After his Owners spent All Their savings And Vets Have Run Out Of Choices To Treat Him, The Poor Dog Toby Loses Brave Fight For Life After Mystery Illness

As he bravely battled a mystery illness he picked up on a walk in Belfast, he captured the hearts of the country.

After eight days in intensive care, Toby the Dachshund died today in his family’s arms. He’d only been alive for a year and a half.

“Toby passed away today at 11.30am,” his owner, Niamh Gilligan, told DogsLive. He passed in my arms, cuddled up against my neck, with Chris giving him gentle head scratches and his entire family surrounding him.

“He was in no pain and passed peacefully.” I know a lot of people have been worried about Toby since they first heard about him, and while this is a very sad update, we just wanted to let everyone know and express our gratitude for their support, thoughts, and prayers.

“Toby had a bad night last night, and the vets were worried that he might leave us at any time.” His teeny-tiny body had had its fill. We didn’t want Toby to be alone when he left, so Chris and I decided that he should go in peace with his family.

“To make him more comfortable, we removed his feeding tube, and he moved over to rest on me. He cuddled up to me with his head in my neck. In the mornings, it was always his go-to spot. He died quickly and painlessly.

“Toby fought so hard, and the vets did everything they could, but it was just too much for him.” Because he was such a small and young dog, this terrible disease was too much for him to bear. He’d be here if he’d had the willpower, if he’d had the bravery. When he cuddled into me and became comfortable, I knew it was time for him to leave, and we had to let him. We’d already asked so much of him that we couldn’t think of anything else to ask. We’re heartbroken, to put it bluntly.”

Dachshund with a long coat. After his daily walk in Ormeau Park in South Belfast, Toby became ill 18 days ago. He was admitted to the specialist Earlswood Veterinary Hospital in East Belfast after presenting with vomiting and lethargy for ten days with no improvement.

He was given a plasma transfusion yesterday, March 29, in a last-ditch effort to give his body a chance to rest and recover, which owner Chris Greenlee described as a “last roll of the dice.”

The couple awaited news with great anticipation, but Toby’s life was cut short just 24 hours later, leaving his family in shock and heartbreak, as well as a nearly $10,000 vet bill.

“Whatever happens, we will fight as long as he can,” Chris had previously stated. We’ll be able to find up with the cash. Money can be replaced or re-earned. Toby, our boy, is unable to."

Chris and Niamh put their savings toward buying a house on hold in order to cover as much of the medical costs as possible, and they set up a fundraising page in case they needed additional help.

“We know that when we get dogs, one day we’ll have to say our goodbyes,” Chris explained. For some, that day is far away, with many happy memories, cuddles, and a long happy life ahead of them. That time has unfortunately come far too soon for us.

“We had to say goodbye to our little man today.” His first birthday was one day later. Right now, there are no words to describe the pain and heartbreak. I’ve already started missing him.

Toby’s arrival in our lives completed not only our lives, but our family’s as well. Toby only did one thing for us: he gave us his unconditional love. He wasn’t just a dog; he was our family’s third member.

“Toby was the most important person in our lives.” He provided us with the most wonderful nine months anyone could wish for. Every morning, he would wake us up with a barrage of kisses that made us gasp for air.

“The most difficult part of it all is that all we wanted to do was give you a long and happy life full of adventures, happy memories, and love.” Regrettably, it was drastically shortened.

I never imagined I’d be able to love someone or something as much as Toby. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get over his death. There’s nothing worse than holding the thing you love about and having to say goodbye, but we couldn’t keep him suffering."

Toby was diagnosed with Acute Haemorrhagic Diarrhoea Syndrome and pancreatitis caused by its symptoms on March 22, but veterinarians are still unsure of the disease’s origins, where or how it is detected, or whether there is a cure.

Now, Niamh is pleading with dog lovers to help figure out what’s causing the disease and how to combat it so that other families have a fighting chance of saving their pets.

A study at Liverpool University and the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network is currently underway to try to identify, eradicate, and prevent this potentially fatal disease.

And preliminary evidence suggests that it could be linked to canine enteric coronavirus, a coronavirus that affects the intestines.

Owners can participate in the study by allowing their veterinarian to send their pet’s medical records to SAVSNET, which is researching the disease.

“Colleagues at the University of Lincoln, led by Dr. Simon Clegg, tested some samples from affected animals, and as we found in 2020, canine enteric coronavirus was found in many of them,” Professor Alan Radford said. We discovered the same thing in SAVSNET samples."

SAVSNET began looking into reports of acute gastrointestinal disease in dogs, including vomiting and diarrhoea, in various parts of the UK in January 2022, with the most severe cases in Yorkshire.

Statistics showed that gastrointestinal disease cases in dogs were increasing beyond what would be considered normal for the time of year, so the team launched an investigation into a possible outbreak.

“Early analyses of questionnaires from owners and vets managing cases suggests that, thankfully, affected dogs usually make a full recovery in seven to fourteen days with appropriate care,” according to a spokesperson for SAVSNET. People are not in any danger."

Advice to owners from SAVSNET

Acute Gastrointestinal Disease, such as Toby’s, is always unpleasant, regardless of the cause or whether it affects a single dog or a group of dogs.

It can be fatal in severe cases, particularly if left untreated. If you have concerns about your pet’s health, please contact your veterinarian, who will be able to provide you with the best advice and, if necessary, treatment.

Whether the disease pattern in your area is normal or not, if your dog has vomit and/or diarrhoea, it’s a good idea to keep them away from other dogs at least while they’re sick, and preferably for a few days longer in case they’re infectious.

It’s even more important to clean up after your dog if they defecate or vomit in a public place, washing your hands carefully afterwards. Close contact with infected dogs, as well as their vomit and diarrhoea, are the most likely routes for gastro intestinal bugs to spread.