Jessie's Fund

Jessie's Fund

Nerf gun darts, a plastic toy wheel, hair ties, bark, sticks and plastic shards.

This is the shocking list of items found in the stomach of Jessie the kelpie puppy when our vet team performed emergency surgery last week.

When four-month-old Jessie came into our care, he was in a bad state, weak and despondent with diarrhoea and frequent vomiting. Xrays revealed a swollen abdomen and intestines, caused by the array of foreign bodies lodged in his internal organs.

Our skilled vet team carefully removed an astounding 104 fragments of different items from Jessie’s stomach, and kept him on a fluid drip overnight while he recovered from his traumatic ordeal.

Despite the success of the original surgery, there was no way of knowing how long these items had been in Jessie’s stomach and if there were going to be further repercussions from his curious appetite…

Sadly, this poor pup isn’t out of the woods yet, and he needs your help.

Recovering in a loving foster home, Jessie’s stomach seemed to be healing well, but his foster carer reported that he was sleeping a lot and was very quiet. If you have ever met a kelpie puppy you will appreciate how out of character this is!

Jessie’s condition quickly deteriorated, and he became lethargic and barely responsive, prompting his attentive foster carer to rush him straight back to our vet clinic. Blood tests revealed a bleeding gastric ulcer, which causes significant pain and discomfort and can be life-threatening if not treated. The ulcer most likely developed due to internal damage from the swallowed items.

In addition to the treatment he has already undergone, Jessie will require special medication, administered via an IV drip under veterinary supervision for the next few days.

Will you donate today to ensure Jessie gets the urgent treatment he needs to make a full recovery?

At RSPCA South Australia, we will always spring into action to help animals like Jessie in their time of greatest need. But as a community-funded charity, these cases hit our already stretched resources hard.

With your help, we are hopeful that Jessie will be able to bounce back and regain the zest for life that a healthy kelpie pup should have.

<Jessie’s cautionary tale is an important reminder about the risks of dogs eating strange objects. Puppies and young dogs are especially prone to swallowing things they shouldn’t, so make sure you keep small items out of their reach – just as you would for human babies and toddlers. If your dog doesn’t seem to be growing out of a compulsion to eat non-food items, it’s best to consult your veterinarian.>

*The goal for Jessie’s fundraiser includes the cost of the initial surgery, intravenous medication and post-operative overnight care; as well as additional care and medication required to treat the gastric ulcer. If his medical and care costs are less than is raised in his name, additional funds will provide care for other animals in need of urgent veterinary treatment.

$2,615

raised of $2,500 goal

Campaign progress

  • Goal: $2,500
  • Achieved: 104.6%
  • Days left: 0
  • No. donors: 39
  • Av. amount: $67

Thank you for your donation!

Your kindness will make a huge difference to the safety and wellbeing of animals in South Australia.

Do you have friends, family or colleagues who might also want to help? Why not share news of your donation via social media. Every donation we receive goes a long way to expanding the work of RSPCA South Australia.

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