Veterinary Care Assistance Grant Recipients

Photos and stories of the lives that Sam's Hope has impacted through its Veterinary Care Assistance Program.

2022

Sabache

Three weeks ago, Sabache was not eating, drinking and unable to rest. His mom had made the heartbreaking decision to put him down. Thankfully, we were able to get him to our vet for a cardiac exam, bloodwork, x-ray and a diagnosis of CHF just a day before his scheduled euthanasia.

Sabache went home with a bag of meds for his heart, and an appointment in three weeks. We were in touch with his mom during that time and it sounded like Sabache was on his way to feeling better. He was eating and only had the occasional cough. A great improvement.

When we walked Sabache to our vet’s door, there was none of the usual hacking, though I thought I detected a slight wheeze.

The vet brought him in, gave him a full exam and said Sabache, despite being better, was still retaining fluid.

So, he doubled his dose of Lasix; all other meds stayed the same. Again he was sent home with a bag of meds, and an appointment for 4 weeks.

We are praying for this sweet little guy…hoping the 3rd time is the charm!

Mimi

Mimi, a small and sweet 10 year old kitty, has never seen a vet in her life. When her mom was getting ready to move into a senior living complex, she was told that if she wanted to bring Mimi with her, she would need to see a vet and provide proof of vaccination now, and then yearly.

Mom’s first reaction was to try to find a home for her beloved cat. She just did not have the money to spare for veterinary care. A neighbor in her new complex (a client of Sam’s Hope), told her about the veterinary services we provide and with the help of the social services director, they completed an application for Mimi’s vet care.

Today Mimi had a thorough exam, vaccinations and blood work. We were amazed with the clean bill of health our vet gave her; and that includes her teeth!

See ya next year Mimi…enjoy your new home with your mom!

Jake

He’s baacckkkk….for the second of his biennial vet visits for 2022. And once again, we are so pleased to announce that this pup is just doing GREAT!

We have been providing ongoing care to Jake since he was diagnosed with heart problems. Thanks to monthly sponsors and grant funding, we have been able to help make a real difference for Jake and his mom, as mom was simply unable to afford the care and medications related to his heart issues. But with a helping hand, Jake is thriving. He is bright, happy and providing joy to his mom and those around him on a daily basis.

Jake was seen for a cardiac exam, blood work and refills of all of his heart meds. He is doing extremely well, and will have a recheck in about 6 months.

We commend mom for taking such good care of Jake, keeping up with his meds and all feeding requirements. Some days it is difficult getting all of the meds into him, but mom doesn’t give up. And she makes sure that Jake’s weight stays the same, and he is eating the right foods for his condition.

Sabache - 10 Year Old Pom Mix Diagnosed with Heart Failure Sabache

When I stopped by my vet’s office to pick up meds for my pup, he asked me how Sabache was doing. I replied, good question, I haven’t heard from his mom in months (his last vet visit was on 8/15).

Upon my return home, I reached out to mom to see how Sabache was doing. You always assume no news is good news…this time around that wasn’t the case. In fact, the news was devastating.

Sabache hasn’t been eating at all in the past few days; the lack of appetite started weeks ago; now he was eating nothing, drinking little, and unable to rest. He just stood there, tail tucked. Mom, not knowing what to do, and with no money to have him looked at by a vet, had made the heartbreaking decision to have him put down on Saturday. (The day I contacted her was Wednesday).

I tried to get as much information on Sabache’s condition from mom to share with my vet; with fingers crossed that he could see him on Thursday. When I called, we made arrangements to have Sabache seen on Thursday at 1 PM.

In the meantime, I had mom try to feed him soup with a syringe. After the soup, he actually nibbled on a few pieces of steak. Not much, but at least a little something.

The next day I met mom and Sabache at our vets. The minute our vet took him from my arms he said that he had a distended abdomen and irregular breathing; he would take x-rays, blood work and we go from there.

We waited for an hour before our vet reappeared; I was getting really nervous, as was his mom. When doc came out to talk to us; he told us Sabache was in heart failure (kidney and liver values were ok), and that he gave him a shot of Lasix. He then handed us medications, gave us instruction on administration and made an appointment for Sabache to be seen again in 3 weeks.

I talked to mom a few hours later to ensure she got home ok (she lives in Port Richmond area, quite a distance from our vet in Southampton). There was some good news; Sabache was urinating like crazy, and was in his bed sleeping. Something he was unable to do for days.

I spoke to mom 2 days later, (on the Saturday he was going to be put down), he is eating and doing well! Now we need lots of prayers and funds to continue medical treatment.

Can you help?

Odie

12 year old Odie, a sweet and gentle Lab mix, and his senior mom have been receiving veterinary assistance from Sam’s Hope since 2019. Odie has osteoarthritis, which has been helped by medication.

A few days ago, Odie started limping; his mom thought he may have gotten hurt on the steps or out in the yard.

We sent Odie and his mom to the vet to get the leg looked at; the vet examined him and decided an x-ray was in order to ensure that there was indeed no injury. Thankfully, he was not injured, but he was experiencing progression of osteoarthritis for which the vet is switching his medications and adding a joint supplement to the mix.

We will be in touch with mom in a few weeks to see how Odie is doing; we are hoping he is improving and is getting relief from the pain.

*****

Just a few days after Odie visited our vet for help with his osteoarthritis, he began having the need to urinate frequently and was having accidents in the house. That prompted another trip to our vet, a urinalysis and diagnosis of a UTI. He was given a medication, and 4 days later, he is doing just fine. And no more accidents!

Olaf

We met Olaf and his senior citizen mom early in 2019; before the dawn of COVID and the ensuing inflation/recession that we are plagued with today. Olaf, who receives home-delivered food and supplies via our Meals for the Pets of the Honebound and Elderly program was long due for a wellness visit, blood work, etc. At the time, at 10 years old, that was his first visit to the vet.

In the years following his visit in 2019, Olaf began experiencing dental health problems. The first sign bad breath; followed by bleeding/redness of the gums, to refusing to eat unless his wet food was watered down.

Mom hesitated to call us to ask for help; her first concern was COVID (she is elderly and does have a myriad of health issues). In late summer, tired of seeing her little buddy suffer, she finally broke down and gave us a call to ask for help.

On the first visit to our vet, Olaf was examined, then diagnosed with severe dental disease, and five broken/eroded teeth that needed extraction. The vet put Olaf on antibiotics and scheduled him for dental surgery.

Ten days later, his teeth were cleaned and the five bad teeth extracted. Less than a week following surgery, he was the happy cat he has always been; crunching on his dry food and treats, and keeping his mom amused with his antics.

Harley

Harley, a 9 year old Golden Retriever and his senior citizen dad, have joined so many others in the US in becoming economically insecure during this time of rapidly rising costs. At one time, dad had no problems meeting Harley’s medical and food needs; now things have changed drastically for the pair, and they needed our help.

Harley was diagnosed with a heart murmur some years ago, and has been on medication since. With the cost of living rising the way it has been, dad started giving Harley his meds every other day to help reduce costs, which resulted in Harley becoming exercise intolerant, coughing, and feeling unwell.

Harley was seen by our partner vet for a cardiac exam; x-rays confirmed CHF. Our vet changed out some of his medications to better treat his current heart issues.

We refilled all of his medications and sent him home with a huge bag of his favorite dog food and a case of wet food. He should be good with medications and food for 6 weeks.

We asked dad to keep us posted to ensure Harley was doing well on the new medication. We will see him again in about 6 weeks to have him reassessed.

Sabache

He’s back…our little friend Sabache had yet another visit to our partner vet today. While the coughing has certainly improved with treatment, he isn’t quite there yet. He can walk and rest without hacking, but the minute he is stressed or active, he starts again. The episodes are of a shorter duration, but still not acceptable.

Today Sabache had x-rays and a thorough exam. X-rays showed the enlargement of the heart (right atria), and the bronchial inflammation. There is no CHF…but our vet believes the heart enlargement is aggravating the bronchial disease.

Doc prescribed some new meds and refilled meds that he has been on for a month. He also prescribed another antibiotic, as Sabache’s dental problems are pretty bad. But that issue cannot be addressed until we get him to stop coughing and feeling better.

We asked mom to stay in touch on a regular basis and give us updates on his progress. Hopefully, the third time is the charm!

20 Dogs

We distributed 20 - 3 packs of flea/tick medications to 20 of our homebound, elderly, ill and disabled clients to help keep their dogs happy, healthy and pest-free throughout the summer.

Sabache

Sabache was seen by our partner veterinarian back in July for a chronic dry cough. It was determined that there is no CHF; our vet suspects asthma/chronic bronchitis. He put Sabache on a very low dose of medication; Sabache’s cough improved over the past few weeks, but it has not gone away.

Sabache’s mom says it is much better at times and seems much happier, (when he was seen by our vet the first time, the cough was non-stop unless he remained motionless).

Our vet re-evaluated his situation, and then decided to put him on a full dose of meds and add an antibiotic for a few weeks to see if there is improvement.

Fingers crossed, we hope this does the trick!

Bart

In June we helped Bart and his senior mom out by purchasing 2 cases of Prescription Kidney food. His senior mom has been struggling to afford his needs since the turn in the economy. At that time he seemed to be stable and doing well.

For the past week he hasn’t been eating much; his thirst and urination have both increased.
He was seen by our partner vet for an exam and blood work. His kidney values have increased since his last check. He was given medications to help, and will need to be monitored on a regular basis.

We are seeking sponsors for Bart, to help provide continued support to him and his mom. Please see our Sponsor a Pet page for more information!

Sabache

10 year old Sabache, a Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix, started hacking/coughing back in April 2022. His mom took him to the vet in early May, where he had xrays and was prescribed heart meds for a fairly significant heart murmur and an enlarged heart. He was also prescribed with a medication to help with the cough.

Two months later and Sabache has shown no improvement. Everytime he moves, he hacks and coughs.
Mom came to us looking for help as she could not afford further care for Sabache. She was contemplating (despite her obvious love for him), putting him down as she could not stand to see him suffer.

Sabache was seen by our partner vet; mom came armed with his records as well as all of his meds. Our vet wasn’t impressed by the amount of diuretic he was taking because of the risk it could be doing to his kidneys.

Our vet gave Sabache a thorough cardiac exam. Yes, he has a significant heart murmur, and his blood pressure was concerningly low. Blood work, thankfully, showed that Sabache’s kidneys were normal.
Our vet suspects that the dry cough Sabache has is not heart related, (no evidence of congestive heart failure), he believes the cause to be chronic bronchitis/asthma and prescribed a medication that has worked wonders for another of our clients. We hope it works as well for Sabache.

The vet also discontinued one diuretic and cut the dose in ½ of the other.

We will check in with mom in about a week to see how things are going. Fingers crossed for good news!!

Panda

23 year old Panda was seen by our vet for his yearly exam and vaccinations in the Spring. He was diagnosed with a Grade 4 heart murmur and severe dental issues;it was suggested that he see a full-service vet and cardiologist.

Fast forward a few months; we finally got Panda in to see our partner vet to give him a thorough exam and chest radiographs.

Our vet found Panda to be in very good health, especially for his age, and that the heart murmur was slight, and there was no need for medical treatment; the vet told his dad to take him home, love and enjoy him.

After Dad and Panda left, the vet and his wife told me how amazed they were at Panda, that he was so beautiful and such good health at the advanced age of 23!

Yes, Panda has his little problems…a bad rear leg for which he takes Gabapentin. He misses the litter box at times…but what would you expect from a cat that is 108 years old in people years!

He is beautiful and fantastic, and we cannot wait to celebrate his 25th birthday along with him and his dad!

Cali

Last month, 8 year old Cali, a Yorkshire Terrier, presented with a protruding vaginal mass. She was diagnosed with Type 3 Vaginal Prolapse.

Her mom, a senior citizen who lives on a fixed income, asked for our assistance to provide the medical care Cali needed; a spay and the suturing of the prolapsed tissue.

Vaginal Prolapse generally only happens in dogs and cats who have not been spayed, because spayed animals do not have enough estrogen present to cause it.

Yet another good reason to spay/neuter your pets!!!

Yesterday Cali underwent surgery for a complicated spay, and suturing of the prolapsed tissue to hold it in place and prevent future prolapsing. She was prescribed pain meds and antibiotic, and after a long day spent with the vet, she went home to recover under the watchful eye of her mom.

She is doing well, but clearly not herself yet. She HATES that e-collar, but then again, who doesn’t?

Feel better soon, Cali!

Baby, a 13 Year Old Peke with Asthma Baby

13 year old Baby was seen by our partner vet about a month ago for wheezing, restlessness and collapse. She had x-rays which showed thickening of the bronchial wall; our vet suspects asthma.

Baby was taken off her heart meds and prescribed Temiril-P. Now, one month into treatment, she no longer gags, chokes, wheezes or collapses; which she has been doing since mom adopted her about 6 - 7 years ago.

We are so thrilled she is doing well!

This grant will cover the cost of Baby’s medication for 6 months; here is to continued health and happiness to this sweet little girl and her mom.

Bart

Tiny little Bart, a 13 year old Maltese mix, has been having kidney issues for some years now. Up until recently, his senior mom has been able to provide for his prescription food needs; that is until prices of gas, food and rent hit the roof.

While the current economy has been difficult for most people; it has affected seniors on fixed incomes the most.

This grant provided 2 cases of Prescription kidney food for Bart, which should help them out for about 6 weeks.

We are looking for sponsors for Bart to help provide continued support. Please see our Sponsor a Pet page for more information!

Darla

12 year old Darla has not been feeling herself of late; she has lost interest in playing and walking, and tends to huff/puff/cough when engaged in activity. A real change for this once lively, non-stop terrier!

Her mom took her to the vet; $500 later no real diagnosis as they wanted to do further testing which she could not afford.

Darla was seen by our partner vet for exam, chest x-ray and blood work. She has a heart murmur and enlarged heart.

She was prescribed medications, and will be seen again in a month. Sooner if there is no improvement.

There's no single cause of heart disease in dogs. Aging, obesity, breed, and nutrition can all play a role. Heart valve problems are the most common issue and typically affect small breed dogs that are five years or older.

Baby

Meet 13 year old Baby, a sweet, smiling, tail-waggin', butt wigglin' Pekingese who was was diagnosed with congestive heart failure last year, and has been on heart meds since.

Prior to taking meds, she was collapsing. That all improved with medications until this month when she had two incidences of hyperventilating, wheezing, restlessness, shaky legs, shivering and what appears to be anxiety/fear.

Baby’s mom texted us to let us know what was going on, and we made an appointment with our vet to have her checked out.

She had a thorough exam, chest x ray, BP check and blood work (chem and CBC) during her visit. The vet found that there was more at work here than the heart issue; he found bronchial wall thickening and suspects asthma.

Baby was put on a low dose of medication; the vet is hoping this will help, but if not, she will need albuterol.

BP check showed her blood pressure a bit high, so she is to stay on her heart meds, along with the medication for asthma.

We will be in close contact with mom to see how Baby does with the new meds; hopefully there will be improvement.

Sushi

Sushi is a sweet 10 year old Shiba Inu who appeared to be having pain in the head/neck area as she withdrew and winced when being touched.

We arranged to have her examined last week; the vet prescribed meds for her, rest, removal of the collar (harness only) and a diet as she is quite overweight.

A week later, Sushi still wasn’t feeling herself, so back to the vet for another exam, where our vet manipulated her head/neck/legs, and really could not get her to react. But since mom said she continued to have difficulty at home, another med was added to reduce inflammation. She also had a rabies vaccination, anal gland expression (she was scooting constantly) and was given an ointment for her back end.

What a difference a day makes; we received a photo from mom, along with the message that Sushi was feeling much more comfortable. Good news!

Now to take on the battle of Sushi’s bulge…not going to be easy, as she certainly needs to lose a considerable amount of weight!!

Jake

As 13 year old Jake ambles in the front door of our vet's office, tongue hanging out, butt wiggling, and the devil in his eyes, everyone stops and cannot help but smile to see this clownish Pug who just captures your heart and attention with a single butt wiggle. You really have to meet this boy; you will fall in love instantly.

We have been providing ongoing care to Jake since 2019 when he was first diagnosed with heart problems. Thanks to monthly sponsors and grant funding, we have been able to help make a real difference for Jake and his mom, as mom was simply unable to afford the care and medications related to his heart issues. But with a helping hand, Jake is thriving. He is bright, happy and providing joy to his mom and those around him on a daily basis.

Jake was seen for a cardiac exam, blood work and refills of all of his heart meds. He is doing extremely well, and will have a recheck in about 6 months.

Panda

We have been providing vet care and pet food assistance for Panda since 2014; since that time, the now 23 year old Panda, lost his human dad, and most recently (March 2022), his lovely human mom. When we got the news, we immediately contacted Panda’s human brother to offer our condolences and to see what we could do to help Panda stay in his home; his brother is disabled and lived with his parents.

We were thrilled to find out that Panda would indeed stay in the home he has always known, and offered to continue providing care for him for life.

Panda was seen by our partner vet for exam, vaccinations and medication for a hind leg problem that he’s had since the beginning of the pandemic. We wanted to have blood work done; unfortunately his new dad declined.

Panda has a few issues that need to be addressed; a Grade 4 heart murmur and dental issues. At 23, we do not want him to go under anesthesia for a dental cleaning, as it is high-risk, especially with heart issues.

We do want him to visit our full-service vet for consultation for the heart issue; which we will be discussing with his dad. Hopefully with a diagnosis and treatment we can help him see the age of 25! Or maybe more!

Palomo

Six weeks ago, Palomo woke up with red, swollen and watery eyes. His mom was alarmed, not knowing what was going on, and really did not know what to do about it. Your first thought is…well, take him to the vet. Yes, of course, when you have the funds to pay the vet, it is a very easy decision to reach.

BUT, when you are in Palomo’s mom’s position, you have to make choices; do you pay the rent and/or utility bills, or do you pay the vet.

A few months ago, I was very fortunate to learn of a vet in Chester County who was kind, caring, compassionate and doesn’t charge an arm then a leg! She works with people so that they can afford the care they need for their pets; in today’s world, you just don’t find vets like this. I am fortunate to know of three.

I had Palomo’s mom contact them to get a look at Palomo to see what was going on; I was not surprised to hear that it was his teeth were causing all of the problems; some were broken to the gum line! The vet prescribed antibiotics, and gave Palomo an appointment for blood work, dental cleaning and extractions.

Despite the very reasonable estimate given by the vet, mom was panicking as she would not be able to pay her utility bills that month. We told her to complete an application, send us all documentation, and that we would take care of it. Maintaining a roof over mom and Palomo’s head is of utmost importance; without that home, they cannot stay together.

Palomo checked in at 9 AM; he had his dental and needed some additional support, oxygen and fluids, so it was decided that he would spend the night at the hospital under the watchful eye of the vet.
Blood work revealed early stage kidney disease; so he will be switched from Hill’s C/D to Royal Canin SO to slow the progress.

The next morning he went home to his mom, and slept off the events of the last few days.

Simba, a 5 Year Old Shepherd Mix Simba

Simba is a 6 year old Shepherd Mix who lives with his senior citizen mom in Philadelphia.

Prior to the pandemic, and the soaring cost of living, mom was able to provide for herself and her pup with no problems at all.

But now, with food and energy prices eating up every bit, (and then some) of her budget, she finds she can no longer afford to provide for Simba and his ongoing need of medication for his allergies.
Simba was seen by our partner veterinarian for his annual wellness check; he had an exam, vaccinations and nail clip. And we refilled his prescription for Apoquel; enough for 30 days.

We plan to do a food trial with Simba to see if we can figure out if his allergies are food related. If we are successful, perhaps Simba will no longer need the medication.

Skye

Skye was diagnosed with kidney disease early in 2022; our vet recommended that she exclusively eat prescription food for kidney disease in order to slow down disease progression. He also recommended Fish Oil Supplement (Omega 3) and B Complex. A very expensive regimen, especially for her senior citizen mom who lives on a small fixed income.

Mom has managed to provide what Skye needed for the past few months; but this month she needed a helping hand, which we gladly gave.

We provided Skye with a month’s worth of Kidney Diet Prescription food as well as the fish oil supplement.

She is doing extremely well as mom is sticking to the plan; Skye is drinking considerably less now, and there is far less urination. She is no longer waking mom up in the middle of the night to take her out.

Sunny

5 year old Sunny, (and her canine sister Cher), haven’t visited the vet since pre-pandemic. Sunny was long overdue for an exam and vaccinations, and in dire need of a cure for her itchies and scratchies.

Their mom is one of our homebound clients that receives home-delivered pet food from Sam’s Hope. Our last visit there, we observed the duo relentlessly scratching at themselves, and offered to help get them to the vet and straightened out.

Sunny was the model patient at our vet’s office. She purred through her exam, and surprisingly, not even a hiss or a swat during vaccinations and nail clip.

The itching…she has a case of the fleas; for which the vet prescribed Revolution.

Sunny is a happy and healthy cat; so we won’t be seeing her again until next year for her yearly wellness visit.

Cher

This sweet girl is 6 year old Cher, the canine sister of no other than Sunny the cat!
She too hasn’t had a visit to the vet since pre-pandemic and is long overdue for an exam and vaccinations. Cher has also been scratching relentlessly, and has a growth on her abdomen that suddenly started getting larger.

The growth was of great concern to her mom, one of our homebound clients that receives home-delivered pet food from Sam’s Hope, as she lost her dog of 15 years to cancer 5 years ago.

During our last visit to their home, we observed the duo relentlessly scratching at themselves, and offered to help get them to the vet and straightened out.

Cher, like her sister Sunny, was a model patient; that tail was a-waggin during the exam. Our vet determined that the lump on the abdomen was no reason for concern as it was only a lipoma. He sedated Sunny, removed it, vaccinated and clipped her nails.

The itching…same as her sister, fleas for which she was prescribed Bravecto.

Cher, like Sunny, is in excellent health, and will come back next year for her annual wellness visit.

Samantha

7 year old Samantha, a Bearded Collie Mix, has not been feeling herself for the past few months. She no longer enjoys walks with her mom; after ½ a block, she lays down and refuses to move. Other symptoms are increased thirst and urination, and her coat always looks shabby, despite being brushed daily and bathing.

Her mom is unemployed, and since losing her car due to her financial situation, has found it increasingly difficult to find work. Normally, when Samantha would appear under the weather, she would take her directly to the vet to be checked out. Now, vet care has become a luxury she can no longer afford.

Mom learned about Sam’s Hope through an elderly neighbor who receives home delivered pet meals for her cats, and submitted an application begging for help for her beloved companion.

We scheduled an appointment for Samatha with our partner veterinarian, where she had an exam. The vet immediately suspected hypothyroidism, but also wanted to rule out other issues. Blood work, urinalysis and a T4 test were performed. All came back within range, except for the T4.

Samantha was prescribed levothyroxine, a thyroid replacement hormone, which she will need to take for life. Thankfully it is not an expensive drug, though Samantha will need to return for blood work in a month to ensure dosing is correct, and then every six months to ensure she is within range.

She should start feeling more herself in a few weeks, and then be symptom-free in 4 - 6 weeks.

Chonk

8 year old Chonk is the beloved support pup of Deb; a disabled woman who has been bound to a wheelchair since she was a young child. Chonk not only provides companionship and emotional support; he also helps Deb in her daily needs. He can open drawers and closets, and retrieve needed items for her. He is one smart cookie!

Chonk is true to his breed; he has allergy problems. Lately they have been worse than usual.
Chonk was seen by our vet for an exam, SuperChem blood work, urinalysis. The skin and ear issues were addressed with medication; it was suggested that perhaps prescription food for allergies would help, but that is cost prohibitive, so we will supply Chonk with a good quality, grain-free salmon and sweet potato food that has helped other dogs with allergies in our care in the past.

Here is to good news on his blood work and urinalysis. We will have the results back tomorrow!

Layla Grace

We received the following email from a dog mom in Ohio late last year, asking for help for her 8 year old Beagle, Layla Grace. (pretty name, right)?

“My son and I live on a fixed income of $794 a month. We've been able to take care of Layla's routine care but can't afford the procedure she needs. We were living in a difficult situation for a few years and then lived in a car for six months with Layla. We are in the process of making her a support animal. I suffer from PTSD and severe anxiety. My son has Sherman's kyphosis and spondylitis, as well as anxiety and depression.

Layla brings us much peace, joy, and love. She is a member of our family. I honestly don't know what we would do without her. She has been through so much, we rescued her from our local pet shelter at 13 weeks old, where she came from a neglectful environment.

My son and I now have a home and are getting back on our feet. We just want to give Layla all the love she gives us and make the rest of her life the best it can be. Thank you very much.”

Layla had a small mass on her left thigh that suddenly starting growing at a fast rate. Mom took her to the vet to have her checked; but because of their financial circumstances they were unable to proceed with the surgery. We were able to help with the surgery; however Layla needed more help; a dental cleaning and extractions, as well as all of her vaccinations.

Today, thanks to donations ear-marked for Layla, and the kind donation of services by Stringtown Animal Hospital, Layla had pre-op bloodwork, full dental xrays, dental cleaning, extractions, a post op injection and medications, and all of her vaccinations.

We are so happy for Layla and her family…much happiness and health to all!

Carmen

In November, Carmen was at the vet for her yearly exam and blood work. She appeared to be in good shape, despite a little weight gain since her last visit.

Unfortunately, her lab results raised some concern with the vet when they came back; at the time he suspected Cushings disease, and ordered a urinalysis to look into things a little deeper, which prompted an ultrasound of Carmen’s liver and adrenals.

When the results came back ok, it was decided that Carmen should have an 8 hour suppression test to rule out or confirm Cushings; which she had today. Not a happy camper at all; being away from mom for 8 hours was TORTURE for her.

Fingers crossed; we should have the results back in a few days.

Skye

We met 14 year old Skye about 1.5 years ago when she came to us for help with her yearly exam and vaccinations. Her mom, homebound since the beginning of the pandemic due to serious health issues that put her at high risk for severe illness from COVID. Mom’s health issues have now made her permanently homebound and in dire need of help for her dear companion Skye.

Skye has been drinking and urinating constantly for a few months now. At first, mom didn’t think anything of it; but as it continued, she started becoming more and more alarmed. That is when she reached out to us for help in figuring out what was going on with Skye.

