Crossroads Shih Tzu Rescue is a regional rescue, operating in Illinois and northern Indiana, committed to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of Shih Tzu, Shih Tzu mixes and other small breed dogs.

Help Us Help Phillip!

A HUGE thanks to everyone who donated!  We have exceeded our $4000 goal!  Phillip had his liver shunt surgery on 10/23/09!

THANK YOU!

Update 1/23/10 - CSTR would like to thank once again all of the wonderful people who contributed to Phillip's fund to help make it possible for this little dog to have the surgery that he so desperately needed.  Today we are thrilled to report that Phillip was placed in his forever home, which was our ultimate goal from the start.  Thank you, everyone, for making it possible for Phillip to have a new and wonderful life.

Update 11/24/09 - Phillip had his 8 week bile acids test yesterday, and we're THRILLED to report that it was 15.3, just a few tenths from being perfectly normal.  We are SO ecstatic and believe that with just one more month of the low protein food his liver bile acids will be well within the normal range!

Update 10/26/09 - Phillip had his first bile acids test at the 4 week post-op mark on Friday, 10/23, and we are THRILLED with the report.  Prior to surgery, his bile acids test was 220, but on Friday it was 26!  Normal is <15, so he still has a ways to go.  We are encouraged, though, by this result and are hopeful that it will be back in the normal range by his 8-week post-op test.

Thank you again to everyone who contributed to Phillip's surgery!

Update 10/5/09 - Phillip had the liver shunt surgery on 9/23/09 which went very well.  He had bladder stones, a result of the malfunctioning liver and the build up of ammonia, which were removed during the surgery, as well.  He is doing extremely well, was released from the hospital on 10/3/09 and is now settling into his foster home.  We have seen none of the neurological effects of the shunt and are encouraged and hopeful that the ring that was placed to close off the shunt is working.  He will have bile acids tests at 4 and 8 weeks post op, and after the 8 week test we will know for sure if the ring has closed off the shunt completely and no others have formed.

Again, huge thanks to everyone who donated toward this surgery!

On August 14, 2009, CSTR brought into the foster program a 1 year old Shih Tzu puppy who we named Phillip.  We had been contacted about him from someone who had saved him from being taken to the shelter by his previous owners. It was immediately apparent that something was terribly wrong with this little boy.  At the time of intake, he was unable to see, was unresponsive and would continually pace and wander around his cage with his head continually pressed against the wall.  12 hours later, though, he appeared fine - a bright-eyed, friendly puppy eager to play and give kisses. Blood and other tests indicated what we feared - Phillip is suffering from a liver shunt, which will have to be repaired surgically if he is to have any chance at a normal and healthy life. After consulting with our vet and the leading expert in liver shunt surgeries in the US, it was determined that Phillip would have his surgery at the University of Tennessee where he would be treated at the veterinary school, thus awarding the teaching hospital the opportunity to perform the surgery and giving CSTR a financial break on what is a very costly surgery. Without this surgery, Phillip is going to die, and so we need your help to raise the funds for it by September 17, 2009.  Will you help?

What is a liver shunt?

A portosystemic liver shunt is a blood vessel that allows blood to bypass the liver.  This blood vessel is present prior to birth so that the mother's liver filters and cleanses the blood.  Just prior to birth or shortly thereafter it closes, though, then allowing the puppy's liver to function and beginning filtering the blood.  In some cases, though, the vessel does NOT close, as in the case of Phillip.  As a result, toxins that normally would be filtered and cleansed out of his blood are not being so which results in Phillip being a very sick little dog.

How can I help?

CSTR's goal is to find 400 people to give $10 or 200 people to give $20, although no donation is too large or too small!  Click on the ChipIn widget above to make your donation today.  And thank you!

If you do not have PayPal or would prefer to mail your donation, you can send it to -

CSTR
ATTN:  Phillip's Fund
PO Box 152
New Lenox, IL 60451

One more thing..

CSTR has since learned that Phillip was purchased as a puppy from Happiness Is Pets.  This poor baby is one more glaring example of why you should NEVER purchase animals from a pet store.  Puppy mill puppies are sold in pet stores - Phillip's paperwork traces back to an Iowa puppy mill - and the only way we're going to shut them down is by refusing to buy their animals.  Please - Don't Shop!  Adopt!