It's been a while since I've posted an update. Life around the Hollow got busy of the summer with adoption events and other such things that tend to happen more during the summertime.  And things quieted down on the medical front for a bit.

As usually happens though things have swung back the other way and now we have a run of medical bills to cover.

This month was Sneaser's 6 month blood work. He has to have regular checks of his renal function to ensure that his heart medication isn't hurting his kidneys.

At the same time Byron developed an aural hematoma. An aural hematoma is when the ear gets bruised and the blood causes it to puff up, pulling the skin away from the cartilage.  His ear looked like a sopapilla.  This requires minor surgery to drain the ear and re-attach the skin to the cartilage with small stitches.

 

Just after that, Lopug injured his eyes. He scratched one cornea, causing a traumatic ulceration, and developed non-ulcerative keratitis (an inflammation of the cornea) in the other.  So off to the vet he went to have his ulcerated eye sewn shut. 

 

Within the next week we will have to have Cleo the pug in to the vet for blood work and diagnostics to determine why she has started not thriving. She doesn't feel well and she's failing to gain needed weight back.

All totaled we are looking at at least $500 in vet bills for this round, so once again we are reaching out to our awesome supporters for help with the sudden rush of vet bills. If the dogs would spread them out over a couple of months it would work much better, but they like to do things in groups!

You can donate via mail, or paypal via the address and links on our website.
You can also donate via Gofundme.

Be aware that our paypal link and our Gofundme account take a percentage of the donation in fees. If you want to be sure that 100% of your donation reaches us, you can donate via paypal to pughollow@gmail.com and choose "send money to friends and family".

Any donations above our current need for vet bills will go into the Hospice fund for future vet visits.  You know we'll have plenty more of those!

*The 12 Days Of Pug Hollow Christmas*

On the 1st day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

A dog that won’t stop licking me.

On the 2nd day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

2 snarling fights

And a dog that won’t stop licking me.

On the 3rd day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

3 broken chew toys

2 snarling fights

And a dog that won’t stop licking me.

On the 4th day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

4 paws for nail trims

3 broken chew toys

2 snarling fights

And a dog that won’t stop licking me.

On the 5th day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

5 Shivering Chi’s

4 paws for nail trims

3 broken chew toys

2 snarling fights

And a dog that won’t stop licking me.

On the 6th day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

6 bowls a gleaming

5 Shivering Chi’s

4 paws for nail trims

3 broken chew toys

2 snarling fights

And a dog that won’t stop licking me.

On the 7th day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

7 pugs a snoring

6 bowls a gleaming

5 Shivering Chi’s

4 paws for nail trims

3 broken chew toys

2 snarling fights

And a dog that won’t stop licking me.

On the 8th day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

8 tags a jingling

7 pugs a snoring

6 bowls a gleaming

5 Shivering Chi’s

4 paws for nail trims

3 broken chew toys

2 snarling fights

And a dog that won’t stop licking me.

On the 9th day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

9 pills a giving

8 tags a jingling

7 pugs a snoring

6 bowls a gleaming

5 Shivering Chi’s

4 paws for nail trims

3 broken chew toys

2 snarling fights

And a dog that won’t stop licking me.

On the 10th day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

10 dogs a shedding

9 pills a giving

8 tags a jingling

7 pugs a snoring

6 bowls a gleaming

5 Shivering Chi’s

4 paws for nail trims

3 broken chew toys

2 snarling fights

And a dog that won’t stop licking me.

On the 11th day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

11 mutts a begging

10 dogs a shedding

9 pills a giving

8 tags a jingling

7 pugs a snoring

6 bowls a gleaming

5 Shivering Chi’s

4 paws for nail trims

3 broken chew toys

2 snarling fights

And a dog that won’t stop licking me.

On the 12th day of Christmas, Pug Hollow gave to me

12 Months o’ loving

11 mutts a begging

10 dogs a shedding

9 pills a giving

8 tags a jingling

7 pugs a snoring

6 bowls a gleaming

5 Shivering Chi’s

4 paws for nail trims

3 broken chew toys

2 snarling fights

And a dog that won’t stop licking me.

The need for vigilance.... Newman's leg

Let me introduce you to Newman.

Newman is an old, toothless pug with a few minor issues. He came to Pug Hollow after being dumped in a rural area in the hottest part of summer. Someone gave Newman a head injury in the past which occasionally causes him to have seizures. He's got a few small skin tags that the vet doesn't believe are worth risking putting him out to remove since they aren't changing.