Skye was seen by our partner vet for an exam, blood work and urinalysis. The results were as we suspected, kidney disease.

The treatment plan; prescription kidney food to start with; she will be retested and reassessed in a few months.

2021

Carmen

Today we lent a helping hand to Carmen, an 8 year old Shih Tzu, who lives in South Philly with her adoring mom.

Last month Carmen was at the vet for her yearly exam and blood work. S

he appeared to be in good shape, despite a little weight gain since her last visit.

Unfortunately, her lab results raised some concern with the vet when they came back; at the time he suspected Cushings Disease. He ordered a urinalysis to look into things a little deeper. When the urinalysis results came back, the vet wanted to do an ultrasound on Carmen’s liver and adrenals. Needless to say, all of this was causing Carmen’s mom considerable angst; she was very concerned about what was going on with her beloved little companion.

Today they headed to the vet for the ultrasound; while everything looked good with Carmen’s liver, a small nodule was noted on her adrenals. Carmen will have an ACTH Stimulation Test, which will either confirm or rule out Cushing Disease in early January.

Lucky

We met a two year old Lucky way back in 2016 when he came to PA from a Georgia shelter. Just two short hours before his scheduled euthanasia, his now mom, Linda, saw his photo online, fell in love, and with the help of a Georgia rescue, saved his life.

When he got to PA, he arrived with a myriad of health issues which his senior mom could not afford to fix. Sam’s Hope got involved, and we are happy to say that Lucky and his mom are doing very well, despite a lot of ups and downs in their lives; most recently, losing their home. Lucky’s story can be found here: https://chestnuthilllocal.com/stories/help-mr-lucky-so-far-very-unlucky-live-up-to-his-name,9483

One of the issues that Lucky came from GA with was heartworm. A grant from Sam’s Hope provided the heartworm treatment he desperately needed; and he must stay on heartworm meds for life.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we were able to provide Lucky with one year’s worth of heartworm meds; helping keep Lucky healthy and with his mom, who so desperately needs him at this critical time in their lives.

Carmen

Time for Carmen’s yearly exam and bloodwork; very important for all pets, especially when they get to middle age and beyond. It is always best to catch a problem earlier than later. We were happy to help Carmen and her senior citizen mom offset the cost of this vet visit.

Carmen was seen by her veterinarian for annual exam, wellness panel with reflex, ear cleaning, anal gland expression and medication for her sometimes problematic knee (she has luxating patella), and her yeasty ears. She is in good health and should be good to go for another year/12,000 miles.

Carmen weighed in at 22 lbs; she gained 2 lbs. Since her last visit. Mom is going to cut down on her morning and evening kibble, and by her next visit she should be a svelte 20 lbs.

Layla Grace

We received the following email from a dog mom in Ohio recently, asking for help for her 8 year old Beagle, Layla Grace. (pretty name, right)?

"My son and I live on a fixed income of $794 a month. We've been able to take care of Layla's routine care but can't afford the procedure she needs. We were living in a difficult situation for a few years and then lived in a car for six months with Layla. We are in the process of making her a support animal. I suffer from PTSD and severe anxiety. My son has Sherman's kyphosis and spondylitis, as well as anxiety and depression."

"Layla brings us much peace, joy, and love. She is a member of our family. I honestly don't know what we would do without her. She has been through so much, we rescued her from our local pet shelter at 13 weeks old, where she came from a neglectful environment."

"My son and I now have a home and are getting back on our feet. We just want to give Layla all the love she gives us and make the rest of her life the best it can be. Thank you very much.”

Though Layla lives outside of our service area, we felt that she and her family really needed the help to keep them together during this difficult time. Yesterday she had her surgery, and she is recovering at home with her mom and human brother.

Layla also has a bad tooth and needs a dental cleaning and extractions; approximately $500.00. Please consider a donation; it would be much appreciated by this family who has been through so much.

Donate via PayPal - Please mention Layla Grace in the instructions to seller section of the form.

Jake

Jake is the beloved 13 year old Pug of one of our homebound senior clients; along with bi-monthly deliveries of pet food and supplies, we also help out with medical expenses related to Jake’s heart problems.

Today Jake had a cardiac exam and blood work; we are happy to report that he is doing very well, and his mom was thrilled to hear that. We also refilled his medications; enough for three months.

Jake will be seen by our vet in 6 months; fingers crossed that he will continue to do well!

Palomo

16 year old Palomo is the light of his mom’s life. Palomo has had a long history of recurrent urinary tract blockages, and the fix has been to feed him prescription food exclusively. While this sounds like an easy fix, for a senior on a small fixed income, it is a huge challenge as the food is quite expensive.

This veterinary care assistance grant provided three months of prescription food wet food to Palomo. We hope that this grant will help them get through this trying time in their lives TOGETHER!

Isabella

Meet Isabella, a 14 year old American Eskimo Dog that was recently diagnosed with kidney disease. Her mom is on disability, and recently lost her UC, making it difficult for her to provide for Isabella’s medical needs.

Though Isabella lives outside of our service area; we agreed to provide assistance for one month until mom can get on her feet. We purchased a month’s worth of Sub-Q Fluids, needles, and medication to help out.

Sheba

Meet Sheba, a 7 year old Labrador Retriver that was recently diagnosed with diabetes. Her mom is on disability, and recently lost her UC, making it difficult for her to provide for Sheba’s medical needs.

Though Sheba lives outside of our service area; we agreed to provide assistance for one month until mom can get on her feet. We purchased a 2 vials of Vetsulin, a box of U-40 needles and a 27.5 lb. bag of Hill's W/D dry food to help out.

Gizmo Gizmo

Sadly, our 13 year old little friend Gizmo’s health has been in a steady decline of late; on Saturday morning his mom contacted us to let us know that he had a very bad night of crying in pain, and asked if we could help with euthanasia expenses.

Mom has been through a lot this past year; at the beginning of the pandemic, she lost her beloved Spike; a month ago she lost her husband, and now her beloved Gizmo.

Today Gizmo crossed the bridge, where his brother Spike was waiting. Rest in Peace, Gizmo. So happy to have known both you and Spike and enjoy your company on walks.

Ally

A few weeks ago, while cleaning up Effie’s home, her aide found a few fleas; one dead and a few alive. Her aide texted to let me know, and asked if we could provide flea meds for the four cats before things got out of hand again, and the house got infested.

Today we delivered Advantage II, so the cats will be treated in early November, and hopefully we can avoid having an exterminator to clean up the problem again!

George George

Today we delivered Advantage II, so the cats will be treated in early November, and hopefully we can avoid having an exterminator to clean up the problem again!

Minnie

Today we delivered Advantage II, so the cats will be treated in early November, and hopefully we can avoid having an exterminator to clean up the problem again!

Nikki

Today we delivered Advantage II, so the cats will be treated in early November, and hopefully we can avoid having an exterminator to clean up the problem again!

Louie

Louie is the beloved dog of Neal, a disabled senior citizen. Neal has been concerned about Louie’s health for some time now; our wonderful volunteer Rhonda was finally able to get Louie to the vet to be checked out.

Louie is in great health, though he does have allergy issues. He was found to have fleas, so it could be flea bite allergy, or it could be something else.

Louie had a much needed exam and vaccinations. He was treated with Bravecto for fleas, given heartworm medication, as well as an injection and meds for his allergies. Hopefully his skin and ear issues improve quickly, and he can dedicate his time to giving love to his dad instead of scratching and licking!

See you next year, Louie!

Lucy

We have been helping Lucy’s family with vet care and pet food for many years now. Their mom is low-income, has MS, heart problems and a myriad of other health issues. Lucy and her sibling Charlie (a cat), are the loves of their mom’s life.

It was time for Lucy’s annual exam and vaccinations. We also wanted to have blood work done on her as he is 8 years old, and we wanted to be sure all was well with her liver, kidneys, etc.

Lucy was the perfect girl during her exam, blood work, and nail clip. And we were so happy to hear her heart is good, and her blood work perfect!

The doc prescribed pain meds for the times she has trouble with her back leg (she occasionally limps), but he finds nothing wrong with her hip/leg/knee/foot.
See you in December, Lucy, we always enjoy your visits on pet food pantry day!

Charlie

We have been helping Charlie’s family with vet care and pet food for many years now. Their mom is low-income, has MS, heart problems and a myriad of other health issues. Charlie and his sibling Lucy (a Yorkie), are the loves of their mom’s life.

It was time for Charlie’s annual exam and vaccinations. We also wanted to have blood work done on him as he is 8 years old, and we wanted to be sure all was well with his liver, kidneys, etc.

Unfortunately, Charlie wasn’t hearing anything about blood work, but he could not be sedated as our vet, upon exam, found that he had a very rapid and erratic heartbeat. He suspects Charlie is a HCM cat (because of this he would not sedate the cat in fear of his heart giving out). At this time he has no symptoms.

Apparently there is no cure for HCM; and no drugs to halt the progression. We will continue to have Charlie monitored by the vet, as a common outcome of Cardiomyopathy is Congestive Heart Failure.

Murph

Murph is a 10 year old Yorkie Mix that was recently diagnosed with heart problems. He has been coughing and on occasion, passing out. His homebound mom took him to the vet to see why this was all happening, and what could be done to make her little companion comfortable. While she was able to afford the vet visit and first round of medications; she is unable to provide for Murph on a monthly basis.

Since mom and Murph have been clients of our Homebound & Elderly program for years; mom immediately reached out to us for help, which we were happy to do.

Murph was seen by our veterinarian for a cardiac exam, blood work, urinalysis and refills of his heart medications. The vet said he appears to be doing very well, and like to see him again in about 6 months.

Dagmore (Daggy)

In July, 12 year old Dagmore saw our vet for his annual wellness check. (That is where it was discovered that he was NOT a girl as his mother believed for the past 10 years, but was actually a boy)! Thus, he is now known a Daggy! During that wellness check, it was discovered that the few teeth Daggy had left needed some attention. So, he was scheduled for a cleaning and possible extractions on the same day as Misty.

Early this morning, our cat-loving volunteer Beth, picked Daggy up from his home and brought him to our partner vet in Southampton, where he had pre-op blood work, a dental cleaning, three extractions and a nail clip.

A few hours later, Daggy was back home with his mom. Thank you, Beth!

We will check in with mom tomorrow to ensure that he is feeling ok, and taking the prescribed medications as directed.

Misty

In June, 11 year old Misty saw our vet for her annual wellness check. She had afew issues; flea bite allergy, but all in all was found to be in good shape, except for her teeth. She desperately needed a dental cleaning and possibly extractions.

Early this morning, our cat-loving volunteer Beth, picked Misty up from her home and brought her to our partner vet in Southampton, where she had pre-op blood work, a dental cleaning, one extraction and a nail clip.

A few hours later, Misty headed back home to mom, meowing all the way! Thank you, Beth!

We will check in with her mom tomorrow to ensure that she is feeling ok, and taking the prescribed medications as directed.

Codi

When 9 year old Codi’s mom was trying to escape a horrifically abusive situation, Codi began to have seizures, which his mom believes was due to the trauma he suffered right along with her.

They are now both free of that terrible environment; but unfortunately the cost of the move from the abusive situation left mom without the finances to provide for Codi’s care.

Codi was seen by a vet today; he had a comprehensive exam, blood work (Chem/CBC/Lytes) and a nail clip. Codi was prescribed phenobarbital, a drug used to treat seizures in cats, dogs, etc. While it may take a few weeks for full effect, Codi should experience improvement after just a few doses.

Jandel

Jandel, a 9 year old Cocker Spaniel, snapped off his canine tooth at the gum line while chomping on a bully stick.

Jandel’s vet said that the remaining tooth should be extracted to prevent further pain and infection. Unfortunately, mom could not afford the dental procedure, and decided she had no other option than to hope for the best.

A few months after the unfortunate incident, mom was talking to a friend who was also a Sam’s Hope client, and suggested she reach out to us to see if we could help.

Today Jandel underwent dental surgery to extract what remained of the fractured canine tooth. A few hours later, he was back at home with his mom recovering.

We called the following day to see if all was well; Jandel was happy, eating and drinking like nothing happened. Gotta love dogs...they just seem to bounce back right into their happy, tail-waggin’ lives!

Dagmore

12 year old Dagmore, a cat that was rescued from the streets years ago by his mom after being hit by a car, has been feeling a bit under the weather lately. He has been constipated, vomiting up a white foam and has had a nasty discharge from his ear. He was also due for his yearly wellness visit for exam and vaccinations.

Our volunteer Beth picked Dagmore up for a noon appointment; thank you, Beth, as Dagmore’s mom is homebound and doesn’t have a car or someone who can take the cat to the vet.

Dagmore was seen by the vet for exam, vaccinations, nail clip; no problems found with his ears, GI palpitation showed no stool in colon. It was advised that mom do what she has been doing; cleaning his ears regularly and giving him Laxatone.

Funny thing happened at the vet; she asked Beth if she had the right cat. Beth couldn’t figure out why she would ask that….well...Dagmore’s mom refers to the cat as “she”, and that is what we have on our records. Come to find out, Dagmore is a boy!

But...and there is always a but...Dagmore’s teeth are in pretty bad shape, so he is in need of a dental. And he is quite overweight. Two things that we will deal with in the very near future.

Auggie

10 year old Auggie lives in a senior apartment complex in Philly with his mom. They are constant companions and from what mom says, Auggie is the only reason she has been able to get through the isolation of COVID 19. If not for Auggie, the only contact she has is with her meals on wheels driver once a week.

Auggie gives his mom a reason to get up in the morning; and a reason to go on in these very difficult times.

Auggie has some osteoarthritis issues; which really don’t stop him from bouncing from the bed, the sofa and the chairs. When he overdoes it, well, he is lame for a few days, then after some rest he is at it again.

Today we refilled all of Auggies osteoarthritis meds and supplements. Here is to happier, healthier hips, legs and knees!

Palomo

While this sounds like an easy fix, for a senior on a small fixed income, it is a huge challenge as the food is quite expensive. This veterinary care assistance grant provided three months of prescription food wet food to Palomo.

We hope that this grant will help them get through this trying time in their lives TOGETHER!

Gizmo

Gizmo, a 12 year old Italian Greyhound is the love of his mama’s life. Gizmo has kidney disease and luxating patella in both hind legs, which require prescription kidney food and pain medication.

This veterinary care assistance grant provided three months of prescription food (canned & dry).

We hope that this grant will help them get through this trying time in their lives TOGETHER!

Odie

We met 11 year old Odie and his senior mom about a year ago, when they needed some help getting Odie his yearly wellness check, vaccinations and medications for his osteoarthritis.

This month, mom fell short on funds, and needed help with Odie’s meds once again. Odie was seen by our vet for an exam and medications to help with his pain.

We hope that this grant will help them get through this little bump in the road TOGETHER!

JoJo

We met JoJo last year during the height of the pandemic. JoJo’s mom, a senior citizen, lost her job, and because she had to wait for her unemployment benefits to kick in, she couldn’t afford to buy heart meds for JoJo. We helped her bridge the gap and provided a month’s worth of meds.

JoJo’s mom decided to retire, as she is having health issues since getting COVID. She is now on a fixed income, Social Security, and needs help providing for her dog. Sam’s Hope provides pet food to her on an as-needed basis, and helps out with JoJo’s medical care when needed.

JoJo was overdue for her rabies vaccination (it was recommended by the vet that this is the only vaccination she should get at her age and in her situation), and needed a nail clip; which was provided by Sam’s Hope at no cost to mom.

We will see JoJo next year for a wellness check. Other than her heart issue, which is stable, she is doing great.

Pebbles

We met Pebbles and her senior citizen mom right before COVID struck last winter. Pebbles was at risk of being evicted from their apartment complex because she was not up to date on her vaccinations.

Over the last 6 months or so, mom has been noticing a foul odor emitting from Pebbles mouth, and that one of her teeth was broken. She called us to ask for help for Pebbles again, as her local vet wanted in excess of $1000.00 to clean her teeth and extract the bad ones.

Pebbles was seen by our partner vet for an exam and bloodwork to ensure that she was healthy and could go through surgery with no problems; which she was.

Pebbles then had her dental and 3 extractions, and later in the afternoon she was back at home with her mom recovering from the day’s events.

We called to check in with her, and she is doing great; like nothing happened!

Here is to better health and fresh breath!

20 Dogs

We distributed 20 - 3 packs of flea/tick medications to 15 of our homebound, elderly, ill and disabled clients to help keep their dogs happy, healthy and pest free throughout the summer.

Misty, an 11 Year Old Cat Misty

Misty’s mom is one of our homebound clients; we deliver pet food to their home bi-monthly. We have also been taking care of Misty medically since 2014, when they applied for our homebound program.

We have been trying to get Misty to the vet for some time, as she has been having skin issues. Unfortunately, with her mom in and out of the hospital, it hasn’t been easy, but we hit it just right today!

Our volunteer, Beth, cat lover extraordinaire, picked up Misty from her home this morning and took her to the vet to have an exam and check what was going on with her skin. She has been really itchy and has an assortment of scabs around her neck.

An exam revealed that Misty had FLEAS, chin acne and teeth in need of attention. Otherwise, she appears to be in good condition. She was prescribed medication and was given flea treatment.

I talked to Beth when she was on her way to take Misty home, and asked her to check what kind of bowls Misty was eating/drinking from. As I suspected, they were plastic, a known cause of chin acne in cats. Beth will drop off glass bowls to Helen and Misty next week when she delivers Meals on Wheels in the area. Thank you, Beth!

Ozzy

Janet, a senior citizen, is a live-in caregiver to one of our homebound clients. Recently divorced, she took custody of Ozzy, who was long overdue for his wellness visit and rabies vaccination.

Today, Ozzy was seen by our veterinarian for an exam, vaccinations and to check a lump on his left thigh. Apparently he wasn’t such a good boy at the vet, and he had to be muzzled for the exam.

Ozzy appears to be in good health; heart and respiratory are good. His teeth have moderate calculi; daily toothbrushing is recommended as well as a dental cleaning.

The growth will be monitored for increasing size, irritation and discharge.

Bob

Gemma, a senior citizen, was looking for her remote control this morning, and couldn’t find it anyplace. She looked under the bed, the sofa...nothing. That is until she went to look at Bob’s bed (her 5 year old Shepherd Mix), and found him crunching on what remained of the remote.

She immediately started searching for the batteries, and when she could not find them, she panicked and called her son to take them to the vet, as she knew Bob must have eaten them along with the remote.

When they arrived at the vet, they were asked for $1500 as an up-front deposit to treat the dog. They didn’t have it, though they did qualify for $1000.00 through CareCredit. The hospital made a call to Sam’s Hope, and we were able to provide the $500 needed to get Bob treated.

X-rays showed that Bob indeed swallowed 2 AAA batteries, but that they appeared to be intact/not leaking.

He was given medication and stayed at the hospital overnight for observation. The next morning, out came the batteries, completely intact! No surgery needed...bland diet for a few days.

Millie

Nancy is one of our homebound clients who receives home-delivered pet food for her 3 pets on a bi-monthly basis. She has 2 dogs and a beautiful cat that she rescued from the outdoors.

Millie, her 9 year old Chihuahua, who was long overdue for her yearly wellness check, visited the vet today where she had a physical exam, vaccinations and a mani/pedi.

Millie has no history of medical problems and isn’t on any medications. However, she does tend to cough on excitement. It was found that she has a heart murmur along with luxating patella and is overweight.

The plan is to get her to our full-service vet to be checked and see what can be done for her issues.

Baby a 12 Year Old Pekingnese Baby

I woke up to a text from Baby’s mom. Baby collapsed on Saturday night, she found her on her bedroom floor, on her side yelping. The next morning, when her son stopped by to visit, Baby collapsed again. I messaged her mom and told her to get Baby to the vet ASAP.

I saw Baby last month; she was at the vet for her annual wellness visit. At the time she as having some respiratory problems which mom attributed to allergies. The vet gave her some meds, but there was no improvement...fact is, things were getting a lot worse.

Baby was examined by our vet, had x-rays, and it has been determined that she is having heart problems. Baby was given two heart medications, which she will take for a few days, then go back to the vet to be reassessed.

Along with the meds, it is recommended that Baby lose weight. She is a chunk, and probably needs to drop 5 lbs.; so we will once again work on this one lb. at a time.

Nina

Little Nina, adopted by her dad in June 2019, came to us in 2020; she stopped playing, had an increased appetite and thirst, and started urinating outside of her litter box.

At that time, she had an exam, rabies vaccine, bloodwork and urinalysis. She was so skinny, just 6 lbs. and about 3 - 4 lbs. Underweight. Diagnosis...hyperthyroidism.

We opted for the Methimazole transdermal gel for Nina, as it would be easiest for her dad to administer, though much more expensive.

Today we were able to help out by purchasing Nina’s next round of medication, which should last about 50 - 60 days.

Helen

Helen...Forever in Our Hearts...Rest in Peace, Dear Girl.

We met Helen, a 7 year old Pit Bull, back in November of 2015 when she was in an emergency situation with Pyometra and her mom could not afford treatment. She was rushed to the veterinary hospital for emergency surgery, and just in the nick of time. Thankfully she recovered beautifully under the care of mom.

Fast forward to the summer of 2016; Helen’s mom lost her husband and had to leave their home as she could no longer afford to stay there. She had to move in with her daughter temporarily; unfortunately she could not take Helen with her, as pets were not allowed.

Mom reached out to us for help again, she was hoping we could foster Helen for a few months until she was able to move into her new home in South Philly. We contacted 61 rescues and animal welfare organizations for help; only three replied with the response that they could not help.

Not left with many choices, we posted on Facebook and a true miracle happened; Allen Faretty and his family would foster Helen until Mom was settled in her new home. She was with the family for two months where she enjoyed the company of Allen, his wife Linda, their kids and all of their dogs. Helen and her mom were reunited in October 2016.

Last month Helen’s mom contacted us again; Helen wasn’t doing well; she had a large growth on her abdomen, was panting and couldn’t get comfortable. Helen went to the vet; the news was not good. She had advanced stage breast cancer, and the tumors metastasized. Helen was put on medication to make her more comfortable.

Today, 13 year old Helen, crossed the Rainbow Bridge with her mom by her side. Needless to say, mom is crushed; Helen was truly the love of her life. But she did the right thing for her beloved companion by not letting her suffer.

Godspeed Helen! Until we all meet again.
Gail, you are in our thoughts and our prayers.

Angel

Little Ms. Angel, a 14 year old Shih Tzu mix, was diagnosed with heart problems a few years ago. She has been doing very well, with little to no disease progression thanks to medication. Lately, Angel seems to be drinking considerably more than usual, and needs potty breaks more often.

This prompted a visit to the vet, and a urinalysis, which showed protein in the urine; proteinuria, which indicated that the kidneys may not be working properly.

We refilled all of her prescriptions; one of her heart meds was changed to a medication that is easier on the kidneys, and we will follow up in a few months to see how things are going.

Baby

Meet 12 year old Baby, a sweet Pekingnese that was adopted by her mom some years ago when her dad passed away. She is such a bubbly and sweet dog, and so, so ADORABLE; love her!

It was time for Baby’s yearly wellness check; no vaccines as she isn’t due for her rabies until 2022. Always a good idea to see the vet at least yearly, especially for a senior dog.

Baby has occasional fits of coughing and gagging, which have gotten worse since Spring has Sprung, has a lump inside her hind leg, and tends to go into trance like states on occasion. None of this is new, but everything seems to have become a bit exaggerated with age.

Today she had an exam, senior blood work, the lump looked at (it is a lipoma, a very common benign mass made up exclusively of fat cells). Blood work is PERFECT, (always LOVE to see that), and she was given medications to help with her other issues.

Something her mom and I will be addressing directly is her WEIGHT. Baby is a small dog, and she is currently weighing in at 18 lbs!! I guesstimate she should be around 13 lbs. The treats stop here, Baby girl, we are going to trim some of that excess weight off of your waddling little butt! One pound at a time...hopefully by the end of the year she will be at 15 lbs.

Carmen

At her last grooming appointment, the groomer noticed a wart-like mass near 8 year old Carmen's anus. Add to that, Carmen is constantly scooting, indicating an anal gland issue.

With lumps and bumps, it is always the smart thing to get them checked out when they appear, and not wait until they grow...and that is exactly what Carmen’s mom did.

Carmen went to the vet for an exam, anal gland expression, and to have the growth aspirated. Fluid will be sent to IDEXX for single site cytology.

We will know more when the test results come back; until then, prayers all is fine with Carmen’s cute little butt!

Gizmo

Gizmo, a 12 year old Italian Greyhound is the love of his mama’s life. Gizmo has kidney disease and luxating patella in both hind legs, which require prescription kidney food and pain medication.

This veterinary care assistance grant provided three months of prescription food (canned). We hope that this grant will help them get through this trying time in their lives TOGETHER!

Palomo Palomo

15 year old Palomo and his sister Angel are the light of their mom’s life. Palomo has had a long history of recurrent urinary tract blockages, and the fix has been to feed him prescription food exclusively. While this sounds like an easy fix, for a senior on a small fixed income, it is a huge challenges as the food is quite expensive.

This veterinary care assistance grant provided three months of prescription food wet food to Palomo. We hope that this grant will help them get through this trying time in their lives TOGETHER!

Jake

Our happy little clown stopped by our vet’s office today for his quarterly heart exam; we are happy to report that Jake continues to do very well!

We refilled all of his heart medications; enough for 3 months. We will see him again in July. Until then Jake, keep being silly and snorting, and keep your Mama laughing.

OMG, these two, what a love affair. I love seeing this wonderful bond.

Auggie Doggie

Today he had an exam; heart and teeth are GOOD! He had his vaccinations, and we refilled his osteoarthritis meds and supplements.

He is good for another year or 12,000 miles!

Bingo

There was a farmer had a dog, and Bingo was his name-o. B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, and Bingo was his name-o. Sorry, I just couldn’t help it!

Bingo is an 11 year old Chihuahua/Chihuahua mix that was a neighborhood castaway. His dad, Wayne took him in and gave him a wonderful, loving home.

Bingo receives home-delivered pet food and supplies through our Homebound Program. During our yearly census of the pets, we found out that Bingo was way overdue for his yearly wellness visit, that he was having a problem with his back end (scooting), and has really stinky breath.

