Age: 5-6 Years

Weight: 10 Lbs

Sex: Male

Logan is as sweet as they get. Even though he’s been through a lot, he doesn’t let that stop him from loving you. The years of being a puppy mill took a toll on him but the only physical scars he has from that is missing some teeth. He hides his missing teeth pretty well though and you wouldn’t know it without looking at him closely.

If you don’t get moving when your alarm sounds in the mornings, he’ll sweetly come and nudge you with his nose to wake you up. He loves to go on car trips with you and as the sun shines on him, he’ll fall asleep in the seat next to you until you arrive at your destination. If you leave him at home alone, he gets quite anxious but he says he’s working on that with medication.

When you come home from a long day at work, no one is happier to see you than Logan. After a victory lap that you’ve made it home safely, he’ll curl up on the couch and watch your favorite tv show with you. He may get in your lap for some loving attention but is pretty happy to just rest next to you after a few minutes of that. If you dare get up from the couch to get a snack, he says, “You snooze, you lose.” and calls dibs on your seat by stealing it from you before you even get to the refrigerator. Or if you have a pillow, he’ll happily put his head there and fall asleep there like he thinks he’s human. When you talk to Logan, he may not understand all the time, but his ears perk up in the cutest way to show you that he is a good listener and will be there to listen to your problems. He can be a bit stubborn and doesn’t like to come when called but you won’t have to worry about that much since he’ll be by your side more times than not anyways.

When you take him on a walk, he seems to think it’s to get to a destination, not because it’s enjoyable. So he may look at you like, “What in the world are you doing walking in circles?!” but he’s delighted just to be spending time with you so he’ll humor you and take these “pointless” walks with you whenever you want. He’s a very modest dog and won’t “go potty” on these walks because you’re watching him but if you leave him alone for a few minutes in your backyard, he’ll make sure it’s taken care of. Not much longer though, because he much more prefers to be in your company inside. If you don’t let him outside before you leave though, he’ll take care of his business as soon as you’re out the door.

Logan is a joy to have around and hardly ever barks but will let you know if someone is at the front door. He loves his people and his “girlfriend” aka a poodle mix is teaching him how to enjoy the company of other dogs too. He would probably be best with someone who is home more than not but he says he enjoys the presence of people so much he doesn’t care who you are as long as you love him with all your heart.

If you are interested in Logan, fill out an adoption application at http://okyorkierescue.org/adoption_application

~Foster mom Courtney

Statistics:
DOB: 12-05-04
Age: 7
Sex: Male
Weight: 21.5 lbs

Rocky is such a sweet boy, I really can’t believe that he has not been adopted (permanently) yet, but then again, most people aren’t looking for a 21lb yorkie.  Rocky is 100% potty trained and will sit, lay down and stay.

Rocky is a natural born leader, in the absence of a pack leader, he will take the job.  He loves to be with his human family, where ever they are. So, if you are a single women, who sometimes gets spooked, when taking a shower late at night, Rocky may be a good fit for you.  He will loyally stay right outside your shower door and let you know before anyone comes in.

Rocky loves to take long walks; he will even run with me!  He doesn’t mind other dogs, he just prefers human interaction.  But, if he feels his fur sibling is in danger, he will step in to help. He thinks cats are intruders and not allowed. He doesn’t really play with toys, but, occasionally enjoys a game of tug-of-war (sometimes with your socks).

Rocky is really not sure what to do with kids. He does fine with teenagers, but with the smaller ones, he is not sure if he is supposed to protect the adult or kids and can misunderstand the yelling and screaming, when playing or loving.  He has never bit anyone, but will put himself in the middle.  For that reason, we will not adopt him to a home with small children.

Rocky has severe food allergies; he is on a special hypoallergenic food.  We recently tried switching him to a sensitive food, but he broke out again.  As long as he stays on his strict diet, he is fine.  We even use some of his food as treats. When he does have outbreaks, we give him Benadryl.  We have had to get him a steroid shot, once.

Rocky came to OKYR in Nov of 2010.  His original owner decided she didn’t want him anymore, after having him for 6 years, and dropped him off at the OKC Shelter.  In Dec 2010, we adopted him to a great loving family with two teenage kids.  Come spring, Rocky was returned to us.  It turned out that one of kid’s allergies was aggravated so severely, the family could not keep him.

In July of 2011, we found another home for Rocky, but the situation with the grand kids was too much for the family.  So, he is back with us.  He did get a little depressed, after the last home did not work out for him.  So, if you are interested in him, hopefully, you will understand when we ask you a lot of questions and try to do our very best to find the absolute perfect home for Rocky, that will love him and keep him for the rest of his life.

