Arf

Answered prayer

I was wondering if I had a page already about Arf, one of my dogs, or our dogs, or whatever. Or not whatever, as Arf is the first dog I really wanted and owned myself.


This photo was taken during his first period of bleeding in the middle of the night

And somehow strange, how I got him, a miracle actually, as after Ulla died, I did not have any money to buy a new dog, especially not a Rottweiler, so I prayed to God for a new Rottweiler, for free. And strangely enough that miracle happened, as I really believe that is a miracle: who would get a Rottweiler for free after just praying, who would be offered a Rottweiler for free?

And I would love to tell more about how I got Arf, and what happened after, but I don’t really feel like it, as I am a bit tired and lost, partly because Arf is sick and caused quite some panic over the last week. As he happens to have a small tumor somewhere on his skin and that tumor started bleeding last week. And it did not bleed a little, no, a lot, so much and several times that I was really scared that he would bleed to death.

And yes, I need to tell a bit more. As when we went to the vet nothing much seemed to be feasible to stop the bleeding, so we asked the vet what to do when the bleeding would start again. And he suggested to use Mighty Bond, instead of surgical glue (I did not know something like that existed). So on the way back home my priority was to buy Mighty Bond, as I wouldn’t want to end up feeling so helpless when Arf would be bleeding again. In the supermarket we stopped there was only one item left, that looked a bit damaged, but it seemed still closed when I asked to take it out of the outer packaging.

Devcon Plastic Steel EpoxyUnfortunately shortly after, I think that same day again, Arf started bleeding again. But I had a solution I thought, or not? No, not, as the Mighty Bond was indeed too much damaged and probably all dried up inside. Fortunately my partner came with a solution: Plastic Steel Epoxy from Devcon, that we still had somewhere in the house. And against the advice of the vet to use any other type of glue I decided to put it, as it seemed the only two options were Arf bleeding to death or putting the Plastic Steel Epoxy. Fortunately that worked, even better than expected, and the bleeding stopped.

Help needed

So why did I start writing this post? Well, I was working in the garden about an hour ago and I was thinking about my financial situation. And that basically I don’t have budget for the surgery Arf probably needs to remove the tumor. And then I thought about the people reacting on my post in Facebook, mostly people who are dog lovers. And I thought about ‘charity’, about that many people are willing to help with things like sick dogs or sick people or dogs in need or people in need.

And I am still very hesitant about asking money, as to me that is “not done” somehow. But basically I can’t afford the surgery, basically I couldn’t even afford the medicines and stuff I bought until now. So then I thought, well, why not? I can always ask and people may be willing to save Arf’s life; or actually people may be willing to help me, if not only that I got Arf from people who were not able to take care of him properly, realizing after I got him that I basically also can’t afford a dog like Arf.

So maybe you are willing to help me. The indication I got from the vet was PHP 9,000.00 for the surgery. And I think until now I spent like PHP 5,000.00 on a visit to the vet and medicines for Arf. And if there would be any money left I am pretty sure I can do something with that related to everything that happened around Arf.

Just send an e-mail to guus@inspiration-for-success.com if you are willing to help. And of course I will tell more about how I got Arf and what happened after.

Mighty BondIt is about a week ago since I wrote this post and fortunately the last few days Arf has not been bleeding anymore, maybe because of the Mighty Bond we put, but probably because the infection he was suffering from has been cured.

Arf with carton.
Arf with carton (from my AOC monitor) so he could not lick the tumor

Just send an e-mail to guus@inspiration-for-success.com if you are willing to help. And of course I will tell more about how I got Arf and what happened after (I already updated the page a bit).

You can also donate, if you like anonymous, on the page Save Arf at Just Giving.

Panic, blood, blood and more blood

I have not updated this page for a while and I would love to do right now but I first want to visit Arf as he may need my support. Yesterday he was confined in the Batinga clinic after his bleeding started again last week and got worse and worse. I hope I was just in time as I am sure now he would not have survived another day, maybe not even another hour after I arrived at the Batinga clinic.

