Golden retriever fights for life at Veterinary Medical Center

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Contact:

Joan Barnes, Retrieve a Golden of Minnesota, 952-200-8508 or Jbarnes582@comcast.net

Golden retriever fights for life at Veterinary Medical Center

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (Dec. 18, 2008) – A 2-year-old female golden retriever, dubbed “Orphan Annie,” is fighting for her life at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center after being rescued from a snowbank by a Good Samaritan. She was shot twice: One shot went through her neck and esophagus, and the other went through her abdomen and exited through her chest, fracturing a rib and puncturing her diaphragm.

“She needed emergency surgery Tuesday morning and the next 72 hours were touch-and-go,” said Beryl Board, co-executive director of Retrieve a Golden of Minnesota (RAGOM). “We expect the medical bills to be between $12,000 and $15,000, which is a lot for a small organization like ours. She has a special spirit, and we just couldn’t say no to helping her live the golden life that she so richly deserves.”

Despite being on a high dose of pain medications for her wounds, Annie was wagging her tail on Monday and was stable. Early Tuesday morning, her fever spiked and her blood pressure dropped, and she was rushed into surgery to clean out infection. Surgeons removed 20 percent of her stomach due to necrosis and put in drains to help her heal. Annie will remain on oxygen in the ICU for several days.

RAGOM is a nonprofit organization, run solely by volunteers, dedicated to providing a high quality of life for golden retrievers and golden retriever mixes that can no longer remain in their current environments. Founded in 1985, RAGOM has re-homed more than 5,500 dogs.

The College of Veterinary Medicine improves the health and well-being of animals and people by providing high-quality veterinary training, conducting leading-edge research, and delivering innovative veterinary services.