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Please pray for Angel

2K views 35 replies 23 participants last post by  maltese manica 
#1 ·
Angel Baby is my mother-in-law's maltese. I think that she is about 6. Hubby and I got Angel for her from our local shelter and she has been a very spoiled and happy little girl until about 5 months ago. Angel started itching and scratching so MIL took her to the vet. He prescribed some allergy meds but MIL did not get them because she said that they were too expensive. Itching got worse and she took her back to the vet-another prescription--did not get it filled-too expensive she said. So now here we are. Angel doesn' have any hair on her back, none on her feet, her feet are bloody from chewing and MIL puts socks on her so she won't biteand her little belly is a solid mass of bumps. She looks so pitiful. When I saw her at Christmas, I went ballistic. I told them that I would mortgage my home for my dogs. Her husband (my Hubby's step-dad) is a MILLIONAIRE! yet he will not give her the money to get medicine for poor Angel. (He gives MIL $50.00 a week to buy groceries for 4 people) Hubby went yesterday to pick Angel up and take her to our vet. I called the vet and told im the situation and he is going to keep her for a few days to see what he can do for her. So here we sit, going to pay for Angel getting better and will have to take her back to the people who let her get like this in the 1st place. It makes me so MAD that they will not fork out the money to pay for getting her well. He has 50 times more money than we do but we are the only ones who care about Angel. I may not take her back to them. It will cause world war 3, but what good is it to get her well and take her back and set her down in it again? I don't know what to do. Any advice?
 
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#2 ·
Ya the best advise I can give to you is take the dog and run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot understand why they would let this poor baby suffer like that................. so bring it on ( the war I mean) they dont deserve this poor thing!!!!!!

Any word on how she is doing????? does she have cushing's diease????
 
#5 ·
Poor Angel. It sounds like it has become very serious. Did your vet think it is allergies? The poor thing must really be so uncomfortable.
It really is hard to fathom people letting dogs suffer like this. How can money be so important, especially to someone who has plenty?
I am glad that they let you take her to your vet. I would want to keep her too. It doesn't sound like they can be counted on to take care of her. If it is allergies, there would be ongoing supplements and maybe medication needed.
I hope that your vet can figure out what is causing the hair loss and that he can find a way to make her more comfortable.
 
#9 ·
Poor Angel. It sounds like it has become very serious. Did your vet think it is allergies? The poor thing must really be so uncomfortable.
It really is hard to fathom people letting dogs suffer like this. How can money be so important, especially to someone who has plenty?
I am glad that they let you take her to your vet. I would want to keep her too. It doesn't sound like they can be counted on to take care of her. If it is allergies, there would be ongoing supplements and maybe medication needed.
I hope that your vet can figure out what is causing the hair loss and that he can find a way to make her more comfortable.
They didn't have much of a choice! I called her and told her that Greg was on his way up there to get Angel and hung up. She knows how I feel and I'm not going to back down. We have had a good relationship until now and what she does for Angel from this time foreward will determine how our relationship progresses. I will NOT stand by and watch this baby suffer for ANYONE!!!
 
#7 ·
I completely agree that they don't deserve her. My MIL does love Angel, but these aren't babies that you can neglect treatment for. I thrid to tell her that in the beginning--even tried to talk her into getting a different breed-BUT no--she wanted a Maltese. Greg and I have talked about just keeping her. I hope we can. I don;t know what they have tested her for yet. The vet is a county commissioner and he was in meetings until 2:30 today and I knew he would be out of the office but we took her yesterday late afternoon. I couldn't stand the thoughts of her being in that house another minute. I have never had much money but what I have had, I would gladly give for my fur angels. I just don't understand people that could just sit by and let her get in this condition.
 
#10 ·
Honestly I would not let Angel go back into that home. If anyone can watch a little innocent baby suffer and not take care of it doesn't deserve to have it back. Please think about what Angel would want....love and care and if she goes back to them she won't have it. Please, please don't let that little fluff suffer anymore.
 
#11 ·
If they have such a limited grocery budget, they are probably feeding her really awful cheap food. The kind that has lots of corn and chemcials in it. That definitely could cause bad allergies or at least be part of the problem.
Sometimes just really good food can make a huge difference.
When we adopted our Lhasa, Buddy, he had really bad allergies and would chew on his paws pretty severely. He had been eating Kibbles N Bits. We switched him to a good food, and added fish oil, and it has made a huge difference. No more paw chewing.
I hope that you hear back from the vet soon with good news.
 
#29 ·
If they have such a limited grocery budget, they are probably feeding her really awful cheap food. The kind that has lots of corn and chemcials in it. That definitely could cause bad allergies or at least be part of the problem.
Sometimes just really good food can make a huge difference.
When we adopted our Lhasa, Buddy, he had really bad allergies and would chew on his paws pretty severely. He had been eating Kibbles N Bits. We switched him to a good food, and added fish oil, and it has made a huge difference. No more paw chewing.
I hope that you hear back from the vet soon with good news.

Good thought, Kathleen. It is definitely possible that poor little Angel's troubles are related to a poor diet. This makes me super sad. They definitely don't deserve to get her back IMO.
 
