Kona

Kona was surrendered to rescue at just shy of 5 weeks old, when her owners (breeders) realized she didn't have an anus, a condition called atresia ani.  Kona's body had developed a fistula, which allowed her to pass stool through her vagina.  She was too young to undergo surgery to correct these issues, so we carefully monitored her diet and physical condition until she was 8 weeks old, when the surgeon said we could no longer wait, as she was getting obstipated.  Kona had the very delicate surgery to remove the fistula and correct the atresia ani (basically building her a butthole).  Surgery went great, and she pooped within 3 days.  However, she soon developed anal stricture, which needed to be corrected 2 different times.  

Finally, after the 3rd surgery, Kona was doing as well as could be expected.  Her body was finally at a point where she was healed and could poop regularly.  However, the next hurdle came when trying to get her diet such that she could poop in a consistent fashion.  She would go days without pooping, and then suddenly have explosive diarrhea.  But with a lot of time and patience, we have slowly weaned her off of canned food, and onto regular kibble, and she poops every day with good consistency.  

We are extremely happy with the outcome of Kona's journey.  We were told in the beginning that incontinence could be a complication, and also chronic UTIs.  But Kona has defied all odds.  She is completely continent and has had no issues with UTIs.  She is now 8 months old and a very happy, healthy bulldog.  Because of the need to control her diet while she was so young, we believe this stunted her growth, resulting her being smaller than average, weighing in at 18 lbs right now.  

Thanks to the grant provided by BCA, this tiny baby who was given to me at just 4 lbs and not even old enough to leave her mother now thrives and is living the life she was always meant to live and is being spoiled rotten, just like every bulldog deserves.