Deacon Then
Deacon was a year and a half old when he arrived from Kentucky in January 2005 and no one realized what a sick dog he was.  We noticed that he had difficulty eating and also had a persistent cough, but the cough especially is something very common for the dogs arriving from rural shelters. Some diagnostic X-rays revealed a lump (later discovered to be an enlarged lymph node) between his esophagus and heart, which was pushing on his esophagus making it very difficult for him to eat.

Rogers’ was told that Deacon had a rare condition and we took him to the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital for an action plan.  After several treatments, UPenn doctors diagnosed Deacon with a fungal infection that hindered his ability to breathe.  He was started on a very expensive anti-fungal medicine. At first, it seemed to be working; however, over time and after further diagnostic testing, we realized he was not making any progress. 

Deacon endured ultrasounds, a needle biopsy, multiple tracheal washes, and other procedures, in order to determine what the infection was.  The results from these procedures were inconclusive.  Finally, in July 2005, Deacon underwent chest surgery where the doctors took a sample of his lung in order to get a definitive diagnosis. This was a very invasive procedure and one that was not embarked upon lightly.  We felt it was the only way to give Deacon a real chance at life. 

During this time, Rogers’ started a major fundraising campaign because the chest surgery alone was going to cost approximately $5,000.  Deacon was featured in local newspapers and on 99.9 The Hawk, a local radio station.  Through the fundraising efforts of our volunteers and generous public support, we raised over $5,000 for what had now affectionately become known as “The Deacon Fund”.  This money helped give Deacon access to the medical care he desperately needed. 

The results from the chest surgery at UPenn were inconclusive, and we were back at square one.  No one had any idea what was wrong with Deacon and, at this point, he seemed doomed.  Rogers’ sent a sample of his lung tissue out to UC Davis Veterinary Hospital for further testing.  The testing revealed that Deacon had a very rare type of lung infection and one that was very difficult to detect.

In October 2005, he was started on yet another drug treatment therapy which was to last a minimum of eight months. This was probably one of the lowest points for us as a rescue…Deacon’s breathing continued to get worse and now the drugs that were supposed to be helping him were making him worse as he was suffering from an adverse drug reaction.


Deacon Now
After his episode in October 2005, we reduced his medication dose in an effort to still kill the infection but not cause any more adverse reactions.  He went to Red Bank Veterinary Hospital for continued monitoring.
Miracle of miracles…in September 2006 Deacon was deemed infection free!  Due to some permanent scarring in his lungs, he still requires a daily dose of prednisone but, other than that, he’s one healthy boy.  His hair is still growing back from the chest surgery over a year ago and it’s a constant reminder of how close we came to losing him. 

Deacon is the longest Rogers’ Rescues foster ever with one year and six months in foster care under his belt.  His total vetting expenses have cost the rescue over $10,000. We were able to provide him with this second chance through the many generous donations that we received. And for that we are forever grateful.  We are also very happy to announce that Deacon has been adopted…by his foster family!  They couldn't bear to let him go after all they’d been through together.

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