Elpida (hope) Needs Urgent Help

May 01/2014

   Elpida was abandoned most likely because  her owners didn't want to deal with her illness.  She wandered alone getting worse and worse. Thank goodness she came to my attention after a phone call from the principal at a local public school.  He wanted to have a dog that was causing a commotion removed from the playground.
I was expecting to find a dog creating a stir but what I found was this gentle old girl curled up in the hole of a tree, barely moving. She needs immediate surgery to save her life.
Tommorow, May 2nd, our vet will do what he can.  Please help me help Elpida.

I need to raise €200 for her surgery and care.  Any small amount will help reach the goal.

I will keep everyone posted.

Through paypal - tinakanellos2@hotmail.com

Thank you.

Konstantina

May 2nd, 2014

   The surgery went well.  Elpida is resting.  In the morning we will know more. Thank you to the indivduals who have chipped in,  €80 approx. have come in so far.  

May 05/2014

   

   Elpida was released from the vet clinic and is in a safe place.  The x-rays did not show any kind of metastasis.  The tumour was successfully removed.  From here …antibiotics, recuperation and perhaps a home where she can happily live out the rest of her years. 

  Elpida is obviously feeling some pain and is on painkillers.  Despite the fact that she spends most of the day sleeping, when it comes to feeding time she is quite alert and hungry. She is not only hungry for food but for life.  To live!!  If anyone is interested in giving this old girl a loving home please leave a message.

K.K.

May 12th, 2014

Elpida is doing well!!

May 15th, 2014

     Elpida had her stitches removed today!  She was excellent.  A few more days of antibiotics and she will be freed from the Elizabethan collar.  Further, she will need time to put on some weight and have a full recovery.

     After all she has been through it will be a shame to return her to the street. There must be a family out there for Elpida to live her remaining years in love and safety. She is a calm, golden retreiver mix, who after the removal of the tumour has nothing to do with the near death dog we found. She is full of life … rejuvenated!  I asked for your help to save her from the tumour and you came through and now I am asking for your help so she can find her forever home.

June 7th.  2014

   What a huge change.  The only thing left from her tumour is a faint scar.  She is such a great dog that loves to be around humans.  She loves to be cuddled, is calm and has a great tempermant.  Here she is...the wonderul Elpida a month and seven days since her rescue.

August 25th, 2014

     The beginning of August was a very sad time.  I spend time with the dogs everyday. One afternoon Elpida appeared quite "down" and she did not have an appetite to eat.  This was in stark contrast from the previous day and her usual self where by she was always very excited at feeding time and first in line for dinner. I also noticed  that her breathing was unusually fast.  I recalled it was a Saturday because I remember thinking..."Why do these things always seem to happen on a weekend when the clinic is closed?"  I called the vet and explained what I saw.   I monitored her during the weekend and seeing no improvement, on Monday I took her to the vet and asked for an x-ray of her chest. Regretfully, the x-ray revealed that her lungs were full of cancer!  Although the initial x-rays taken when we found her in early May showed that there was no metastasis, there must have been something left behind.  I was heartbroken!  The vet suggested we make her comfortable and she was given cortisone and antibiotics so we could prepare for her.  The next few days she was almost like her old self but a little less active.  Inevitably, however, as the days passed she began to slow down again; it was obvious her breathing was becoming difficult.  Not wanting her to suffer, with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes, on August 12^th, I took her to the vet where, holding her in my arms I said my last good byes.  It was incredibly difficult to do so.


Elpida was a great, great dog!  I am happy that I was able to give her the dignity she deserved in the last part of her life.  She was loved and cared for right until the end.  Thank you to everyone who helped me with donations for her surgery so that I could have given her that dignity.

I miss your presence, your face and your warm cuddles!!  Bye bye old girl!!

 

Taken July 24th, this is one of the last pictures I took of Elpida.