ARLO HAS TO GO BACK FOR SURGERY ON HIS FACE
I was really hoping that with all of the antibiotics Arlo has been on, his last draining tract would finally resolve and close. Sadly, that has not happened. We have thrown everything at this infection—both internally and externally—and while we have made progress, it is still there.
The drainage is no longer as heavy and the smell is gone, which tells us we are making some headway. But the tract itself has not closed.
After speaking with his specialists, we have reached the point where surgery is necessary. They will need to go back in, obtain a fresh culture, thoroughly clean the area, and determine exactly where the draining tract is originating. The good news is that Arlo’s fractured skull bones appear to have healed enough that we are no longer at risk of shifting them during the procedure, which makes us much more comfortable moving forward.
At times I feel like Arlo has a little bit of Timber in him. This infection has been just as stubborn. We have been using many of the same protocols that helped Timber recover, and they have gotten us this far—but unfortunately they haven’t been enough to completely stop the infection.
When bacteria sit in a dark pocket like this for a long time, they can slowly eat away at surrounding tissue. The last thing we want is for it to move deeper toward the brain, which is why we need to address it surgically now.
Through all of this, Arlo acts like nothing is wrong. He is sweet, loving, and just wants to play with his pals at Noah’s Arks Rescue. He has gotten so used to us cleaning his wound that he simply sits patiently and then goes right back to being a puppy.
Not much fazes this adorable boy. With that precious underbite, we now believe he may be a Boxer/Lab mix. He is growing like a weed and will make an incredible family dog once we finally get this infection behind him.
Arlo is perfect in every way—even with his slightly misshaped head from the skull fractures. What happened to him should never have happened. Accidents can occur, but puppies depend on us to protect them. As their guardians, it is our responsibility to keep them safe.
Right now, donations are down, and I’m not sure if it is because of the website or if people simply don’t realize that we survive entirely on donations. I can only keep this ship afloat for so long, and we currently have 42 dogs who need food, medical care, and a safe place to live.
No other rescue takes on the level of medical cases that we do. The bills are enormous, but these dogs deserve a chance.
If you are able, please donate to help Arlo and the many others in our care. If donating isn’t possible right now, sharing this post helps more than you know.
It truly takes a village, and I am so grateful for the incredible NAR Village that has stood beside us for so many years.
Guthrie is doing amazing. I will do an update soon on this precious pup.
Warm hugs and much love… always,
Jennifer
