Fur Kids Foundation 2019 Success Story: Willa

This beautiful old soul is Willa, and she's a 15 year-old Puggle. Willa's mom has had her since she was in the sixth grade, and she and Willa have been through a lot. Her mom says: "Willa has always gone everywhere with me, and she has always been part of our family. She has been there for me when no one else was. She was my baby before I had my baby. I truly couldn’t imagine not having her by my side every day like she has been for the past 12 years."

Willa started to act confused, was losing weight, and was urinating more than usual. Willa's mom was the caregiver for her grandma, and unfortunately her grandmother passed away. Now Willa's mom is seeking employment, and knew she needed to get Willa seen at the vet, but was very concerned what she would learn. She applied to Fur Kids Foundation for help, and we were happy to help. 

At the vet appointment, it was discovered that Willa was diabetic, had a bad ear infection, and needed new food for her pancreatitis. 

For those who don’t know, diabetes is a chronic disease that can affect dogs as well as cats, pigs, horses, and humans. Diabetes is a metabolism disease, which means it affects how the body converts food into energy. Diabetes can’t be cured, but it can be managed.

According to the Whole Dog Journal, the classic symptoms of diabetes in dogs are: excessive thirst; increased urination; and weight loss despite normal or increased food consumption. Acute-onset blindness resulting from cataracts can also be a sign. You can see other signs in the infographic by Lambert to the side.

According to Fetch by PetMD article: The goal for any pooch with diabetes is to keep blood sugar (or glucose) levels as close to normal as possible. This helps your dog feel good and makes it less likely he'll get diabetes-related complications, such as vision-clouding cataracts and urinary tract infections.

Willa may be 15, but she is a fighter. And we were very happy we could help Willa and her family.

About Fur Kids Foundation
Fur Kids Foundation is 100% run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to help the Foundation raise money with events, take applications, and spread the word about the good work the Foundation does in Campbell County, Wyoming. If you would like to help Fur Kids Foundation continue to help local families with animals afford emergency veterinary care, please consider making a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or signing up to become a volunteer. You can see a list of those who support us on our Supporters page. Check out more Success Stories.