Shadow is a brave, resilient young dog in the Laramie Animal Welfare Society Foster-to-Forever program. Estimated to have been born on July 28, 2025, Shadow first came into our care as a stray intake on October 1, 2025, alongside his siblings Bridger, Rocky, Jackie, and Ty, after being rescued from the Wind River Reservation. On November 16, 2025, he was placed with the Gilbert family as a Foster-to-Adopt puppy, who lovingly named him "Motzy. During the foster-to-adopt process, LAWS covers the cost of both general and emergency medical care.

What was supposed to be a fresh start quickly took a complicated turn as Shadow began battling a series of complex health challenges.

Shadow's Medical Timeline: A Long Road to Healing

• December 2025: Shadow faced a terrifying medical emergency when he presented with lethargy, vomiting, and a hunched posture. On December 15, he underwent an exploratory laparotomy for suspected foreign material. While no foreign object was found, doctors discovered severe intestinal inflammation (typhlitis) with abnormal lesions.

• January 2026: His medical journey intensified when he suffered a sudden crash with extreme lethargy, a wobbly gait, and dry heaving. Emergency diagnostics revealed dangerously elevated pre-prandial bile acids, pointing heavily toward a congenital intrahepatic portosystemic liver shunt.

• February & March 2026: Shadow was placed on a strict, specialized medical management protocol—including a prescription liver diet (Hill's L/D), Lactulose, Denamarin, and Ursodiol—to stabilize his failing liver function while preparing for corrective surgery.

• July 2026: Shadow traveled to the Colorado State University James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, where a CT angiogram confirmed his intrahepatic liver shunt and he successfully underwent his first major open surgery to place a cellophane band on the shunt.

A Second Emergency & Miracle Return Home

While we hoped July's surgery marked the end of his trials, Shadow tragically hit a severe roadblock in early August. He suddenly became very ill, and testing revealed bile peritonitis, a life threatening condition where bile leaked directly into his abdomen, causing severe pain, fever, and a dangerous systemic crash.

Shadow was rushed back to Colorado State University for a second emergency surgery. During the procedure, the veterinary team successfully located the source of the bile leak and clamped it off. However, Shadow faced terrifying hurdles on the table, experiencing significant bleeding that required emergency blood and plasma transfusions, followed by days of round-the-clock intensive Critical Care.

UPDATE 8/10/2026: We are overjoyed to share that Shadow came home yesterday! He is finally back in the comfort of his family, resting and continuing his recovery under close watch.

Heartfelt Thanks to Our Amazing Veterinary Teams

Shadow’s survival is entirely a testament to the extraordinary skill, dedication, and compassion of his medical teams. We want to send a massive shoutout and endless gratitude to:

• Dr. Walker and her incredible team at Gem City Vet for their early catch, dedication, and ongoing local care.

• The General Surgery team, the Critical Care team, the Anesthesia team, and the amazing staff at the Colorado State University James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital for performing his complex surgeries, managing his critical care, and fighting tooth and nail to save his life.

How You Can Help

Shadow’s second major surgery and subsequent critical care have resulted in bills totaling $13,000.

We are beyond grateful and humbled that a generous donor has stepped up to commit $5,000 toward this current chapter of Shadow’s care! This incredible gift helps tremendously, leaving us to raise $8,000 to cover the rest of his latest lifesaving medical expenses. This comes at a time when we have other animals with medical needs on top of the 80+ animals currently depending on us every single day.

Shadow has fought harder than a pup ever should, and his sweet spirit through all of this pain is nothing short of a miracle. Please consider making a donation, sharing his story, or sending him your love and support. Every single contribution brings us one step closer to giving Shadow the long, healthy life he has fought so hard for.

We will continue to provide updates on Shadow's recovery and the status of his medical bill as final invoices and payments are received.

Thank you for helping “Motzy” get home and for helping LAWS pay for the lifesaving care that made it possible. ❤️