While believed to be doomed, Watkins has come back up the hill more than once. This dog is an example of determination and a source of inspiration.
Stephanie Smith-Justus is a volunteer with the association Buchanan County Humane Society. A neighbor warned her that a dog in great distress needed to be rescued not far from her home. Without wasting time, she and her husband went to get him. The animal was in the woods at the end of the street. He was in extremely bad shape .
About 4 months old, Watkins suffered from scabies , which had caused him to lose much of his robe. Stephanie Smith-Justus took him to a vet who had just moved into the neighborhood, but the latter was very pessimistic about the quadruped’s chances of survival.
The couple didn’t let him down, however. They took him to a veterinary clinic , where further sad discoveries were made upon examination. The unfortunate dog had been wounded by several pellets ; he had therefore been shot. Besides, he had n’t eaten for so long that his bowel was in terrible condition . In addition, his joints were deeply affected , to the point that he could not move normally.
A few days later, her bowel condition worsened, necessitating emergency surgery . He was unlikely to come out alive , but the day after surgery he was still there, clinging to life .
A few weeks later, another hard blow. The dog ate nothing more . He had lost half of his weight. He had to spend 119 days with the vet and then in intensive care at Virginia Tech University’s veterinary school. Then again, Watkins fought to stay alive.
Also read: 6 months after his adoption, admire the incredible transformation of this once neglected dog!
His story moved a lot of people and donations began to flow. He continued his treatment with Stephanie Smith-Justus , who adopted him , and his condition continued to improve . Today, the canine is enjoying life to the fullest, as can be seen by following the Facebook page dedicated to it.
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