Madison (Was Madison and Jitterbug)

Madison (12 years old) and Jitterbug (10 years old) were a family surrender. Their lifelong caregiver was no longer able to take care of them and the shelters were full, so the family reached out to Old Dog Haven, who found them a foster home within a handful of days. These sweet ladies arrived at their ODH Final Refuge in early January 2023.

Jitterbug, (short-haired) 4.5 pounds, and Madison, 7.5 pounds, had very little veterinary care during the course of their lives up to now. Madison was seen 4 years ago for a lifesaving spay, when she developed pyometra, a deadly infection of the uterus. But before and until now, no veterinary care is known.

Within the first week of arriving at their ODH home, Madison and Jitterbug were quickly taken in for full intake exams to determine how their health is doing overall, and what steps, if any, needed to be taken to make sure they’re in the best condition possible.

Jitterbug has not yet been spayed (and will receive that surgery soon), she has a mammary mass that needed to be checked (which is benign, but still needs to be removed), she had an anal gland infection, and severe dental disease.

Madison also had a mass that needed to be checked (also benign), she has a detected heart murmur with an echocardiogram in her near future, as well as severe dental disease.

With their new foster family and amazing vet team, all of these major (and many minor ones too) health issues are being checked, monitored, and treated.

As they settle into their new home, their foster mom shared that Madison is a bit more nervous when it comes to fast movement or loud sounds. When walking at the park, her foster mom tries to make sure to create distance from joggers, bikes, and loud voices, as much as possible. Otherwise Madison enjoys her walks and trots along at a pretty good pace for a little while.

Jitterbug is a bit more indifferent to the movement and noises. At the park, she isn’t much of a walker. She likes to sniff around in the grass, so her family has found a balance of standing more still for Jitterbug for periods of time, and then her riding in the carrier, so that they can move more quickly for Madison’s desire to walk more briskly.

Despite Madison’s more nervous nature, they have both done really well with all of their car riders, numerous vet visits, and meeting new people. We have yet to see how they do with closer interactions with other dogs, but hoping that it will all go smoothly.

Due to their severe dental issues, their individual food situations are being figured out to determine what they can and cannot handle. They both enjoy eating!

At home, they like to snuggle in their soft beds, blankets, and with each other. Home life is pretty quiet, so there’s lots of time to take naps and cuddle, which is perfect for these two gals.

Update:  Sadly, Madison passed away suddenly from a fast growing cancer.  She will be greatly missed and now the family is focused on helping Jitterbug adjust to the loss of her companion.  Madison will always be in their hearts.