He also has allergies, which sometimes manifest themselves as pyotraumatic dermatitis (also known as lick abrasions or hot spots).   Because they happen relatively regularly, even with allergy medication, we've established a protocol with our vet for treating them so that he only has to go in if something goes wrong. Typically they clear up within a few days with no problems.

 Unfortunately old dogs are like old humans... their immune system doesn't always work as well as it should.

On Thursday evening we noticed that Newms had one of his little spots on his hip. It was about the size of a quarter, and we immediately began the typical round of wound care... Shave the area, cleanse it thoroughly with chlorhexadine scrub and cool water, wipe with betadine, let dry and finish the job with a spritz of Blu-Kote.

 Newman's wound Thursday Evening.

Friday evening the wound had grown, but the area around the wound was not inflamed or swollen. We assumed he'd been licking at it again and swapped Blu-Kote in place of the Granulex because it deters him from licking.

Saturday the area was warm to the touch but the wound appeared to be drying out as it should. We thoroughly cleaned and medicated the wound again

Sunday morning Newman's leg was visibly swelling and pressing on the scab produced pus.  We debrided the wound, cleansed it with additional Chlorhexidine.

Monday morning, we called the vet for the first available appointment. He was running a fever and his poor leg is quite swollen. He's now on antibiotics, and has had a cortisone shot. 

48 hours ago his leg showed no signs any problems beyond the abrasion. It was just another hot spot, and it appeared to be responding to treatment. The vet even pointed out that the wound itself is properly dried out and already starting to heal.

It serves as a reminder that even when it's a small thing we need to keep a close eye on our old dogs. Something that should be simple can complicate very very fast.  Hopefully Newms will heal quickly now, but there's the possibility that he'll need additional care.

It also highlighted the fact that our vet fund is getting critically low, so I'm going to wrap up this post with a request for donations.

If you can please help us replenish our vet fund. All donations go into our account to cover the cost of veterinary care for our old dogs. Aside from Newman and his acute care, we have multiple dogs who are on medications on a day to day basis, and we really need your help.

You can donate by paypal to pughollow@gmail.com, or by mail to Pug Hollow Sanctuary, PO Box 244, Prague, OK 74864.

Revisiting Disaster Prep for Pets Part 2

Probably everyone at some point has heard of an emergency preparedness kit, and what they should have in it for their family. I'm not going to rehash what you need for people. I'm going to address the fact that most of those recommendations don't take into account our pets.

With large animals such as horses there's not a lot you can do to have a kit ready. Their needs as far as food and water are too large to be easily contained in a quick grab kit. The best you can do is have an extra halter and lead per horse.

With pets though you can make a grab and go kit, or a kit to be stored in a safe location.  It it's a grab and go kit you'll want to pack it in something portable... a duffle bag, large back pack, or other quickly portable container.
A kit to be stored in a safe location such as a cellar or basement can be contained in a plastic bin to keep moisture and critters out.

Things you'll want to have in your kit:

1. Water: As with humans you want a gallon per pet per day, and should plan on having at least 3 days worth for a go kit or 7 days worth for a stored kit.
2. Food: Again, three days worth per pet for a go kit and 7 days for a stored kit. If your pet requires specialized food this is especially important. If it's dry food you'll want to store it in an airtight container and swap your supply every few weeks to keep it fresh.
3. Can opener and something to scoop it out with if you're using canned food.
4. measuring scoop for dry food
5. A supply of your pet's medications. I like to keep an extra bottle of each med our dogs are on stored in my emergency supplies. As I run out of the bottle I am using on a daily basis, I replace it with my stored bottle and order a new bottle for the stored supplies. This keeps the meds from going out of date.
6. Copies of your pets shot and medical records an an air and water tight container. All of my dogs that have health conditions have a medical file that we keep on hand along with their shot records. This is useful if we have to see a vet that doesn't know the dogs.
7. An extra collar, harness, and leash
8. Toys and treats
9. Extra food and water bowl: I like collapsible bowls and recommend one of the rubber or silicone bowls such as the Kurgo Collaps-A-Bowl, the Ruff Dawg Ruff Bowl, or the Bamboo Pet Collapsible bowl
10. First aid kit for dogs and first aid guide book for pets
11. A list of emergency contacts and veterinarians around your area, and around the area to which you will most likely evacuate.
12. Extra ID tags
13. Proof of ownership: good clear photos stored in an airtight, waterproof container
14. Extra towels and blankets, and/or a bed
15. kitty litter or pee pads
16. Collapsible cat litter box, such as a Sturdibox or Go Kitty Go.
17. A kennel or crate if needed. I like to keep a pop up kennel in my kit in case I need to contain a dog somewhere. Be sure that you've acclimated your dog to the confinement.
18. drawstring trash bags and small trash bags for clean up and lining the kitty litter pan.

