Featured Pet Archives - Planned PEThood of Georgia

Sometimes Surgeries Aren’t Always What They Seem

Last week, we had an incredible shelter day!

Our Go Fix Georgia Program helped 60 shelter cats and dogs with spay/neuter surgeries, vaccines, and even a couple of special surgeries.

We wanted to highlight a very sweet, special pup we saw, Strawberry! Strawberry arrived at Planned PEThood early Thursday morning from one of our partner shelters. She was on our schedule for a straightforward spay surgery. However, upon sedation, we found a huge stick, embedded in the roof of her mouth. Ouch! Can you imagine how much pain she must have been in prior to surgery?

Our veterinary team quickly managed to remove the large stick and move forward with Strawberry’s spay surgery. We have no doubt she felt so much relief upon waking up! Now, Strawberry has headed back to Hall County Animal Shelter pain-free, ready to find her forever home! This lovable pup is available for adoption through Hall County.

This is just one of many unique cases that our vet team encounters on shelter days. This team not only provides expert medical care but also a loving touch for the dogs and cats that come to our facility. Spay/neuter, medical care, and life-saving surgeries for shelter animals are at the heart of our Go Fix Georgia Program.

Just a friendly reminder, NEVER let your dog chew on bones (chicken, steak, etc.) or sticks as they can splinter, become lodged like this, or be swallowed and puncture through the digestive tract. Let’s keep our fur babies safe!

After Searching and Searching, Biggie Finally Found His Forever Home

After over a year in our foster program and waiting and waiting, Biggie Smalls finally found his perfect forever home!

Poor Biggie was originally dumped at a high-kill shelter. It didn’t take long for him to be adopted, but he was abandoned soon after that. A fellow rescuer reached out to Planned PEThood for help after finding Biggie alone, living on a porch, left to fend for himself. He had been ditched by his owners. Can you imagine how scared he must have been? Luckily, Biggie was a good boy and jumped right into his rescuer’s car, not making a peep the entire two-hour car ride.

During the neglect he endured, Biggie’s skin was a mess from head to toe. He was infested with fleas and developed a terrible skin infection. This poor baby only wanted to be loved. With a little TLC and the help of his foster mom, Jess, our Adoption Manager, we were able to get his skin back to normal.

Biggie waited so patiently for a home of his own. He even thought he found his forever home in time for Christmas last year, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out. His foster mom stayed by his side this entire time, helping Biggie stay positive. We knew Biggie would eventually find the perfect home because he is the sweetest, goofiest, easiest pup who simply wants a nice couch to chill on. After over a year of searching, he finally found it!

This sweet family had been on the search for the right pup and eventually came across Biggie’s profile. They knew they had to meet Biggie and just like they thought, it was love at first sight! Biggie will have three human siblings and the biggest, comfiest couch he’s been dreaming of.

We couldn’t be more excited for Biggie and his new family! Wishing you the happiest life Biggie!

Miracle FIP Adoption Story!

Piper, our FIP warrior kitty, found her forever home in time for the holidays!

Piper was rescued earlier this year at 7 weeks old. It was a very typical rescue story. Her mama was an outdoor cat and by the time the family was found, there were only two kittens left. They both entered a foster home and began preparing for adoption. Then in August, Piper was finally adopted and was off to start her new life at her forever home. Everything started out perfect until her tummy started to grow and she became very ill. Her adopters were extremely concerned and reached out for help. Once Jess, our Adoption Manager, laid eyes on her, she knew something was wrong.

Piper’s abdomen was filled with fluid and she was losing weight rapidly. Her adopters decided to surrender Piper back, as that was the best option to get Piper the care she desperately needed.

Our medical team examined her and diagnosed Piper with Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), a viral disease of cats caused by certain strains of the feline coronavirus. There is no test or prevention for this disease. Once a cat develops symptoms of FIP, the disease is usually progressive and results in death in nearly every case.

Until recently, FIP was considered to be a non-treatable disease. However, there is a newly developed treatment that is having success. We have seen it with our own eyes. Inky, another cat in our foster care, went through the treatment and is thriving today. The treatment is very expensive and difficult to find. Luckily, with the generous support of our donors and supports and a $3,000 grant thanks to Kitten Lady and Orphan Kitten Club, our vet team was able to get their hands on the treatment for Piper. Without that treatment, Piper might not have survived.

Piper went through 80 days of injection treatment and was a champ the whole time (as long as she had some churu tubes). Within 40 days of treatment, the fluid in her abdomen dissolved and she was starting to get back to her playful, spunky self. Her amazing foster mom and our dedicated vet team continued to monitor her, checking her weight and blood work, throughout the 80 days.

At the end of her 80 treatment period, Piper was doing fantastic and healthy and she still is! Today, Piper is about halfway through her 80-day observation period just to make sure everything continues to go great. Her journey has been a true miracle!

Piper found her forever home in time for the holidays. Her new adoptive family had recently lost their cat to kidney disease and the younger daughter was longing for another cat. The mom, dad, and older sister adopted Piper as a Christmas surprise for the younger sister. Piper has a zest for life and this family totally gets her. She’ll be spoiled rotten and receive LOTS of love and attention.

Happy life Piper! We wish you the best life at your new home!