Our sweet (and ever curious) Yoshi came to us from a recent PG shelter urgent list in need of immediate medical attention. When he arrived, he was suffering from an upper respiratory infection, as well as ear and eye infections. We got him to the vet within the first few days of bringing him into rescue so he could begin receiving the treatment he desperately needed.

Thankfully, Yoshi responded well to treatment and was starting to feel much better. Then, he found a box of tampons and managed to eat eight of them. This quickly became a medical emergency.

Tampons are designed to absorb fluid and expand, making them extremely dangerous when ingested. With so many potentially in his stomach, time was critical. We rushed Yoshi to the emergency vet, where they induced vomiting. Several tampons were successfully recovered, but x-rays revealed that others had already moved into his GI tract.

At that point, there was a very real risk of an intestinal obstruction, which could have required emergency surgery. Yoshi was sent home with instructions for intensive monitoring and "bulk feeding" to help move the material through his system, along with a follow-up appointment the next day.

His regular vet performed additional x-rays, administered subcutaneous fluids, and continued monitoring. For several anxious days, we didn't know whether Yoshi would need surgery or if the remaining material would pass on its own.

Fortunately, we received the best possible outcome. Over the following days, cotton-like material was found in his stool, and without any vomiting or additional complications, Yoshi was able to pass the remaining material naturally and avoid surgery.

While we are incredibly grateful for this outcome, emergency veterinary care is expensive. The costs related to the tampon ingestion incident alone totaled $1,351. Combined with the medical care Yoshi needed immediately after leaving the shelter, his veterinary expenses have already reached $1,900.

As a rescue, every dollar spent on emergency care comes directly from funds that would otherwise help other animals in need. We're asking for your support to help us recoup Yoshi's medical expenses so we can continue saying "yes" to animals who need us.

Any amount helps, and every donation goes directly toward covering Yoshi's veterinary care.

Thank you for supporting Yoshi and helping us continue our lifesaving work.

Yoshi's Medical Campaign

One curious pup, eight tampons, and a $1,900 vet bill...