| Willard's Miracle |
| Found as a stray walking down a country road, feet sore, bleeding and blistered from the rocks and hot asphalt, body emaciated and covered in mange, Willard finally found his way into the caring hands of Love For Paws Rescue. With the thousands of strays that litter our city, why do we think Willard's tale is worth telling? Is it that he survived being born unwanted and turned over to Animal Control as a baby to be disposed of? Is it that he survived being taken from animal control, only to be neglected and abandoned again? Is it that he survived being infected by a deadly disease like distemper and somehow lived? Or Is it that Willard, after such a hard life at less than two years old, was then afflicted with liver disease and forced to face the hardest fight for his life ? All of these are reasons enough to want to share his miraculous story... Little did we know that Willard's miracle was yet to come. |
| After coming to live at Love For Paws Rescue, with little chance of being adopted due to his expensive treatments and medication, Willard settled into his new shelter life. Attending almost every adoption event, with his own donation box to help raise money for his medications, he quickly found joy in meeting every stranger that stopped to talk to him. For almost a year, Willard continued his treatment , a series of 5 medications and special diet that helped him flourished from a sad 48lbs into a very robust 89lb dog. Sadly, his lab work continued to showed no improvement indicating his liver was still struggling to keep him alive. During a routine check up, our doctor tested Willard for a rare intestinal parasite called schistosomiasis through Texas A&M. If he were positive, it could explain his liver condition. We were disappointed weeks later to find that he wasn't. His doctor however, still suggested we treat him for this parasite anyway. A few months later, by chance, Willard's story reached a wonderful woman who offered to sponsor his well over due dental to help his badly damaged and broken teeth and to run more lab work. That same afternoon I received a call from our veterinarian. It was a call I never dreamed I'd ever receive. He told me that Willard's lab work came back and it was normal. Normal! His doctor said there was no indication of the liver disease. I had to ask him if he was sure he was talking about the right dog..he was..Willard no longer needs any medication or special diet. He was healthy. I can not explain how this happened, except that it's a true miracle. ...the story doesn't end there. Willard not only had his health....but a home of his own. The same very special lady who helped Willard get his dental, opened her heart and home to him, giving him something he'd never had before.... A family. |