We scheduled him for a visit to the vet; he did well and appears to be in good health...well, except for the teeth, they are BAD!

Next month he will be scheduled for an oral exam, then for a cleaning and extractions.

Panda

Many, many moons ago, a little black and white kitten showed up in Gladys' back yard. She lovingly named him Panda and they have been together for about 20 years now. Panda once a throw-away kitty (neighbor no longer wanted him) is the love of Gladys’ life, and Panda feels the same about Gladys.

Around this time last year, Gladys had a mobile vet come to her home (she is homebound and low-income) who charged her an arm and a leg, yet did nothing for his issues. Panda somehow hurt his right hind leg, and was limping. The mobile vet (for reasons unknown), gave Panda SubQ Fluids and told Gladys that he had kidney disease. As far as Panda’s mom remembers, there was no blood work or urinalysis. When Panda didn’t improve, mom called the vet again and again and again. No response.

When our volunteer Pat called Gladys last week (we do a yearly census of our clients and their pets), Gladys told her about what happened, and her concern for Panda’s health and well-being. Pat helped her complete an application for assistance, and we made an appointment for Panda to be seen by our vet.

Early this morning, Pat headed out to pick up Panda and bring him to our vet. Thank you, Pat Vertlieb!

Panda had an exam, rabies vaccine (under normal circumstances because of his age we wouldn't have done this, (yes, we know it is state law), however Panda does go outside to use the facilities), full blood work and Doc checked his leg.

Blood work (I WAS AMAZED), came back all within normal range except a tiny elevation of protein. I honestly have never seen this happen in an older cat, but there is a first time for everything, right? The leg; there is a slight limp. But Panda walks fine and appears to be pain free.
There were several options for medicating Panda; however my vet was concerned that the meds might cause more harm than good. So, it was decided to leave Panda medication free unless there was a change for the worse.

Shortly after the vet visit, we landed in our office with Panda, who chilled out for a few hours while we got some work done. After that, Pat, Chrissy and Spike took him back home to his mom. Pat had to run out to the car to get his medical records, when she walked back in the house, Panda bolted...enough of Pat for today, he just wanted his Mama!

Nina

Little Nina, adopted by her dad in June 2019, came to us in 2020; she stopped playing, had an increased appetite and thirst, and started urinating outside of her litter box.

At that time, she had an exam, rabies vaccine, bloodwork and urinalysis. She was so skinny, just 6 lbs. and about 3 - 4 lbs. Underweight. Diagnosis...hyperthyroidism.

We opted for the Methimazole transdermal gel for Nina, as it would be easiest for her dad to administer, though much more expensive.

Today we were able to help out by purchasing Nina’s next round of medication, which should last about 50 - 60 days. Next time, she will need blood work along with an exam to ensure the meds are keeping her at proper levels.

Minnie

Last week, we delivered cat food and litter to a homebound senior for the first time; she has 4 cats. We found that this lovely senior citizen was in need of so much more than just help with her cats; but that is a story for another time.

All four of the kitties are infested with fleas, as is the house, their mom and the aide who comes to help out 3 days a week.

A few days after we delivered the food, we provided care and 3 months of flea medications to Minnie, a 7 year old Tabby cat (Revolution Plus to address the fleas, worms and any other such issues she may have). Now to find an exterminator to take care of the house, otherwise this problem will continue forever.

Ally

All four of the kitties are infested with fleas, as is the house, their mom and the aide who comes to help out 3 days a week.

A few days after we delivered the food, we provided care and 3 months of flea medications to Ally, a 1 year old Calico cat (Revolution Plus to address the fleas, worms and any other such issues she may have). Now to find an exterminator to take care of the house, otherwise this problem will continue forever.

George

All four of the kitties are infested with fleas, as is the house, their mom and the aide who comes to help out 3 days a week.

A few days after we delivered the food, we provided care and 3 months of flea medications to George, a white kitty (age unknown, as he was a stray) (Revolution Plus to address the fleas, worms and any other such issues she may have). Now to find an exterminator to take care of the house, otherwise this problem will continue forever.

Nikki

All four of the kitties are infested with fleas, as is the house, their mom and the aide who comes to help out 3 days a week.

A few days after we delivered the food, we provided care and 3 months of flea medications to Nikki, a one year old orange and white kitty, (Revolution Plus to address the fleas, worms and any other such issues she may have). Now to find an exterminator to take care of the house, otherwise this problem will continue forever.

Max

10 year old Max, a Maltese Mix, hasn’t been to a vet since he was a puppy. He has been healthy through the years, but he suddenly developed severe itchies. His mom was very concerned that he had developed allergies, and reached out to her local senior center to see if she could get some help; they referred her to Sam’s Hope.

We helped mom complete the application and instructed her on how to get us photos of her documentation. It was a bit of a challenge, but we got it done, and Max was seen by our veterinarian for a much needed exam, vaccinations...and who would have guessed it in the middle of this cold and snowy winter...FLEA TREATMENT. Poor Max is flea infested and that is why he has been tearing himself apart.

Our vet dosed him in the office, and he went home with 2 additional doses, to be applied at 30 day intervals.

The next morning, mom called to let us know that Max stopped scratching and was back to being his normal, happy and playful self!

Stump

Stump is a 7 year old Pit Mix...and we think he is mixed with CORGI! He has a standard body and these little stumpy legs; thus the name Stump! Stump was recently diagnosed with diabetes; his mom. a very low income senior, was beside herself with both the diagnosis and the cost of care. So much so that she began to consider surrendering him.

Through a friend of the family, she learned about Sam’s Hope and contacted us for help. After applications and documentation were completed, Stump was seen by our vet for an exam, glucose testing, insulin and needles. The vet also suggested prescription food, which we declined due to the added expense. We will work on the diet part using food that she can afford.

Since Stump is going to need long-term care (most likely the rest of his life), we are going to try to find monthly sponsors to help out. Mom believes she can contribute 50% to his care, which will certainly be a big help. Now to fix the diet part!

Sadie

Sadie, a 2 year old Shih Tzu has had a rough 3 weeks; in the middle of December she suddenly developed upper respiratory problems, and constant reverse sneezing. Her mom took her to the vet and she was treated with an antibiotic, which did nothing. A few days later, she was back at the vet again; this time they did radiographs and put her on another medication which caused polydipsia and polyuria and made her pant constantly...all while doing nothing for her UR issue. The diagnosisl dental abscess. Funny thing, Sadie wasn’t displaying any signs of mouth/tooth problems; she was eating crunchy food and treats fine, and was not reacting to having her teeth brushed and flossed. (YES, her mom flosses her teeth! And they are the cleanest teeth I have ever witnessed on a dog!)

Let’s start at the beginning...a few days ago, while on Facebook, I saw a fundraiser for an adorable little Shih Tzu (yes, I have a soft spot for this breed). Her mom was unemployed and in a holding pattern waiting for unemployment benefits to resume. I contacted her to see if we could help, and sent her our vet care application.

Fast forward to today; Sadie was seen by our partner vet for a comprehensive exam/oral exam. Despite the diagnosis from the previous vet, our vet wasn’t able to find any signs of a dental problem; there was no inflammation, no bumps, no sensitivity. His initial diagnosis was allergies; but to be sure nothing was going on, Sadie had CBC and full chemistry. Results will be back in the morning! In the meantime, Doc put her on allergy meds, and mom says she is resting comfortably.

Palomo

15 year old Palomo and his sister Angel are the light of their mom’s life.

Palomo has had a long history of recurrent urinary tract blockages, and the fix has been to feed him prescription food exclusively. While this sounds like an easy fix, for a senior on a small fixed income, it is a huge challenges as the food is quite expensive.

This veterinary care assistance grant provided three months of prescription food wet food to Palomo. We hope that this grant will help them get through this trying time in their lives TOGETHER!

Gizmo

Gizmo, a 12 year old Italian Greyhound is the love of his mama’s life. Gizmo has kidney disease and luxating patella in both hind legs, which require prescription kidney food and pain medication.

This veterinary care assistance grant provided three months of prescription food (dry and canned) as well as pain medications to Gizmo. We hope that this grant will help them get through this trying time in their lives TOGETHER!

Carmen

Carmen, an 8 year old Shih Tzu hurt her rear leg last month when jumping on/off the sofa.

She was seen by our partner vet, had radiographs and was diagnosed with luxating patella.

Ideally, Carmen needs surgery, which must be performed by veterinary specialty. At this point, it isn’t being considered due to extreme cost, and we are trying medication, and eventually a brace to see how she does.

This veterinary care assistance grant from Sam’s Hope provided medications to Carmen for the month of January; hopefully it will help her get that leg down when she walks. She does stand on it fine, but when walking she lifts it up.

2020

Jake

Jake, a 13 year old Pug, was diagnosed with heart issues early in 2019. Initially, his mom thought she might have to put him to sleep as she could not afford his ongoing care and medications. With help from Sam's Hope, Jake has been able to stay with his mom and receive help with vet visits, testing and medication.

Thanks to Jake's sponsors, our grantors and supporters, 100% of Jake’s care and mediciations were covered, with no cost to his mom.

Yes, Jake, there is a Santa Claus; truth be told you have MULTIPLE Santa's looking out for you!

Gizmo

This adorable and goofy boy is 12 year old Gizmo, an Italian Greyhound who has bad breath; I mean really bad breath.

When he and mom came to pick up their food at our December Pet Food Pantry Day, I could smell it from feet away! I could see that, along with the bad breath, he has a substantial build-up of tartar and plaque on his remaining teeth.

Today Giz was seen by our partner vet for a dental cleaning; lots of tartar and very inflamed gums, but amazingly, he did NOT have to have any of his few remaining teeth extracted.

Yep, he is going to be feeling pretty lousy for the rest of the day; but on the bright side, the tooth pain and the stanky mouth will be gone...making him healthier and happier!

Love ya, Giz!

Carmen

On Monday, December 7th, we picked Carmen up from her South Philly home and brought her to my home, where she would stay while her mom underwent a cardiac procedure.

On Friday morning, when I let Carmen out with my dogs, I noticed she was raising her right hind leg as she ran. I kept watching, she was able to put it down and walk on it for a bit, only to lift it up again. I called our vet at 9 AM, and we were given a 1 PM appointment.

Carmen had an exam and radiographs; the news wasn’t good, she has luxating patella, not uncommon in this breed of dog as their legs are bowed. Our vet gave Carmen a few weeks worth of medications; we will see how that goes. Unfortunately, there is no real fix for this except surgery. We are keeping our fingers crossed that Carmen will be ok. Apparently this problem is pre-existing, hoping she will heal again.

Whisper

In April of 2020, Eleanore lost her beloved cat of 15 years, a giant (25 lb.) tuxedo fittingly named Leo. She was heartbroken; so much so, that she decided she would have no more pets.

Eleanore, a homebound senior, started to feel the loneliness during the summer, as the pandemic had her isolated. In August she reached out to us to see if we would help her with the home-delivered pet food and supplies if she decided to adopt another pet. We said we would.

A few months passed, and we reached out to her to see if she had, in fact, adopted. The answer was no, and she asked for our help in adopting a cat. We assisted with the application process and worked with the rescue to make this happen.

On November 7th, the rescue delivered Whisper to Eleanore, and a few days prior, we delivered everything she might need for her new friend; bed, litterbox, scoop, carrier, scratching posts, toys, food, litter, etc. From what we are hearing, Eleanore is in love with her tiny cat (all of 6 lbs.) and Whisper is settling right into her new home.

Today our wonderful volunteer, Pat Vertlieb, along with four-legged volunteer, Spike, picked up Whisper from her home and transported her to our vet’s office for a wellness visit. She had blood work, urinalysis, flea check, skin check (flea allergy dermatitis, but thankfully NO FLEAS), and her nails clipped.

With a clean bill of health in hand, (was so happy with the good news), Pat and Spiker whisked Whisper home to her mom who was anxiously awaiting her arrival.

JoJo

JoJo is an 11 year old Terrier Mix that lives with her mom in Philly. JoJo’s mom is another victim of the pandemic; no she doesn’t have the virus, but she has lost her job twice since March. This has been a hard hit, but she manages to get by for the most part. The issue is affording JoJo’s medical care and heart medications, which are pricey.

JoJo has a grade 3 heart murmur and takes a fair amount of heart meds. She has been doing very well, and the last thing her mom wanted was for that to change.

JoJo was seen by our partner vet for an exam, blood work and a month’s worth of heart medications. Our vet says she is doing very well, and is showing no symptoms or progression of heart disease; a very good thing!

Precious

In early October, 4 year old Precious was running around in the back yard as she normally does, when suddenly she stopped and raised her leg, not wanting to put weight on it. A week later, when there was no improvement, her family took her to the vet to get checked out. She had an exam and x-rays under sedation, and was diagnosed with a ruptured ACL. The fix...surgery.

Precious' family, unemployed due to COVID-19, needed help with the cost of her surgery. Donations from family, friends, some money from savings, along with a veterinary care assistance grant from Sam’s Hope is making this surgery happen.

Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery, Precious!

Caesars

Caesars was seen by our partner veterinarian in October for exam, vaccinations and blood work. Due to tartar build-up and stinky breath, our vet recommended a dental and possible extractions.

Early in the morning, Caesars arrived for his dental; he was not happy to have missed his breakfast and have to, once again, go to the dreaded vet! But we convinced him it was the right thing to do, and shortly after he was under anesthesia and getting his teeth all cleaned up and three bad ones extracted. He was also treated for an ear infection.

Later in the day, he headed home with his mom, dad, and sister Ballys, where he completed his recovery under their watchful eyes.

At one time, the dental health of pets was largely ignored. Today it is deemed as a very important part of a pet’s overall health. Dental dental problems can cause, or be caused by, other health problems. Your pet’s teeth and gums should be checked at least once a year by your veterinarian to check for early signs of a problem and to keep your pet’s mouth healthy.

Nina

Little Nina was adopted by Fernando in June of 2019. For the past month or so, Nina has taken to urinating outside of her litter box, sleeps most of the time and has stopped playing. She has also had an increase in thirst and appetite.

Her dad, a senior citizen that lives on a small fixed income, reached out to us for help with Nina.

Today Nina was seen by our partner veterinarian for exam, rabies vaccination (she was overdue by 6 months), blood work and urinalysis. Though we don’t have the results of the urinalysis yet, her bloodwork indicated that she was hyperthyroid (I didn’t see her, but the vet said she was all of 6 lbs., and skin and bones, despite the fact that she eats 2 cans of food per day. She also has kidney disease, fleas and our veterinarian suspects she has a UTI.

Sadly, the rescue who adopted Nina to Fernando did not tell him about the kidney disease; thus she has gone without treatment for over a year...and add to that, she was adopted out to a low-income senior that does NOT have the resources to care of a sick cat. Unfortunately, we see this too many times; and while I understand that the rescues want to adopt senior animals to senior citizens, if they cannot afford to provide the care needed, they will end up in the same place as they were before, if they are lucky.

Max

A few months ago, Max (short for Max-A-Million), developed a small lump on his hind leg. In the beginning, mom didn’t think much of it; after all, Max already had a bunch of little lumps all over his body and face. When this particular bump started to grow, she got very concerned and called her vet for an appointment. Her vet suggested surgery to remove it and quoted her a hefty price; one she could never afford on her small social security check.

Mom’s case manager reached out to us on behalf of Max and his mom, to see if we could assist with the expenses for surgery.

Max was seen by our vet for exam, and surgical removal of the lump; which was nothing more than a Lipoma, a harmless lump that starts in fat cells stored in tissue around the body and are not usually painful. They accumulate more fat as they grow and are more likely in middle-aged to elderly dogs.
An hour later, the dynamic duo headed home...all is well that ends well!

Simone

Simone is the beloved best friend of Eugene, one of our homebound and elderly clients that receives home-delivered pet food. Eugene has cancer, and to top it off, he ended up in the hospital for stomach ulcers related to the chemo treatment.

Our volunteer Leslie, who delivers pet food to Eugene and Simone, picked up Simone to take her for her yearly visit to the vet. She had her vaccinations, and desperately needed a nail trim, but as luck would have it, she resisted and the nails remain.

After the vet visit, Leslie took Simone to Pet Valu for a much needed bath, then out for a bite to eat, and a walk. Simone was also gifted with a new bed for her crate...a sparkling clean dog needs a sparkling clean bed! It was quite a day for Simone; and her dad was so very happy when she returned home.

Pictured - Simone with Sam's Hope volunteer, Leslie Wood

Caesars

Caesars (yes, the “s” at the end of his name is correct, as he was named after the casino in Atlantic City), was due for his yearly vaccinations; he usually goes to a clinic and gets just that, vaccinations, no exam.

When Caesars mom, (a senior citizen who has lung cancer and diabetes, and lives on a small fixed income), contacted us for help, we told her that we would like to get Caesars in to see our full-service veterinarian so he could get a wellness check along with the vaccinations, as well as blood work to ensure all was well.

Today Caesars was seen by our vet for exam, rabies and distemper combo vaccinations, blood work and thyroid test. He was a very good boy, and it seems all is well with Caesars EXCEPT his teeth are in dire need of cleaning. An appointment was scheduled for November 10th.

Ballys

Ballys (yes, the “s” at the end of her name is correct, as she was named after the casino in Atlantic City), was due for her yearly vaccinations; he usually goes to a clinic and gets just that, vaccinations, no exam.

When Ballys mom, (a senior citizen who has lung cancer and diabetes, and lives on a small fixed income), contacted us for help, we told her that we would like to get Ballys in to see our full-service veterinarian so she could get a wellness check along with the vaccinations, as well as blood work to ensure all was well.

Today Ballys was seen by our vet for exam, rabies and distemper combo vaccinations. Blood work was impossible as Ballys was totally uncooperative and her mom did not want to have her sedated. Down the road we will schedule a visit to have the blood work done under sedation to ensure all is well with Ballys, and so the vet can get a good look at what might be going on inside her mouth.

Buddy

6 months ago, Buddy, a very sweet and loving cat, tried to cuddle up with the family’s other cat, the cat lashed out at Buddy and delivered a damaging scratch to the eye. Mom has a veterinarian friend who advised her to apply eye drops to the eye; which she did for about 4 months. Not seeing any improvement, she took Buddy to a veterinarian to have his shots and have a look at what was going on with the eye.

The vet told mom that Buddy was in pain and that the eye needed removal. And to top that off, he also needed a dental and extractions; all at a cost that mom could not afford, which is why she reached out to us.

Today Buddy was seen by our partner vet for an examination and a close look at the eye and his teeth. The exam revealed a heart murmur, which immediately put the brakes on enucleation and dental/extractions. Our vet said Buddy would need a full cardiac work up before he could undergo surgery.

Our vet said that the eye did NOT need to be removed; while it was blind and smaller than the other eye, our vet suspected that Buddy was in no pain, and that the tearing could be managed with eye ointments/antibiotics. He also said Buddy’s teeth were not in a situation that needed a dental and extractions.

Doc sent Buddy home with an antibiotic ointment; his mom will let us know if the tearing stops. As long as he is not in pain, happy, eating, etc. our vet feels the eye should stay in place. So, right now we are going to wait and see; then go from there.

Franklin

Mom adopted Franklin as a tiny kitten from a neighbor whose cat gave birth to a litter of six kitties two years ago. Though he gets lots of love and is well cared for, he has never been to a vet.

Mom, a senior citizen, reached out to us for help in rehoming Franklin because he was spraying and the house was getting mighty smelly.

We suggested that she bring Franklin to our vet for a checkup, explaining that neutering Franklin would most likely resolve the spraying issue.

Franklin was seen by our vet for an exam, (it was noted that Franklin was cryptorchid), pre-op blood work, vaccinations and a cryptorchid neuter, which is more complicated as the undescended testicle must be removed from the abdomen.

Six hours later, he was reunited with his mama, and when we checked in 24 hours later, Mom said Franklin was doing great.

Baby, a 12 Year Old Pekingese Baby

12 year old Baby is such a precious and sweet little one, and the love of her senior mom’s life. Baby was adopted by her mom a few years ago, after her first family was no longer able to care for her.

Baby is in good health overall, but her breath has been getting steadily stinkier and stinkier. She is also due for vaccinations, an exam, and needs to be checked out for an issue she recently developed. After she drinks water, she tends to gag and spit up some phlegm.

Today she had bloodwork, everything was perfect, this she was cleared her for her dental, (no more stinky breath), had vaccinations, exam and a check on that choking/coughing problem. The vet thinks that it may be inherent breed; she is a Pekingese, which have short noses and flat faces. Or it could be a little allergy. He prescribed Benadryl, and hopefully that will help.

Carmen

Near the beginning of the pandemic, Carmey’s soon to be mom lost her beloved dog to kidney disease. Being a senior who lives alone, the isolation of the pandemic was not easy; and not having a beloved companion by her side was the most difficult; she felt that she no longer had a reason to get up in the morning, or a reason to go on.

Enter Carmey, a seven year old, a sweet black and white Shih Tzu whose dad recently passed away from cancer. Mom needed a companion, and Carmey needed a good home. At first mom was hesistant, but within a week she adopted her, and it is nothing short of being a match made in heaven!

Carmey was in good health, but her teeth were not so good; they were brown, stinky and she was missing quite a few. Thus a dental was in order.

Today, Carmey had a dental and four extractions; two teeth were cracked and two were loose. She did very well and is now back home recovering under the loving care of her mama.

Feel better, Carmey, I promise...you will be feeling MUCH BETTER in the morning!

Palomo

A few weeks after his yearly wellness visit, 14 year old Palomo started itching like crazy. Mom couldn’t figure out what was going on as Palomo is an indoor cat and NEVER had anything like this before. Then it all became clear when mom started getting bites. The cats and the house were infested with fleas.

Mom is a disabled senior citizen who lives on a small fixed income. She recently had a few financial hits and could not afford help for Palomo, so we stepped in to help them out.

Our veterinarian prescribed Revolution Plus, 3 doses, which should clear up the problem ASAP, and the little family will be itch and flea free!

Angel

A few weeks after her yearly wellness visit, 12 year old Angel started itching like crazy. Mom couldn’t figure out what was going on as Angel is an indoor cat and NEVER had anything like this before. Then it all became clear when mom started getting bites. The cats and the house were infested with fleas.

Mom is a disabled senior citizen who lives on a small fixed income. She recently had a few financial hits and could not afford help for Angel, so we stepped in to help them out.

Our veterinarian prescribed Revolution Plus, 3 doses, which should clear up the problem ASAP, and the little family will be itch and flea free!

Charlie

Seven year old Charlie was long overdue for his yearly wellness visit, due to the pandemic. He is also itchy, like his canine sister Lucy. They have both been treated with flea and tick, but it seems that the medication isn’t working very well.

Today Charlie had a nice visit with our vet and was treated to an exam, vaccinations and new flea/tick preventative. Other than the fleas and worms (which the Revolution will clear up), he is in good health, looking good and should be feeling much better once he gets rid of those pesky fleas and worms!

Lucy

Little Miss Lucy, AKA Lucifer, (her mom’s name for her, not ours, as we think she is just the sweetest little girl), came to us for help with her itchy skin. Mom said she was chewing on her back.

When I saw Lucy on pet food pantry day earlier this month, I noticed the skin issue, scabs, etc. were all located at the base of her tail. Lucy does have allergies, but this is different, and I suspected a flea problem.

I asked her mom if Charlie the cat was also itching, she said YES! Mom has treated both Lucy and Charlie with flea and tick preventative, but it seems it isn’t working very well.

Today Lucy had a nice visit with our vet and was treated to an exam, vaccinations and a new flea/tick preventative. Other than the itchies, and flea bite allergy, she is in good health, looking good and should be feeling much better once she gets rid of those pesky fleas!

Jake

Jake recently celebrated his 13th birthday, as well as 13 years with his beloved mama. In 2019, Jake was diagnosed with heart issues; his mom thought she would have to put him to sleep because she just could not afford the expense of an ongoing health issue.

But with some help from Sam’s Hope and learning how to budget for his meds, she is still enjoying her life with her beloved, snorting boy.

Jake was seen by our partner vet for a cardiac exam, which included blood pressure, heart and respiratory rate, and a blood test. Jake is doing remarkably well with his medications and is quite stable. That brought smiles all around, especially to Jake’s mom.

We were also able to help with refills of all of his heart meds, which will give mom a little breathing room and time to put some money together for next month.

Take care and stay well, silly, snorting Jake!

Skye, a 13 year old Chihuahua Mix Skye

13 year old Skye was overdue for her yearly exam and vaccinations. Her mom, a senior that lives on a small fixed income, has been housebound since the beginning of the pandemic as she has health issues that put her at high risk for severe illness from COVID.

We picked Skye up from her home and brought her to our partner veterinarian where she had an exam, rabies vaccination, nail clip and a dose of flea and tick treatment. She appears to be in good health and will hopefully be keeping her mama company and entertained for a long time!

Sunny

12 year old Sunny is in good health overall...but he has some serious osteoarthritis issues which requires medication (Rimadyl) that can cause kidney and liver problems. (Yes, there are newer drugs that don’t cause these issues, however, this is what his mom can afford to give him). Thus, his kidney and liver function must be monitored every 6 months.

He has been taking the drug for years, and so far, so good!

Sunny was seen by our partner veterinarian for an exam, (checked his teeth also, and they look good), blood work and a huge container of hip & joint supplement. He has lost a little weight since we saw him last, and that is a good thing as it takes the pressure off of his legs and hips.

20 Dogs

20 Dogs 20 dogs of the homebound and elderly received 3 months (60 doses total) of flea and tick preventatives. Seems that fleas and ticks are worse than ever this year! Hopefully all involved will be itch free and more comfortable VERY SOON!

Kush

This pretty kitty is 18 month old Kush, an indoor/outdoorcat that has never been to a vet; in other words, no vaccinations, no neuter. A few months ago, his dad reached out to us for help, as Kush had an injury to his ear and paw. While we do not normally provide routine spay/neuter, in this case we did, (turned out he was cryptorchid which we do cover), as Kush goes outdoors, obviously engages with other cats, and helps to keep the community cat population growing.

Kush was neutered, given vaccinations and Revolution treatment, had his injuries examined (all were healing well), and his ears cleaned.

Here is to a healthier Kush, and zero population growth in his neighborhood!

