Whenever we step up for a shelter dog in need, we never know what the future will hold or how much time we’ll have with them. All we know for certain is that we’ll make sure they’re loved and cared for, perhaps for the first time ever. Our hearts are broken to share that our sweet boy Roland has gained his wings and crossed the rainbow bridge.
We rescued Roland (aka Rolando or Roli) back in March, amid the growing pandemic, from the San Jose Animal Care Center. Although this sweet boy was estimated to only be about 5 years old, he had clearly not been cared for and had a huge lacerated mass by his penis, as well as an obvious skin issue. Rolando had a successful surgery, where the mass and his entire penis were removed. We treated his skin issue, and he was recovering wonderfully at his foster home with Filomena Farms. Because he was getting so much better, we no longer considered him a hospice dog, and we even had a family interested in him. Unfortunately, at his new home, he started showing signs of separation anxiety and his skin issues flared up again, so he went back to Filomena Farms.
That’s when we started to notice new cancerous growths on his underside. Then his right eye sank back, and the vet determined poor Rolando had Horner’s syndrome. Shortly after, the whole left side of his face was droopy, and he started drooling. We took him to Sage to check for neurological issues and test his thyroid. During this time, his kind foster mom did everything to keep our boy comfortable, and we are so grateful. Unfortunately, to add to his list of medical issues, Rolando had a splenic mass rupture, was rushed to the ER, and was in a great deal of pain. The kindest thing to do, albeit the hardest thing, was to let him go.
Rolando was such a sweet, gentle old soul, and we are grateful we had the chance to help him live as comfortable a life as possible. His foster mom shares, “We are grateful that he had enough time left to enjoy the sunshine, respite, solace, and freedom the Farm has to offer. We are very sad, but we are thankful that Roli got to know love in the short time he had on this earth. Fospice is so difficult, but so very much worthwhile.”
Please watch this remembrance video. We hope it brings you joy to see Roli’s journey with us and with his most amazing fospice mama and his farm friends.
One Planet Rescue 