Hope is a senior Chihuahua who was on the euthanasia list at a local shelter when she was rescued by Barks of Love Animal Rescue in Orange County. Though her prospects were dim – she’d been diagnosed with a heart-based tumor, terminal lung disease and a heart murmur – the rescue took her to University Veterinary Center in Anaheim for a second opinion.
“We pulled her believing we would be taking her straight to the vet to be euthanized,” says Paige Lefever, rescue director and president. “Dr. Ash spent a lot of time with her and realized she wasn’t as sick as the shelter believed. … Dr. Ash has been treating her, and she is now available for adoption.”
UVC is a full-service veterinary hospital opened in April, run by Dr. Ash Hakhamian – aka Dr. Ash – whose work often revolves around difficult-to-diagnose or difficult-to-treat cases usually requiring some kind of surgical intervention. And many of these cases involve homeless animals saved from euthanasia by pet rescue groups regularly consulting with and utilizing Hakhamian’s services – at deeply discounted (sometimes free) prices.
“We like weird,” Hakhamian says. “I’m not trying to be rich; I’m trying to be happy.”
Strange cases
On any given day, Hakhamian may be caring for any number of dogs and cats with serious medical conditions – gunshot wounds, train accidents, large tumors, etc. Recently he had two kittens brought in by a rescue because of congenital deformities. One kitten was born without eyelids and the other without some essential bones in one leg. Normally these animals – Hiccup and Sweet Pea – would have been euthanized, but upon hearing about these kittens from one of his regular rescues, Hakhamian knew he could help.
The kitten without the leg bones would require an amputation and possibly a prosthetic; the kitten without eyelids would need lip-to-lid transposition surgery in which the lip is moved to where the eyelid is supposed to be.
Another recent case is that of a 24-pound French bulldog brought in by a military family living out of a hotel. The dog was diagnosed with pancreatitis by another vet for her inability to eat and frequent urination all over the house. The family walked in near closing time on a Friday night for a second opinion, and after some X-rays, Hakhamian informed the family their dog had an 8-pound tumor in her abdomen.
“The dog’s intestines and all the other organs were literally shoved in the corner,” Hakhamian recalls. “I know everyone would put that dog to sleep … so we decided to help. We like the ones where nobody’s gonna give them the chance.” Hakhamian removed the tumor, donating most of his services to the family.
Low-cost care
When Hakhamian decided to open his hospital after working in emergency and surgery units at veterinary hospitals in New York, Arizona and Los Angeles, his goal was to focus on quality rather than quantity – and affordability. “There’s nothing more disheartening than going into the room and saying, ‘Mrs. Gonzales, I can totally fix your dog,’ (and she says, because it’s too expensive) ‘Thank you, but I’m going to put him to sleep.’ ”
The discounted services for rescued animals is what helps Barks of Love save more lives, says Lefever.
Two-year-old Brownie, for example, was dumped at a vet’s office because he needed cataract surgery the family couldn’t afford. Hakhamian is treating some other birth defects in Brownie’s ankles at a discount while Barks of Love fundraises for his eye surgery.
The hospital has cared for at least 400 homeless rescue animals since opening, and has been helped by community donations to the UVC Medical Fund (uvcvet.com/donate), which goes to save the lives of many underserved pets.
The high volume and tricky cases help the hospital and vet in turn. He has students from local colleges studying to become veterinary technicians and registered veterinary technicians who participate in daily rounds and scrub into surgeries for educational purposes.
“The complicated cases keep me challenged,” he says. “The students also ask all sorts of great questions. This keeps us all on our toes and ahead of our field. In my eyes, this is a win-win-win situation.”
