Oscar the Helen Keller Boston Terrier

Please take a moment to read about Oscar and his story. He is a big Boston Terrier boy who was in a shelter in South Alabama heading for a sad fate. Fortunately, the shelter contacted us about him. Our tireless volunteer, Phyllis Nixon, dropped her plans to drive almost 400 miles round trip to get this boy. He was happy to see her, but that is misleading. Oscar is blind. So he was happy to meet her!

He rode sweetly all the way back to Birmingham where the vets here were able to examine him. They found that he is blind in both eyes, that they were not treatable, and that he'd been in pain for who knows how long. Oh, here's the kicker, he's deaf too! On a good note, his teeth are nice and he is heartworm negative!

So the very next day, Oscar had both eyes removed in a procedure called enucleation. While under, he was also neutered. Kind of a rough day for Oscar! The eyes were both in bad shape. One had already ruptured and the other one started to do so during the removal process. The surgery took almost two hours!

The good news is that Oscar is now just going to get better and better. The pain will be behind him, he won't be subject to ongoing scarring, dry eye, and infections (I can't imagine who bad he must have felt!), and that he still looks pretty handsome! The surgery is past and he is excited about getting eat to his heart's content!

You might think that without hearing nor vision, Oscar might become depressed and have no reason to live. You would be quite wrong! He is able to snuffle his way around, loves to be given affection, is very familiar with treats already, and likes to nap in the warm sunshine. While people would have a very difficult time adapting to this kind of life, a dog is much more resilient. Oscar is brave and loving dog!

He is only about 6 years old, but the years have made him look a little rough. I like to think this adds character, like it would to Clint Eastwood! He's a big boy at almost 33 pounds. He's an inspiration to us all about learning to live with what life doles out and find a way to cope!

Phyllis is not the only one who has helped out Oscar, Amy Sanford, Jessica Kerrick, Dr. Julie Grimes, Dr. Beth Gibbons, Austin Cooper, and several others have all worked together to make this story have a happy outcome! Thank you to all of you! And thanks to you for reading this story! If you are moved by this story, there are a number of things you can do to help out!

First, you can foster or even adopt him!

Second, you can make a donation in his name to assist with his medical bills (we spent more in a day on him than I've spent on my car in the last year and that is with a extremely generous discount from our lovely vet!). This can be done on our website, www.BhamBTR.org AND for donations of $50 or more, we'll take a photograph you send to us and make it into a chalk pastel image in sepia tones!

Three, you can send this message to others you know who might be able to help or who might need to hear a story about overcoming adversity!

Thank you for taking the time to read this story about a fine man, Oscar!

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Birmingham
• Boston
• Terrier
• Rescue
• Blind
• Deaf
• Eye
• Removal
• Oscar

[dantmn911]

oh my god!!!! thats not fair for this dog!! you have to do the right thing

[tomatoe98]

Do the right thing? We've gotten him comfortable by taking out the eyes. That is the point of the video - that while he is blind and deaf, he finds great quality of life - he senses where people and food are and seeks them out, enjoys being loved on, and does pretty darn well. I think we've done the right thing. I just hope you aren't saying we should put him to sleep.

[kitward24]

@fis2rt it was just a joke I'm srry if reality hurt ur feelings

[fls2rt]

@kitward24 - and you know this how? Have you been there and not seen any? If you were there why didn't you stay? Don't make claims you can't prove!!!

[Dariak11]

go Oscar! We just adopted a 10+ old Boston Terrier who is blind and deaf as well. He is a snuggle bum...gets around fine and enjoys being with us and our previously adopted rescue Pug. We prefer the older gentle and calm dogs regardless of disabilities! Folks are missing a blessing if they overlook these seniors!!

[kitward24]

dogs don't go to heaven!

[75630KaraokeStar]

I think it is great that you took compassion on this dog and that despite eyesight and hearing loss the dog still has the wherewithal to smell his environment and warmly give and receive affection.

Now I see that you are still looking for someone to adopt or foster Oscar and I wish you luck in finding someone. Finding responsible people to care for 100% healthy pets is hard enough let alone a dog this disabled.

I will pray for you and Oscar and hope all works out. Oscar deserves to live.

[DuhhDogsRule14]

Oh that is so sad. At least he has you there to help take care of him. That really is sad that he is both blind and deaf. Poor thing.

[HOHNancy]

@dantmn911 Blind and deaf dogs do fine, with help. As long as they are not in pain physically, they do not need to be put to sleep. I agree with tomatoe98.