Olive

Olive was found hiding under a porch in someone’s yard, and spent her first days in the shelter so stressed that she faced the back wall. This beautiful girl, a red heeler with maybe something else, was very fat and her breathing was almost always rapid and a little noisy; she also had a nasty mammary tumor and didn’t seem to be spayed – we started wondering if perhaps she was pregnant. ODH sent her to get chest xrays and the radiologist diagnosed severe pneumonia so we immediately picked her up and took her to our vet. A second set of xrays were reviewed completely differently; perhaps this was just obesity or perhaps an allergic reaction? It was several days before Olive would eat with enthusiasm and thus allow medication, and she mostly hid behind the bed. After a week or so she decided to join the family and her life became much happier. Then she had two very nasty seizures within two hours and we realized what must have been the reason for hiding under the porch. With way too many struggles and little hope of fixing any of it, and that worried expression returned to her face, we sent her on her way. Such a sweet, quiet girl – we really enjoyed her company and she never gave up hoping for a treat or a bite from dad’s plate. We hope she knew she was loved.