Ethan's Story

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Ethan's story was minutes away from ending, way too soon. He was freezing to death in the parking lot at the Kentucky Humane Society. His body was shutting down, his organs were on the verge of no longer functioning. It's easy to imagine that he no longer believed anyone cared. It had been weeks or months since he had eaten a meal. Small amounts of water somehow found his tongue. He weighed 38 pounds. Devastating, when you realize he should weigh 90 pounds. Somehow, a passing car, filled with generous people who had just donated some items at KHS, saw some movement from under a dirty blanket. They stopped, called the KHS number and a couple employees came rushing out to bring this dog inside. Not knowing if he had any chance of survival they rushed him in to the KHS vet services area where the vet team took immediate action to save his life. His temperature was too low to register any number at all and it took the smallest iv catheter needle because he was so dehydrated his veins had become tiny. He received warming blankets, fluids, and a partial bath before resting and going home with Jaci, one of the vet techs caring for him. He had to be rushed  to the ER in the middle of the night because of his worsening condition. From there, he needed special fluids and constant monitoring. He came back to KHS a few days later and took a whole day to sleep and recover. Still unable to walk, Dr Bewley, the vet, and Angela Mikesell, the vet tech came in that night to care for Ethan. He began to take steps that very night. The next day I came by to visit Ethan and to see how he was doing. He came over to the gate and licked me in the face and I knew then I would do anything for Ethan. I began volunteering that night to come in and take care of him. I would change his dressings on his legs, clean up his sleeping area and change his blankets and bedding. I would feed him and give him medicine then take him out for a walk. Usually I would take him on a couple walks a night. Before and after he would eat. I tried to come in each morning to also check up on him. About 10 days later bad weather was coming in and we weren't sure whether anyone would be able to come in and care for him. So it was decided that I would take him home that night and bring him back during the day, as long as the weather wasn't bad. From that day forward he stayed at my house at night. The vet team monitored Ethan during the day and then I would stop by there in the afternoon to pick him up and bring him back home. By this point everyone in our house (including the animals) were in love with Ethan and it seemed like the best possible situation for him. As Ethan continued to get better and his neuter surgery approached, an adoption celebration was planned. On March 10, 2021 we officially adopted Ethan and he became an official member of our family.  

**This is obviously a condensed version of Ethan's journey. To write it all I would need to write a whole book, which is what I am planning on doing. I can tell a really short 3 sentence version or I can tell the long version, kind of like on the Friends with Dogs podcast. What I struggle with is an in between version. I never know what to put in and what to leave out. But I have spoken with almost everyone involved in Ethan's story from the moment he was found and there are so many small, interesting details that add so much more to this incredible story. I can't wait to share the most in depth version in a book. Thank you for visiting this page and thank you for your continued support.