For some time, Emily Steelman discussed with her fiancé the type of dog that she wants to get when she is ready to adopt one. They talked for hours on end discussing the pros and cons of a dog’s qualities. Finally, they were able to make a list of everything that they wanted in a dog. And when the time came that Emily felt she was ready to adopt a pooch, they looked at hundreds of dogs online.
Emily carefully looked at the dog’s profiles, checking and comparing it with her list. Then after hours of searching, she finally found the dog that she wants to take home with her. And the funny part is, the dog was completely the opposite of what she wanted.
Smitten
Wilson, who was then nine months old, wasn’t trained, housebroken, and was already on the verge of adulthood. But there was nothing that would’ve stopped Emily from adopting him; she fell in love with Wilson’s goofy smile. Emily felt that the dog had character, and this would be a great dog to have with them at home or wherever they may go.
Emily took her fiancé and her best friend, who was a dog trainer, to meet Wilson. There Emily was once again smitten with the dog. They discussed Wilson’s character with the shelter staff and discovered that the dog has never been a house dog, so he needed to be trained. The couple had to discuss their decision first. But after merely a week, they took the plunge and took Wilson home.
Pythiosis
Emily found that Wilson was every bit of the dog that she wanted. He was gentle, loving, and very playfully. But soon, she noticed that Wilson had eating problems. He frequently vomits what he eats. She took her beloved pet to several vets, but they said that the dog was just being picky. The vets tried but could not find anything wrong with Wilson.
Wilsons peculiar eating habit eventually turned to a non-existing appetite. The dog refused to eat and started losing a lot of weight. Determined, Emily and her fiancé went to a different vet this time, who, in turn, referred them to a specialist. After some tests, they learned that Wilson had an infection called pythiosis, a rare and fatal infection.
Emily got to work immediately. She spent hours searching for a possible cure for her dog’s deadly condition. They tried everything, even participating in a new study to fight pythiosis. They administered anti-fungal medications and other drugs. And after two months, Wilson started eating on his own. He gained some weight and seemed to get better. Wilson has not fully recovered yet, but with his mom’s determination, he will likely get better. Check out a video of Wilson eating on his own below.
Source: wagswithwilson via Instagram