Sweet Kenzie came into a big shelter, deaf and blind, on a court-case hold. When she was released after several weeks in a terrifying place ODH took her in. Her eyes were horribly painful and damaged and the first task was to remove them – one of them didn’t have a lens at all, both were abnormal. Undoubtedly this little cocker had been born without sight and likely also without hearing – and likely the result of breeding for color. That pretty black and white particolor came at a price of genetic defects, as so often happens with this kind of irresponsible breeding. Kenzie oddly enough doesn’t have many allergies and her ears aren’t a problem, but she needs biweekly anal gland expression and has had a spindle cell tumor removed. Through all of this she is a gentle passive girl who asks very little, never complains, loves cuddling with almost any dog whether invited or not (and whether there is room or not). She adores her ODH dad, standing with her nose pressed to the door while he’s gone, and loves tummy rubs. We have no idea how old she is but we’re glad the pain in her eyes is gone and that she has the care she needs.

Update:  After nearly 3 years with her ODH family, Kenzie was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease.    Treatment helped the symptoms but she suffered a stroke (blood clots are very common  with Cushings) and her condition deteriorated after that.   At nearly exactly 3 years with ODH she had another little stroke which was just too much for her to struggle through.    She was a tremendously resilient little survivor to have dealt so long with her handicaps, but this told us it was time to let her go.     She was much loved and her dad misses petting her at night.