From ICU to Loving Home: Jax’s Happy Adoption

Little four-month-old Jax wasn’t doing great when he arrived at Pasadena Humane. The poor puppy was vomiting, lethargic, very underweight, and showed little interest in food. Fortunately, Jax tested negative for parvovirus, but it meant that something else had to be causing his symptoms.

Our veterinary team quickly began treating Jax with anti-inflammatory medication, a dewormer, and fluids. Although the medication would have treated a variety of possible illnesses, Jax showed little improvement. His low appetite persisted, and he had a hard time keeping down what little food he was interested in eating. Our health staff performed x-rays and an ultrasound to get a better picture of what was going on inside Jax’s tummy—and that’s when they spotted a mass in his abdomen.

If this was an intestinal blockage, it could be life-threatening if left untreated. Our veterinarians decided to perform a surgical abdominal exploration to determine exactly what this mass was. And there, in the puppy’s intestine, was a sizeable corn cob!

Just a few days after his surgery, Jax was eating voraciously, wiggling his way up to our staff, and wanting to play. His eyes were bright, he was full of energy, and he was acting like a typical puppy. And after recovering in our ICU, he celebrated his happy adoption day!

Jax is thriving in his new home. He loves his big sister Sage, who recently celebrated her ninth birthday (which was also a “welcome Jax” party).

“We love having his cuddly, energetic, curious puppy soul with us,” his mom writes. “He’s gaining confidence and seems joyful every day. Thank you for all you have done for him.”