April 25, 2017, Arf survived

This afternoon I visited Arf and I was relieved to find him alive at the clinic, especially the last few meters, as they might just tell me Arf had died last night or this morning as I know I had left him in critical state, even though vet Daniel Batinga had been able to stop the bleeding. But he didn’t die and apparently had been his usual strong self, scaring even the very experienced staff of Batinga veterincary clinic in a way they decided not to give him his medicines and wait for me to give it to him. Actually he had improved already so much that I was allowed to take him out for a short walk.

And I guess he is not out of danger yet as the tumor is still there and he is probably pretty weak due to the enormous amount of blood he lost, but yes, for today I am very grateful to know he is still there.

April 26, 2017, alive, but not yet released

Today I was still a bit scared visiting Arf at the clinic, but fortunately he was still alive and amazingly the staff had not been able to give him his medicine also today. He is still good in scaring people and I never expected Toto to be that much affected by a dog not being able to give him his medicine. But yeah, Arf has his ways, I know, and I was not able to train him well yet due to the fights with YokYok that I still fear, so he has been on a leash until now in Malasage.

Fortunately his blood numbers are up, so tomorrow he will probably released. And not today as the vet suggested yesterday. And I had been a bit scared about the last, as I am not fully ready yet dealing with blood, with bleeding again, even though the vet thinks the risk is limited now.

April 27, 2017, Arf released

Today Arf was released from the vet, and though I was, and maybe still am a bit scared that he would somehow start bleeding again, I am happy he is home. And I guess he is also, but Arf is a bit a weird dog where I never fully know what is going on with him. Like arriving home he started growling when we tried to carry him off the pick-up, which I did not fully understand, but it seemed he was scared.

Arf back home
Arf back home

And yes, being Guus, trying to be a leader, trying to give the good example, I finally decided to just carry him off the pick-up myself, even though he is too heavy for me as my doctor only allows me to carry 15 kg due to my back injury. Fortunately that went well and I was not bitten or something.

April 30, 2017: Arf is doing fine

Arf is still doing fine after I brought him to the vet last Monday and has not been bleeding anymore since the vet ‘bound off’ the tumor, the bleeding area. Shortly after he arrived home the whole thing even fell off and it is not kind of a small hole, still kind of open, but it has proven to be stable.

This Tuesday vet Daniel wants to see him again to check. I hope I can find someone who can bring me there. Even though I may have found somebody already, please let me know if you have time on Tuesday. I also don’t always want to ask Omega for those trips. She has done so much already for me.

May 2, 2017

Today I went to the vet for a check-up. Main thing done was a blood test. Arf’s blood numbers are not very good yet, so I still need to give him iron and dextrose, but I only have to go back two weeks from now, so that is encouraging.

May 13, 2017, Arf is doing fine…

Arf is doing fine, although he sometimes looks a bit weak. Another medical issue arose, as the last few days as Lee was in the hospital. Fortunately he was released today with apparently no permanent brain damage or something, but his bill was a lot higher than the medical expenses of Arf until now, so what will I do. Start another fund raising?

I considered not paying, but I can’t just let someone who was advised to be submitted, and who asked me to support and help him, be, even though I can’t really afford. And yes, I am responsible for my own actions, but it just didn’t feel right to just leave or not pay the bill. It leaves me with a big dent in my safety blanket though and I am not happy with that.

So what will I do. Start another fund raising? Doesn’t really feel good, but yeah, I consider a human being still more important than a dog. I guess it is also not fair that I suffer financially so much, even though of course I was not obliged to pay. And they say best to leave it to God, but I am not sure if God will just give me the money back.

What would you do?