Rudy

Today Heaven Has Gained Another Angel, While We Have Lost Another Piece Of Our Hearts......Rest in Peace, Dear Rudy.

Rudy has had his share of serious health issues over the last 3.5 years that I have known him; diabetes and mast cell tumor being the most serious. Last Fall, a small lump near Rudy’s underarm grew to quite a proportion in just a few days. He had surgery; diagnosis was a Grade 2 Mast Cell Tumor. The vet said it could be 2 months, it could be two years; he just didn’t know.

Eight months later, history repeated itself. A tiny lump one day, grew to the size of a plum the next day.

And today we said a heart wrenching good-bye to our dear little friend. He joins his brother Baby, who passed away in late March. Rest in Peace my dear little friend; so happy to have known you and your family.

Brenda

Brenda is the beloved kitty of one of our homebound clients. Brenda hasn’t seen a vet since she was adopted as a kitten.

Mom and kitty are getting ready to move from their home to a senior apartment complex which requires that Brenda see a vet and is up to date on vaccinations.

Brenda had an exam, rabies vaccination and a nail clip. She is now ready to go on a new adventure with her mom in their new home.

Bella, a 12 year old Cockapoo Bella

Two weeks ago, little Bella was seen by our partner vet for an injury her mom believes was sustained from jumping off the sofa; poor little girl could not stand up, and when she did her legs/feet would cross. Our vet diagnosed her with a spine injury; she was prescribed strict crate rest along with pred and gabapentin.

Fast forward to today’s follow-up visit, and wow, so much improvement! No, she isn’t perfect, but hopefully she will get there with love, time, medication and continued crate rest.

Bella had an exam, rabies vaccination, blood work and urinalysis. Blood work showed slightly elevated BUN and low potassium; we will know more when we get the urinalysis results tomorrow; hoping it is good news for Bella and her mom!

Odie

Odie, a 10 year old Lab mix, hasn’t seen a vet in quite some time; he was overdue for his vaccinations, and hasn’t had medication for his painful osteoarthritis since his mom lost her job in early March due to the pandemic.

Today Odie had an exam, vaccinations and was given a month’s worth of medication to get him through until mom goes back to work.

Bella

Bella, a 12 year old Cockapoo, woke up yesterday morning unable to walk; her back legs would not hold her weight. It is suspected that she hurt herself jumping off the sofa, as she injured herself in the same way a few years ago.

A few hours later she was at our partner vet’s office where she had an exam and IV steroids. Her prognosis is good, but she must stay on strict crate rest and medications (prednisone and gabapentin) for at least a week.

Her mom will be checking in with the vet next week; prayers for a full and speedy recovery for Ms. Bella.

Gizmo

Gizmo, an 11 year old Italian Greyhound began showing signs of early kidney disease last year. After a dental cleaning, his values seemed better, so he was taken off the prescription renal diet.

Today he had his urine checked and it was found that he has proteinuria, which indicates excess protein in the urine, which indicates kidney dysfunction.

Giz is back on his prescription food and was prescribed Enalapril to slow down the progression of disease.

Mello

Meet Mello, a 10 year old Jack Russell mix, who believe it or not, is actually MELLOW! Who would have thunk it?

Mello has had IBS for years, which has been managed with a prescription diet. His parents both lost their jobs during the pandemic; (they are both waiting for their first unemployment check or stimulus, which has made it difficult for them to provide for Mello’s medical needs.

Mello was seen by our vet for an exam and senior blood work; all looks good. We sent him home with a month’s supply of prescription food, which will help his family get through this rough spot in their lives.

Just fell in love with this happy boy!

Chloe

This little sweetheart is Chloe, a 7 month old Doxie Mix. Chloe was in need of an exam and her vaccinations. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, her family lost their jobs, thus they could not afford to pay for needed treatment.

Chloe was seen by our veterinarian for her exam, rabies/distemper vaccinations, and a six month supply of flea/tick & heartworm prevenvtive. She is good for a year; hopefully COVID-19 will be nothing but a speck in our rearview mirrors by then.

Dagmore

Our homebound client Evelyn saved this beautiful cat from the outdoors a few years ago. When she brought Dagmore into her home, she was in terrible condition; mom believes she was hit by a car. With lots of love, care and time, you would never know Dagmore’s previous situation; she is both a sweetheart and a beauty (though a bit too well-loved on the food side)!

Dagmore’s breath was becoming increasingly more pungent, and she was drooling quite a bit. She was also due for her yearly exam and vaccinations, needed her nails clipped and her ears checked.

Today our wonderful volunteers, Pat and her daughter Chrissy transported Dagmore from her NE Philly home and to our partner vet where she was treated to an exam, vaccinations, blood work, nail clip and ear check. All good there...but the teeth were in bad condition, so she had a dental and 2 extractions. She did very well and in the early afternoon Pat & Chrissy brought her back home to her mom.

Thank you, Pat & Chrissy, for getting Dagmore to us for much needed care, and for Helping Keep Pets and Their People Together.

Rudy

Rudy, a 13 year old Pug, has been diabetic for over two years. The cost of his testing and diabetic supplies are much more than his mom can afford, as she is fighting her own battle with multiple serious illnesses.

This grant was awarded to Rudy to assist with his glucose testing, insulin and needles for the 2nd quarter of 2020.

Baby

Today we helped Baby, a 16 year old Pug, (big brother to Rudy, the diabetic Pug), cross over the bridge.

He was declining rapidly over the past few months; this past week he could no longer walk, eat or drink; and last night his mom had to make the difficult decision of letting him go.

Of late, we have been assisting with too many crossings; it has been heart-wrenching.

Godspeed, Baby; Rest in Peace; Until We Meet Again!

Palomo

We met Palomo back in 2015 when he came to us as an emergency. He had a UT blockage and presumptive megacolon. Thankfully our vet was able to unblock him; no surgery was needed. He was prescribed meds and prescription food, with which he did very well.

After a while, his mom discontinued the prescription food, thinking that he would be ok. Shortly after, Palomo has another blockage; again no surgery. Once again, he was prescribed prescription food to keep the issue from recurring. This time mom continued the food and he has not had a single problem since.

Mom has been sick with the flu for 3 weeks; and with stocking up to self-isolate because of COVD-19, she ran short on funds and was down to just a few cans of prescription food, with over 2 weeks until she received her check. She didn’t know what she was going to do in order to provide for Palomo.

When she commented on our story in the Philly Inquirer, we knew right away there was an issue, so we reached out to her to see how we could help.

Today we ordered prescription food for Palomo though his veterinarian; and now all is well in the world.

Wishing mom a speedy recovery from the flu and 16 year old Palomo many more years making his mom smile. He is indeed the love of her life!

Jake

12 year old Jake is the light of his senior mom’s life. When last year he was diagnosed with heart issues, she thought she would have to put him to sleep because she could not afford the expenses involved with his ongoing health issues. Thankfully, mom has learned how to budget for Jake’s meds, but occasionally she falls short; that is when we step in and lend a helping paw.

Because of the Covid-19 scare, mom had to stock up on food and supplies so she could self isolate, as she is very high risk because of her age and health issues. With her SS check coming in next month, she could not afford Jakes meds. So, we stepped in and filled all of Jake’s prescriptions, which will last for a full month.

So happy we could help; I could not imagine having to isolate myself and not have a loving dog for companionship; could you?

Daffodil

Today, we said a painful and tearful good-bye to this sweet, kind and gentle blind dog.

During yesterday's visit to her vet for a check up and blood work, we found out that Daff's kidney values were up more than 2.5 points from a week ago, and almost 4 points from two months ago.

We were shocked and deeply saddened that her kidney disease progressed so quickly. Her vet felt that Daff was feeling very unwell; thus her mom had to make the most difficult, yet the most merciful decision a pet parent has to make.

Godspeed, Daff, rest in peace, until we meet again.

Sam's Hope assisted with end-of-life care for this precious girl.

Misty

We have known 10 year old Misty and her mom for over 5 years now; they have been recipients of home-delivered pet food and supplies (and veterinary care) since the program’s inception way back in October 2014!

Misty has to be one of the most laid back and sweetest cats I have ever met; though today, when I was trying to remove some matted hair and brush her, she let me know she had enough when she gave me a good bite. So, we called it a day!

This morning, our volunteers, Pat and Chrissy, (pictured with Misty), went and picked Misty up to bring her to our partner vet for her yearly wellness visit.

Misty had an exam, vaccinations, blood work and nail clip. Always a GREAT feeling when everything comes back PURR-FECT...and how often do you hear of a 10 year old cat with GOOD TEETH! She did gain a pound since her last visit in March of 2019, so that needs to be addressed, but other than that, she is doing well!

Thank you, Pat and Chrissy, for helping out with Misty’s transport today!

Daffodil

Daff, a 14 year old Schnauzer, was diagnosed with kidney disease early in 2019. She has been doing well, but at her last check up her blood work came back with considerably higher levels of Creatinine and BUN than her previous blood work of two months ago; and this needed further investigation.

Today Daff was seen by her veterinarian for an exam, subcutaneous fluids and urinalysis. Her mom was also taught how to administer the sub-q fluids, as she will need them every other day.

We will know more tomorrow once her urinalysis results are in; until then, prayers for Daff!

Spike

Today we said tearful good-bye to a beautiful, gentle and sweet dog, Spike, a 12 year old Italian Greyhound.

Godspeed…rest in peace…until we meet again.

Sam's Hope provided end-of-life care to Spike through our partner veterinarian in Southampton, PA.

Pebbles, a Yorkie/Shih Tzu Mix Pebbles

10 year old Pebbles, a Yorkie / Shih Tzu mix, hasn’t seen the vet in some time; which is creating a problem, because all dogs that live in their apartment complex must be licensed, or they must leave. No vaccinations, no license.

Today little Pebbles was seen by our partner vet for an exam, rabies vaccination, nail clip and blood work. She is in terrific shape, appears to have no health problems and is the apple of her senior mom’s eye.

See ya next year, little one!

Buddakh

Our wonderful volunteers, Pat and Chrissy, picked Buddakah up from her NE Phillyhome early this morning for transport to our vet in Southampton. (Thank you, ladies)!

Buddakah, an 18 year old Snow Bob, has not been well for quite some time. In 2019, her mom took her to the vet to have her checked out, (she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and something else her mom could not remember). At that time, the vet suggested it might be best to put her down, as they said she was dying. Obviously, mom did not agree, and 7 months later, Buddakh is still kickin, doesn’t seem to be suffering and is still providing her mom with lots of love and companionship.

I talked to mom before she came to the vet today; she said Buddakh was very thin, didn’t eat much, is constipated and has a stinky ear. I didn’t know what to expect when I saw her this morning at the vet’s; and was pleasantly surprised when I saw this beautiful and definitely not skinny cat.

Buddakah had an exam, CBC and thyroid test; we will know more tomorrow. Heart is good, there is some fluid in the abdomen, and her ear was nasty. Doc cleaned it out, and gave her meds which should clear that stinky problem up in about a week. She also had her nails clipped; two of her nails were embedded in her pads, which caused a little bleeding, but she is no worse for the wear. And to top it all off, Doc gave her a B12 shot for a little boost. At this point she really had enough of all of us, took a hissy fit and went affter Doc. Plenty of feisty in that 18 year old!

We will know more tomorrow, in the meantime, prayers for Buddakh!

Rudy

This grant was awarded to Rudy to assist with his glucose testing, insulin and needles for the 1st quarter of 2020.

Andi, a Diabetic Japanese Chin Andi

This pretty little girl is 12 year old Andi; a Japanese Chin that was diagnosed as diabetic in 2019. Her mom, who lost recently lost her job, is struggling to keep up with her diabetic supplies and testing.

Today Andi was seen by our partner vet for glucose testing; we were pleased to see that her numbers were great.

After a nail clip, she was given a goody bag to take home; a month’s supply of insulin and needles.

Keep up the good work Mom & Andi!

2019

Tango

So, today I fell in love AGAIN...this time with Tango! What a SWEET, SWEET and WELL LOVED BOY!

Two years ago, 13 year old Tango, an English Cocker Spaniel, was diagnosed with an aggressive high-grade soft tissue sarcoma on the left side of his chest. The tumor was incompletely excised by Tango’s vet, (according to the oncologist), who recommended further and very expensive treatment ($11K). The oncologist told Tango’s mom that he had no more than 8 months to live if she did not agree to aggressive treatment of the cancer.

Unfortunately, (and just maybe it really is fortunately), mom wasn’t able to afford the super expensive treatment, nor did she want to put her beloved dog though all of this, because two years later Tango is alive, well and we are writing his story!

Tango’s mom had to leave her job when she became ill, making it more difficult to afford care for her senior pup. Tango was long overdue for his yearly exam and vaccinations, and hasn’t had blood work in quite some time.

Today Tango was seen by our partner vet; he had his exam, SuperChem (comprehensive blood work), urinalysis and rabies vaccine only. Doc also checked his body for tumors, paying special attention to the area where the soft tissue sarcoma was excised and felt that everything looked very good. After checking his heart, Doc was pleased to announce that everything looked and sounded GOOD there too! Afterwards he explained to me that there aren’t many senior male Cocker Spaniels that don’t have DCM...Tango, thankfully was one of them!

Labs will be back tomorrow; praying for good news there too!

Jake

This adorable little clown is 11 year old Jake, the beloved Pug of one of our homebound seniors.

Jake receives home-delivered pet food and supplies from Sam’s Hope on a monthly basis. During a visit earlier this year, his mom expressed concern about Jake; she told us he would cough when he got excited and exercised. We took him to our vet for a check up, and it was discovered that he has a heart murmur.

Since it's been a while since his last check up, we took him in to get checked out. We are happy to report that he is doing well; respiratory rate is good, BP is good and his chest sounds clear.

Along with his exam, he had blood work, and all of his meds were refilled. Results will be back tomorrow...here is to a clean bill of health for this little guy! What a personality!

Rudy a Diabetic Pug Rudy

Rudy was back for a visit to our vet where he was treated to a glucose test, monthly supply of diabetic supplies and a mani/pedi.

He appears to be doing well, despite the fact that his daily dose of insulin had to be upped. Unfortunately, the bottle of insulin doesn’t last the entire month anymore, which is a strain on his mom and their limited resources.

Thankfully Rudy does have a sponsor, and his expenses are covered 4 months out of the year.

Please consider sponsoring Rudy. 100% of your monthly donation will go directly to his care.

Dolly

Despite Dolly's hardships over the past months following going into "rescue", and I use that term rescue very loosely, there is a silver lining.

Dolly was a adopted by a wonderful family, who immediately gave her the grooming she never got from the "rescue", DESPITE the funds raised for this purpose. And today, we took her to our vet to get the medical care she was also denied while with the rescue.

I am happy to report that it is pretty much good news all around. Dolly had an exam, blood work, urinalysis and 4DX test. 4DX - Negative, and everything came back perfect for blood and urine. Teeth not so good; the vet put her on antibiotics and she will need a dental cleaning in the very near future. What we were worried about most, the mass on her abdomen, is a lipoma. Lipomas are subcutaneous (underneath the skin) masses or tumors that develop commonly in dogs. They are usually soft, with limited mobility under the skin. The overlying skin is usually not affected. ... Most dogs that develop a lipoma will develop multiple tumors.

So happy for all of this good news! A long, happy and healthy life to Dolly and her new family, who simply ADORE HER!

***

DOLLY'S STORY - AND HOW THE SYSTEM (RESCUE) THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HELP HER, FAILED HER!

Dolly On November 5, 2019, a friend reached out to me to share a post about Dolly, a 20 lb. mixed-breed senior dog whose Dad passed away and URGENTLY needed a home. I immediately shared the post, but never received any inquires.

The following Sunday, I shared a story about the PSPCA rescuing Beagles that were housed in a chicken coop in a backyard in Philly. A friend commented on the post, stating that this could possibly be her third rescue. I replied with information about Dolly, who was available for adoption in NE Philly, very near her home.

By the end of the day, my friend had possession of the dog, and upon taking her to her new home, noticed her very poor condition; she could not walk because her nails were so long they were curling into her pads, she was extremely matted, losing hair by the handfuls, and had massive amounts of dried eye discharge that had to be removed with scissors. All of this prompted us to start asking questions, and though we still do not have all of the answers, we know enough to start the ball rolling. We want this so called “RESCUE” to do right by Dolly, and change the ways in which they handle the animals in their care.

Dolly Back Story - Early in September, Dolly was taken to a Bucks County “rescue” after her elderly dad was taken into hospice and the family stated they did not want her. The organization that worked with the man in hospice delivered Dolly directly to the rescue. Dolly was then placed in foster care with a frail man who had a large, male Pit Bull. During the first day of Dolly’s stay in foster care, she was attacked by the dog twice. The foster’s caregiver (whom we believe is either a volunteer or associate of so-called rescue”) removed Dolly from the home, fearing for her life. While what transpired following the removal is a bit unclear, but this is what we do know:

The person who removed Dolly from the dangerous situation was pressured by the rescue to adopt her immediately in order to save her. (We are assuming there was no foster to take her in, but do not know this for sure). Dolly was NEVER seen by a vet prior to going to her first foster home, nor was she seen prior to her adoption. A week or so following the so-called “adoption” Dolly was taken to a local vet. From my understanding, and a Facebook post, the ex-foster raised funds to help defray the cost of Dolly’s care, as the rescue did not want to pay.

Dolly The vet vaccinated Dolly and cleaned her teeth (we aren’t sure the dental really happened as her mouth reeks). During the visit she was also treated with Bravecto for flea infestation. The large mass on her abdomen, as well as the condition of her nails was ignored, as were the growths on her head. There was no blood work (we all know that prior to anesthesia blood work MUST be performed, moreso in the case of older animals). Dolly was never microchipped to the rescue, though paperwork shows them as “OWNERS” at the time she received medical care.

Bottom line - the rescue failed Dolly. They put her in a very dangerous situation when placing her with a foster with an aggressive dog. She was not taken to the vet in a timely manner, nor did they have her issues addressed. She was never groomed and de-flead, basically she was neglected.

Dolly When Dolly’s new mom reached out to the rescue’s principals, they denied knowledge of Dolly’s existence as well as that of the person who adopted her. We do have in our possession paperwork from the vet and the signed “adoption” paperwork to prove otherwise.

Once we have all of the facts together, and fill in the gaps, we would love to share Dolly’s full story with media to ensure this never happens again.

We have also discovered that this particular rescue refuses to take pets back once adopted (which is contrary to what is stated in the adoption agreement). We have been told that those wanting to return the pet were referred to a local shelter.

In the meantime, we have taken it upon ourselves to ensure that Dolly gets the medical care she needs to ensure a long, happy and healthy life with her new family, who just ADORE her.

Luce, a Four Year Old Black Cat Luce

4 year old Luce has been unwell for about a week; not eating at all, and not drinking as usual. He has been lethargic and spends most of his time sleeping.

A few days ago Mom took him to the vet clinic; he had a temp and they diagnosed him with a bacterial infection. They gave him an injection of antibiotic and send him home. 48 hours since the visit and injection; no improvement. Quite the opposite, Luce appeared to be worse.

Today Luce was seen as an emergency at our partner vet’s office, where he had an exam, comprehensive/diagnostic blood work and FeLV/FIV test. The blood results are not good; our vet suspects FIP. More blood was drawn and sent to the lab for FIP/ELISA test. We will have the results in a few days.

Luce was sent home with antibiotics and steroids, hopefully they will help alleviate his symptoms and he will start eating. Sadly, if he does indeed have FIPV, the prognosis is not good. Lots of prayers for Luce and his family.

*Unfortunately, there is no known cure or effective treatment for FIP at this time. Some treatments may induce short-term remissions in a small percentage of cats; however, FIP is a fatal disease. Treatment is generally aimed at supportive care, such as good nursing care and nutrition, and alleviating the inflammatory response of the disease. Cats with FIP are often treated with corticosteroids, cytotoxic drugs, and antibiotics. Supportive care may also include fluid therapy, draining accumulated fluids, and blood transfusions.

David

David, a 10 year old kitty, is the beloved companion of one of our homebound clients who receives bi-monthly deliveries of pet food and supplies. David is a happy and seemingly healthy kitty who hasn’t seen a vet since he was a kitten.

Today our volunteer picked David up at his home, and transported him to our partner vet. After quite a bout of hissing and spitting, he had an exam, blood work and vaccinations. He is in good health; heart is good, teeth are good.

Needless to say, he was very happy to get back home to his mom! After all, they haven’t been apart in 10 years!

Dillinger

Dillinger, a 9 year old kitty, is a medically prescribed therapy animal to his mom. The family, (mom and three cats) have been through a lot over the past few years; they became homeless but somehow were able to stay together through the whole ordeal.

In September, Dillinger presented with infection in his mouth. He needed a dental and extractions, but mom could only afford to pay for antibiotic and pain meds because she recently had a medical emergency with her other cat ( a UT blockage), for which he was hospitalized.

Today mom and Dillinger left their Philly home at 5:30 AM to get to our veterinarian’s office for the 9 AM appointment, (public transportation). She was right on time; in fact a bit early!

Dillinger had pre-op blood work, all was ok with liver, kidneys, so he was cleared for his dental and extractions. After the extractions, things went off a bit. Dillinger’s blood would not clot, indicating a problem. More blood was drawn and sent out to the lab with a request for pathologist review and Coombs test. We will know more in a few days.

Prayers for Dillinger; hoping this all turns out ok for him and his family.

Simone

Simone, a 5 year old Mountain Feist, made her way up to Pennsylvania after Hurricane Irma, and was originally adopted from PSPCA. The original adopter could not keep her, and she was rehomed again, this time to Eugene, who recently lost his German Shepherd dog.

Eugene receives home delivered pet food and supplies from Sam’s Hope on a bi-monthly basis. Leslie, our wonderful volunteer is his delivery person. Leslie is such a caring person, she delivers food but always keeps her eyes and ears open for any issues the client may be having with their pets. Through conversation with Eugene, Leslie found out that Simone hasn’t been to a vet in quite some time, and her rabies vaccine was long overdue. She made arrangements to pick up Eugene and Simone and take them to the vet to have her checked out and up to date on vaccinations.

Simone had an exam, vaccinations, heartworm test (negative) and a nail clip. It was noted that she is overweight by about 5 lbs., which is an issue because she also has luxating patella (both knees).

Otherwise she is in good shape, other than some minor skin issues. We will put together a care package for her with supplements, and skin aids to help out with her issues.

Thank you, Leslie, for giving up your afternoon to help Eugene and Simone; you are TERRIFIC!

Spike

It is always nice to see an old friend; but not so much under these circumstances.

We met 12 year old Spike and his mom back in March 2019 when Spike needed teeth removed and a dental cleaning. At the time he was 22 lbs., today he weighed in at only 15 lbs.

His teeth have been reexamined, all is fine. He seems to be having a problem with neck pain, as he refuses to eat from his dish, mom MUST spoon feed him; even so, he just does not want to eat. And when he crawls out from under the covers in the morning, he cries out in pain.

Today Spike had blood work, full CBC and Thyroid, to rule out any issues before treating his pain; results will be in tomorrow. (He is currently on pain meds, but will need more aggressive pain management as well as 2 - 4 weeks of crate rest).

The vet also prescribed an appetite stimulant; hoping that helps as he truly cannot afford to lose another ounce! Crate rest starts today; we provided a crate for him and hopefully this will also help in his recovery.

PAWS CROSSED!

Prudence

Prudence, an 8 year old Doxie, was adopted by her mom & two human siblings from the PSPCA when she was about three years old. Prudence, once neglected and emaciated now lives a happy and well loved life with her family, which also includes two cats.

Prudence has been having dental problems; very stinky breath and infection. Her mom took her to the vet where she was treated with antibiotic, but that was only a temporary fix. She desperately needed a dental and extractions; which mom could not afford.

Today Prudence and her family made the trip from South Philly to our partner vet in Southampton for her dental. Things were MUCH WORSE than expected, (her regular vet estimated 4 teeth would be lost); today she had 20 TEETH REMOVED! The remaining teeth are not good, but our vet feels that most can be saved provided she is on a supplement and has follow up treatments.

Prudence was also overdue for vaccinations, and because she is extremely overweight, (22 lbs.) our vet wanted to do a thyroid test which came back negative. Mom promised we would work together on her weight issue so that she can live a happier, healthier and longer life. We will let her recover from surgery first!!

Rudy

Rudy was back for a visit to our vet today; he was treated to his monthly supply of insulin and needles. He is looking good, and despite the fact that he is blind and deaf, he gets around and knows where his mom is at all times. He is also very aware of where the door is, and when on the floor he walks there directly. In other words, he wants outta there; no more poking and prodding!

A few weeks ago, Rudy was bitten on the back by what our vet believes was a spider, (there were 2 fang marks). The bite got infected and Rudy needed treatment Poor boy, he just cannot catch a break!

Rudy is able to receive continuing veterinary care via Sam’s Hope thanks to his sponsor, Kathleen M. Her sponsorship covers his glucose testing, insulin and needles four months out of the year. This is a huge help to Rudy’s mom who continues to struggle with very serious health issues.

Please consider sponsoring Rudy, or any of the other dogs and cats in our care that require ongoing medication and treatment. 100% of your monthly donation will go directly to their care.

Bronco

Another visit to our vet; urinary catheter placed, more injections, more meds to take home and some prescription food.

Paws crossed - the third time is the charm!

8/8/2019 - Oh, what a morning!

At 9 AM we received a phone call from a client; her 5 year old kitty, Bronco, was blocked. An hour later, we met mom and Bronco at the vet; after palpating his abdomen he said that he had a complete urinary obstruction.

Once Bronco was sedated, the vet tried to gently express his bladder with no luck. A catheter was then inserted...still nothing...so a syringe of sterile saline was attached. Flush, express, flush express...still nothing. Our vet had great concern about the bladder rupturing, so he inserted a needle into his abdomen and drained the urine.

After a bunch of injections to help with the issue, Bronco went home with his mom armed with medications, as the vet thought he would be happier and more likely to try to use his litter box at home than in his custody.

I just called Bronco's mom to check in....and he is attempting to use the litter box and he is dribbling! Which means the blockage is no no longer complete!