#13 ·
You have to do what is best for the innocent party here, the little fluff. While I don't normally believe in telling tales, just tell them your vet said the dog is allergic to something in their house and cannot go back there or it will die. Doesn't matter what the vet DOES tell you is wrong with the dog, just tell them the dog can't go back because it will get worse and die - and THAT is probably the truth. When a dog is in a dire situation and we can do something to help it, we just have to. Telling them that it is something about their house and not THEM, may help you maintain a civil relationship with them, particularly if you give them visiting rights in your home.

Some people should never own animals...
 
#16 ·
I am so hoping that she will let me keep her. I honestly think there there is something in that house that she is allergic to. I asked her a while ago to stop taking her outside to see if keeping her away from the grass would help her. "It's too much trouble to use potty pads and they get expensive" was the answer I got. I'm not sure what kind of food she is on but I know it's not top quality food. The vet was in Roanoke VA today for meetings and when the plane took off, it developed some kind of problem and he had to take a different plane. He has promised me that no matter what time he gets in 2nite, he will look at her and begin the testing. I hope that she willl be ok. Please pray for her..
 
#17 ·
Abby, I'll be praying for you and for Angel. You know, I think I'd tell your MIL that if you hadn't taken care of Angel, animal control could have removed her from their home and charged them with animal abuse. There is no reason that this poor baby should have been let suffer so. None! The fact that they have money, or at least her husband does (I won't even go into what a *&!@ I think he is for withholding money when he has plenty) makes it even worse. Ugh! Makes my blood boil.
 
#19 ·
It's about 10:45 p.m. here and I think I will go to bed. This has been such an emotional day. My furbabies have been quiet this evening--like they can feel something is wrong. Greg and I have been talking and if my MIL will let us take her, then we will make room for Angel in our family. She will make lucky #9! I feel sure that she will be released from the vet on continuous meds and that will make the difference. If they have to pay for meds, then they will surely not want her back. I will keep everyone posted tomorrow. Thanks for all the support! Again, I feel so blessed to have found SM and all of the caring puppy parents here. You are a blessing...
 
#20 ·
Abby - wishing you the best for Angel. I think that they really didn't deserve to have her. You think that once a pup is rescued by a loving home things will be good but really, I can't imagine how uncomfortable poor Angel must be with her skin like that. I too wonder if they're feeding her cheap food that is causing her to react. Maybe it's a corn or poultry allergy. You might need to play detective. I hope she stays with you. You have a huge heart and yes, nothing's more important than our kids.
 
#21 ·
Good Morning..I heard form the vet this morning. Angel does have skin allergys and they have gotten so bad, that now her skin is infected. The vet saw her last night and again this morning and he gave her an allergy shot (depo medrol) and an antibiotic shot last night and another one this morning. Her left ear is also very infected from the skin infection. She will need an allergy shot every 2-6 months depending on how quickly the allergy comes back. (This is the same regiment that my Zoey is on--he has slight allergies. The 1st time he scratches-to the vet he goes.) It will cost her $20.00 for an allergy injection and $25.00 for office visit every2-6 months. MIL told me that she can do this and she started crying and said that she loves Angel so much and that she promised that she would never let her get like this again. I told her that if Angel does get like this again, then she will be MY dog. The vet said that we can pick her up late this afternoon. I don't want to let her go back but Hubby says to give her one more chance---Grrrr.
 
#25 ·
I hope there will be change but with her attitude not really sure. And again, the symptoms are being treated but isn't it important to get to the cause of the allergies rather than medicating. I think I would really check with her -- in her pantry, about what food and what treats she is feeding Angel. I don't think I would be able to give her back knowing how much she suffered without any help. JMHO
 
#26 ·
Is it possible for you to keep her until she is doing much better? That could be a compromise---then you could make sure your MIL follows up w/the treatments every 6 months as a condition of her getting to keep Angel. I would keep a very close eye on the situation and let your MIL know that you are looking over her shoulder.
I would also talk w/the husband of your MIL & let him know too---maybe he will be willing to fork out the costs but I would not count on it.
 
#27 ·
I am sorry that you have to be going through this, but still kinda ticked off at the negligent behaviour of you MIL and her boyfriend!!!! I dont have tons of money but yet I still take care of my three as they are my responibility to the very end!!!!! just like you and everyone else here!!!! She and your husband are very lucky to have you in their lifes!!!!!!!!!!! Please keep us updated on Angel
 
#28 ·
There is no excuse for this... :( if she had money problems, I would be more sympathetic, bu that doesn't seem to be the case here, it is just neglect. How terrible... I hope you keep a very close eye on this poor baby, and please don't hesitate to take her if she is not receiving the care she deserves.

My yorkie growing up had horrible skin allergies as well, if we didn't constantly treat him (he was from a pet store) then he would have ended up in the same miserable shape. Despite shots, pills, ointments, you name it, poor Tiger would still bite himself raw sometimes!
 
#30 ·
I am sorry and sad that Angel is going back to your MIL. Anyone that can let an animal suffer to that degree doesn't deserve to have one. I know your kind of in the middle her because its your MIL but I would intervene as much as possible with the care of this poor baby. She truly doesn't deserve to get her back. JMHO.
 
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