Back in May, Stephanie Smith-Justus got a call from a worried neighbor. He had just seen a dog who was in dire need of help and he didn’t know what to do.
Smith-Justus, who works for her local city shelter and also runs the no-kill Buchanan County Humane Society in Virginia, grabbed her husband and ran down to the end of her street where the neighbor said he had seen the dog.
After scouring the wooded forest area, she was ready to give up. But just then her husband found the dog, lying in a patch of weeds at the end of the road. “He said, ‘Stephanie, I don’t think he’s going to live,'” Smith-Justus told The Dodo.
Buchanan County Humane Society
“At first he looked like he’d been scalded,” Smith-Justus said. At just 4 months old, the puppy was covered with a serious case of demodectic mange that he likely caught from his mother. “It was so severe,” she explained. “Just imagine like a second-degree burn.”
AD
Buchanan County Humane Society
As luck would have it, a vet had just moved into a house down the street, and Smith-Justus and her husband gathered up the little dog and ran there. “We didn’t even knock on the door,” she said. “I just ran in her house with him.”
The vet took one look at the dog, who was later named Watkins after the street where he was found, and knew it was bad. “She told me he was dying,” Smith-Justus said.
Buchanan County Humane Society
AD
They rushed him to the vet’s clinic, where they realized his skin was just the beginning. He had been shot repeatedly with a pellet gun. He weighed just 34 pounds, and had gone so long without eating that his intestines had collapsed.
Buchanan County Humane Society
And because he had been so malnourished, his ankles hadn’t developed properly. “His tendons had lost their elasticity,” Smith-Justus explained. “He couldn’t stand up on on the pads of his paws. He sort of flopped down on his wrists … it was just painful to watch him walk.”
The mange had taken such a hold that his little body was about to give out. “He was just oozing with fluids,” Smith-Justus said, explaining that there was an 8-inch wet patch surrounding him wherever he sat. “He was just so swollen.”
Buchanan County Humane Society
AD
Smith-Justus was heartbroken by Watkins’ condition and wanted to save him, but her top priority was doing what was kindest.
“If he’s that bad, if you need to euthanize him, I understand, but I want to do what’s best for him,” she told the vet. “And she said, ‘Let’s save him.'”
But it wasn’t easy. Just a short time after being rushed to the clinic Watkins’ bowels twisted and he was rushed into emergency surgery, which the vet didn’t expect him to come out of.
Buchanan County Humane Society
“She told me he wouldn’t live, and to say goodbye, and I did,” Smith-Justus said. “And the next morning, he was going strong.”
But a few weeks later he took another turn for the worst. He stopped eating, dropping from 34 pounds down to 17, and had to have a feeding tube implanted – which he then chewed off. “It was like a comedy of errors,” Smith-Justus said of his recovery.
Buchanan County Humane Society
Watkins spent a total of 119 days living at the vet’s office and, briefly, at Virginia Tech’s ICU. And as he slowly fought his way back to health from his rough start in life, something equally touching began to happen.
Buchanan County Humane Society
Smith-Justus began to receive an outpouring of support from people all over the world who had heard Watkins’ story and wanted to cheer him on his way to recovery. Blankets and dog beds began to pour in from all over the U.S. and even internationally; one family even came from several states away to visit him.
Today, a Facebook page set up to document his story has over 12,000 followers.
Buchanan County Humane Society
AD
“His pictures and his story must have resonated with them the way it did with me,” Smith-Justus said.
And thanks to Watkins team of supporters – and his determined spirit – he was finally able to go home with Smith-Justus on July 11.
Buchanan County Humane Society
Of course, he wasn’t quite free of doctors yet. Every Tuesday he had to go to the vet to be treated for an ongoing ear infection, and every Thursday he had to do a sort of “puppy chemo” to wipe out the demodectic mange .
But he continued to surprise everyone with his determination. When his legs still weren’t working properly Smith-Justus made an appointment to get them looked at. But right before she took him, Watkins took another huge step – literally. “He just got up and started walking like he was supposed to,” Smith-Justus said. “I have no explanation for it.”
Buchanan County Humane Society
Over the next several months Watkins took bigger and bigger steps forward – and though he’s still recovering today, he’s much closer to a happy, healthy 10-month-old puppy than anyone would have thought possible.
Buchanan County Humane Society
And he’s continually rewarding Smith-Justus and her friends and family with his ongoing improvement. For example, he used to be afraid of cars and weed eaters but now he loves car rides. He’s gaining back confidence and has already gotten stronger from running around in the yard – which he learned to do without crying just a few weeks ago.
Buchanan County Humane Society
“He’s such a joy; he’s such a pleasant dog,” she said. “He grew stronger, his skin started improving, his ears started improving.”
He also found a best friend in his stuffed lobster, which Watkins likes to keep in his water bowl until it’s bedtime and he fetches him to cuddle with.
Buchanan County Humane Society
And considering Watkins’ tough start in life, he’s surprisingly full of love. When Smith-Justus recently took in a group of soot-covered kittens and their mother who had been injured in a house fire, Watkins stepped right in to adopt them as his own, cleaning them as their wary mother looked on.
Buchanan County Humane Society
Watkins still has a long way to go, and he currently takes Prozac to help with the stress of his medical treatments. But each passing day reveals more of the little puppy who was buried under all the trauma that Watkins experienced in his young life.
Buchanan County Humane Society
“The doctors at Virginia Tech told me that they hoped and prayed for him, but they were not giving him a very high chance of survival … he surprised us all,” she said. “He’s a miracle, he really is.”
Buchanan County Humane Society
If you’d like to help contribute to Watkins’ ongoing veterinary costs, you can make a donation here.
And if you’d like to help ensure that other dogs aren’t abandoned like Watkins was, you can provide one with a forever home; visit Adopt-a-Pet.com to see needy dogs near you.
Introducing Pet Insurance Services:
In today’s world, pets have become integral members of our families, enriching our lives with their companionship and love. As responsible pet owners, ensuring their health and well-being is of utmost importance. That’s where pet insurance services step in.
Pet insurance is a specialized type of insurance designed to cover the costs associated with veterinary care for your beloved pets. Similar to health insurance for humans, pet insurance provides financial protection against unforeseen medical expenses resulting from accidents, illnesses, and sometimes routine care.
Here are some key features of pet insurance services:
Comprehensive Coverage: Pet insurance typically covers a wide range of medical expenses, including surgeries, hospitalizations, medications, diagnostic tests, and emergency treatments. Some plans may also include coverage for preventive care such as vaccinations and wellness exams.
Customizable Plans: Pet insurance providers offer various plans tailored to meet the diverse needs and budgets of pet owners. You can choose from different coverage levels, deductibles, and reimbursement options to create a plan that suits your specific requirements.
Peace of Mind: With pet insurance, you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re prepared for unexpected veterinary expenses. Instead of worrying about the cost of treatment, you can focus on providing the best possible care for your furry friend, knowing that you have financial support in place.
Financial Protection: Veterinary care costs can add up quickly, especially in the case of emergencies or serious illnesses. Pet insurance helps alleviate the financial burden by covering a significant portion of the expenses, ensuring that you can afford necessary medical care for your pet without hesitation.
Rising Veterinary Costs: The cost of veterinary care continues to rise due to advances in technology and increased demand for specialized treatments. Pet insurance helps offset these escalating costs, making quality healthcare more accessible and affordable for pets and their owners.
In summary, pet insurance services offer invaluable support for pet owners, providing financial protection and peace of mind when it comes to their pets’ health. By investing in pet insurance, you can ensure that your furry companions receive the care they need without compromising on quality or worrying about the cost.