By Caryl Bahner-Guin
Spike came into rescue with The Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of the Garden State (Garden State is the nickname of New Jersey) because his owner had passed away. His rescue angels said he was a sweet soul. When he arrived he was overweight (57 pounds or 26 kg -- they say he resembled a furry coffee table!), with diabetes, and cataracts in his eyes. When he was taken to the vet they found a lump on his groin. A mast cell tumor. It was removed, Spike got the care he needed and a new foster home. But the cataracts had to go!
Spike on the rescue page
Meanwhile, Kathy M. in North Carolina was looking at Corgi puppy pictures on the internet and dreaming of puppy breath. Somehow -- and she's not sure how -- she ended up at the website for the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of the Garden State (PWCCGS), where she was drawn to the rescue page and read about Spike. When she learned his owner had died, her heart dropped a bit. Poor Spike. Over the next two days, she saw mementos of other Corgis in her life, and thought of Spike each time.
Her husband, Tom, had been bugging her about what she wanted for Christmas. She said nothing. He kept at it. So she showed him, yup, you guessed it, Spike's picture!
And the next thing you know, Spike was on a horse van headed down to North Carolina. Seems Kathy's brother transports horses for a living. So he brought Spike down to D.C., where Kathy and Tom met him. They loaded Spike in their car and headed off on the seven hour drive home to North Carolina.
Pearl
First order of business back at home was introducing Spike to his foster sister Pearl. As ruler of the house, Pearl has a large crate she considers her personal walk-in closet. She doesn't sleep in it, only uses it to hide her bones and chew hooves and other goodies. Pearl decided to permit Spike to stay, as long as he remembered that she was queen!
Uh-oh!
In spite of his vision problems, Spike figured out where Pearl's treats were. The Corgi nose always knows! He's a character (what Corgi isn't?) whose love of chewing on hooves and such promptly led him to steal her stash of treasures. Tom found him lying down surrounded by a pile of seventeen bones and chew hooves! Turns out he also loves ear scritches and belly rubs, and his favorite treat is celery (he can't have other treats because of his diabetes).
Kathy and Tom researched vets who could give Spike his sight back. They worked closely with their local vet practice, Bonnie Brea Veterinary Hospital, to get their new Corgi's diabetes under control. Next it was time to find a vet to fix Spike's cataracts. And they found a wonderful team at Carolina Veterinary Specialists to do his surgery. So off they went.
Spike after the operation
After a successful surgery, Spike saw a dog in the mirror that evening; he saw himself. For the first time in ages! Kathy says the change in his face was amazing. Spike spoke with an animal communicator a couple of days after his surgery, and told her how amazed he was at all the bright color and the light in the house.
Spike spends lots of time gazing out the window at his new world. He has two wooded acres to hike and enjoy. And when he's not looking out the window he's figured out how to use his "Cone of Shame" to scoop up his bones and chew hooves. He adores his da Tom. When he hears his voice, he comes running!
Spike has his forever home. And his bright eyes back. And the love of his new mum, da, and sister Pearl. And, of course, the Corgi Nation!
Thank you!!
The total costs for Spikes surgery came to over $4,000. The Daily Corgi Facebook Community and Corgi Nation have already helped us raise over $2,000 towards that goal. If you would like to donate, you still can at http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-spike-see-again.
Source: The Daily Corgi
13.03.2014
Reproduced with kind permission.
07.01.2021
