2020 Success Story Ruby bullmastiff

This big, beautiful girl is Ruby, a 5-year-old Bullmastiff. Ruby and her parents are Fur Kids Foundation supporter—attending Pup Crawl and Pics in the Park in the past.

Like many pooches, Ruby has quite an appetite. In early May, Ruby decided to try corn on the cob; unfortunately, she ate the whole cob.
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Ruby's parents have been through a lot recently. Her mom was laid off from work, but was fortunately able to find another job, but had less hours. Then her dad got sick with coronavirus and missed four weeks of work. He was back to work for four days when Ruby's mom went into labor—five weeks early, and their son was put into the neonatal intensive care unit. After their son was released from the hospital, they found out their rent was increased. And then Ruby's mom's blood sugar levels dropped, causing her to have seizures and get rushed to the emergency room. 

This family has been put through the ringer. So, when Ruby ate the corn cob after all of this, they didn’t know what to do. For roughly three weeks that corn cob was stuck in Ruby's belly and then they noticed their girl was not feeling well. They took her to the vet and learned that the corn cob had made its way to Ruby's small intestine causing a full blockage. This would require emergency surgery.

For those who don't know, a corn cob doesn't digest in a dog's stomach. That means they are likely to cause a blockage, and possible perforation, if they're left to make their way through the intestines.

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According to Pet Helpful, the most common signs of blockages in dogs are: 
• Abdominal pain (praying position)
• Difficulty going poop 
• Drooling
• Lack of energy 
• Lip smacking
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting

Blockages are very serious issues for dogs. If left untreated, blockages can lead to fatal complications, such as perforation of the bowels and peritonitis—inflammation of the abdominal cavity.

Blockages are very serious issues for dogs. If left untreated, blockages can lead to fatal complications, such as perforation of the bowels and peritonitis—inflammation of the abdominal cavity.

Since Ruby’s family was familiar with Fur Kids Foundation, they applied for assistance with her emergency visit, and we were happy to help.

Ruby is back home and recovering well from her emergency surgery. Her parents are keeping corn cobs away from her, and are looking forward to brighter days.

If you’re interested in a list of fruits and vegetables that dogs can and cannot eat, check out his list by the American Kennel Club.

About Fur Kids Foundation
​Fur Kids Foundation is 100% ran 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. Read more Success Stories.