We are praying that Bronco successfully urinates between now and tomorrow morning. It not, we will give it one more try in the morning. If that doesn’t work, he may have to have surgery.

Prayers for Bronco!!

Wynken, Blyken & Nod

Spay/Neueter Day!

8/5/2019 - On a hot July morning, Ms. Darla walked out of her front door to pick up her Sunday newspaper. As she turned to walk back inside, she noticed a cardboard box sitting at the edge of her patio. Knowing she wasn’t expecting anything in the mail, she cautiously approached the box, not knowing what to think. She gave the box a nudge with her foot, and the contents of the box reacted with meows and scratching noises.

Darla grabbed the box, went back in the house, and slowly opened the top to peer inside. And peering back at her were three sets of beautiful kitten eyes.

Darla, who recently lost her cat of 19 years, was still not over the heartbreak of her loss. But when she saw those kittens, there was no doubt in her mind of what she was going to do. She would adopt all three (or did they adopt her?), and she would name them Wynken, Blyken and Nod. (More about that later).

Darla is a senior who lives on a very small fixed income (this is part of her hesitance to adopt a cat after losing hers). But she did not want to abandon these kitties to the street, nor would she ever consider surrendering them to the city shelter. A friend of Darla’s, who receives home-delivered pet food and supplies from Sam’s Hope suggested she call us to see if we could help.

The following week the three kitties were seen by our partner vet; they had exams, vaccinations and FIV/FeLv tests, (negative). The kittens, 2 male and 1 female, are about 3 months old, and are scheduled for spay/neuter next week.

About the names; Wynken, Blynken & Nod - When Darla was a young child, her mom read her a bedtime poem named Wynken, Blyken & Nod; you can read it here: https://poets.org/poem/wynken-blynken-and-nod

Note - We had to use a stock photo, as we did not have the pleasure of meeting Ms. Darla and the adorable threesome.

Cleo

We first met Cleo and her dad in 2014; not long after we started Sam’s Hope. Today Cleo was seen by our partner vet, and we are pleased to announce that Cleo will be celebrating her 17th birthday next week with a CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH!

Cleo, diagnosed in 2015 with kidney disease and hyperthyroidism is doing extremely well. Her labs show that her values are right where they should be; we credit her dad with feeding her the prescription food and administering thyroid meds as instructed. Her heart is good, and she looks great. Doc said he wouldn’t be surprised to see Cleo celebrate her 20th birthday; that made dad very happy!

See you next year, Ms. Cleo! Happy 17th Birthday!

Olaf

Olaf is a volunteer's favorite on our pet food delivery route. He greets her at the door; standing on his hind legs he paws the bags as she brings them in his home. He is a smart little guy, he knows that there is a special bag of treats waiting for him, and he wants them NOW!

10 year old Olaf is a tiny guy, weighing in at about 6 lbs. But there is nothing small about his personality! Olaf has never been to a vet since he was a kitten (he had his shots and was neutered). So today he was treated to a wellness visit; a full exam, blood work and vaccination was in order. Happy to say, (and mom was thrilled), that little Olaf is in perfect health!

Until next year, Olaf!

Lucky

We first “met” Lucky when his mom rescued him from a high-kill shelter in the south, just hours from his scheduled euthanasia.

Lucky came to mom with a myriad of health issues, most notable, heartworm, cryptorchidism and a bad leg. We were able to help Lucky with the first two issues, but unfortunately the only resolution for the leg was amputation, which his mom refused. Apparently the leg was broken, never treated and healed badly.

Yesterday Lucky went to visit the wonderful Dr. Steve at The Affordable Spay Neuter Clinic and Pet Care in Pottstown for his annual well visit and heartworm test. (If you live in the Pottstown area and are in need of an awesome vet, look no more!) Thankfully all is well. Lucky must be on heartworm meds year around for the rest of his life; therefore we will be treating Lucky to his next round of medication.

Be well, beautiful and sweet boy!

Evie

This sweet little girl is 11 year old Evie. Evie has been drinking water by the buckets for months, as well as having an insatiable appetite. A few months ago, she had blood work which indicated she may have Cushings disease.

Today Evie, her mom, and mom’s friend drove in from West Philly to see our partner vet, where Evie underwent testing for Cushings. It was a long day for all!!

So now we await the test results, which should be in sometime tomorrow.

Since mom, Evie and her fur-brothers and sisters live so far away and cannot attend our food pantry days; we loaded up their trunk with pet food and treats. Mom said this will help them get through the summer; so happy we could help!!

20 Dogs

20 Dogs of our homebound and elderly clients, who receive home-delivered pet food and supplies on a monthly / bi-monthly basis, received flea and tick meds to help them and their pet parents get through the summer comfortably!

Rudy

Heeeeee’s back! Our BFF Rudy and his mom visited our partner vet today (this is an every month event), for a glucose test, insulin, needles and a mani/pedi. Rudy's big brother Baby also came along for the ride, and he was also treated to a mani/pedi. Let me tell you, he was EASY compared to Rudy!

Rudy is looking good; he is no longer looking frail. And he is strong and feisty as hell; holding him to get his nails done is getting to be DIFFICULT! But I love the fight he still has in him, yay Rudy!

Rudy is able to receive continuing veterinary care via Sam’s Hope thanks to his sponsor, Kathleen M. Her sponsorship of Rudy covers his healthcare four months out of the year. This is a huge help to Rudy’s mom who continues to struggle with very serious health issues.

Please consider sponsoring Rudy. 100% of your monthly donation will go directly to his care. http://www.samshope.org/misc_pages/sponsor_a_pet.html

Chiquita

Chiquita is the beloved dog of one of our home bound clients who receives home-delivered food and supplies on a bi-monthly basis.

Today Chiquita popped in at our vet’s office for an exam, rabies vaccination and a mani/pedi.

She was a very good girl indeed!

Benji

10 year old Benji is the beloved Sheltie of a homebound client who receives home delivered pet food and supplies from Sam's Hope on a bi-monthly basis. Sweet Benji hasn't seen a vet since he was a pup due to his mom's financial situation, and being in a wheelchair, she has no means to get him to the vet.

Today we picked Benji up from his home and took him to our partner vet for a visit. He was so well behaved! He had an exam, vaccinations and blood work.

The vet not only found him in great health, he was amazed that his teeth were in such great shape, (no cleaning or extractions for Benji)! We told mom that whatever she was doing to keep up the good work!

See you next year, Benji!

Lucy

Meet Lucy, a sweet 6 year old rescue Yorkie. Mom calls her Lucifer...apparently she can switch from total sweetness to pure evil in the bat of an eye! (I don’t believe it for a minute, look at that face!)

Lucy and her mom stopped by our partner vet today for her yearly exam, vaccinations, 4 DX test, (negative), nail clip and anal gland expression. She also got some new meds to try out for her allergies. Apoquel doesn’t work for her, hopefully the new medication will.

Lucy is also in need of a dental; we are hoping we can help out with that in the fall.

See ya in a few weeks, Lucy! (Lucy comes to visit us on pet food pantry day with mom).

Charlie

Charlie is a precious 6 year old indoor/outdoor kitty who was hasn’t been to a vet since he was adopted a few years ago. He is a sweet and beautiful boy (well, that is until you start jabbing him with needles, then the claws come out as do the growls)!

Charlie had an exam, vaccinations, FIV/FeLV test. All is good; and interestingly, he couldn’t wait to get back into his carrier, (the carrier that his mom had to fight to get him into before they left the house)!

See ya next year, Charlie!

Leo

Meet the fierce and ferocious Leo, a 12 year old, 25 lb. cat who certainly lives up to his name! (As in Leo the Lion)!

When our volunteers Pat and Chrissy showed up to transport him to our partner vet this morning, they were NOT prepared for what would ensue when he saw the carrier. After all Leo hasn’t been to the vet or anyplace else for that matter, since 2008. He has always been in the apartment with his mom, so the whole ordeal was traumatic, to both Leo and our volunteers.

It took all of 45 minutes to get him settled into the carruer, and he growled, spit, hissed and lunged all the way to the vet, which meant he would certainly require sedation.

Once at the vet and sedated, everything was easy. He had an exam, dental exam, blood work, vaccinations and his nails clipped. Just as we were putting him back in his carrier he began to wake up and issued us all a warning growl.

The good news is that Leo, despite never seeing a vet since he was a kitten, is in surprisingly good health. And his teeth, though some are missing, look great.

The big issue is his weight, 25 lbs. According to our vet, he should be between 12 and 14 lbs. His glucose levels are at a high normal, and our vet says he is at high risk for diabetes. He recommended wet food only, and weight loss, which we will work on with his mom.

Leo is now back home with mom; hopefully he won’t be angry with her for any length of time for today’s ordeal.

Many, many thanks to Pat and Chrissy for their efforts in getting Leo to the vet, then safely back home to his mom!

Prince

This precious little one is 12 year old Prince, a diabetic YorkiePoo.

Today he was treated to a visit to our vet for an exam and glucose test; monitoring the glucose level is an important part of the overall therapy for diabetes.

Gizmo

While we scheduled Gizmo for his surgery for the week following brother Spike's dental surgery, (See Spike's story below), things didn’t quite work out as mom had an MS relapse.

Today, Gizmo made an early trip to the vet’s office with his mom, and had 12 extractions and a dental cleaning. The vet said that his mouth was pretty much as bad as it can get.

When I met Giz at the office prior to his surgery, I lifted up his lip to give a look; the smell about knocked me over! Figured it was going to be a rough day for the little guy, but better days are ahead. I know his recovery will go great under the watchful and loving eyes of his Mama.

Oh, did I mention that when he got home following surgery he went straight to the dry food and ate?????? I still cannot believe it!

Sashi

Little Miss ChiChi has been driving her mom crazy by boot-scooting on the carpets and floors incessantly, and ChiChi’s half-brother Sashi was overdue for his yearly exam and vaccinations.
Today mom drove them to the vet, where I met them in the parking lot and took them in for treatment one at a time. While mom can drive, she cannot handle the dogs because a few years ago she lost her left leg.

Second up, Sashi...he was such a good boy on the exam table...he had his vaccinations, all good with his check-up, though he is beginning to show signs of dental disease.

ChiChi, a Yorkie ChiChi

Little Miss ChiChi has been driving her mom crazy by boot-scooting on the carpets and floors incessantly, and ChiChi’s half-brother Sashi was overdue for his yearly exam and vaccinations.

Today mom drove them to the vet, where I met them in the parking lot and took them in for treatment one at a time. While mom can drive, she cannot handle the dogs because a few years ago she lost her left leg.

First up, ChiChi...she had her anal glands expressed, (ugh...like I said to Doc, it is a shitty job but someone has to do it), and she had an exam. Teeth look good...her ticker no so good; she was diagnosed with a Grade 1 systolic heart murmur for which she will be monitored.

Daffodil

Daffodil, a 13 year old Schnauzer was rushed to the veterinary hospital as an emergency. She was diagnosed as being in kidney failure and was hospitalized for treatment and monitoring.

We pray she will be back with her adoring mom VERY SOON!

Prayers for Daffodil, get well soon, sweetheart!

Spike

Last week, when I stopped by my vet’s office to say hello, I met a lovely woman and her precious Italian Greyhound, 12 year old Spike. Mom was very concerned when Spike refused chicken earlier that day; she rushed him to the vet (our vet) for a check up. Blood work and exam revealed everything was fine, but a hop on the scale showed Spike lost 4 lbs. since his last visit. For a once 23 lb. dog, that is a lot of weight! After a look in Spike’s mouth, we knew exactly why Spike was losing weight and refusing chicken!

Mom has been having a tough time, both medically and financially. Her husband is in a nursing home, and she has MS. The expense of a dental and extractions would be a huge burden, especially since her other Italian Greyhound, 11 year old Gizmo also needed the same. I could see the strain she was going through, trying to figure out how she was going to swing it. That is when I told her about Sam’s Hope, and offered our help.

Today, Spike had a dental and four extractions. There was a lot of infection in that mouth, no wonder he didn’t want to eat! In a few days I think he will be putting down the food and start putting back the weight he lost.

Next up...GIZMO!

Ozzie

Our friend and volunteer Angie was made aware of a small dog in NJ that was living outside 24/7, through cold and heat. She has been negotiating his surrender for weeks, and today it FINALLY happened! The little guy came to Angie in a thin sweater fit for a puppy, and a leash fit for a Rottie. He was dirty, smelly, but the sweetest little guy you would ever want to meet.

First stop was to our vets office for an exam, vaccinations, 4DX test (negative), and nail clipping. He was PERFECTLY behaved with us, the vet and a puppy that came in for his checkup. The only thing we thought was a bit curious is that he did NOT KNOW HIS NAME, Cash.

New beginnings mean a new name; at first we thought Toto...but then Angie suggested Oz...and we settled on Ozzie; it suits him PERFECTLY!

After the vet, Ozzie was off to Pet Valu for a bath, harness and leash. Angie and her husband (who have both dog and cats), will be fostering Ozzie, so we should soon have a good idea of what the perfect home would be for him. Fact is, we already have an adopter, provided that Ozzie turns out to be a good fit for the family.

Anxiously awaiting Ozzie’s post bath pics! What a little doll he is!

Rudy

13 year old Rudy was back for a visit at our vet’s office today. Time for his monthly checkup and glucose test.

Rudy is looking good, and despite the fact that he is blind and deaf, he seems to be happy and doing well. His glucose was a bit off today, so he will be getting an extra unit each day, hopefully that will help bring his levels down a bit. He has had so many ups and downs since his diagnosis last spring.
During his visit, Rudy was also treated to a bottle of insulin, a box of needles, and his favorite thing in the world, a mani/pedi. Oh boy, she shakes like a leaf and at times tries to bite doc. I am the one who holds and comforts him during this ordeal, and I am pleased to say the he never tries to bite me, I get big, wet sloppy kisses! Gotta love Rudy!

Rudy’s Back Story - Rudy was diagnosed with diabetes in May of 2018. His mom, a cancer survivor now has late stage kidney disease and heart disease. Her two dogs, Rudy and Baby, are all she has in the world, along with a few good friends.

Mom is struggling financially, and the constant visits to the vet for glucose testing and diabetic supplies are only making things worse.

While Sam’s cannot pay for all visits and insulin, we are trying to help lessen her burden so she does not have to make the decision of putting Rudy down. Both dogs mean so much to her, and I believe they are the reason she keeps on going.

Jake

10 year old Jake is the beloved pup of one of our homebound seniors. Jake receives home-delivered pet food and supplies from Sam's Hope on a monthly basis. During our last visit we noticed Jake was coughing, and suggested a trip to the vet.

Today Jake was seen by our veterinarian for an exam and bloodwork. During the exam, it was noted that he had a low-grade heart murmur, for which he is now being treated. Jake will require frequent vet visits to monitor his heart problem.

Misty

Our wonderful volunteers and friends, Patricia & Christine Vertlieb, picked sweet Misty up from her NE Philly home this morning and brought her to our vet in Southampton, where she had a thorough going over and some issues attended to.

Misty, a 10 year old kitty, has been suffering with a bad case of the itchies of late; she has scabs on her neck, face and near her tail, as well as weepy eyes. While no fleas were found, (and no evidence of ear mites), our vet feels that she may have recently had them, or perhaps she was having an allergic reaction. She is being treated for both allergies and fleas/mites.

Misty also had blood work, everything came back perfect (always nice to see this in an older cat), had a mani & pedi and vaccinations.

I think she was happy to get back home to her mom, because when Pat put her down upon entering the house, she ran like hell.

But I have to say, she was such a good girl, considering we were all strangers and her mom wasn’t present.

Thank you Pat and Chrissy, for all of your help today!

Chiquita

Chiquita was seen by our vet in December when she was diagnosed with Stomatitis. She was prescribed antibiotic and a transdermal anti-inflammatory. She did well in the beginning, but suddenly she stopped eating again, indicating pain, and was sleeping away most of her day.

Today Chiquita was seen by our partner vet for a dental during which 10 teeth were extracted. Her gums were beyond inflamed, her teeth a mess.

The next few days probably won’t be easy for her, she has been through a lot. After she gets through the healing, we are sure she will be feeling MUCH better, and so will her mom!
Feel better, Chiquita!

Sunny, an 11.5 Year old Chocolate Lab with Osteoarthritis Sunny

It was very "Sunny" at the vet's office on this very cold day!

Sunny is an 11.5 year old Lab with Osteoarthritis. He has been on Rimadyl for quite a while, and while it has done him wonders, he needs blood work on a regular basis to keep tabs on his liver and kidney function.

Today Sunny was seen by our partner vet for his check up; his blood work is PERFECT, his ticker is GREAT, and our vet said he was in great health, except for the arthritis and the fact he is a bit (or maybe more than a bit overweight). We will have mom working on that weight problem, as it will certainly be beneficial to Sunny to take some of the pressure of his legs and hips.

While at the vet, I got lots of smooches from Sunny; I don't know about you, but it isn't often that an 11.5 year old dog has pleasant breath; Sunny does...accompanied by some nice, clean teeth! Keep up the good work, Mom!

Paco, an 8 Year Old Chi Mix Paco

Paco is a tiny 8 year old Chi/Pom Mix, who was long overdue for an exam and vaccinations.

During his visit to our partner vet, his intermittent urinary tract issues were also addressed.

He was sent home with medications, and will be checking in with us again in about a month.

Feel better, Paco!

2018

Chiquita

12/18/2018 - Little Chiquita has been suffering from severe dental problems for over a year now; so much so, that she has great difficulty eating and has been losing weight. Her mom, a senior who lives on a fixed income, recently had a bad fall, broke her hip and needed hip replacement. She can just make it on a normal month, but now with the added medical expenses she is struggling.

Today Chiquita was seen by our partner vet; when we uncovered her carrier, we were met with a very foul odor. We thought she defecated in the crate on the trip to the vet, but it was actually her breath!
Chiquita was sedated so the vet could get a good look at what was going on in her mouth. And while she was in la-la land, he also drew some blood.

Her mouth is a complete mess. She has a very severe case of Stomatitis. To make things worse her glucose is elevated, so treatment with steroids is out of the question as it could cause her to become diabetic.

Our vet called the compounding pharmacy to have a transdermal anti inflammatory prepared for Chiquita; this med will not cause diabetes and he has had success with it in the past. He also prescribed a liquid antibiotic.

Another of Chiquita's blood values came back high, this must be monitored and the inflammation must be reduced before a dental cleaning and extractions are considered.

Feel better, Ms. Chiquita!

Chico

12/14/2018 - Meet 6 year old Chico, a 10 lb. Min Pin who is a support dog to his 8 year old human who has seizures.

Chico broke his leg after being tied out in the yard on a retractable leash. He got entangled in the leash and injured himself badly trying to escape.

Please do not use retractable leashes, they are dangerous both to dogs and humans!

Chico's mom took him to the vet, the break was so bad it required surgery, which she could not afford.

But instead of giving up hope, she reached out to friends, family and animal welfare organizations for help, and Chico was able to undergo surgery on December 14th.

He went home the following morning, and is being confined to a small area of the house and his crate until he heals.

After a long conversation with Chico's mom about the use of retractable leashes and leaving him outside unattended, the family put together a schedule for walking him. When walks aren't possible, pee pads will be made available.

Here is to a speedy and full recovery for the adorable Chico!

Samantha, a German Shepherd Dog Samantha

11/20/2018 - Meet Samantha, a 3 year old German Shepherd rescue, and our 291st vet care grant recipient.

Samantha was adopted from a GSD rescue 1.5 years ago; she was perfectly fine until April 2018 when she began having terrible skin issues. She scratched incessantly, had hot spots and was missing large patches of hair on her body.

Mom took her to a local vet clinic, where she was diagnosed with food allergy. Mom changed her food and treats as the vet directed; unfortunately no relief, which prompted a second trip to the vet with the same result; stay the course with the no-grain food.

Today Sam was seen by our partner vet for an exam; she was not happy and tried to bite him twice! Not only is Sam an allergic dog, she has secondary infection which is making her feel even worse. Our vet also noted that she had sores at the base of her tail, which generally indicates fleas, though no fleas were found during the exam.

Sam was prescribed Apoquel for the itchies, antibiotic for the secondary infection and flea/tick meds to ensure the issue isn’t flea bite dermatitis.

Hoping we will have good news when we check in with them next week!

Margie

10/27/2018 - Little Margie, a 14 year old Schnauzer Mix, was adopted by her mom from PSPCA in 2009. Margie is having numerous health issues; in the summer we helped out with her thyroid issues, and now another something has cropped up that needed immediate attention.

Earlier in the week we got a text from Margie’s mom saying she thought the time had come for Margie, as she was peeing blood and constantly urinating on the floors. I told her that this could be as simple as a UTI or bladder stones, and certainly not a reason to put Margie down. I asked if she was able to bring Margie to our vet in Southampton, (they live in West Philly and don’t drive), and mom said she would get there. And she did, right on time for the 10 AM appt.

Margie had an exam, and urine was sent to the lab for urinalysis and for bladder cancer screening. Our vet could not feel any evidence of a tumor, but he wanted to rule that out. Margie was send home with a course of antibiotics and synthroid. We should have the results in a few days; prayers that it is a UTI and not the latter.

Yes, Margie is getting up there in years, she is about 84 in people years, and despite being partially blind, having bad teeth, (hoping we can address this once her other issues are fixed), difficulty walking due to arthritis, I say she has a few more good years with her mom spoiling her. Prayers for Margie!

Snickers

10/24/2018 - This little cutie is Snickers, a 12 year old Yorkie mix. Lil’ Snickers has bounced around a bit in his life, but he says Mom #3 is a real keeper, and I wholeheartedly agree!

Snickers suffered terribly from separation anxiety all of his life, until his current mom, who with lots of love and patience, cured him. He is now feeling much more secure and mom is able to leave the house without any upset.

Snickers is having some skin issues, which turns out to be a combination of fleas (though he is on flea/tick meds), and flea bite allergy. The constant itching and biting has aggravated some of his very numerous skin tags. He also has some dental problems. Today, Snickers had an exam, blood work, and an injection to cool down the itchies.

His heart and labs are all good; he is scheduled for his dental and extractions early next week.

Candy

10/6/2018 - Sweet little Candy has bounced around quite a bit in her short life….four times to be exact. Her first mom passed away a few years ago, and was then adopted by the son. A few weeks ago, Candy's 50 year old dad suddenly passed away. When the family was notified, they found Candy standing guard by his side. She then went with the daughter who was not able to keep her, and finally to a loving family where we hope she will be for the rest of her life. She has become very attached to her new family very quickly, especially her new mom.

Candy'ss new family was able to get her vet records, which showed she was in very good health, but also indicated severe periodontal disease which none of her past owners addressed. Dogs with periodontal disease have a higher risk of kidney, liver and heart disease, as well as diabetes.

Candy was seen by our partner vet for exam, blood work, pedicure and a dental cleaning. There was considerable plaque and red streaks on her gums, but thankfully she did not need any extractions.

Mom will be brushing her teeth daily, which Candy is very amenable to, and hopefully this will help keep things under control.

Dali

8/19/2018 - Dali, a 14 year old and once 18 lb. kitty suddenly become ravenous, and at the same time started dropping a substantial amount of weight.

Today he was seen by our partner vet and weighed in at a mere 13 lbs.

Blood work revealed all was well with his glucose levels, however, his thyroid levels were high; Dali was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. He was prescribed Methimazole, a drug that is used to treat over active thyroid by inhibiting the production of thyroid hormone.

Feel better soon, Dali, so you can stop driving Mommy nuts with the constant wanting to eat!!

Angel

8/21/2018 - Little Angel suffers from hip dysplasia, dry eye and allergies. Today he was seen by our partner vet for exam, and was prescribed medications to address all of his issues; Apoquel for the itchies, Cyclosporin eye drops for the dry eye, and Dasuqin for his failing hips.

Always thought hip dysplasia was a big dog problem; wrong!

According to the AKC, canine hip dysplasia is a common skeletal condition, especially in large or giant breed dogs, although it can occur in smaller breeds, as well. In dogs with hip dysplasia, this joint fails to develop properly, rubbing and grinding instead of sliding smoothly.

Rudy

7/25/2018 - Three months ago, 12 year old Rudy suddenly lost a lot of weight, and was no longer able to longer walk. Barely clinging to life, Mom took him to the vet where he was diagnosed with diabetes; his glucose levels were above 600.

Rudy's mom, also very ill, is battling cancer. Keeping Rudy in insulin, needles and glucose testing is proving to be quite a financial challenge.

Today we helped out with Rudy's office visit, glucose test and insulin.

We are planning to do an online fundraiser for Rudy and his mom to raise funds for ongoing glucose testing, insulin and needles.

Margie

7/18/2018 - In June, we were contacted by a very upset and desperate woman whose little dog Margie needed thyroid meds.

In December 2017, Margie was diagnosed as hypothyroid, and was prescribed 200 mcg of levothyroxine 2 times per day.

In May, the veterinary clinic, (a very well-funded animal organization in Philly), that was treating Margie refused to refill her prescription because her mom could not afford to bring her in to recheck her thyroid levels. Thus, Margie was without meds for almost a month when mom contacted us for help; poor Margie was lethargic, and had no interest in playing or her food. Her mom thought for sure she was going to pass.

We were able to get meds to Margie immediately, thanks to Janet Mass who gave up her Saturday afternoon to drive the meds to Margie’s home in SW Philly. She has now been on the meds for a full month, and today she went to a new veterinary clinic for an exam, full blood panel + T4, rabies shot and refill of her prescription.

Little Margie also has other issues, she is partially blind and her teeth are in terrible condition. Once we get the results of her labs, we are hoping mom and Margie can make the trip to our partner vet for a dental cleaning and extractions.

In the meantime, she is on antibiotics to cool things down.

Bella

7/6/2018 - In April, a happy, healthy 15 lb. Bella, unzipped her mom’s handbag, which was on the kitchen counter, and ate 25 - 32 pieces of chewing gum, which contained Xylitol. She was hospitalized, treated, and miraculously survived.

She seemed to make a full recovery; she was happy, playful and eating well, but for some reason she was losing weight, even on her current diet of 3 cups of dry puppy food per day, (recommended by Bella’s vet) which contains an amazing amount of calories and fat. Add to that, everytime she ate, she had to poop….and her poop wasn’t quite right either. It was mushy, and had a strange color and texture. Her vet also prescribed probiotics, which didn’t help at all...and she continues to lose weight.

