Griffin

Griffin was let in a crate on a vet clinic’s doorstep with a note that said “My owner died, please help me. I may be blind. I’m sick but I can be fixed” – no name, no other information. He went to the shelter, completely bare in any place that he could have licked or scratched, with long matted hair left in the other spots and gooey eyes.

Named for the Seahawks twin players, he’s probably about 12 and he’s only blind in ONE eye. (It will have to be removed because of a lens luxation and glaucoma.) The visual eye will be treated for “dry eye” longterm. He’s seen an ophthalmologist and a dermatologist, still needs an echocardiogram to check out his very large heart murmur, and is on prescription diet to deal with urinary crystals. He’s been through a course of antibiotics and anti-fungals for his damaged skin and will have regular immunotherapy injections. He will have a special procedure on his ears but can still hear. Whew, what a laundry list! but fairly typical for the seriously neglected dogs ODH takes in
(particularly cockers).

But now his hair is growing in beautifully in most places and he’s really handsome. He’s also a lively and very cuddly little fellow who insists on lap time and can keep up with brisk walks. Only 18 pounds and very fine-boned, he probably wasn’t well bred but he’s adorable.

Update:  In 3 months, Griffin had become a new dog:     almost covered in a thick velvety coat, the painful blind eye removed (making him brighten up immediately), fit enough for long brisk walks with lots of sniffing and trotting.    Then the cancer was diagnosed.  We treated as best we could but there was lots of pain and I promised him he didn’t have to endure any more pain – he’d had enough.    It was gut-wrenching to lose him after only a month to enjoy his new self; it didn’t seem fair that he suffered for so long and then couldn’t have a long time feeling GOOD.   But nothing in life is fair, and we said goodbye.      I will miss my little black shadow a great deal, he was much loved.