Fritzi

>>View Frtizi’s story on KOAT7 NEWS

It was a regular Monday night for NMDOG TEAM member Tina….in her PJs, getting her own dogs ready for bed at their home in Las Vegas, NM. That’s when the call came in from a rural area in Mora County…..”the Poodle was shot in the face, he’s alive!!” Tina quickly sprang into action making medical arrangements as the dog was being driven to her home. “Shot in the face” is never a good thing & there was wonder as to what we would be able to do to save him. Upon arrival, she was thrilled to see that “shot in the face” didn’t look anything as she had imagined…we determined that he was stable, provided pain meds & comfort to get him through the night as there are no 911 vet services anywhere in the area. In the wee hours of the morning, Tina made the drive to Albuquerque to get FRITZI to the clinic & assessed first thing!

Upon examination, it was determined FRITZI was shot with a shotgun and had shrapnel throughout his head and neck. They did some initial repair work on his mouth and nose. He was really lethargic so they did some blood work to see if there was anything else going on before they went back in to try and remove shrapnel from the skull. His blood work looked good but he remained lethargic, likely from the concussion. FRITZIS palate had three different wounds to be repaired. They may or may not completely close and heal. If they don’t heal, over the course of his lifetime, he will have the problem of food getting stuck in there causing infection. His tongue also has some wounds that were repaired. FRITZI will still need to undergo future surgeries…how many, we are not quite sure.

Initially, he was not standing or walking. When helped into a standing position, he would turn his paw under, known as knuckling. He also appeared to be circling & IV’s were not initially possible given the placement of the shrapnel and the concussion. There is a lot of shrapnel in FRITZIS head and neck with an 80-90% chance the shrapnel will drift over the course of his lifetime. Given the location of the shrapnel, it is very likely it could end up in the brain, sinus cavity, or other location that could result in problems. It is hard to say for sure what will happen or when…but we have committed to walking along side this brave boy through the entire course of his recovery. We will also be seeking the VERY SPECIAL person that will one day call FRITZI their own! 

FRITIZIS wounds were severe and his prognosis was guarded. It took FRITZI a day or so to determine whether he wanted to continue living or not. He hadn’t given up but he also hadn’t committed to the struggle that lay ahead. Everything about FRITZIS situation involved waiting. Overnight waiting to have him seen by a vet. Waiting to see if he was strong enough for surgery. Waiting for him to find his will to live. Waiting to learn what the long-term effects for FRITZI would be. Waiting was the test but the reward was to be so, so great.

FRITZI woke up Thursday morning with an appetite and the will to live. He was eating when a spoon was brought to his mouth! FRITZI was ready for a foster home! Fortunately, we had just the place for FRITZI to recover with tender loving care. Once his decision was made, FRITZI jumped on that road to recovery. He continues to amaze us each day with his progress and his personality. This boy is visibly grateful for the time we gave him to make his decision and is now rewarding us for our patience with leaps and bounds in his recovery. The wet nose kisses are a pretty great reward as well.

This has been a story about the aftermath of FRITZIS trauma, his road to recovery. The story of how FRITZI got to us is filled with violence and death. FRITZIi and his canine sister, GIRL, were shot with a shotgun on their own property while their family was away. FRITZI was likely frightened and in shock because he could not be found. GIRL crawled under the family home to die.

RIP sweet baby GIRL… Let her death not be in vain as we seek justice for these two dogs. A police report has been filed with the NM State Police Department & we are currently working with authorities & APNM to secure a hefty $5000 REWARD for information that will result in the shooter being identified & charged. More information on this aspect of the case will be provided as soon as possible. In the meantime, it is our job to provide FRITZI with the care he so deserves & needs.

You can help us carry on our ability to be a part of this important Mission by making a tax deductible donation specifically to Fritzi’s recovery via You Caring (see below) or by calling Good Shepherd Animal Clinic (505)884-3200 & making a contribution directly to the NMDOG account for FRITZI. You can also mail in a donation to the address below & we are asking that any care packages be addressed to:

FRITZI
c/o NMDOG
7820 Enchanted Hills Blvd. ste A-112
Rio Rancho, NM 87144

NMDOG is a 501(c)3 non profit, NM registered charity & all donations are tax deductible. NMDOG is an ALL VOLUNTEER rescue organization. This means that every cent of every dollar goes directly to the dogs in our care. We rely solely on the generosity of those that support this important work.

If you are interested in making this incredible boy, with an incredible spirit, a FoReVeR part of your life…please send an email of interest to [email protected]

Please share the story of FRITZI & GIRL….it deserves to be told.