Success Stories

Denver, July 1999

Denver, a 1 year old Chocolate male, was on his way to his new home. His previous owner, who was shipped overseas with the military, surrendered him to the Camp Pendelton Animal Shelter, where he was discovered by volunteers from Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue. Diagnosed with kennel cough, Denver was being fostered by a very giving volunteer, who says, "It took him about a week to learn to fetch and swim in the pool, but from then on, he was a normal happy-go-lucky teenage lab. I don't think he'd had much attention when he was with his former owner. He didn't know how to play." Denver was learning how to play with the other lab being fostered, and was recovering from the kennel cough so he could move on to his adoptive home.

But one night, Denver was bitten by a rattlesnake - bitten in the face. Fortunately, his foster mom wasted no time getting him to the emergency vet, where he received immediate life-saving treatment. It was touch and go that first night, but by the next day it was apparent that he would recover from the bite and that it wouldn't affect his recovery from the kennel cough. There was some swelling, but according to the vet, not as much as they usually see, so it was felt that Denver didn't receive much venom. After the emergency was over, his foster mom applied to LABMED for funding for the treatment for the rattlesnake bite, since the rescue group was funding several other expensive treatments for other labs they had rescued. We were glad to be able to fund that treatment.

Denver made a full recovery, and has been adopted by a family that has had labs before. When she told the family that Denver needed some training, the new owner said: "Labs just want to know how to please you - I'm sure we'll be able to show him." His new family is looking forward to training him, and very grateful for the wonderful love and attention he received from his foster home. LABMED is happy to have played a part in helping Denver start his new life!