Desperately Sweet Pitty Momma and 4 Tiny Puppies

Sometimes I just get a sense that the posted family is meant for us. That’s how I felt about this family from Red Rock who had been found by the side of the road. Up to this point in our fledgling fostering career, we had only hosted cats and kittens. I was hesitant about our ability to take on dogs and puppies with three dogs of our own, two of whom were senior citizens and one of whom was struggling with cognitive disorder. Could we do it? You bet!!! Far be it from me to turn my back on Pitties in need. We are a Pitty-partial family. Our youngest is an APBT who we couldn’t be more in love with or more proud of. So…off to the shelter for more Pitties!

But these weren’t ordinary Pitties. These were Pitties with contagious sarcoptic mange and serious worms and big, bloated bellies. These were practically hairless Pitties. These were Pitties who were so sweet and lovable that I wasn’t sure we wouldn’t join the ranks of foster failures!  

My family came home with a small arsenal of medications. I had to write it out for myself to keep it all straight. After getting them settled, I headed to the store. Raw, pureed pumpkin for diarrhea or constipation, plain yogurt with live cultures for intestinal strength, and Vitamin E and C for immune building. I immediately started them on a semi-raw diet. I should have bought stock in ground turkey! I even finely chopped raw kale for some greenery. My own dogs joined me in the kitchen twice a day watching me fill five bowls with my culinary delight wondering if there were any leftovers.

Since Mom’s skin was in the worst, scabby shape, I added zinc to her diet and rubbed her down with Vitamin C oil with lavender every day. She loved the spa treatments and willingly submitted to my homeopathic efforts to combat the mange.

One of the puppies was behind the 8-ball right from the start. We did everything possible to help him turn the corner and thrive, including separate nursing time with mom where he didn’t have to compete with his siblings and syringe feedings of Pedialyte to boost his fluid levels, but in the end the TLAC vets decided that it was in his best interest to let him go. We had “Mijo” for one week, and we were devastated to have to say good bye so soon.

All three puppies and mom have since found homes, but I think about them all the time. I have loved every single foster animal that has spent time in our home, but this family really stuck in my heart. We worked so hard to get them healthy and adoptable. “Emmy Lou” was a role model to all mothers, and the babies were so much fun to watch. It was a complete labor of love, and I enjoyed every minute of it.