It sounds like a lot of stuff, I know, but you can vacuum seal the dry food, treats and the soft items such as leashes, towels, soft toys, and dog beds to reduce the amount of space they take up.  Pack it all into a duffle bag and you're ready to go on a moments notice.

Come back tomorrow for Disaster Preparedness With Pets Part 3 -- Evacuation Plans and Training

Cleo the Fat Pug

 

Been trying to get some pictures of dogs that you generally don't get to see.... And so I would like to introduce Cleo.
Miss Cleo was abandoned at Purcell Animal Welfare, and Purcell called us to come get her and Harry Houndini.
Miss Cleo... is an absolute love, who is still learning that she can ask for attention.
She's also massively obese. She came into the Sanctuary at 33 pounds and has lost 6 pounds so far. We've been careful about cutting back on her food as she has some food anxiety and we don't want her to feel too deprived.
She also has neurological issues that impact her rear end, causing her to have some difficulty walking. It doesn't slow her down much and as she loses weight she's getting more mobile. She will always have trouble walking and some day may need a cart.
And last but not least she has a potential mass. It may be a fatty tumor or it may just be a fat mass due to the massive obesity. Once she's trimmed down a bit more we will evaluate the mass and take any necessary action.

 

 

 

Pug Hollow Photo Contest

Join Pug Hollow for a photo contest!

 Photos will be uploaded daily to the website, and featured in the gallery for the contest.

Submissions will be accepted from February 15th through March 15th. Voting will begin on March 16th and run through April 16th. The top 12 submissions in each category will be featured in Pug Hollow's 2015 photo calendars.

The top three submissions will be able to choose their month in the calendar, as well as receiving a free copy of the calendar, winner's t-shirt and mouse pad.

There are two categories:

Turn your dog into the next canine Drag Superstar. Dress your dog up in his or her best makeup free drag, and submit the photo to pughollow@gmail.com. Be sure to tell us your dog's real AND their drag name.

Keep the photos clean.

Do the paparazzi hound your pooch? Dress your dog up in his or her best Celebrity Impersonation, and submit the photo to pughollow@gmail.com. Be sure to tell us your dog's name and who they are impersonating.

Keep the photos clean.

 

Update on Sweetie's cancer treatment

Sweetie is doing a bit better. She takes her pain pill in the evening but still doesn't want it in the morning.
As one would expect from a grand old lady pug, she rocks the pink sweater and blue soft cone, but from the pictures I would estimate that she's probably got more than 15 inches of incisions. That's a lot of stitches!
If you can please donate a dollar or two. Our top donors will be eligible to receive a Pug Hollow 2014 wall calendar. 
Donations can be made one of three ways... You can donate directly to the veterinarian:

Colleyville Animal Clinic

RE:Sweetie Casaretto's Cancer Treatment

701 Glade Road

Colleyville, TX 76034

817-281-3449

Donate to Pug Hollow and we will forward the money on:

Pug Hollow Sanctuary

RE: Sweetie's Cancer Treatment

PO Box 244

Prague, OK 74864

or

via paypal to pughollow@gmail.com

Or you can donate via our Go Fund Me campaign:

Cancer treatment for Sweetie

Pug Hollow Sanctuary is helping one of our volunteers raise funds for her pug who has just been diagnosed with cancer. Pug Hollow is collecting funds which will then be paid directly to the veterinarian in order to help cover Sweetie's medical treatment.

 Sweetie's human caretaker writes; "Sweetie is possibly the most amazing dog I've ever met in my life. She loves all people, dogs, cats, birds, mice, and every other living creature she meets. She has a love for life that is beyond what I've ever seen in any human being. The simplest things bring her so much joy. She may be an older dog, but I'm not giving up on her. I couldn't love her more if she was my own child. She was given to me as a "free to good home" dog. The moment I saw her I knew she was meant to be mine.
Hearing the dreaded "C" word was one of the worst days of my life. I can't bear not having my beloved Sweetie around. She is the light of my life and I am hers." 

