Lisa and Roy Freeman are kind and compassionate pet owners with an affinity for Shih Tzus. Both Lisa and Roy are disabled, so funds are limited, but making sure their dogs get the best possible care is critical to them. Over the years, they’ve worked with the MSPCA-Angell Community Outreach team to ensure their Shih Tzu trio, Louie, Amigo, and Sadie, always have everything they need.
This past spring, the Freemans contacted Community Outreach Manager Caitlin Verdi because Amigo had been having intermittent vomiting and diarrhea for several days. They were very concerned when his energy level shifted, and he became lethargic. Caitlin promptly scheduled a visit for Amigo with the MSPCA-Angell Clinic: Cape Cod. The MSPCA-Angell’s three community clinics aim to provide affordable veterinary care that helps keep pets and families together. By providing subsidized, low-cost veterinary care, the clinics offer a new pathway for families needing support, like Lisa and Roy.
The Freemans were relieved when blood work returned normal, but radiographs showed a soft tissue structure that doctors concluded was either foreign material or a mass. Repeat X-rays were recommended, and Amigo was sent home with some supportive care. Unfortunately, Amigo still wasn’t feeling well the following day, so Lisa and Roy brought him back to the clinic for repeat radiographs. This time, X-rays showed a more obvious egg-shaped structure in Amigo’s stomach, but what it was still wasn’t conclusive.
Shelter veterinarian Dr. Emily Boccia went over the options with Amigo’s parents; they could choose to do an exploratory surgery at the MSPCA-Angell: Cape Cod Community Clinic, which would allow the doctors to remove a foreign body, or they could pursue an ultrasound for a more definitive answer knowing that a mass removal was not something Dr. Boccia could remove in-house. Roy and Lisa elected to move forward with exploratory surgery, so Dr. Boccia immediately took Amigo into surgery and was able to remove a small cloth toy from his stomach!
The Freemans’ instincts to get Amigo immediate and thorough care at the MSPCA-Angell Clinic: Cape Cod saved his life. Within a few days, Amigo recovered from surgery, and today, he spends his days snuggling with Lisa, Roy, Louie, and Sadie. The Freemans still talk to Caitlin regularly to share updates on the trio, who are all doing well.
For more information about the MSPCA-Angell clinics, visit mspca.org/clinics.
