Pet of the Month-January 2017

Scamp

We wanted to start 2017 with a very special Pet of the Month for January, Scamp! He and his family, Orsi, Bob, and Anika, have one of those heartwarming stories that makes you want to cry...who’s crying? You’re crying!

Their story starts with a small pup laying in the middle of a road in Ypsilanti. He was motionless and Orsi actually thought he may have been dead. When she approached him, he lifted up his head and looked at her. She rushed him to the vet and Dr. Hui diagnosed him with parvovirus. Left untreated, parvo has a mortality rate near 90%; fortunately for other puppies, there is a highly effective vaccination available. Scamp was hospitalized for 5 days and recovered like a champ. He has been a part of the family ever since (he's now 8.5 years old). Scamp is one of those dogs that loves everybody and everybody loves him. If you're within a foot of his face, he will plant a big kiss on you. It's probably why he loves children so much, they are at his level. He has endless patience for all their crazy antics.

Then, when Scamp was a year and a half old, we found that he had bilateral elbow dysplasia and the early signs of arthritis. Orsi and Bob collaborated with Animal Rehabilitation Facility in Dexter to get him on a rehab program to slow the progress. Swimming was introduced as part of his therapy and it quickly became a love of his that continues to this day. He also loves playing fetch, sleeping in front of a fire (regardless of the season), snuggling, being a giant couch potato, and warming his parent’s feet under the covers every night.

In December, Scamp was diagnosed with lymphoma, a major shock to all of us. His family quickly started his treatment at Blue Pearl and he’s been responding beautifully. They are cautiously optimistic they'll still have a good bit of time to spoil him rotten. Even with such a heart-wrenching diagnosis, Scamp continues to help his family live a life full of love and happiness: “Everyday we have with him, he reminds us to have fun no matter what, share a hug and kiss, and just take things one day at a time.”