Donations can be made one of three ways... You can donate directly to the veterinarian:

Colleyville Animal Clinic 

RE:Sweetie's Cancer Treatment

701 Glade Road

Colleyville, TX 76034

817-281-3449

Donate to Pug Hollow and we will forward the money on:

Pug Hollow Sanctuary

RE: Sweetie's Cancer Treatment

PO Box 244

Prague, OK 74864

or 

via paypal to pughollow@gmail.com

Or you can donate via our Go Fund Me campaign:

Every little bit helps!

 

Pug Hollow’s board members, with the help of the Friends of the Hollow, have pulled together a pair of full color calendars to help raise funds for the sanctuary. These photographer signed calendars highlight the Pawtography series of photographs featuring dogs who are, were or have been Pug Hollow Residents.

 

100% of the profits from these calendars will be donated to the Hollow!

 

These calendars will be available for pre-order through November 17^th for Holiday delivery and come in two sizes… spiral bound, upright desk calendar pictured below(4x8 inch) ($10 plus shipping) or a full size 9x11 wall calendar not yet pictured ($17 plus shipping).
All calendars ship media mail unless you request otherwise.

If you’re interested in a beautiful calendar for yourself or as a great gift for a dog lover, and helping benefit a great cause, let us know at pughollow@gmail.com.

 

 

Wheels for Trey

 

Trey is a 14 year old pug.
He is blind and deaf.
He went through an F4 tornado in 2011 and survived.
Over the last two years he has slowly lost the voluntary use of his legs until he can no longer walk without help.

Despite all of this Trey is otherwise in good health and always in good spirits. He has a plethora of different barks that he uses to request everything from water, to a clean blanket. He also makes demands for dinner, location of his people, his nightly stump and stumble around the yard (he stumps, I stumble) and his bi-weekly soak in a hot bath... (Sunday and Wednesday. No exceptions.)

Even though most blind dogs won't use a wheeled cart due to their impaired vision, Trey seems to have been an extreme athlete in a past life. He either has no fear or no sense of self preservation.  Give him wheels and you'll have to report them stolen because he's going to haul butt!

Unfortunately Trey doesn't have wheels of his own.

If you'd like to help give an old dog who has had a heck of a life a boost in the quality of his final years, please donate.

We're aiming for a PVC quad-cart which is around $200. If we get enough we'll get him a fancy cart.
When he no longer needs it, we will pass the cart on to the next Pug Hollow dog and on down the line until we've run the wheels off of it. (If Mr. Grand Theft Treypug doesn't do it for us!)

You can mail a donation to
Pug Hollow Sanctuary
PO Box 244
Prague, Ok 74864

or donate via paypal to pughollow@gmail.com

Let's get Wheels for Trey!

Disaster Preparedness With Pets Part 2 -- Emergency Evacuation Kit

Probably everyone at some point has heard of an emergency preparedness kit, and what they should have in it for their family. I'm not going to rehash what you need for people. I'm going to address the fact that most of those recommendations don't take into account our pets.

With large animals such as horses there's not a lot you can do to have a kit ready. Their needs as far as food and water are too large to be easily contained in a quick grab kit. The best you can do is have an extra halter and lead per horse.

With pets though you can make a grab and go kit, or a kit to be stored in a safe location.  It it's a grab and go kit you'll want to pack it in something portable... a duffle bag, large back pack, or other quickly portable container.
A kit to be stored in a safe location such as a cellar or basement can be contained in a plastic bin to keep moisture and critters out.

