Berry, the Rottweiler from Kota
In late 2019 a young girl who was a student in Kota Rajasthan contacted VOSD through Mili Gandhi a lady who used to volunteer with us (2014-2016) and does a lot of work for Bangalore’s dogs. This group of students had found a dog on the streets – it was a small pup that had a huge distended stomach – kind of like if there was a football stuck in it. The small pup went to a local vet – and it was found that the pup has Ascites. Its liver did not function well, and fluid was accumulating in its belly. That pressure of fluid was causing the distended stomach to the point the dog could not walk.
There are only 2 ways to relieve the pressure – diuretics to make the dog urinate a lot or puncture the stomach if that is not fast enough or the fluids pressure too much. For the dog, the second option was taken and a large amount to fluid came out directly from the stomach.
It turned out to a rottweiler pup that either the breeder or the person who had bought it had thrown on the street when this medical situation happened. Once the pressure was released the dog went on medication to manage its liver, she started eating better and became a little playful. But she was still in pain and was not a normal happy puppy. Besides, the problem had still not been addressed – what next? A small-town Kota has hardly the kind of facilities say a city like Bangalore has. But more importantly who will keep the dog that will need to be managed with extensive medical care for the rest of its life? The group of students kept looking and found to real answers until they turned to VOSD.
Berry’s journey to VOSD
It took about a week for us to arrange the transport and the dog came to Bangalore. The students started calling it Berry and at the time it looked like a Berry – dark and with a large distended stomach. With continuous medication, the swelling kept reducing and the dog kept growing. Today 6-9 months later with extensive treatment and care at VOSD Berry has started looking like somewhat of a normal rottweiler. She is loyal and living with small dogs like a goofball. Every now and then her problem returns & she stops eating her edema returns – she gets back on medication and gets better. Apart from that, she has the most normal life like a dog her age should.
VOSD supports individual rescuers across India
The group of students who rescued her have become a small extended part of VOSD. Recently when there was a national lockdown because of COVID19 VOSD had started a national program to support feeders across India and this group was one of them who received – and they used the funds to feed dogs across a large part of India. More recently there was a dog that someone beat with rods and threw acid on – and that dog has been rescued as well – because a dog with no home and no hope always has a place to live out the rest of its natural life in VOSD where it will never be chained or caged, and lives in a real home, with an army of caregivers and caretakers, has the best food and nutrition in the world, and the best medical care. Where they have their own parks to play in, and their own swimming pools to swim. That is the magic of VOSD Sanctuary and Hospital.