Captain Khaos
The heartbreak tonight is real. Captain Khaos came into rescue a mess, and near death. Yet he had the sweetest spirit of any Bulldog ever and he managed to inspire people around the world. He fought a valiant fight, but alas, it’s a fight he didn’t win. And a fight we all regretfully lost, too.
We felt so good last week, as he rallied and became more active. His rally, however, was simply a last attempt for a normal, fun and playful life.
Friday was not a good day for Captain and on Saturday, the staff had to feed him by hand and he could barely stand. Today, Sunday, there was a marked change and additional staff came in to work with him. He could not stand, eat or drink. They were giving him water in a syringe. His body temperature was so low, it wouldn’t register. Heather crawled in the ring with him and laid beside him in an attempt to raise his temperature.
Dr. Larsen called right after noon to make us aware of what was happening. It also appeared that he had suffered some strokes ~ he was definitely having some neurological issues. We were losing him and he was going fast. His whole body was shutting down. With Dr. Larsen’s recommendation, the rescue committee concurred that the best thing to do for him was to help him cross the Rainbow Bridge to his well-deserved rest.
We all have been so inspired by Captain Khaos and we’re grateful to those of you who helped support him, and us, every step of the way. He obviously tugged at our hearts and quickly became a part of our lives. We want to sincerely thank Dr. Larsen and her staff for going beyond the call of duty to make these last few weeks the best they could be for him.
Captain Khaos is one of those we will never forget and always carry in our hearts. He will forever remain an inspiration for why we do what we do.
Rest in peace, sweet friend. We know you were welcomed with open arms at the Bridge by a good crowd of other rescue pups we have loved and still miss dearly.
2020 is a year we will all remember. I went from a handsome brindle boy to an absolute mess. My skin is killing me! Sometimes it is like I am on fire.
My parents took me to some vets who tried several things. They changed my diet several times. They did tests. They gave me different kinds of medicine. I would get better for a short while and then get worse than ever. Finally we all had had enough. My parents realized the only way to save me was to give me away.
So I joined rescue. I am three years old, but my birthday is just a few weeks away on December 17. All I want for my birthday is my old brindle fur back! So I am off to see Dr. Larsen and see what we can figure out.
My name is Captain Khaos and I cannot wait for this year to be over!
10/26/20 Update: The ear cultures on Captain Khaos came back today and uncovered some pretty nasty stuff: proteus mirabilis, pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli. However, now we know the best antibiotics for each or the best one to deal with all three. The vet staff will pack his ears with one and use the oral option with another one.
If his scrotum is looking better, the doc will neuter him ASAP. While he is asleep, she will take some skin plugs to send off and get cultures on those.
All the scabs on his torso are falling off and the skin is looking better. The same with his face and neck. We should see some big improvements over the next 7-10 days.
11/2/20 Update: Foster boy Captain Khaos continues to make slow progress at the clinic. The scabs on his back are mostly gone and the skin is looking better. It even looks like some hair is beginning to grow back. His face is slightly better, but his neck and chest continue to be of concern.
He is scheduled for his neuter today. During that time, they will take several skin plug samples from various areas. These will be sent off for a culture and examination. We are hoping the results will give us a better idea of what we are dealing with. He will also get both infected ears packed. They will use a special antibiotic indicated by the ear culture they recently ran.
When they take him outside they try to prevent him from doing what he wants to do the most: roll around in the grass. It may make him feel better momentarily, but his skin is so fragile. It sometimes tears and bleeds, as his face did simply by rubbing it along the ground for a second.
Through it all, Captain Khaos maintains a great attitude. Another good sign is that his energy level seems to be improving.
11/12/20 Update: Please keep the prayers coming for foster boy Captain Khaos as he’s not having a good day.
He didn’t want to eat, so the vet staff is ensuring he gets some nutrition. We are changing antibiotics and we should have more results this week from the samples taken last week. That will tell us if we’re facing pemphigus or something else. Stay strong, Captain.
11/18/20 Update: Today, we were able to get in to see the dermatologist, Dr. Crow, who diagnosed him with pemphigus foliaceus, an autoimmune disorder. Basically, the Captain’s immune system is attacking his own skin.
As you know, we had ruled out pemphigus through our earlier tests, but Dr. Crow said you can’t just look under a microscope. You really need to see the dog, smell the dog and know where to get the skin. He looked at a sample in his office.
While this diagnosis is incurable, it isn’t hopeless … so we are relieved.
Dr. Crow tells us they can induce remission and manage approximately 90-95% of patients with this disorder. Captain will need to continue taking medications throughout his life, but that shouldn’t substantially impact his lifespan. This is not contagious to other pets or humans.
Next steps? New meds and a recheck with Dr. Crow in one month.
We pray this is the true turning point for Captain Khaos. Thank you all for joining us on his wellness journey. It’s comforting to know that Captain has an army of supporters who are cheering him on from all corners of the country!
#teamcaptain
- Share
-
-
-