Bella’s mom contacted us after Bella’s hospital stay for assistance with blood monitoring after her hospital stay, and earlier this week, telling us that she was nothing but skin and bones (9 lbs.) despite the huge amounts of food she was eating.

We asked mom if she would be willing to bring Bella to our partner vet, who was quite a distance away, and she agreed.

Bella - a Dog with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency After reviewing Bella’s labs from May, and seeing her condition, our vet believes that Bella has EPI, Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency. More blood was drawn, we will have the results on Monday, and see if they confirm his suspicions. In the meantime, Bella was prescribed enzyme replacement therapy which will help Bella digest fats, proteins and sugars.

All of this, compliments of Xylitol, a sweet-tasting crystalline alcohol derived from xylose, used as an artificial sweetener in foods. PLEASE KEEP ALL FOOD ITEMS MADE WITH XYLITOL AWAY FROM YOUR PETS - Even small amounts of xylitol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death in dogs.

Midnight

6/14/2018 - Midnight is a 6 year old kitty that lives with her mom and several other sibling kitties in Philly. Midnight was a pregnant, semi-feral cat when her mom brought her into her home. It took 8 months for her to adapt to people and indoor living; she is now a sweet and loving cat that is her mom’s constant companion.

In February, Midnight’s mom noticed a small lump in the middle of her back. The lump grew and grew, and then ruptured in late April. However, the remaining sore would not heal and then turned black.

Midnight underwent surgery earlier today to remove what remains of the lump. She will be heading home later to recover under the watchful eye of her mom, who loves her so very much!

Feel better, Midnight!

Heavy D.

6/11/2018 - Four years ago, Heavy D., found as a stray wandering on railroad tracks, was brought into a high-kill shelter in NJ. His mom saw him online, fell in love and adopted him immediately.

Heavy suffers from severe and recurring ear infections that require medical treatment every few months. Mom has always been able to provide for Heavy, but unfortunately her circumstances changed when she became guardian to her 9 year old granddaughter.

Today Heavy was seen by our partner vet to have his ear treated. I have never in my life seen anything like what came out of that ear. And the smell! After the ear cleaning, medication was applied; and instructions for cleaning and medicating at home.

A sample will be sent to the lab for culture. Our vet believes it may be a bacteria that is difficult to control, and that is why the constant infections. We will know more in a few days, until then, Heavy will be much more comfy without that nastiness in his ear!

Did I mention what a perfect angel he was through the whole ordeal? He was wonderful; what a sweet, kind dog Heavy D. is, love him. And look at that face!

20 Dogs and 20 Cats

5/1/2018 - 6/1/2018 - 20 Dogs and 20 Cats of our homebound and elderly clients, who receive home-delivered pet food and supplies on a monthly / bi-monthly basis, received flea and tick meds to help them and their pet parents get through the summer comfortably!

Mama a Stray Pit Bull That Found Her Forever Home Mama

6/1/2018 - Five year old Mama has been around the block more than a few times in her short life; two years ago her dad’s nephew was on a job in West Chester, when he met up with Mama. They fed her the first day, and she was back day after day to share in their food. When the job was completed, they could not bring themselves to leave this sweet dog behind; so the nephew called his Uncle Frank to see if he would take her in; which he did.

Shortly after, Frank took Mama to the vet for a check up; when her chip was scanned, it showed her owners lived in Trenton, NJ; quite a distance from West Chester. The family did not want the dog back, and so began a new chapter in Mama’s life.

Frank really wasn’t looking for a dog at this time in his life, but it seems they are the best thing that ever happened to each other. Mama has a wonderful and loving home where she reigns as queen, and Frank has a reason to get up in the morning, and more opportunities to socialize with pets and people they encounter during their daily walks.

A few months ago, when our volunteer, Leslie, delivered food and supplies for Mama, she noticed that she had some skin irritation. She talked to Frank about it, and asked when Mama was last seen by a vet; she hasn’t been to the vet since he adopted her two years ago.

On Friday, Leslie gave up her Friday afternoon to travel from her Roxborough home to pick up Frank and Mama in NE Philly and take them to PAWS Grant Avenue; THANK YOU, LESLIE! Mama had an exam, vaccinations and her skin checked. A ringworm culture was suggested, we will have the results in a few weeks. The vet said Mama was in good shape, and prescribed Animax, to be applied to the lesions every 12 hours.

Elvis

ELVIS SIGHTING AT OUR VET'S OFFICE IN SOUTHAMPTON, PA!!

5/23/2018 - Elvis was a young pup when his person died, just 1.5 years old. The family was going to have him put down, as no one wanted him. Elvis’ current mom, wasn’t sure if she wanted a dog at that time in her life, but adopted Elvis to save him. And now, the pair just cannot live without each other.

About 1.5 years ago, a small lump appeared on Elvis’ backside, near his anus. It continued to grow and grow, and is now approximately 3” x 3”, which is quite sizable, especially for a small dog. I was slightly horrified when I first saw it.

Elvis was seen by our partner vet today for exam and blood work. He is scheduled for surgery at 8:30 AM on Tuesday morning.

5/29/2018 - 8:30 AM surgery for Elvis; he did great! Our vet said he got it all, and thus it looks like a very positive outcome for Elvis!

Roxy

5/17/2018 - Last week when Roxy was lethargic and refused to eat, her family took her to the vet and found out that she had severe dental disease and needed numerous extractions.

Today Roxy was seen by our partner vet; she had an exam, blood work, a dental cleaning and SIXTEEN EXTRACTIONS!

Roxy went home with antibiotic, pain meds, and a recommendation that she should return in 6 months for another cleaning to preserve the few teeth she has left.

Feel better soon, Roxy!!

Lucy

5/17/2018 - Six year old Lucy stopped by the vet's office today for her yearly exam, vaccinations, and a check of her itchy left ear, for which she prescribed meds for an ear infection,

It was also noted that Miss Lucy put on 2 lbs. since her last check-up; exercise and diet modification were recommended to get back her girlish figure.

Oliver

5/16/2018 - Lauren adopted Oliver from the Women’s Humane Society in June 2017 when he was 8 weeks old. He was found abandoned outside just a few days after his birth.

Shortly before his first birthday, Lauren discovered a mass in Oliver’s mouth. After multiple visits to different veterinarians, it was discovered that Oliver has a type of oral cancer associated with the formation of his teeth, and a grade 4 heart murmur. Without surgery, Oliver was given just months to live, as the tumor would continue to grow.

Lauren reached out to us for financial help with Oliver’s care, started a GoFundMe page and received a grant from CARES to help pay for the very expensive surgery.

Oliver is scheduled for cardiac testing and surgery on May 16th, we wish him all of the best for a successful surgery and a long and happy life with his mom.

Bella

5/15/2018 - In the wee hours of the morning of April 28th, Bella went shopping in her mom’s handbag and ingested 25 - 30 pieces of Orbit chewing gum.

She was hospitalized for four days and treated for Xylitol toxicity. Bella has no clotting factors, and must be watched closely for signs of bruising, jaundice, blood in the stool, etc., as these are all signs that she can bleed out, as Bella has hemophilia (hopefully temporary), and is on many meds and requires monitoring.

Sam’s Hope awarded Bella a Veterinary Care Assistance Grant to help out with follow-up care, blood work and medications.

Today Bella was seen by her vet, she is lively and looking good. We will know more in a few days when the test results come back.

Our best wishes to Bella for a complete recovery.

Chi Chi

4/30/2018 - This sweet little one is 6 year old Chi Chi, AKA the FLYING WALLENDA, (if you are not familiar with the Flying Wallenda's, they are a circus act and daredevil stunt performers, most known for performing highwire acts without a safety net), who loves to sit on the back (headrest) of the recliner, and take flying leaps off when someone comes to the door, or if her sibling Yorkie starts barking. Last Friday, during one of her performances, the flying leap resulted in an injury to her hind leg, which could bear no weight. She cannot walk up steps, nor can she jump on mom's lap.

Yesterday morning, I picked Chi Chi up from her home, (her mamma is a homebound senior), and took her to the vet for an exam and x-ray.

Thankfully, Chi Chi did NOT break her leg, but she did injure her hip. X-rays showed that Chi Chi has hip dysplasia, a deformity that occurs during growth when the ball and socket don’t grow at equal rates.

Chi Chi was given pain medication, hip & joint supplement, a recommendation for weight loss and rest. We will be checking in with her mom in a few days to see how she is progressing.

Remy

4/12/2018 - Remy and his family have been through so much this past year. It all started last summer when they were evicted from their home, and were forced to live in their car and in hotel rooms that would accept Remy, their beloved 12 year old Bichon Frise, who has been with them since he was a 3 month old pup.

It was around the same time that Remy's problems began. It started with a UTI, which apparently didn't clear up after treatment, to a flea infestation and flea bite dermatitis.

He was treated a second time for the UTI, yet he continues to have symptoms.

Yesterday Remy and family paid a visit to our partner vet for exam, blood work, urinalysis and heartworm test.

Upon examination, Remy was found to be missing a substantial amount of hair; his tail was practically bald, the hair on his sides and back were quite thin and flea dirt was also noted. His teeth were also found to be in pretty bad shape, but first things first, diagnosis and treatment of the suspected UTI. We will know more tomorrow when his labs come back.

Hoping it is nothing serious, and we can get this little guy feeling better soon!

Baby

4/5/2018 - Oh, Baby! What a bubbly, bouncy, friendly, sweet bundle of fur!

Baby, a 9 year old Peke, is our latest vet care grant recipient. Baby, along with her mom/sibling, Peanut, not sure which), were living alone for about a month when their person became ill. Baby’s mom rescued both; adopted Baby and got Peanut into rescue, where she too was adopted by a wonderful family.

Baby was seen by our partner vet for exam, vaccinations, blood work, plus T4, and a dental. Baby put on quite a bit of weight over the winter, and seemed to be shedding an unusual amount of hair, especially from her tail, which mom said is about half of its fullness; thus the thyroid check.

Thankfully, everything came back normal…but we know what this means….our little chunk Baby needs to go on a little diet!

We hope to work with mom on that shortly!

Mischief, a Sweet Little Kitten Mischief

3/15/2018 - Meet Mischief, a 10 month old kitten who receives home-delivered pet food on a monthly basis. On a recent visit, his mom was telling us of his antics, one in particular that was driving her crazy and getting the other residents upset. Every time she opened her door, Mischief, being the opportunist he is, would run out into the hallway, and avoid capture for hours at a time. Mischief's mom is elderly, and has mobility problems, which makes it very difficult for her to deal with this behavior.

Later in the conversation, we found out that Mischief was not neutered, and thought perhaps that was a piece of the puzzle, along with the fact he was born to a feral mom and removed from the litter at 6 weeks old.

So, today this little bundle of fur was neutered, and will hopefully settle down, stop spraying, and give his mom some peace.

Callie Sue

3/3/2018 - 5 year old Callie Sue, a Chocolate Lab, injured her leg last year; all seemed to be fine until January when she was out in the snow romping with the other family dog, and came in limping. A few weeks passed, and the problem progressively got worse.

Callie’s mom took her to a local vet clinic for x-rays. They thought it was a torn CCL, but also saw arthritis. They recommended crate rest and gave Callie pain meds and anti-inflammatory. No improvement. Two more visits to the vet followed, no diagnosis, they said they would have to do surgery to determine if it was indeed a torn CCL; cost $4,000.00.

We had Callie's mom take her to our vet in Pottstown, where she was examined under anesthesia and had more x-rays. The vet said the CCL was not torn and she did not need surgery. Callie was diagnosed with arthritis in her knee joint, and needed treatment so she would not lose use of her leg.

The treatment plan is for Callie to have four bi-weekly injections of Adequan, then a reassessment the following week. A brace could possibly help her situation, but that will be determined after treatment with Adequan. She will also stay on pain meds as needed and anti-inflammatory daily.

Sonya

2/19/2018 - Last year, 16 year old Sonya was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, was treated, and was doing well. The past few months have been tough on Sonya and her mom, as mom was in and out of the hospital with life-threatening illness. During that time, Sonya declined; along with constantly wanting to eat, and frequent urination, she has become listless, is vomiting after eating and is just not herself. Her mom called us last Friday for help, as she was worried that Sonya was going to pass.

Today Sonya was seen by our partner vet. She was sedated, examined, had critical care blood work and radiographs. The news was not good; not only were her thyroid levels over 10; she was also found to have left ventricular hypertrophy (enlarged heart), and high blood pressure.

Sonya’s thyroid meds were doubled, and she was prescribed heart medication. She will be back to see us next week to see how the drugs are working. Until then, prayers for Sonya.

Lola

2/5/2018 - Meet Lola, a 10 year old Peke-A-Pom, and our latest vet care grant recipient. OMG, she is just so precious and sweet, I really wanted to take her home with me…REALLY!

Lola’s dad is disabled; thus they receive home delivered pet food and supplies from Sam’s Hope on a bi-monthly basis. When our volunteer delivered to them late in January, she was a bit concerned to find that Lola had never been to a vet, except to have a rabies shot over 3 years ago, and didn’t like the look ...of her eyes, which were surrounded by a lot of black, crusty stuff.

She gave dad the application for vet care assistance, and today Lola was seen by our partner vet for exam, vaccinations, nail trim, Schirmer’s tests and blood work.

Lola has a Grade 2 heart murmur, but no physical signs like coughing, etc. Blood work showed elevated BUN and Creatinine, which could mean possible kidney problems. Doc did a dip stick urinalysis, which showed protein and blood in the urine. The crusty eyes are most likely allergy related, as she is making plenty of tears, though her teeth are in dire need of attention.

It is a very good thing our volunteer got Lola to us at this point, as everything is treatable. Lola went home with antibiotics for possible UTI and Apoquel for her allergies. In 3 weeks she will have a urinalysis, and we will find out what is going on.

Cookie

1/27/2018 - Meet Cookie, a 3 year old American Bully girl who needed emergency surgery for a G I obstruction.

After a look at her radiographs, our vet knew this was going to be complicated, as he believed that whatever she ate had strings, which may lead to perforation, which can result in spillage of intestinal contents into the abdomen, which quickly leads to peritonitis and sepsis, both life threatening complications!!!

After 2.5 hours in surgery, the news is that the situation is worse that originally thought.

Doc removed what he described as an 18" piece of fishing net and rope, which had green plastic pieces attached. Three incisions were made in the bowel to release the rope, which had the bowel drawn in and ruffled like a drawstring purse. There is indeed perforation, and it is going to be touch and go for a few days.

I stopped by the vet's 6 hours after surgery to visit with Cookie and what our vet pulled out of her intestines/bowel. Cookie is doing well, bright-eyed, alert and wagging her tail. Animals never cease to amaze me, no complaining, let's just get back to the business of being a dog! Which landed her in this situation to begin with.

Seems Cookie likes to sample EVERYTHING she comes across. Ropes, netting, rags, and plastic toys, About 1.5 ft. of rope was removed. along with the remnants of a plastic toy...and boy, was it STINKY! I just about passed out!

The next few days are critical for Cookie, as she did have perforation and leaking from intestines/bowel into the abdomen, which can lead to life-threatening peritonitis and sepsis.

Prayers!

2/10/2018 Update - What a wonderful morning! Ms. Cookie was back to have her stitches and staples removed. She looks wonderful; has healed beautifully, and is back to her happy and loving self. She is such a sweetheart.

It is hard to believe that just two weeks ago she was at death's door. She had surgery for bowel obstruction, and it turned out to be a lot worse than Doc anticipated, as there was perforation. Thanks to our wonderful vet, and the after-care given to Cookie by her mom, SHE MADE IT!

Rudy

1/15/2018 - 11 year old Rudy paid us a visit today at the vet's office today; Rudy has been having issues with his back legs, and has great difficulty getting up and down. He also had a few nails that were growing into the pads of his feet, not due to neglect, but due to previous vet not being able to handle him to cut his nails. (Don't know why, as Doc and I handled him with no problem).

Today Rudy had an exam, blood work and pedicure; diagnosis is arthritis. He is being treated with medication. Mom will check in with us next week to let us know how he is doing.

Changes to his diet were suggested, as well as dropping a few pounds, which will certainly help alleviate the arthritis pain issues!

Baby

1/15/2018 - 13 year old Baby paid us a visit today at the vet's office today. Baby has a dry, hacking cough, (diagnosed by previous vet as getting old and his heart is slowing down), and chronic ear infections.

Today Baby had an exam, blood work and pedicure; diagnosis is COPD. He is being treated with medication for the COPD and ear infection.

Changes to his diet were suggested, as well as dropping a few pounds, which will certainly help him live a longer and healthier life!

2017

Sammi

12/12/2017 - Seventeen year old Sammi was recently treated for a life-threatening illness. He is in need of periodic monitoring and maintenance therapy to ensure his survival.

A grant from Sam's Hope provided blood work and urinalysis, to Sammi. We pray that he is well, and will continue to provide his mom with love and companionship for years to come!

Tin-Tin

12/7/2017 - Two year old TinTin loves to spend his afternoons basking in the sun on the back porch. (After this incident, this will be a thing of the past, basking in a window will have to do!)

After sunning himself yesterday, he decided to take a stroll through the neighbor’s yard, which almost cost him his life, as the family dog was outside and attacked Tin Tin. Tin Tin fought a good fight, and the dog finally released him.

Yes, it could have been worse, but things are pretty bad. ... Tin Tin’s jaw is broken, he is missing teeth and a chunk of tongue. He cannot eat, and can barely lap up water. A death sentence.

This morning he was rushed to our partner vet for emergency surgery to repair the broken jaw. When I stopped by to visit following the surgery, Tin Tin was already looking better; he was alert and his tongue was back in his mouth. The good news is that our vet is optimistic that TinTin will have a full recovery.

Smiles all around! His homebound, elderly mom anxiously awaits his return home.

Chi Chi

12/1/2017 - A few days ago, little Chi Chi started walking funny; her backside and tail were taking u-turns. Her mom called, very concerned that something was seriously wrong.

We too were concerned that she might have hip or spine problems; but turned out it was a bad clipper burn (she recently had a haircut, and the person who groomed her really burned her backside and tail)!

She is being treated with a prescription wound and skin spray, and will hopefully be back to her old, happy self in no time!

Cleo

11/10/2017 - Last month, while delivering pet food and supplies, Bob invited me in to say hello to his beloved kitty, Cleo; short for Cleopatra, Queen of Bob’s heart and the home they share together.

The 15 year-old kitty queen was sprawled out on the sofa taking her morning nap. When I reached down to pet her, which she happily accepted, I noticed this little kitty wasn’t much more than skin and bones. I asked Bob if Cleo was eating and drinking ok, and if he noticed anything unusual.... He said that all was normal, but that at her last appointment with the mobile vet, it was mentioned that her thyroid levels were elevated. I asked if she was put on medication, he said no.

I told Bob I was concerned with the weight loss, and asked him if I could take her to our vet for an exam and bloodwork; to which he agreed.

Today Cleo was seen by our partner vet; she is hyperthyroid, kidney values are elevated, and she was dehydrated.

Fluids were administered, and will be continued for at least the next 20 days. Cleo was prescribed antibiotic, as the vet felt there was a possibility of infection, thyroid meds, and he drained a large cyst in the middle of her back.

Cleo was a champ through the whole ordeal, but boy was she happy to get back home!

Maggie

10/31/2017 - 10 year old Maggie has been losing weight, has increased thirst and urination, and has been having accidents in the house.

Her mom took her to a clinic early in October to have her checked; her glucose was sky high; 488. The vet that saw Maggie suggested they see a full service vet for treatment of diabetes and possible pancreatitis. She also suggested transitioning Maggie from dry food to canned Pate, which her mom did immediately.

Today Maggie was seen by our partner ve...t for a check up, blood work, and urinalysis. Amazingly, her glucose dropped to 316; still too high, but quite an improvement over 488, and she gained a pound! (She was a fat cat prior to all of this, and now is skin and bones).

Our vet decided, instead of starting insulin, to put her on Diabetic Prescription food to see if her levels would continue to improve. Maggie will be rechecked in 3 weeks, and we will go from there.

She is also being treated with antibiotic for a UTI.

We look forward to that visit in 3 weeks, and are keeping fingers crossed that the dietary change will fix her problem!

Faith

10/19/2017 - Faith lives in South Carolina with her mom and human sister who just adores her. We normally do not assist with vet care outside of Southeastern PA, however in a case that could mean life or death, we will help when we are financially able.

Faith was diagnosed with chorioretinitis, chronic retinal detachment of both eyes on June 23, 2017.

On 8/17/2017, she was diagnosed with ulcer, epithileal with mineral plaque in both eyes. The infection in her left eye was out of control, causing severe swelling of the eye and the brain, and would ultimately take her life it not taken care of.

Four months of medication has shown little improvement; it was advised that Faith have her left eye removed for her long-term comfort, health and well-being, and to determine what the underlying cause is. The right eye is still ulcerated, though a bit improved, and will continue to be treated with antibiotic and drops.

Faith had her left eye removed; all went well with the surgery, and she was back with her family the following day. We are hoping the opthalmologist can figure out what is causing the problem and fix it before Faith loses her other eye.

In the meantime, she is adjusting well and is happy, healthy and pain-free.

Galan

10/12/2017 - Galan, a 4 year old Pittie Boy, (oh, what a sweetheart this dog is, you just would NOT believe, and that SMILE!!!), was seen by our partner vet today. Galan has 3 tumors; the largest, on his back end, really scared the hell out of me when I saw it, the second, on his neck, much smaller, but the one causing the vet the greatest concern, as it suspects it is a mast cell tumor. The smallest, on his chest, is most likely a cyst.

10/19/2017 - Surgery day! All three tumors were removed, we are now waiting on report from pathology, prayers for Galan and his family!

10/26/2017 - It was a LONG WEEK waiting for the report! When our vet called, I hesistated, but picked up the call. And it is GOOD NEWS! The tumor on the neck is a low grade Mast Cell Tumor, with little to no chance of metastasis. The margins are clean and deep. Galan will need to be monitored for recurrence. So, while the news isn't perfect, it certainly is POSITIVE! I am relieved...when I got the news I cried happy tears! Needless to say, his mom is THRILLED!

Stitches and staples to be removed next week!

Rocky

10/9/2017 - Marilyn, a diabetic, was recently hospitalized for an infected toe; a neighbor was taking care of Rocky during her absence.

When Marilyn returned home, we stopped by to visit to see how both she and Rocky were doing. While mom seemed to be in good shape, Rocky was not. He was struggling to get up on his feet, and was having great difficulty sitting, as his legs seemed to collapse under his weight.

I asked how long this was going on for, as we saw Rocky earlier in the year for exam and vaccinations. She said it has been bad for a few months.

Marilyn is homebound and has no car; I asked her to see when her son was available to bring Rocky to our vet to get checked out. She was worried about taking Rocky to the vet; she thought the vet might want to put Rocky down. She told me she did not know how she could go on without her beloved Rocky. I assured her that Rocky wasn’t going to be put down, he was going to get meds to make him feel better.

Today Rocky was seen by our partner vet; he had an exam, blood work to ensure kidney’s and liver could tolerate the medication, his ears checked (he has chronic ear infections, and a nail clipping. Diagnosis, arthritis of the hips.

Blood work came back showing Rocky could tolerate the meds, and he was prescribed Rimadyl. He should be feeling much better in a few days.

Calypso

9/25/2017 - Calypso, at only 1 year old, has been through a lot in her short life. She was adopted by a family that did not understand puppies; was physically and verbally abused, then returned to her litter fearful of sounds, hands and people.

Calypso was then adopted by a wonderful and caring family, and has been received and loved by all of the humans and animals in their pack; Mom, dad, four kids, two dogs, four turtles, a bearded dragon, 14 chickens and a tank of fish.

Since Calypso's arrival, the family has been working with her and providing much needed excercise. She is responding well and is beginning to get over her fears. She loves everyone, and provides an abundance of kisses daily; at night she makes her rounds to give everyone a good night kiss, and that includes her now best friends, Phoebe and Timon, the family's GSD and Bulldog.

Today Calypso was seen by our partner vet and had a spa-y day; armed with pain meds and collar, she is back home with the family she loves and who just adores her.

Monet

8/28/2017 - Little Monet is a 12 year old long-haired Chihuahua who has been suffering with a hacking cough for the past few months.

During his exam today, no heart issues were noted, but in conversation, mom mentioned that Monet was exposed to kennel cough.

The vet ran critical care blood work and 4DX, all normal. His temp was elevated, so the vet suspects kennel cough and is treating Monet accordingly; injection of antibiotics, antibiotics and cough meds. Monet was also prescribed HeartGard.

We will be checking in with Monet and his mom in 10 days to see if the coughing issue has cleared up.

Sheridan

8/30/2017 - 13 year old Sheridan, a beautiful Maine Coon cat, came to us with severe dental problems. He has badly infected teeth, cannot eat, has difficulty drinking and cannot groom himself. Because of this, he has lost about 8 lbs. He was 23 lbs., and is now just over 15 lbs.!

He had an exam, core vaccinations, critical care blood work, (everything was perfect), and was given antibiotic to start prior to his surgery.

Sheridan had a dental cleaning and multiple extractions; and should start feeling much better in a few days, and able to resume eating, drinking and grooming.

Ani

8/28/2017 - Little Ani, a Maltese blend, came to us with a bad case of stinky breath and inflammation of the gums. The little guy needs a dental and extractions.

After blood work to clear him for surgery, and a mani/pedi, he had his dental, and a single extraction.

A few hours later, he was back to his happy old self, begging for food!

Smookie

8/4/2017 - Meet Smookie, an 8 year old kitty.

Smookie was seen by our vet today for exams and vaccinations. She is officially ready to go into temporary foster, or a boarding facility until the family relocates.

Smookie is Brownie, the tripod Pitty's, feline sibling, see Brownie's story below.

Please visit Brownie, Smookie & Dory's YouCaring page and donate to help save their lives!

Dory

8/4/2017 - Meet Dory, a 6 year old kitty.

Dory was seen by our vet today for exams and vaccinations. She is fficially ready to go into temporary foster, or a boarding facility until the family relocates.

Dory is Brownie, the tripod Pitty's, feline sibling, see Brownie's story below.

