Providing life's necessities for underprivileged animals

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About Us

About Oscar's Cause and what we can do to assist you

Oscar’s Cause is more than just a nonprofit; Oscar’s Cause is a heartfelt story of an amazing life that ended too soon. Oscar was a cherished pet child, second to none. An amazing dachshund full of life, spunk and personality. Anyone who knew this family would attest that Oscar was blessed to live the life most would love to give their pet children; from family gatherings and vacations to routine and emergency medical and dental visits. The love and care for Oscar had no bounds.

It was the end of 2013, when Oscar had begun to put on extra weight, but only in the “belly area.” His stomach was now touching the ground when he walked. His veterinarian insisted that his blood work and examination showed Oscar to be within normal limits, he was just overweight and placed on a diet.

Oscar’s condition did not improve; he continued to have the same weight issues with slight change in his disposition throughout the year. Noticing every little change, his parents kept him in and out of the veterinarian’s office for constant checkup and recheck.

Each visit warranted the same explanation— “There is no reason to worry, and his previously charted blood work and examinations all show Oscar to be within normal limits. Oscar is perfectly normal and healthy, just overweight.”

To everyone’s surprise, Oscar suddenly fell deathly ill with no warning! He was rushed to his veterinarian where he was found to be in diabetic ketosis. He was treated and kept for observation. However, once released home, Oscar’s condition did not improve. It continued to worsen over the weekend. He could not eat, he was very lethargic and began to lose his ability to control his bowels and urination. Oscar was rushed to an after-hours hospital where he spent a couple more days with more blood work. Still, no one was able to give a clear and precise diagnosis, and Oscar’s condition again took a turn for the worse. The vet said that she had never had a case anything like this and was not sure what would come next, but wanted to treat him for what she thought he had.

After researching the list of medications they wanted to treat him with and what could happen to Oscar as a result of side effects, Oscar’s parents began to reach out to everyone for help and advice. They even turned to complete strangers in the veterinarian offices they visited and to even more on the internet. All of the different responses were just as terrifying as the situation at hand. So many people were reaching out just as they were; all just as confused and scared, not knowing what to do or where the money was going to come from for the treatments. The number of parents who could not afford their pet child’s crisis and had no other option but to put the pet child down was alarming!

Oscar’s parents knew it was time to seek a specialist. Oscar was moved to another veterinarian’s care at a specialist hospital, two hours away. Oscar was in the hospital for a weeks’ time and during this time, they were able to obtain his medical records, run tests of their own and compare with the charted notes of the previous veterinarians. Thanks to an amazing team of dedicated veterinarians, Oscar finally had a diagnosis— Oscar was diagnosed with diabetes and Cushing’s Disease. Both very serious and deadly conditions; especially when left untreated for any amount of time.

Oscar fought as hard as he could for as long as he could. In April of 2015, Oscar passed away. Oscar’s misdiagnosis lead to his untimely death.

Oscar’s Story, unfortunately, is only one of many. There are families all over who have already faced a similar circumstance and there are those who will have to face them in the future.

Thankfully, now, there is help. The love for Oscar and all animals has led Oscar’s parents to found Oscar’s Cause. Oscar’s Cause is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) put into place to ensure that all animals can get the appropriate care that they need, so that no other animals or families have to suffer as Oscar and his family did.