It’s been a long journey for a nine month old lab-mix puppy that was found in a pumpkin patch near Nebraska City last month. The Capital Humane Society’s Matt Madcharo says Zephyr was first taken to a vet clinic in Nebraska City before being sent to their facility on September 26 for continued care.
“She only weighed 12.1 pounds, was very emaciated, skinny, dehydrated and very anemic as well,” Madcharo says. “She couldn’t stand up on her own, she couldn’t lift her head up.” Madcharo says Zephyr was starving and they had to be careful with the way they fed her.
“She actually gained four pounds in four days so she was up to 16 pounds by that following Tuesday,” He says she was also able to stand up with assistance and began gaining strength. After doing additional tests, Zephyr was sent to the Kansas State University Veterinary Hospital on October 3rd for further care.
Over the course of one week Madcharo says they continued to monitor her, kept her on IV fluids and put in a nasal feeding tube. Then on Tuesday Zephyr made her return to the Capital Humane Society and received quite a reception. Staff held welcome home signs, there were balloons, a doggy cake and plenty of hugs from employees.
Madcharo says the nasal feeding tube in now gone and Zephyr is on a canned food diet. “She still has a long road ahead, she’s still very skinny.” He says it will take her a couple of months to get to her ideal body weight and condition. “But from where she started to where she is now, it’s amazing to see.”