Please visit Brownie, Smookie & Dory's YouCaring page and donate to help save their lives!

Brownie

8/1/2017 - Meet Brownie, a 7 year-old tri-pod Pittie.

Brownie was seen by our vet today for exam, core vaccinaction, bordetella and canine influenza vaccinations, and treatment of his itchy skin. He is now officially ready to go into temporary foster, or a boarding facility until his family relocates.

Brownie's family, who live in the NW section of Germantown in Philly, have to leave their home due to multiple safety issues with the home they rent.

From gas leaks, CO poisoning, mold growing in the walls, to most recently, electrocution from a door bell, the family must get out ASAP. 6ABC Video of Gas Leak and CO issue - https://www.facebook.com/pray4meok/videos/10212622503333423/

While a friend is giving the family a room to live in until they can get back on their feet, there is no room for their beloved dog, Brownie, a three-legged, 7 year old Pit Mix that they adopted from PSPCA three years ago.

In his younger years, Brownie was hit by a car, which resulted in the loss of his leg and most of his teeth. Following his accident. Brownie spent 2 years of his life at PSPCA, patiently waiting for a family to adopt and love him; but he always seemed to be passed over due to his disability; that is until Carol and her family saw him, fell in love and took him home.

Brownie has been living the life ever since; he is so loved by his 2 human sisters, ages 6 & 8, who love dressing him up in tutus. He also shares his home with 2 feline siblings, and his mom Carol.

We are attempting to find a temporary foster for Brownie, but so far, that hasn't worked out. Plan B is to raise funds for long-term boarding (approximately 2 months) so Brownie can go back to his family as soon as they are in their new, safe, pet-friendly home.

Please visit Brownie's YouCaring page and donate to help save his life!

Ginger

7/21/2017 - Meet 19 year-old Ginger, our 206th Veterinary Care Grant Recipient!

Ginger is a hyperthyroid kitty who came to us for exam, vaccinations, senior blood work and thyroid testing. Ginger's family are victims of domestic abuse, which has left the family, (2 footed and 4 footed alike), in financial crisis. We are so happy to be able to help them keep their pets happy, healthy and with them at home.

Interestingly, Ginger no longer needs to be on thyroid meds, it seems this issue has resolved itself. However, her senior blood work indicated stage 1 kidney disease, which will be treated with a kidney diet. Ginger will be re-assessed in a few months to see if the new diet is controlling the disease.

Gem

7/11/2017 - Gem is our 205th Veterinary Care Grant Recipient!

The 3 year old Peke-A-Pom came to us for his annual wellness visit; exam, vaccinations, 4DX test, (negative), and nail clip.

Hemsworth

7/11/2017 - 2 year old Hemsworth came to us for his annual wellness visit; exam, vaccinations, and nail clip.

Luna

7/11/2017 - 2 year old Luna came to us for her annual wellness visit; exam, vaccinations, and nail clip.

Hooch

7/1/2017 - We are so thankful to Cheryl for fostering 13 year old Hooch, a Lab/Retriever/Chow blend, until his dad can get back on his feet and find pet-friendly housing; and we are extremely grateful to Circle of Life Veterinary Clinic in New Britain, PA for squeezing Hooch in on a Saturday before the holidays to ensure he could go to foster today!

Hooch had an exam, senior blood panel (there is concern about his distended abdomen), rabies vaccine, (long overdue), cleaning and treatment of yeast infected ears, removal of a simple mass on his foot, 4DX test with Lyme, and was given Bravecto for flea/tick control and Interceptor for heartworm.

Hooch is an old boy, his back legs are failing him, and he is having difficulties walking up steps. His foster dad has already set to work on a ramp that will help him with this issue.

7/3/2017 - The results from Hooch's blood work are back; he has Stage I kidney disease. The vet ordered a urinalysis and chest z-ray, she is looking for underlying cause of the kidney problem. Urinalysis came back Hooch has a "rip-roaring" UTI, the reason for his constant need to go outside. He was prescribed Baytril and pain meds. Hoping he will be feeling better soon, as foster mom has lost 2 nights of sleep!

Cookie

6/17/2017 - We are so thankful that what started out as an early morning emergency, turned out to be pretty much a non-emergency!

4 year old Cookie had a partial UT obstruction; but the crating and ride from South Philly to our partner vet seems to have fixed all of that, as on his way to the vet he urinated in his crate.

After examination by our vet, it was found that his bladder was completely empty! Though the emergency is over, Cookie still requires treatment for the UT issue, which is being addressed with meds and a special diet.

Since Cookie hasn’t seen a vet since he was a kitten, (his mom found him abandoned, along with his sibling , under a Christmas tree in her back yard), Cookie also had an exam, vaccinations and was treated for yeast infection in his ears.

Armed with medication, prescription food and instructions, Cookie headed back home to South Philly with his mom.

Here is to a speedy recovery and no more emergencies!

Molly, a 14 year old Springer Spaniel Molly

6/16/2017 - Meet Molly, a 14 year old Springer Spaniel.

Molly came to us for exam, vaccinations, blood work and UT issues. Blood work came back with normal values, and she is being treated with antibiotics for a UTI.

Mr. Soxx, a 13 year old kitty Mr. Soxx

6/16/2017 - Meet Mr. Soxx, a beautiful and sweet 13 year old kitty.

Mr. Soxx came to us for exam, vaccinations, mani/pedi and blood work. Last year, Mr. Soxx was diagnosed as hyperthyroid; he appears to be doing well with his medication and no longer has symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

Sheba, a 2 year old kitty Sheba

6/16/2017 - Meet Sheba, a 2 year old once feral kitty who came into the house during a winter storm and decided to stay. She is just precious, but the wild comes out in her when trying to clip her nails!

Sheba came to us for exam, vaccinations and nail clip. She was very happy to be returned to her carrier following the poking and prodding!

8 Dogs and 12 Cats

06/1/2017 - 8 Dogs and 12 Cats of our homebound/elderly clients, who receive home-delivered pet food and supplies on a monthly / bi-monthly basis, received flea and tick meds to help them and their pet parents get through the summer comfortably!

Tucker

5/19/2017 - 1 year old Tucker, an Australian Blue Heeler, came to us as an emergency late Friday afternoon.

It all started at 3:30 AM on Friday, when his young dad, (pictured with Tucker), woke up to find Tucker foaming at the mouth. (When this young man and I were talking at the vet’s office, I referred to the dog, Tucker, as his brother. He quickly put me in my place, telling me, that he was NOT Tucker’s brother, he was his DAD. So cute, gotta love it!)

Following the incident, Tucker seemed ok, he ate, drank and took a run in the park with his human sister. Upon returning from the park, they found two unattached ticks on Tuckers abdomen, along with two bloody looking bulls-eyes. A few weeks prior, an engorged tick was found on Tucker’s ear.

In the afternoon, Tucker suffered approximately 6 seizures within a period of 2 hours, and another on the way to see the vet. Tucker was examined and blood was drawn. The blood chemistry panel came back with all normal values, as did the test for tick-borne diseases. However, it can take 3 – 4 weeks for tick borne diseases to show up, so we don’t know if Tucker is out of the woods yet, and cause cannot be determined until another test is run in 3 weeks.

The vet administered an injection, about 15 minutes later, Tucker started behaving like his old feisty self. Shortly afterward, Phenobarbital was administered, and instructions to the family for administration.

We checked in with the family that night, Tucker was sleeping. When we checked in with them the following morning, good news, no more seizures and he was acting his normal self, and the fears of the day before were fading.

Prayers for Tucker, we hope that the seizures are under control; there is so much we don’t know at this point, but will hopefully get to the bottom of it during his next vet visit in a few weeks.

6/28/2017 - UPDATE

Tucker was back for a recheck today with his young dad, Joseph. He was retested for tick-borne diseases; NEGATIVE. Our partner vet, who believes the culprit was the Hartz flea and tick treatment, reduced the dosage of phenobarbital; we are hoping there are no more seizures and Tucker can eventually get off the meds.

Tucker also had his annual exam, and vaccinations, which he was long overdue; he hasn't seen a vet since he was an 8 week old puppy.

Baby, Donatello & Mugga

5/17/2017 - No, you are not seeing triple!

Meet 12 year old Baby, 12 year old Mugga and 8 year Donatello. They are German Dobermans, all about 20 lbs. so cute, energetic and sweet! Actually, this was my first experience with this breed, didn't know they existed!

Today the trio had exams, vaccinations and blood work. They will return to our partner vet next Wednesday for dental surgery, as their teeth are in poor condition and falling out of their mouths. While under anesthesia, Baby will also have the growth on his head removed.

Here is to a happier, healthier, and pain-free life for three sweet little dogs!

Palomo

5/16/2017 - This stunning boy is Palomo, a 14 year old kitty who came to us for a well-care visit; exam and vaccinations.

Palomo suffered from frequent UTI's, blockages and megacolon in the past. Our partner vet perscribed a compounded medication for the megacolon and prescription diet for the UTI's.

His mom follows the treatment plan 100%, (very important) and Palomo is happy, healthy and thriving.

Sage

5/3/2017 - Meet veterinary care grant recipient, Sage, a 6 year old Maltese/Shih Tzu.

Sage and her mom, puppy mill dogs, were rescued by Sandra a few years ago. Both were in terrible condition; neglected, over-bred, abused and fearful of people. The two dogs, who Sandra refers to as her children, are now well-loved, cared for and spoiled, and have hopefully forgotten their terrible beginnings.

Yesterday Sage came to use for a dental cleaning and extraction of abscessed teeth. Mom plans to start brushing her teeth daily to avoid future problems.

Pet dental health is important! If left untreated, plaque buildup can progress to periodontal disease. More than 85% of cats and dogs over the age of 4 are affected by periodontal disease.

Seven

4/25/2017 - Meet Seven, a super sweet 7 year old kitty. Seven came to us as an emergency this morning with a complete Urinary Tract Obstruction.

Critcal care blood work values are over the top; Seven may be in kidney failure. He will be under the care of our partner veterinarian for the next few days for observation and administration of fluids and medications. We will know more tomorrow.

4/26/2017 - Seven went home to his family this evening, armed with medications and prescription kidney diet. He was NOT a happy camper being confined at the vet's; we think he will be much happier completing his recovery at home.

Though he is showing some signs of improvement, his kidney situation is still unknown. We wil know more in a few days after he goes back for re-examination, fluids and blood work.

Thank you, Doc, for saving Seven's life!!

Jonah

4/20/2017 - Meet Jonah, an adorable 2 year-old ChiWeenie/Puggle blend. Jonah came to us for exam, vaccinations and a mani/pedi, which he did not particularly like!

He was treated to a Dream Bone following the dreaded nail clipping; which made him very happy!

Lucy, a Yorkshire Terrier Lucy

4/20/2017 - Meet the adorable Lucy (AKA Lucifer), a 3 year old Yorkie.

Lucy came to us for exam, vaccinations, mani/pedi and treatment of an ear infection.

Bob, a 15 year old Shepherd/Rottie Blend Bob

4/20/2017 - This handsome boy is Bob, a 15 year-old Shepherd/Rottie sweetheart. You would never guess he is over 100 in people years; he has perfect teeth, shiny eyes and coat, and is perfect in almost every way. Except he is a bit overweight; which we will work on through diet.

Bob came to us for his yearly exam and vaccinations, no health issues whatsoever! Live long, live happy, live healthy, Bob!

Chi-Chi

4/4/2017 - Chi Chi was scheduled for her yearly exam, vaccinations and a routine spay surgery. The surgery turned out to be life-saving; Chi Chi had Pyometra.

We have been bugging her mom having Chi Chi spayed for quite some time, and FINALLY convinced her, (with the help of some photos of a normal vs. a pyometra uterus), that it was the right thing to do!

Chi Chi's mom called to cancel the appointment yesterday, saying she has been "under the weather". We convinced her to keep the appointment and to let the vet decide if the surgery should wait. And now we know why little Chi Chi was unwell, Pyometra can fatal if not treated.

Lucky

4/3/2017 - Meet Lucky, a 2 year old Lab/Chow mix that was rescued from a high-kill shelter in the South.

Lucky came to his new mom in PA with a host of medical issues; heartworm, allergies, cryptorchid, and lameness in his hind leg.

Today Lucky was neutered, and had abdominal surgery for remove an undescended testicle (cryptorchidism). Dogs with a retained testicle are more likely to develop a testicular tumor (cancer) in the retained testicle.

Lucky also had his lame leg x-rayed, and the news wasn't what we hoped for.

The diagnosis, old fracture of fermoral neck, trauma to knee - degeneration, hock hyperextends due to chronic lameness from injury.

The treatment; FHO, Femoral Head Ostectomy to form a false joint and relieve pain and arthritis. Because the injuries are so old, there is only a 50% chance that this surgery will help Lucky. If in the 3 - 6 months of recovery and physical therapy, there is no improvement, then the leg will need amputation.

Sonya

3/23/2017 - This little sweetheart is 14 year old Sonya, the recipient of our 185th veterinary care assistance grant.

Sonya came to us for help with vaccinations, and what her mom believed was a upper respiratory infection, as she has been sneezing quite a bit for the past month or so. Come to find out, Sonya has also been drinking and urinating a lot, and constantly wants to eat. At the same time as all of the eating, she has gotten "bony".

Sonya was seen by our partner vet today, she had her vaccinations, blood work and a thyroid test. All is well with blood work, her thyroid values are through the roof. She was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, and was prescribed transdermal methimazole, along with meds for her sneezing. She will be retested/re-evaluated in 4 - 6 weeks.

Now maybe mom can get some rest from the constant begging for food, and raids on the kitchen cabinets!

Pepper

3/18/2017 - Meet 8 year old Pepper, the smartest, sweetest Havanese that you will ever meet, and the recipient of our 184th veterinary care assistance grant.

Pepper, who was recently adopted, was in need of heartworm meds and flea and tick preventive, which was provided by a veterinary care assistance grant from Sam's Hope.

We wish you many years of happiness with your new mom in your new home, Pepper!

Rocky

2/27/2017 - Meet 9 year old Rocky, a Rottweiler, Pit Bull, Mastiff blend, and the recipient of our 183rd veterinary care assistance grant. Yes, he is a big boy indeed!

Rocky, the beloved dog of one of our homebound elderly clients, hasn't seen a vet in quite a few years. Today our partner vet treated Rocky to vaccinations and some TLC for his chronic ear infections.

See you during our next pet food delivery, Rocky!!

Jerimiah

2/15/2017 - Meet 5 year old Jerimiah, the recipient of our 182nd veterinary care assistance grant.

Jerimiah is an extremely aggressive cat; he hisses, spits and growls at the sight of anyone but mom. Thankfully he loves his mom, though she is very limited on how much she can handle him, thus the predicament with his severely matted hair.

Today he was seen by our partner vet, sedated, vaccinated and shaved down almost to the skin. Yes, the mats were that bad. Our vet has never seen anything like it before; nor has he encountered a cat with such attitude!

A few hours later, after being freed from the painful mats, he went home to rejoin his mom; hopefully happier and more comfortable.

Palomo

2/10/2017 - Palomo, a 12 year old kitty, who suffers with chronic UTI's, was having urination and litter box issues.

A visit to our partner vet, which revealed a urinary tract infection and obstruction, landed Palomo in the veterinary hospital for three days.

Yesterday he was released from the hospital and is now happily back home with his mom and sister, Angel.

Eliza Eliza

2/1/2017 - Eliza, an 11 year old kitty, is very ill. She recently lost 1/3 of her body weight, her gums are pale, she is dehydrated, cannot walk and no longer eats or drinks.

She has elevated WBC and Globulin, per her testing prior to coming to us. She was seen by our partner vet today, given fluids, injections and additional blood work. We will have the results tomorrow.

Prayers for this sweet girl; we need a miracle!

02/03/2017 - Test results supported FIP. Though not a definitive diagnosis, with the symptoms she presented, our partner vet was certain it was Feline Infectious Peritonitis, a fatal disease. Rest in peace, precious girl.

Lucky

1/23/2017 - Meet Lucky, a 2 year old Lab/Chow mix that was rescued from a high-kill shelter in the South.

Lucky came to his new mom in PA with a host of medical issues; heartworm, allergies, cryptorchid, and lameness in his hind leg.

Today Lucky received his first round of heartworm treatment; he will spend the night at the hospital and the second round will be adminstered tomorrow morning.

The treating veterinarian reports that Lucky has shown no ill-effects from treatment so far, and expects that Lucky's heart and lung tissue will return to normal a few months post treatment.

Hayden

1/12/2017 - Meet Hayden, a 6 year old Medical Alert Service Dog.

Hayden injured her right hind leg a few days ago, and was in obvious pain. Her mom, unable to afford medical treatment for her beloved dog, reached out to us for help.

Hayden was seen by our partner vet; she believes the injury was caused by either the knee popping out or a sprained hip. An anti-inflammatory and pain meds were prescribed, along with 2 weeks of rest.

When we checked in with her mom the following morning, she told us Hayden was already feeling better; that is the good news we always like to hear!

2016

Lucky

11/2016 - Meet Lucky, a 2 year old Lab / Chow mix, and the recipient of our 177th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Jiro, his shelter name, was timestamped to be euthanized by the end of the day at Glynn County Animal Control in Georgia. With the clock ticking and just 2 short hours remaining, his savior, a senior citizen in PA, saw his photo, fell in love and said she would adopt him. Jiro was transported to PA in June of 2016, and adopted by Linda who named him Lucky.

Prior to adoption, it was disclosed that Lucky was receiving treatment for heartworm since February 2016. But as luck would have it, Lucky came to Linda with a host of issues; lameness in his back leg, not neutered, cryptochid, skin problems and still heartworm positive. Linda, a low-income senior facing forclosure on her home, and unable to afford her medication, let alone treatment for Lucky, was between a rock in a hard place. But the rescue promised they would provide for all of Lucky's medical needs, and she believed them. After months of unreturned phone calls to the rescue, Linda was resigned to the fact that there was no help for her beloved dog, and wondered, if after saving him from euthanisia in Georgia, if that would end up being his fate in Pennsylvania.

Lucky was seen by our partner vet for an exam; he needs x-rays to deterimine what is wrong with his back leg, he needs to be treated for heartworm, and is in need of adominal surgery to remove the retained testicle, and neutered.

Gizmo

11/2016 - Meet Gizmo, a 12 year old Kitty, and the recipient of our 176th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Gizmo is a diabetic kitty who has been in remission for quite some time. A few months ago, he started vomiting regularly and his mom became concerned that something was seriously wrong. Unfortunately, the pair recently lost their home and mom cannot afford the costs involved with providing veterinary care.

Gizmo was seen by our partner vet for an exam, urinalysis and senior blood panel; keeping our fingers crossed that the results are good!

Chewy

11/2016 - Meet Chewy, a 5 year old Kitty, and the recipient of our 175th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

5 years ago, Jean witnessed a 3 week old kitten being tossed to the side of a road like a piece of trash while on her way to work. She stopped, scooped up the tiny ball of fur, took her home and named her Chewy. When she took little Chewy to the vet for a check-up, testing and vaccinations, she was diagnosed with a heart murmur, and the vet recommended that she not be spayed as she could die from the anesthesia.

Fast forward 5 years later. Shortly following her last heat a few weeks ago, Jean noticed that Chewy had a strange discharge and that she was acting differently. Not knowing what to think, she took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with Pyometra. The vet told her that surgery must be performed immediately, or the cat would die. Jean tried to work out payments with the vet, but he refused to help her. She just didn't have a portion, let alone the full $1200 for the surgery. In despair, she headed home with her beloved Chewy, to find help to save her life.

Today the sweet little 6 lb. kitty underwent a high-risk surgery (due to her heart murmur) to remove her badly infected uterus. Thanks to our wonderful partner vet with the skilled and blessed hands, Chewy came through the surgery with no problems, and has now been reunited with her mom.

Roxy, an 11 Year Old Terrier Mix with Pyometra Roxy

11/2016 - Meet Roxy, an 11 year old Terrier mix, the recipient of our 174th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Shortly after completing her heat cycle a few weeks ago, Roxy fell ill. She stopped eating, developed a discharge of pus, and a swollen abdomen. The diagnosis, PYOMETRA, a potentially fatal infection of the uterus.

On Saturday, Roxy was seen by our partner vet and had emergency, life-saving surgery. She would have not made it to see another day without the surgery.

We checked in with Roxy's mom a few days post surgery. She is doing well, though still a bit wobbly, but her appetite is back and she is on her way to a full recovery.

Roxy is our THIRD Pyo patient in a month; our 3rd patient, a 5 year old Maine Coon cat will be undergoing surgery tomorrow.

Want to know how you can prevent Pyometra? It is EASY and INEXPENSIVE. Have your female pet spayed at an early age. Another compelling reason to spay your pets!

Jacob, a 7 month old Shih Tzu blend that ate a bottle of Gorilla Glue Jacob

11/2016 - Meet Jacob, a 7 month old Shih Tzu/Poodle blend, the recipient of our 173rd Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Little Jacob got himself into a very sticky and life-threatening situation when he ate a bottle of Gorilla Glue. A few days after ingesting the glue, he started vomiting and could not defecate. An x-ray showed a mass of glue in his stomach that had to be removed or he would die. He was rushed in to emergency surgery, and the glue was completely removed. He will need to stay in the hospital an extra night due to stomach ulceration cause by the glue.

Please keep Gorilla Glue away from your pets and children, and take a look at this video to see what happens inside the stomach of a dog when Gorilla Glue meets water/fluids! Scary! http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/14/health/dog-glue-stomach-trnd/

Fiero

10/2016 - 5 year old Fiero is the recipient of our 172nd Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Fiero has been having a rough go of it the past 6 weeks; his seasonal allergies are acting up in a big way, he has been anorexic, lethargic and not wanting to play, which is very unlike him. He was also due for his vaccinations.

Fiero was seen by our partner vet today; he had to be sedated prior to being examined as he tends to be aggressive with strangers. Once he was knocked out, blood was drawn, vaccinations adminstered and temperature was taken. Chemistry showed all values within the normal range, CBC will be back from the lab tomorrow.

Fiero was prescribed Cephalexin for skin infection, Apoqel for itching, and Bravecto tablets for fleas.

Lily

10/2016 - 5 year old Lily is the recipient of our 171st Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Last week, having finished her heat cycle 2 weeks prior, Lily's mom came home to find her bleeding profusely. She had no appetite and she would not drink.

Lily was rushed to the hospital as an emergency; an ultrasound confirmed Pyometra, a life-threatening infection of the uterus which must be treated quickly and aggressively, then rushed into surgery. She is doing well, and will be returning to her family in the morning. Many thanks to Katie Kropp, VMD at Companion Animal Hospital in Tamaqua for saving Lily.

Jake, A Golden Retriever Jake

10/2016 - 7 - 10 year old Jake, a beautiful Golden Retriever, is the recipient of our 170th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

When Jake was adopted 2 years ago, he had a small growth near his left eye, which has since grown significantly and required attention. Today Jake had surgery to have the growth removed; his mom reports he is doing well and thrilled to be back home with his family.

Coco

10/2016 - 15 year old Coco, a super sweet Chocolate Lab, is the recipient of our 169th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Poor Coco suffers from frequent UTI's. A grant from Sam's Hope provided urinalysis which showed a PH of 8.5 (ideal is 6.5) lots of bacteria, red and white blood cells and struvite crystals. She was prescribed a heavy-duty antibiotic for 10 days and a prescrition diet. She will be re-evaluated in a month.

Amy, Judy and Mr. Spock Amy, Judy & Mr. Spock

10/2016 - Amy & Judy, Beagle sisters and Mr. Spock, a Pit Bull Blend are the recipients of our 166th - 168th Veterinary Care Assistance Grants.

This trio of sweetness began having skin issues at the end of the summer. Their mom, one of our homebound/elderly clients who receives home-delivered pet food and supplies on a bi-monthly basis was beyond herself and just didn't know what to do. She thought it was allergies, but it was actually fleas that were giving her darling trio a run for their biscuits!

They were given NexGard Chewables, and will hopefully be feeling much better very soon, and much less itchy too!

Shiloah

09/2016 - 14 year old Shiloah, a Beagle blend, is the recipient of our 165th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Shiloh has some health issues, but at his age, this isn't uncommon. Honestly, I did not expect to see such a beautiful and vibrant dog when I heard all that was going on with him. Today Shiloh saw our partner vet for an exam, vaccinations, thyroid, liver and kidney function tests, allergies, cataracts, cough and mani/pedi. Our vet took him off the thyroxine that he has been on for year, as his thyroid levels were high. He will be reassessed in a month. For the ear and allergy problems, ear drops and a change in diet to fish and potatoes was suggested. And for the cataracts, a cataract treament was prescribed, EYE DROPS! The drops should help shrink the cataracts from the outside in, make the discoloration in the lens more transparent and improve his sight within weeks.

After the appointment we dropped off bag of Merrick Limited Ingredient Real Salmon and Sweet Potatoes, hopefully by Shiloh's next visit in a month his allergies will be improved as well as his eyesight. Love this pup!

Friday

09/2016 - 12 year old Friday, a Jug, (Jack Russell and Pug blend), is the recipient of our 164th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Friday, overdue for her overdue for her annual visit to the vet. She was seen by our partner vet, along with her brother Shiloah, for exam, vaccinations, and a mani/pedi. She is in good health and is good to go for another year! Sweet, sweet girl!

Romeo

09/2016 - 1.5 year old Romeo, (cat), is the recipient of our 163rd Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Romeo, long overdue for his annual exam and vaccinations, was also suffering with itching and was losing tufts of hair. His mom, on disability and fighting her second battle with breast cancer, didn't know where to turn for help for her beloved kitty. Romeo had an exam, vaccinations, and was treated for fleas, worms and flea allergy dermatitis. Here's to a itch-free, happy and healthy life to this little family!

Foxy

09/2016 - 3 year old Foxy (Yorkie), is the recipient of our 162nd Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Foxy, long overdue for her annual exam and vaccinations, was very itchy. Mom suspected fleas, but being on disability and fighting her second battle with breast cancer, she didn't know where to turn for help for her beloved pup. Foxy had an exam, vaccinations and was treated for fleas. Here's to a itch-free, happy and healthy life to this little family!.

