscle strength. He will return for further evaluation as soon as he can handle it.

We can tell you this – whatever Loki needs, we are there for him. He is getting extra special hugs, kisses and attention from staff and volunteers. We will keep you updated on Loki’s progress. We ask for our help in donating to his medical costs, every little bit helps!

If you would like to contribute to Loki’s fund, follow the link:    Loki’s Fund

Loki’s medical update, September 26.

Loki is feeling so much better. He continues with his 5-minute short walks/exercise daily and is gaining muscle strength as a result. Loki has been spending days in the office where he can be monitored closely. He is very alert and wags his tail at everyone that walks by, which of course leads to many visits, hugs, and pats on the head. Who could resist? His appetite is good, and we continue to follow the feeding guidelines prescribed for him.

What warms our hearts the most is that Loki is showing signs of wanting to play with toys and is responding to the love and attention being shown to him.

News about Loki’s condition, October 5.

Loki went to Tufts for further testing earlier this week. His ultrasound showed a very big mass on his left thyroid, 2-4 masses on his spleen, and 1 on his lung. Further test results show that he has a left thyroid carcinoma that is quite big.

He was referred to oncology for possible treatment to stabilize the growth, so we will be pursuing that. In the meantime, Loki is going on a long-weekend stay (maybe longer) to one of our volunteer foster homes. He continues to be in good spirits.

Loki’s update from foster mom Jane.

“Loki seems to want to play catch with the other dogs… he also is very interested in my cat, but TJ is smart, and he’s staying clear. It’s nice to see Loki’s personality coming through.” Loki has been with Jane since Friday, October 5.

Whatever Loki needs, we are here for him. We hope you will consider donating to Loki’s medical costs; every little bit helps! Your support gives dogs like Loki hope when they need it most, and we are truly grateful to you for your commitment to ensuring every dog gets a second chance.  We will keep you updated on Loki’s progress – watch for posts on our Facebook page and website.

To donate to Loki’s fund, visit: https://www.ygrr.org/product/lokis-fund/.