Things you'll want to have in your kit:

1. Water: For a stored kit as with humans you want a gallon per pet per day, and should plan on having at least 3 days worth. Have 7 if you can. For a go kit have several liter bottles of water, at least 1 per pet. 2 is better.
2. Food: Again, three days worth per pet for a go kit and 7 days for a stored kit. If your pet requires specialized food this is especially important. If it's dry food you'll want to store it in an airtight container and swap your supply every few weeks to keep it fresh.
3. Can opener and something to scoop it out with if you're using canned food.
4. measuring scoop for dry food
5. A supply of your pet's medications. I like to keep an extra bottle of each med our dogs are on stored in my emergency supplies. As I run out of the bottle I am using on a daily basis, I replace it with my stored bottle and order a new bottle for the stored supplies. This keeps the meds from going out of date.
6. Copies of your pets shot and medical records an an air and water tight container. All of my dogs that have health conditions have a medical file that we keep on hand along with their shot records. This is useful if we have to see a vet that doesn't know the dogs.
7. An extra collar, harness, and leash
8. Toys and treats
9. Extra food and water bowl: I like collapsible bowls and recommend one of the rubber or silicone bowls such as the Kurgo Collaps-A-Bowl, the Ruff Dawg Ruff Bowl, or the Bamboo Pet Collapsible bowl
10. First aid kit for dogs and first aid guide book for pets
11. A list of emergency contacts and veterinarians around your area, and around the area to which you will most likely evacuate.
12. Extra ID tags
13. Proof of ownership: good clear photos stored in an airtight, waterproof container
14. Extra towels and blankets, and/or a bed
15. kitty litter or pee pads
16. Collapsible cat little box, such as a Sturdibox or Go Kitty Go.
17. A kennel or crate if needed. I like to keep a pop up kennel in my kit in case I need to contain a dog somewhere. Be sure that you've acclimated your dog to the confinement.
18. drawstring trash bags and small trash bags for clean up and lining the kitty litter pan.

It sounds like a lot of stuff, I know, but you can vaccum seal the dry food, treats and the soft items such as leashes, towels, soft toys, and dog beds to reduce the amount of space they take up.  Pack it all into a duffle bag and you're ready to go on a moments notice.

Come back tomorrow for Disaster Preparedness With Pets Part 3 -- Evacuation Plans and Training

Why the Hollow?

Pug Hollow Sanctuary started with one pug and an epic battle against an autoimmune syndrome that should have killed him.

At three years old Edgar T. Post was a happy, healthy young pug when one day he suddenly wasn't. There wasn't anything concrete about his behavior that made his owner think he was sick but something just wasn't right. A trip to the vet and a full blood panel revealed that Edgar was in massive liver failure.... and had Addison's disease... and was hypothyroid. His immune system had turned against him, and it was destroying vital parts of his glandular system.

The vet cautioned the owner that they could try to treat the pug, but to expect at most 6 to 8 weeks with the dog before euthanasia became necessary. The owner refused to accept that timeline.

Eleven years later. Edgar T. Post is a grey muzzled old man. He suffers from typical old pug complaints such as arthritis, loss of hearing, and limited vision. He eats a very special diet due to food allergies. He has a full blood panel every 6 months. His last blood work was 100% perfect.

Edgar doesn't know he's sick, or that he's lived eleven years past the prognosis for his condition. He thinks he's a pampered, spoiled rotten pug who commands attention wherever he goes. Edgar's huge personality and friendly, polite demeanor draws admirers in flocks. He has visited shut-ins, nursing homes, sick children and even been a spokespug for a theater company during their Shakespeare in the Park productions.

And without the innovative thinking of a wonderful veterinarian, and the dedication of a whole family of crazy dog people, Edgar would never have had the chance to bring so much happiness to so many people.

It is because of Edgar that his owner and his owner's family began taking in small dogs that otherwise would have no chance at any sort of life, no matter how long or short. Eventually they applied for non-profit status and Pug Hollow was born. Whether a dog needs rehab to be adoptable, a home that will provide the medical care needed to keep them comfortable and happy, or just a loving hospice home to make their transition out of the world, they find it in the Hollow.

Most of the small dogs they help are unadoptable, and will live out their lives either on the farm or in a foster home. A few are healthy enough to need a forever home of their own.

Pug Hollow is 100% donation, and fund-raiser funded. Adoption fees cover only the vetting for the animal adopted. Without donations, word of mouth and the help of a few amazing vets, Pug Hollow would be unable to care for the dogs that we do. We hope that you'll become a Friend of the Hollow and help in any way that you can.

Edgar T. Post in 2006, six years after diagnosis

Home for the Howlidays Part 1

Pug Hollow has several adoptable dogs that we are hoping to get settled into new homes for the new year.

Miss Aster is a 3 year old Jack Russell/Daschund mix. Contrary to the usual perception Aster is very laid back and loves a good couch snuggle. Of course she’s also open to walks and spending time in the yard as well. Aster is spayed, up to date on shots and heartworm prevention, house broken and good with kids. She does not like cats.

