MARANDA FUND RECIPIENT

 

Lady (aka “Pretty Baby Girl”) came to us after her peaceful home life turned upside down when her owners’ teenaged grandchildren came to live with them. Lady ended up choosing to sit in her open crate in the laundry room all day. Her owners realized this was not a quality life for Lady and they reached out to Old Dog Haven.

When Lady first arrived at our home she would follow one of us all the time but she never wanted to be touched, especially on her head. Over time she gained trust and she now enjoys being picked up, held, stroked, sitting on my bed and sleeping on my housemate’s bed with her packmates. She is calmer, happier and bounces around with joy particularly when treats are available. Lady is one feisty “lady” with many opinions, as her groomer would tell you, but her vet calls her sweet.

It was clear when Lady arrived that she had not received quality health care or grooming, and her teeth were awful. Thanks to ODH, her teeth have been treated which improved her health and gave her a calmer demeanor. Lady had also never received eye care so she now regularly sees a veterinary ophthalmologist and has proper eye medications.

About seven months after Lady moved in she was sitting next to me on my bed one day before we went to sleep. Suddenly she crawled into my lap and started crying out in pain. She leapt to the floor and continued crying out then stopped. Lady’s yelping kept occurring at irregular intervals for over a week but remained a mystery even after three exams and X-rays. There was some indication Lady had a deformed vertebrae but nothing was certain and her yelping continued.

Thankfully, the Maranda Fund was used so Lady could have an MRI to help diagnose the problem. I hoped there was a possibility that it was something that could be treated and it was!  The MRI showed that Lady was suffering from a deep inner ear infection and it was treatable with medication.

The medications cleared up Lady’s infection promptly. Now Lady is one happy girl scurrying around the house and yard looking for something to eat (she eats voraciously and never gains weight!), exploring or looking for someone to hang out with. While writing this, Lady is gathered around my kitchen table with three other dogs waiting for a bit of steak I’ve got in a dish next to me.

Lady is our first ODH Final Refuge dog and it has been a tremendous experience to see her settle down and enjoy life with us and our other dogs. Lady has taught us the value of patience and constant affection to draw out her sweet personality from underneath her self-protective mantle of skittishness and feistiness.

In the past three months, Lady has started to have seizures so we don’t know what the future holds. Right now she is happy, enjoying life to the fullest and we cherish every moment we have together. The MRI saved Lady’s life! Thank you to Old Dog Haven and the Maranda Fund supporters for giving my “Pretty Baby Girl” a chance.

Update:  Sadly, Lady’s health failed and her Final Refuge family had to say goodbye.  She was such a dear girl and had really thrived in her new home with her new pack mates.  It was a joy to see her lovely personality bloom and she will be greatly missed.