Violet Rose (Chihuahua)
Loves laps
Violet Rose, a very tiny Chihuahua, came to the shelter with no history of any kind. Shelter staff realized she had a serious disability and contacted Old Dog Haven for help. Once she was in her ODH Final Refuge home, Violet Rose was evaluated by a neurologist and diagnosed with C1-C5 myelopathy, a disorder of the spinal cord. Her gait was very unusual in that she hops because she cannot walk. She was also emaciated–weighing in at less than four pounds–and had generalized muscle atrophy. On top of all this, she had a large inguinal hernia, dental disease, and she had never been spayed.
Because of your support of ODH and the Maranda Fund, Violet Rose’s hernia was repaired by a surgeon and she was spayed. Amazingly, she did well with anesthesia despite the neurological disability. The neurologist suspected that her inability to walk was the result of trauma, and hoped that if she was able to gain strength she would be a good candidate for a doggy wheelchair. Her forever people worked on getting her healthy and now Violet Rose has her wheelchair! They tell us: “The minute she was fastened in the wheelchair, she realized that she could finally walk again! Now she eats her meals while standing and loves to explore!”
Because of the lack of dental care in the past, Violet Rose’s jaw bone was so thin it was fractured. She has now had needed dental surgery and 18 teeth extracted so she will finally be able to heal and eat properly. Her family has worked hard to find a food that she loves in order to help her eat and gain weight, and report that Violet Rose is now excited to eat all her meals!
Friends, your support of ODH has enabled little Violet Rose to overcome so many challenges. She now gets to live out her Golden Years being loved and cared for–and now that she has her own wheels, adventures await!
Update: Violet Rose uses a special adjustable bowl for ease of eating and she loves to eat while standing in her wheelchair. She wears special shoes on her front paws for needed traction that helps her stay steady when she walks. Violet Rose loves being held, stroller time and car rides. She is a trooper and despite her disability she is a very happy girl.
Final Update: We just had to say goodbye to this very tiny chi, Violet Rose. Her longstanding paralysis finally moved into her esophagus. She’d been with her loving family nearly four years, which is remarkable for a little girl who came pretty much unable to walk. When we saw her at the shelter it wasn’t at all certain that she could survive. A huge amount of effort went into caring for this dear girl and she will be greatly missed.