Aster has good manners on and off leash and would be excellent for an older person with grand-kids.

Her adoption fee is $55.

 

Marvin is one of two wirehaired Daschund/Shi-Tzu mixes currently at the Sanctuary. Marvin is just under a year old, and he’s quite the little love.

Weighing in at around 12 pounds, Marvin loves people,adores children and ignores cats. He does bark at larger dogs but gets along well enough with our few large dogs at Pug Hollow.

Marvin is housebroken, up to date on shots, and heartworm prevention and neutered. Because male dogs often exhibit marking behavior in new territory even when housetrained he will be adopted out with two terry cloth belly bands to help with the transition.

If you’re looking for a small dog who will be great with your kids either of the Wonder Twins would be your man!

His adoption fee is $55.

 

Martin, also known as the Great Martini, is brother to Marvin. He is just under a year old and a very smart little man. He can learn anything you want to teach him in short order. He weighs in at around 12 pounds,adores children, loves people and ignores cats. He also barks at larger dogs but gets along well enough with our few large dogs at Pug Hollow.

Martin is housebroken, up to date on shots, and heartworm prevention and neutered. Because male dogs often exhibit marking behavior in new territory even when housetrained he will be adopted out with two terry cloth belly bands to help with the transition.

If you’re looking for a small dog who will be great with your kids either of the Wonder Twins would be your man!

His adoption fee is $55

 

 

Oddity, also known as the Odd Dog, is a year old Chiweenie. He and five others were taken in by City of Purcell from a hoarding situation. Of the five only Oddity passed the initial temperament testing. Odd is a sweet little man with lots and lots of energy. He's very conversational and loves to clown around making little squeaky noises at you. He's not big on barking though. Odd also loves "zoomies" in the yard. Call out "Oddity. Zoomies!" and he begins to tear around the yard in the fastest circles he can make.

He is learning about cats, loves people of any age and walks on a leash. Odd still has the occasional marking behavior in the house but he is quickly learning. He is up to date on shots, and heartworm prevention and neutered. Because male dogs often exhibit marking behavior in new territory even when housetrained he will be adopted out with two terry cloth belly bands to help with the transition.

His adoption fee is $55

.

To inquire about adopting any of the dogs above, please email Kara at pughollow@gmail.com.

Pug Hollow’s Spotlight Dog of the Week is Hugh Blackman.

 

It was December. The sun was setting over the narrow, tree lined gravel road, taking what little warmth the day had boasted with it. A small dark blue Scion left the paved highway and headed onto the deserted track, kicking up a cloud of dust to hang in the air. Far down the road, almost lost in the gloom under the close growing trees, a tiny light gleamed. It looked like the dome light of a car. Perhaps someone in need of a bathroom break was taking advantage of the remote location. Or perhaps they’d had some sort of car trouble. As the little Scion rolled closer, the vehicle’s dome light went off and the vehicle continued on down the road away from the Scion.

 A short distance later, and the driver of the Scion stomped on the brakes, bringing the car to an abrupt and slightly sliding stop. A woman in a skirt and boots jumped out. “Please don’t run. Please don’t run. I’m not going to hurt you, handsome. Come on. Let me take you home…”

She approached the little black pug who was alternating between looking at the newcomer and staring off down the road after the vehicle that had dropped him off. As she picked him up and cradled him she swore she could hear him mumbling. “But… but… that was my ride.”

 It was obvious he had been neglected, and that he had lived most, if not all of his life outside. Posters were posted. Ads were run. No one claimed the little black pug with the tongue lag, so an appointment was made with the vet. His age was determined to between 5 and 7, heartworm tests were run and found to be negative, vaccinations were given, and a growth on his testicles was biopsied and found to be benign. And so Hugh became a part of the Pug Hollow Horde.

 Two years later, and despite the trauma of surviving a tornado in 2011, Mr. Hugh has come a long way. No longer the scrawny, uncertain little pug, he has filled out and become more confident. His rough, faded coat is now sleek and blue-black. His tongue still lags, and he still won’t give kisses unless you surprise him. But he does sit in laps from time to time, and he likes to cuddle in bed or in the recliner. And most importantly he knows now that his ride left him behind so he could find his forever home at the Pug Hollow Sanctuary.