Cache Creek Animal Rescue Hopes Good News Comes In Threes

FRANKFORT, IL — The old adage goes, "Tragedy comes in threes." Cache Creek is hoping that the same is true for good fortune, after the community helped two of its recent rescues in a big way. Now one more rescue is facing dire straits, and the animal shelter is hoping community members can step up once again.

Fluffy

The no-kill shelter posted Friday on its Facebook page about Fluffy, who was found abandoned at a car wash. She was diagnosed with heart failure and a heart murmur. Staff at Cache Creek decided to put out a call for someone to foster 12-year-old Fluffy and give her some enjoyment in whatever time she has left. The callout worked.

In less than 24 hours, someone had messaged Cache Creek and volunteered to foster her. Fluffy was headed Monday to her new home.

One down, two to go.

Avery

Next was the story of Avery, a months-old puppy from Oklahoma whose knee was crushed and would require surgery to fix. The surgery would cost around $2,500. Again Cache Creek put out the call for help, also on Friday, on its Facebook page, and again the community came through.

Community members had donated $2,900 as of Monday for Avery's surgery. Avery is scheduled to have the surgery Wednesday. The hope is that, after the surgery, Avery can be placed with a foster to recover before being placed up for adoption.

Two down, one to go.

Duke

And now Duke.

Duke is an 8-year-old Chihuahua mix who came to Cache Creek via Oklahoma and has been fostered since April by the organization's Fundraising Coordinator, Barb Bartkowiak. Duke is diabetic and has been diagnosed with Cushing disease, a condition that causes the body to release too much cortisol, according to the American Kennel Club.

Duke's condition has taken a turn for the worse in the past week, Bartkowiak said. The treatment for his Cushing disease is affecting his glucose levels and causing his insulin levels to spike off the charts, leading to two hospital visits in the past 48 hours alone, at a cost of about $2,900 that Bartkowiak has paid for out of her own pocket, she said.

"His insulin levels were at 699, and they said he was going into diabetic shock," Bartkowiak said.

The good news for Duke is that with continued treatment his glucose levels can be regulated, and he can expect to live for several more years, Bartkowiak said.

"I feel so bad because he started panting real bad and I knew something was wrong," Bartkowiak said. "And if he stops eating and he starts urinating a lot, then you know something's not right. [The veterinarian] said if it gets to that point, if you don't get him in fast enough to reverse it, that's when he goes into diabetic shock.

"I asked them, 'What are we looking at long term?' They said that if they can get this under control, then he'll do just fine. They just got to get this under control sooner rather than later."

Will members of the Frankfort community step up yet again to help Cache Creek make it a three-for-three week for the animals in its care? If past behavior can be an indicator for future behavior, then the odds could be in Duke's favor.

To make a donation to Cache Creek Animal Rescue, visit its Facebook page and click on the "Donate" button.

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