Nicky found herself in a shelter when her family moved and was no longer able to care for her. Nicky’s exam at the shelter revealed abnormal test results. When ODH stepped in, Nicky was immediately taken to a veterinary specialty center. She had an enlarged liver, urinary tract infection, possible lepto and a distended belly highly suspicious of Cushings. After several days of treatment, Nicky was released and ODH transport volunteers delivered her to our home.

Her first evening home she would take a few steps and collapse, take a few steps and collapse. She was just so exhausted from her ordeal. Her recovery has been a long and winding road but ODH has been with Nicky every step of the way. She presented the vets with a puzzle of ailments and we are grateful for their dedication as they unraveled her symptoms.  Through multiple vet visits and tests, Nicky was diagnosed with Cushings, low thyroid and liver disease.

Now that her symptoms are  under control I am amazed at the transformation. I truly had no idea how miserable she must have felt until she felt better. She loves walks and I can hardly match her pace. She is demanding and a bit sassy. She loves to raid the toilet paper or shed an unattended box of tissue. We take this all in stride because we are so thrilled to know she feels better and is finally behaving like a dog.

Update: Nicky became suddenly ill and was admitted to the Emergency Vet Hospital. It became clear after 3 days it was time to release her spirit from her broken body. So we brought her home. We were incredibly heart broken learning our time together would be shorter than we expected. The last were sweet and precious days. We never left her side. We tried to fill them with everything she loved. Lots of cuddles. Lots of warm wash clothes to sooth her face and eyes. Lots of conversation. We thanked her for bringing us so much joy. We laughed at the many times she would deplete an entire roll of toilet paper because we stopped to talk to a neighbor and took way too long checking the mail. She never liked us out of her sight for very long. We laughed at how I couldn’t keep pace with a 12 pound bichon on our many walks. When I put on her leash it was if she heard a starting gun and the race was on! It was through all these conversations that I believe Nicky told us to be grateful. Not to be sad for the days we could never have or the pain of the last few. But be content with the 745 days we had together. And we are. We know that because of ODH, dogs like Nicky, dogs that find themselves abandoned and alone, find home. A home where they are wanted, , accepted with all their frailties, where they are loved and forever missed. Run Free My Sweet Pea.