May 20, 2017: Arf declared okay

Yesterday, May 20, 2017, Arf was declared okay by the vet. He still has a small wound and it was recommended that I give him more vitamins with iron, but as of now no procedure needed as the tumor is gone and he has not been bleeding anymore since I brought him to the vet.

Unfortunately YokYok is getting old according to the vet, like his eyes are dirty and he seems to have problems with his jaw where he lost his two big upper teeth in fights with Arf. I just got him eye drops, so hopefully his eyes will improve a bit.

Still not easy seeing YokYok not fully okay where he has been the dog closes to me for a long, long time. He certainly does not like the new rule where he is not allowed on the terrace anymore and he seems to be scared of Arf now. A bit sad to see, but I guess that is life. We cannot have everything we want.

Of course I will do my best to improve things and hopefully they can be together one day, as I still keep Arf on a (long) leash as I don’t want them to fight.

Budget

I asked people around me and even in public to help me financially regarding Arf’s treatment, so I feel obliged to make an overview of donations and expenses.

Until now my main expenses were medicines for the treatment of his infection about six weeks ago when it all started, costs for the Mighty Bond I used to cover his wound to stop or limit the bleeding and a few hundred pesos for iron type vitamins prescribed recently to help get his blood replenished. I don’t know the cost for his current hospitalization yet.

In donations I received £ 30.00 from a a business friend minus cost of Just Giving and a promise of PHP 500.00 from a friend of mine. Today some people also promised to help, but I don’t know the amount yet.

Summarizing:

More than money

I think today I realized I had completely forgotten to mention my friend Omega, who has helped me out several times when 1I needed help, and not only with Arf. She was also the person who drove me to get Arf when I had decided I could not leave him in the situation I found him in.

Yes, that kind of help is often worth a million times more than money.

Thank you so much Omega for your help and support.

And I don’t want to forget Sir Daniel Batinga, the vet, who I am sure did not charge all the fees and other things I believe he normally charges. Thank you so much. And yes, I guess in the end it was his decision that really saved Arf’s life and made that further procedures are not needed right now. Thank you so much Sir Daniel.

Expenses

Medicine estimate infection treatment PHP 4,000.00
Mighty Bond 10 pieces 500.00
Vitamins with iron 300.00
Hospitalization end April 4,200.00
Visit to vet (PHP 425.00 + PHP 470.00) 895.00
Vitamins with iron 160.00
Vitamins with iron 250.00
Hydrogen Peroxide 20.00
—————–
Subtotal PHP 10,325.00
Surgery (estimate) 5,000.00 – 8,000.00
Total PHP 15,000.00 – 18,000.00
 

Hospital expenses Lee: around PHP 45,000.00 (see paragraph May 13, 2017)

 

Donations

UK business friend (£ 30,00) PHP 1,700.00
Philippine friend 500.00
Money for my birthday from my mom I will donate (part of € 100.00, rest was for new shoes I really needed) 3,350.00
Joe Cuddy, friend from the Concorde RTF project (£ 50,00) 2,800.00
Philippine friend. I appreciate this donation very much. It is not only about the money, it is also about people caring and showing that, even if they don’t really have the funds. And yes, 100 people, friends, donating PHP 50.00 is also PHP 5,000.00. 50.00
Philippine business friend. I appreciate this donation very much. Also here, it is not only about the money, it is also about people caring and showing that, even if they don’t really have the funds. 50.00
Donation from a good friend. 100.00
Donation from another friend. 150.00
Donation from my mom (EUR 5.00). 250.00
Donation from my sister (EUR 5.00). 250.00
Donation from a friend from the church. 170.00
Donation from an anonymous friend. 100.00
Total PHP 9,570.00

Other

Alpha Lipid Colostrum from New ZealandAnother friend has donated a can of colostrum from New Zealand. She is very enthusiastic about the product and makes her living from it. I was very happy to be able to give it to Arf and I am pretty sure it helped him. If you are interested you can contact her through Facebook; or just contact me and I will connect you to her.