Helen

08/2016 - 8 year old Helen, a sweet and petite Pit Bull Terrier, is the recipient of our 161st Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Helen, who is in foster care until her mom is able to reclaim her at the end of September, was suffering with skin and ear problems, and was due for her yearly exam and vaccinations. She was seen by our partner veterinarian who diagnosed her with skin and ear infections, for which she is being treated. She also received vaccinations, and will be rechecked in a few weeks.

Koko

08/2016 - 10 year old Koko, a lovable Labrador Retriever blend is the recipient of our 160th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Poor Koko has been suffering with the constant need to urinate. When she had an accident on the floor, her mom saw that there was blood mixed in with the urine.Today Koko was seen by our partner vet for an exam and urinalysis. She was diagnosed with a UTI and struvite crystals and is being treated with antibiotic and prescription food.

Sashi

08/2016 - 4 year old Sashi, a sweet and loving Yorkie, is the recipient of our 159th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Sashi was seen by our partner vet today for his yearly exam, vaccinations and pedicure. He is happy, healthy and will continue to bring joy to his mom Liz's life, (a homebound senior), for many years to come!

ChiChi

08/2016 - 4 year old ChiChi, a sweet and feisty Yorkie, is the recipient of our 158th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

ChiChi was seen by our partner vet today for exam, vaccinations, pedicure and a look-see at her ears which have been causing her some distress of late. She was prescribed an ear ointment, and will be re-evaluated in 30 days. She is happy, healthy and will continue to bring joy to her mom Liz's life, (a homebound senior), for many years to come!

Rocky

08/2016 - Meet 10 year old Rocky, a Mastiff, Rottweiler, Pit Bull blend, and the recipient of our 157th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Poor Rocky has been suffering terribly with chronic ear infections. His mom, one of our homebound senior clients tried everything to help alleviate Rocky's ear problems with no success. Rocky was prescribed a relatively new, one dose treatment, and will be re-evaluated in 30 days.

Angel

07/2016 - 8 year old Angel, a sweet and precious Shih Tzu/Maltese blend, is the recipient of our 156th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant.

Angel has been excessively thirsty of late, and his right eye has been irritated and seems to be protruding more than the left. After an exam by our veterinary partner, and a full blood work panel, our concerns of kidney problems, diabetes and glaucoma were thankfully put to rest, as all levels were within the normal range. The eye irritation is due to allergies, the protrusion most likely from rubbing against the furniture, carpets, etc. Interstingly, Angel was found to have Lipemia/Hyperlipidemia. He was prescribed an antibiotic and liver support supplement, and low-fat food. Angel will be rechecked in a month to see if we are on the right track.

Gigi

07/2016 - 4 year old Gigi, a sweetheart Pit Bull Terrier, is our 155th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant recipient.

During Gigi's last heat cycle, bleeding lasted for four months and she had enlarged nipples. The veterinarian, suspecting ovarian cysts/tumors, recommended spay ASAP.

Wendy

07/2016 - 15 year old Wendy is our 154th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant recipient.

Wendy was diagnosed with a UTI; her mom is disabled and could not afford the needed prescription food after paying for the veterinary bill.

Hemsworth

07/2016 - 2 year old Hemsworth, (yes, named after Liam Hemsworth), is our 153rd Veterinary Care Assistance Grant recipient and emotional support kitty to Sabrina.

Hemsworth was seen by our partner vet for a well-visit; exam, vaccinations and manicure.

Luna Luna

07/2016 - 2 year old Luna is our 152nd Veterinary Care Assistance Grant recipient and emotional support kitty to Sabrina.

Luna was seen by our partner vet for a well-visit; exam, vaccinations and manicure.

Gemini

06/2016 - Meet Gemini, our 151st Veterinary Care Assistance Grant recipient and emotional support dog to a little boy suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The amazing little bundle of fur has made such a difference to the boy, providing much comfort and being instrumental to his healing.

Gemini was seen by our partner vet for a well-visit; exam and vaccinations.

Tilly

06/2016 - Meet Tilly, our 150th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant recipient.

Tilly is an oh, so sweet 10 year old Poodle / Shih Tzu blend whose mom passed away in late 2015.

Her human sister adopted her, but unfortunately could not afford to continue Tilly's treatment for Cushing's Disease, for which she was diagnosed in May 2015.

Tilly was seen by our partner vet for exam, vaccinations, and an ACTH stimulation test; treatment will begin once the lab returns her results.

10 Dogs and 10 Cats

06/2016 - 10 Dogs and 10 Cats of our homebound/elderly clients, who receive home-delivered pet food and supplies on a monthly / bi-monthly basis, received flea and tick meds to help them and their pet parents get through the summer comfortably!

Sven

05/2016 - Sam's Hope awarded a grant Sven, a 7 year old kitty who was in an emergency situation with a urinary tract obstruction.

He was rushed to our partner vetfor treatment; a catheter was placed in his urethra to flush out the plug and force the crystals/stones back into his bladder. His bladder was then flushed to remove the remaining sediment. He was prescribed medication and prescription diet, and is back at home with his family and doing well.

Reily, a Toy Fox Terrier Reily

05/2016 - A Cinderella Story (A 7 year old, tiny toy fox terrier, who after bouncing from home to home, finally finds the forever home, love and care he waited for all of his life.)

The Craig's List simply read: "7 year old dog that needs a new home and love." Within minutes of the posting, the person who was soon to be Reily's new mom answered the ad, and within 2 days the adoption was official.

A visit to the vet for an exam and immunizations revealed issues that Chloe was just not prepared for; diagnosis of Glaucoma (the eye needed to be removed) or he needed to be put down, severe dental disease, blindness in both eyes and deafness. But the story of Reily and Chloe was not meant to end there. It wasn't a matter of returning Reily to his previous person, it was a matter of finding help for him and getting him well. Our vet says Reily does not have Glaucoma and does not need to have his eye removed; he believes it is Retinal Atrophy, which unfortunately cannot be fixed. Blood work revealed all was well with his kidneys, etc. though there was a slight elevation in liver enzymes. He was prescribed ointment for his eyes, liquid antibiotics for the infection in his mouth and will undergo dental cleaning and surgery next week.

Soma, a 17 year old kitty Soma

04/2016 - 17 years ago, on her way home from work, Selina noticed what appeared to be a plastic bag in the middle of the street; further investigation revealed it wasn't a bag, but a gray kitten. She took him home, cleaned him up and named him Soma.

Soma has been losing weight since late summer 2016; in late fall this situation was compounded by chronic diarrhea and vomiting.

During a visit to our partner vet, it was found that Soma had a malignant tumor the size of an orange in his small intestine. He was prescribed a veterinary Royal Canin Diet, anitbiotics to address his UTI. After his UTI is cleared up, he will be given medications to keep him comfortable and free of pain. A very sad day for all.

Pixie

04/2016 - While on business in Philly a few months ago, a filthy (it took 3 baths to clean her up), emaciated pit bull puppy with what looked like a rash above her eyes and a quarter size lump on her abdomen, approached her. She asked the man if the puppy was his, he said, "If you want her, take her," which Brenda gladly did. She calls Pixie the one blessing she got out of her job.

Pixie was treated elsewhere for Demodectic Mange, and it was recommended that all other medical treatment be put on hold until the condition cleared up.

8 month old Pixie, now free of mange and 10 lbs. heavier, was seen by our partner vet today; she had an exam, vaccinations, testing for flea and tick borne diseases (negative), and pre-op blood work. She is scheduled to be spayed and have what remains of an umbilical hernia repaired tomorrow morning.

Mr. Maxx

04/2016 - 13 year-old Mr. Maxx returned to us today to have his severe dental disease addressed. Most of his teeth were extracted; the few that remained were cleaned. He did very well with the surgery, and is now looking forward to many happy and healthier years with his mom and four-legged siblings!

Lucy

04/2016 - 11 year-old Lucy paid us a return visit today; seems she injured herself a few weeks ago and ha been having much pain and difficulty walking. She was diagnosed with a slipped disc and is being treated with anti inflammatory drugs and exercise restriction, in other words, she will be confined to a crate for the next 10 - 14 days. No steps, no walking, no sofas, no beds. We are praying for a good outcome, as surgery is not an option.

Mr. Soxx, a Hyperthyroid Kitty Mr. Soxx

04/2016 - 11 year-old Mr. Soxx came to us in need of an exam and vaccinations, but ended up being diagnosed and treated for hyperthyroidism. His mom took in an abandoned kitty a few months ago when he coincidentally began losing weight. Mom thought it was jealousy and upset, but it turned out to be an urgent medical issue as Mr. Soxx lost 5 lbs., more than a 1/3 of his body weight in just those few months.

Bob, a Rottie/Shep Blend, our 120th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant Recipient Bob

03/2016 - Meet Bob, an almost 14 year old Rottie/Shep blend, and our 120th Veterinary Care Assistance Grant recipient.

Bob and his mom came to us for help with a yearly exam, vaccinations, and anal gland expression. For a very senior dog, Bob looks great; glossy coat, clear eyes, great teeth and in excellent health. He is, however, quite overweight, and will be undergoing a change in diet to keep him healthy, happy and free from future health issues.

Misty, a Kitty with Skin Problems Misty

03/2016 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Misty, a 6 year old kitty for exam, vaccinations, and treatment of severe skin issues.

Asia

03/2016 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Asia, a 1.5 year old kitty for examination of her mouth and teeth, and treatment for Stomatitis and Gingivitis.

Coco

03/2016 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Coco, a 13 year old Chihuahua for an exam and expression of anal glands.

Molly

03/2016 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Molly, a 12 year old Springer Spaniel, for exam, vaccinations, blood work and treatment of a yeast infection.

Mr. Maxx

03/2016 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Mr. Maxx, a 13 year old Mini Pinscher for exam, vaccinations, blood work and diagnosis of severe dental disease. Maxx will be scheduled for a dental which will include multiple extractions and a cleaning of the remaining teeth.

Alfie

02/2016 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Alfie, a 9 year old Sheltie, for surgical repair of a perineal hernia and neuter.

Lucy, an 11 year old Doxie mix Lucy

02/2016 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Lucy, an 11 year old Doxie blend for exam, vaccinations, dental exam, blood work, dental extractions and cleaning.

Roxy, A Dog with Mammary Tumors Roxy

01/2016 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Roxy, a 12 year old Min Pin blend, for radiographs, blood work and removal of a chain of mammary tumors.

Tinka, A Kitty Tinka

01/2016 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Tinka, an 18 lb., 3.5 year old kitty, for testing of suspected diabetes.

We are happy to report that everything came back normal, and that Tinka was put on a weight management program to reduce her possibility of developing osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, respiratory problems and non-allergice skin conditions.

2015

Coco

12/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Coco, a 14 year old Labrador Retriever for diagnosis and treatment of a UTI, anal gland expression, and examination of a growth on her left rear thigh.

Bruno, A Sweet Pit Bull Mix Bruno

12/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Bruno, a 4 year old Pitbull Mix for exam, vaccinations and testing for tick and flea borne diseases.

Seven, a Polydactyl Kitty Suffering from Complete Urinary Tract Obstruction Seven

11/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Seven, a 6 year old polydactyl kitty, (thus the name), for treatment of a complete urinary tract obstruction.

Helen, a Pit Bull with Pyometra Helen

11/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Helen, a 7 year old Pit Bull Terrier, for surgical treatment of Pyometra.

Twinkie

11/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Twinkie, a 7 year old Papillon, for surgical treatment of Pyometra.

Rosette, a Standard Poodle Rosette

11/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Rosette, a 13 year old Standard Poodle, for diagnosis of advanced metastatic lung disease.

Oliver, a Tabby Cat Oliver

09/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Oliver, a 7 year old kitty, for diagnosis and treatement of hematemesis, (blood in vomit).

Salem, a 5 month old black kitten Salem

09/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Salem, a 5 month old kitten, for amputation of a shattered hind limb, vaccinations, neuter and testing.

(Pictured, Salem and his mom)

Coco, a 9 month old Maltese with Parvo Coco

09/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a veterinary care grant to Coco, a 9 month old Maltese, for hospitalization and treatment for Canine Parvovirus.

(Pictured, Coco and her human sister)

Mickey, Minnie and Angel, Maltese Shih Tzu Blends Mickey, Minnie and Angel (The Three Amigos)

09/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded vet care grants to Mickey, Minnie and Angel for exams, vaccinations, Bordetalla vaccines, and for blood work and spay for Minnie. This care was provided so that the three dogs could enter long-term foster until their mom is able to care for them again.

(Pictured, Mickey, Minnie, Angel and their Vet Tech at Larkin Vet)

Cocoa, A Diabetic Cat Cocoa (Oh, How Sweet She Is)

08/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Cocoa, a 13 year old kitty, for exam, blood work, and treatment of diabetes.

(Pictured, Cocoa)

Diesel, an 8 year old Rottweiler Diesel (Super Cool Pup)

07/2015 & 8/2015- Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Diesel, an 8 year old Rottweiler, for exam, vaccinations, heartworm & Lyme test, and treatment for his cough.

(Pictured, Diesel)

Lucy (Yes, We Love Lucy)

07/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Lucy, a 12 year old, quadriplegic Pitbull Terrier, for exam and treatment of a recent illness that was causing her to cough, vomit and have labored breathing.

(Pictured, Lucy and her mom, Carol)

White Sox

07/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to White Socks, a 10 year old kitty, for exam, vaccinations, and treatment for bloody stool.

(Pictured, White Sox and his mom, Phyllis)

Panther, a Black Cat Panther

07/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Panther, an 11 year old kitty, for exam, vaccinations, and treatment fleas.

(Pictured, a generic cat, Panther was spitting mad and refused to be photographed)

Hanna, an English Bulldog with Bladder Stones Hanna

07/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Hanna, a five year old English Bulldog, for exam, radiographs and treatment of bladder stones.

(Pictured, Hanna)

Sashi

06/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Sashi, a 2 year old Yorkie, for exam, vaccinations and neuter.

(Pictured, Sashi hiding behind his mom for protection)

Mugsy

06/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Mugsy, a 10 year old Maltese for exam, vaccinations and pre-op blood work for an upcoming dental cleaning and multiple tooth extractions.

(Pictured, Mugsy and his mom, Jasmine)

Teddy

06/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Teddy, a 3 year old Hovawart, for emergency medical care for gastrointestinal upset, which included bloody diarrhea and vomit. Teddy had x-rays to rule out an abstruction, was given IV fluids, medication and was held two days for observation.

(Pictured, Teddy and his human brother, Justice)

Shadow, a Black Labrador Retriever Suffering with Hypothyroidism Shadow

05/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Shadow, a 9 year old Labrador Retriever, for a home visit, exam, and blood work that revealed that Shadow is severely hypothyroid and on the verge of collapse. After getting the diagnosis, we rushed medication to Shadow's home and are praying for a speedy recovery.

(Pictured, Shadow, and his mom Liz)

Gemineye

05/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Gemineye, a 9 month old PeekaPom, for an exam, immunizations, and neuter.

(Pictured, Gemineye and his mom)

Ginger, a 15 year old cat Ginger

05/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Ginger, a 15 year old kitty for an exam, immunizations, and blood work which revealed hyperthyroidism, for which she is now being treated.

(Pictured, Ginger and her sister)

Miss Inky - A Black Cat Miss Inky

05/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Miss Inky, a 7 year old kitty for an exam, immunizations and a pedicure, (she is still spitting and hissing!)

(Pictured, Miss Inky and her mom, Phyllis)

BooBoo

05/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to BooBoo a 14 year old kitty for exam, and diagnosis/treatment of kidney disease.

(Pictured, BooBoo and his mom, Phyllis)

Gunny, a Schnauzer Gunny

05/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Gunny, a 13 year old Schnauzer, for an exam, blood work, urinalysis, urine culture and prescription dog food.

(Pictured, Gunny and his mom, Jan)

Coco and Emotional Support Chihuahua Coco

05/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Coco, a 14 year old Emotional Support Chihuahua for continued support of his heart murmur.

(Pictured, Coco and his mom, Pat)

Cleo, a Beautiful Black Cat Cleo

05/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Cleo, a 12 year old kitty, for exam, immunizations and senior screening, which revealed a small problem that is now being treated.

(Pictured, Cleo)

Felix the Cat! Felix

04/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Felix, a 7 year old kitty, for exam, immunizations and blood work, which revealed no problems!

(Pictured, Felix)

Puma the Cat Puma

03/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a vet care grant to Puma, a 3 year old kitty, for his yearly exam and immunizations.

(Pictured, Puma)

Anisette the Cat Anisette

03/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Anisette, a 4 year old kitty for prescription food for her severe allergies.

(Pictured, Anisette)

Baby - Cat Baby

03/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Baby, a 9 year old kitty for diagnosis and treatment of bladder stones which were interfering with Baby's ability to urinate. He was given medication and a prescription diet, and should be feeling much better in a few days.

(Pictured,Baby)

Cookie

03/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Cookie, a 12.5 year old kitty, for diagnosis and treatment of a heart murmur. She was prescribed heart meds, a diuretic and fish oil, and will be rechecked in 3 - 4 weeks.

(Pictured,Cookie)

ChiChi

03/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to ChiChi, a 2 year old Yorkshire Terrier, for a yearly exam and immunizations.

(Pictured,ChiChi)

Cowboy, a Jack Russell Terrier with a Herniated Disc Cowboy

02/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Cowboy, a four year old Jack Russell Terrier. Cowboy has a herniated disc, and needs an MRI and surgery that costs $5,000. Sam's Hope contributed $500 to the surgery, which was successflly performed on 2/19/2015.

(Pictured, Cowboy and his brother, Stephen)

Josh the Cat Josh

02/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Josh, a one year old kitty for, exam, immunizations, FIV/FeLv testing, a manicure and neuter. Josh had two partially descended testicles, which the neuter took care of.

(Pictured, Josh)

Oreo Vixen

02/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Vixen, a fourteen year old kitty, for exam, immunizations,and diagnosis of mammary tumors.

(Pictured, Vixen and her dad, John)

Oreo Oreo

02/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Oreo, a four year old kitty, for exam, immunizations and flea treatment. Oreo and her brother Skittles haven't been seen by a vet or or immunized since they were 6 - 7 weeks old.

(Pictured, Oreo)

Skittles

02/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Oreo, a four year old kitty, for exam, immunizations, ear problems and flea treatment. Skittles and his sister Oreo haven't been seen by a vet or immunized since they were 6 - 7 weeks old.

(Pictured, Skittles)

ChiChi, Yorkshire Terrier ChiChi

01/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to ChiChi, a two year old Yorkshire Terrier, for treatment of severe ear infections.

(Pictured, ChiChi and her mom, Liz)

Palomo

01/2015 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Palomo, a beautiful, 12 year old, 20 lb. kitty, for emergency treatment of a partial urinary obstruction and constipation.

(Pictured, Palomo and his mom, Barbara)

2014

Bella the Cat Bella

12/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Bella for exam, vaccinations, worming, FeLV & FIV testing, and flea preventives.

Bella, who was abandoned in a BJ's parking lot as a kitten, hit the jackpot when she was rescued by her mom Karen. She is one very loved and adored kitty!

(Pictured, Bella all snuggled up and feeling loved in the arms of her mom, Karen)

Ninja, Lady's Little Brother, also poisoned with strychnine Ninja

12/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Ninja, who was poisoned with strychnine (rat poison) in his back yard, (two days after his sister, Lady was poisoned, see below), and needed immediate, emergency veterinary services. He returned home to his family after 5 days in ICU to complete his recovery. He is expected to have a complete recovery.

(Pictured, Ninja at Quakertown Veterinary Clinic ICU)

Lady, Strychnine Poisoning Lady

12/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Lady, who was poisoned with strychnine (rat poison) in her back yard and needed immediate, emergency veterinary services. She returned home to her family after 5 days in ICU to complete her recovery. She is expected to have a complete recovery.

(Pictured, Lady with little brother, AJ)

Milo

12/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to 10 month old Milo for exam, vaccinations, flea treatment, neuter, deworming and to his his nals clipped.

(Pictured, Milo with his mom, Mae)

Prince

11/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Prince, a 1 year old Maltese/Yorkie blend for exam, vaccinations, heartworm test, removal of retained testicles (Cryptochidism) and neuter.

(Pictured, Prince with his mom, Donna, and his sister)

Lucy, a Boxer Bulldog Lucy

10/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Lucy, a Boxer/Bull Dog blend, for diagnosis and treatment of mammary tumors. Lucy's tumors were surgically removed and she was spayed. Because mammary tumors are promoted by female hormones, spaying is helpful in tumor prevention.

(Pictured, Lucy with her mom, Janel)

Coco

10/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Coco for examination and diagnosis of skin tumors, treament for conjuctivitis and a UTI, nail clipping and anal sac expression.

Update - One of Coco's tumors grew from a small, barely noticeable lump to golf ball size in less than 2 months. Despite the risk of surgery due to his level 4 heart murmur, it was advised to have it removed asap. Coco underwent surgery on 11/25, and is doing well!

Update - The report from pathology came in today, 11/28; Coco's tumor was a soft tissue sarcoma, a low-level malignancy that does not metastasize, though there is a possibility of recurrence. Doc feels that he got everything during the surgery and that Coco should be just fine.

(Pictured, Coco and his mom, Patti)

Bella, Dutchess & Sheba

09/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Bella, Dutchess & Sheba, for exams, immunizations and treatment of Sheba's uterine infection. Dutchess & Sheba recently gave birth to 7 puppies, who are all thriving. Once the puppies go to their new homes, all three dogs will be spayed.

(Pictured, Dutchess)

Beau, the Long-Haired Chihuahua Beau

08/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Beau, a 4 year old Chihuahua, for neutering, the removal of 4 teeth, exam, shots, flea preventives and nail clipping. The neutering puts an end to his "Happy Days" of keeping the family's 3 female Chi's pregnant.

(Pictured, Beau with his mom, Michele)

Rocky Rocky

07/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Rocky, an 8 year old Mastiff / Rottie / Pittie Mix, (yes, he is a BIG BOY), for exam, immunizations, and diagnosis / treatment of stomach and chronic ear problems.

(Pictured, Rocky with his brother, Max)

Ashes, Charcoal and Wick

07/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Ashes, Charcoal and Wick, for exams, immunizations, and treatment of ear problems.

(Pictured, Ashes with his mom, Elizabeth)

Barnaby

06/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Barnaby, an 18 month old Pit Bull, for exams, immunizations, heartworm and lyme testing, and treatment for ear infection and possible allergies.

(Pictured, the lovable pup with the ear-to ear smile, Barnaby)

Coco the Chihuahua, an Emotional Support Dog Coco

06/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Coco, a 12 year old emotional support dog, for treatment of bladder stones.

(Pictured, Coco)

Versace, the Yorkshire Terrier Versace

06/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Versace, a 15 month old Yorkshire Terrier for exam, immunizations and to have his nails clipped.

(Pictured, Versace)

Old Girl

05/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Old Girl, a 16 year old FIV+ cat, for thyroid testing, and treatment for an infection of the mouth.

(Pictured, Old Girl and her dad, Eric)

Lucy

04/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Lucy, a 10 year old, quadriplegic Staffordshire Terrier, for cyst-like sores on her feet, joint and hip problems, and to determine why her feet/legs can no longer support her.

(Pictured, Lucy)

Helen and Murphy Misty and Murphy

04/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Misty, a 5 year old cat, for an exam and immunizations; and to the delightful little Murphy, a 6 month old Shih Tzu / Chihuahua mix for neuter, exam, and immunizations.

(Pictured, Murphy and his mom, Helen)

Cleo Cleo

03/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Cleo, an 11 year old rescue, for examination and treatment of a dime-sized, slow-growing lump on her back and for nail clipping.

(Pictured, Cleo and her dad, Bob)

Missy Missy

03/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Missy, a 6 year old adopted cat, for her annual exam, immunizations, and nail clipping.

(Pictured, Missy and her mom, Regina)

Chi-Chi & Shadow Chi-Chi and Shadow

02/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Chi-Chi and Shadow for annual exams and immunizations, and to Shadow for his extremely long nails which are causing him pain and need special attention.

(Pictured, Chi-Chi and her mom, Liz).

Zoey & Her Mom, Laura Zoey

01/2014 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Zoey for treatment of flea allergies/allergies and ear infection due to ear mites.

(Pictured, Zoey and her mom, Laura).

2013

Hercules, Papi, Darla and Giovanni

12/2013 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Hercules, Papi, Darla and Giovanni for immunizations for all, and treatment for Papi's recurring bladder infection.

(Pictured, Elizabeth holding Hercules, Richard holding Papi, Giovanni on left, Darla on right).

HAPPY TAILS - PRECIOUS' STORY PreciousH05.jpg In early October, 4 year old Precious was running around in the back yard as she normally does, when suddenly she stopped and raised her leg, not wanting to put weight on it. A week later, when there was no improvement, her family took her to the vet to get checked out. She had an exam and x-rays under sedation, and was diagnosed with a ruptured ACL. The fix...surgery. Precious’ family, unemployed due to COVID-19, needed help with the cost of her surgery. Donations from family, friends, some money from savings, along with a veterinary care assistance grant from Sam’s Hope made this surgery happen. Precious is now two weeks post-surgery. She is healing well, but still has to take things slow; no walks! Hopefully she will be out exploring the world with her family in the very near future. PreciousSurgery02.jpg

Morticia

12/2013 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Morticia for immunizations, and diagnosis / treatment of feline stomatitis.

(Pictured, Beth and Morticia).

Sonnie, Hope and Paris

11/2013 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Sonnie, Hope and Paris for immunizations, exams, testing, and diagnosis / treatment for Paris's persistent eye problem.

(Pictured, Alexis and Hope).

Boo Boo

08/2013 - Boo Boo, the client of The Crossings Animal Sanctuary, was awarded a grant from Boris and Natasha's Fund for life-saving vet care. His lengthy hospital stay and care far exceeded their grant capacity of $1000. When they reached out for assistance to fully cover the costs of Boo Boo's treatment, Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant in the amount of $500 to help with costs.

Coco the Chihuahua

07/2013 - Sam's Hope awarded a Vet Care Grant to Coco for testing and heart medication. Medications for Coco's condition will be provided on an ongoing basis.

(Pictured, Coco and his mom, Pat).