Frankie's Unexpected Journey to a Place Called Home

Picasso Veterinary Fund in Action! (November 2010)

Three months ago, Frankie embarked on a journey to a new home. But things didn't go quite as planned for the eight-month-old Pit mix.

When he set out from the Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C) shelter in Brooklyn aboard a Mayor's Alliance Wheels of Hope transport van, his anticipated destination was a foster home in New Jersey.

But somewhere en route, Mayor's Alliance transport driver Ruth Martinez noticed that Frankie appeared lethargic, and he didn't want to stand up. Ruth called in and reported her concerns to the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, and was instructed to change course and take Frankie to the Animal Specialty Center (ASC) in Yonkers, a Picasso Veterinary Fund participating veterinary hospital.

An abdominal ultrasound revealed what appeared to be an intussusception — a severe intestinal disorder in which the intestine "telescopes" within itself, severely restricting blood flow and causing swelling and tissue damage. In Frankie's case, the intestine appeared to be telescoping into his stomach, an extremely rare occurrence. ASC specialists recommended surgery to gain a definitive diagnosis and determine if the problem might instead be caused by the presence of a foreign body. If Frankie were indeed suffering from an intussusception, euthanasia would likely be required. 

Frankie was lucky. Surgeons found a mass of foreign matter that, fortunately, they were able to remove. Apparently Frankie had been on the streets for a while and had ingested a variety of vegetation, rocks, and other unidentifiable material that eventually caused a blockage.

Following surgery, Frankie was placed on a strict regimen of cage-rest, small meals, antibiotics, and vitamins. Only time will tell if the inflammation in his abdomen will completely heal. But so far, so good: his digestive system appears to be healing well, with no recurring problems.

Frankie was released from the hospital in September, and since then has been in foster care. He's regaining the weight he lost during his ordeal, and is becoming healthier every day. We bet he's looking forward to completing that journey to a permanent home that he began three months ago!

If you want that journey to end with you welcoming Frankie into your home, let us know. Just e-mail picasso@AnimalAllianceNYC.org.

Each year, the Picasso Veterinary Fund helps hundreds of homeless dogs and cats in their travels to permanent new homes. When critical medical care is needed to give these animals a second chance, the Fund is there to help. But we can continue to help the animals only with the generous support of people like you who understand the importance of every life. Please help us help them by giving a tax-deductible gift to the Picasso Veterinary Fund. Now more than ever, with slashed budgets greeting the many animals showing up on the doorstep at Animal Care & Control shelters, your help is desperately needed.

If you need any more encouragement, just ask Frankie. He can tell you what a lifesaver the Picasso Veterinary Fund is, and how important your support can be!