If you are interested in Rocky, fill out an adoption application at http://okyorkierescue.org/adoption_application

Michelle

Hunter

Hunter came into the rescue the end of August 2011. He had been adopted 2-½ years ago, but was returned after the family who adopted him had life changing events and could no longer keep him. When he was returned, he was seeing a vet specializing in ophthalmology for his eye issues and came to us with two eye medications as well as a eye lubricant. Dr. Jan Ashmore (Schrag Animal Clinic) looked at his eye, examined his meds, and referred us to Dr. Gwin, an ophthalmology vet in Oklahoma City.  He was to continue on medications that she prescribed for him until he saw Dr. Gwin.  The diagnosis was severe “dry eye” or Keratoconjunctivitis sicca.  She explained that dogs have three different lubricant glands in the eye area, mucus secreting glands, oil glands, and one that produces saline, which provides the liquid portion of tears.  In Hunter, the saline producing glands were either non-functioning or barely functioning, meaning that his eyes were very dry.

Hunter doesn’t have the wide-eyed, big round eye look that we all associate with dogs.  He squints all of the time or even keeps his eyes closed.  I found through searching the internet more information about the disorder, which described Hunter’s issues exactly.

In a dog with dry eye, the bright, glistening sheen normally seen in the eye is replaced by a lackluster appearance in which the cornea is dry, dull, and opaque.  Recurrent bouts of conjunctivitis are typical and eventually the cornea becomes ulcerated or inflamed, cloudy, and loses transparency.  Without treatment, the dog can eventually become blind.  Dogs with dry eye usually must maintain eye treatment the rest of their lives.

There can be many reasons for dry eye development.  Immune-related diseases are thought to play a major role, but also the reason for the condition many times cannot be explained. Some breeds of dogs are predisposed to the disorder. Injuries to the nerves that innervate the lacrimal glands (tear ducts), infections of the middle ear, or injuries to the tear ducts themselves can play a role as well.  Some dogs are born without tear ducts.  Some dogs that must have their third eyelid removed for Cherry Eye or other issues can develop dry eye.  We know Hunter was normal at one time, because he was in the care of the rescue previously and was normal.  Because Hunter’s issues include both eyes, more or less, equally, his problem is thought to be immune related.

Diagnosis of dry eye is made by measuring the volume of tears.  The Schirmer Tear Test involves placing a commercial filter paper strip with measurements into the dog’s eye at the inner corner (where tears gather) and leaving it for one minute to see how much of the strip is wetted.  Normally, the strip should be wet to a distance of 20mm.  In dogs with dry eye, the strip wets less than 10mm (often less than 5mm).  Hunter’s initial tear test at Dr. Gwin’s office was 0-2mm, in the severe category.

I bought some Genteal eye gel to use on Hunter at the suggestion of Dr. Jan.  She said it would work better than the gel she gave us and used that with the Cyclosporin drops she prescribed.  Hunter would have huge wads of thick, tenacious goop in his eyes every day.  I found that after a bath, his eyes would open and he seemed to see better for awhile, so started using a saline flush before putting his drops. I would try to get some of the goo out also between drops.  So his daily regimen was intense.  Eye drops were ordered twice a day at this point.  It was a job to keep it all done.

Hunter in his Doggles...he really needs them; the sun hurts his eyes

The highly anticipated appointment came, the Schirmer test was done and we were sent home with three eye meds this time.  The Cyclosporin remained part of the regimen, plus Tacrolimus ointment, and a dry eye solution were prescribed.  The meds were to be used three times a day.  We really got busy at this point!  My husband usually does at least one set of drops a day due to our work schedules.  Occasionally, he will develop a look to his eye’s that look “infected”, so I’ll add an antibiotic drop a couple of times a day also.

Cyclosporin and Tacrolimus are both drugs most often used in humans to help prevent rejection of transplanted organs.  They lower the body’s immune system so that the immune response is diminished.  For dogs with dry eye, the medications are compounded in corn oil or ointment for the eye.  These drugs are also very expensive.  Every vet visit along with the medication refill for Hunter is around $250.00 with the rescue discount. One refill will last a little over a month with two of the meds and a little less with the third.

The dry eye solution prescribed was very helpful.  I’m not sure what is in this particular solution, but in my attempts to try to figure out what it could be, I ran across articles describing a solution containing ingredients that help break down the heavy mucus that collects in the dog’s eyes.  That is exactly what this stuff did for Hunter.  I no longer needed to flush or attempt to remove that stuff, the solution kept it down.  Hunter appreciated that a lot and so did I.  He really hated those eye washings and after doing some reading, I found they aren’t particularly helpful overall.  But also, it is said that you have to keep the gunk out, so it’s a catch 22.

December 15, 2011

Hunter napping

We are now three months down the road and Hunter is really no better.  His Schrimer test in October was 2-5mm, which is still in the severe range.  We will return next week Dec 20^th to Dr. Gwin for another test.  I anticipate no real difference.  The only difference I see in Hunter is that he is getting tired, can’t really see well at all, and seems depressed.  He does navigate around the house well and manages to go outside to eliminate, but he doesn’t see well.  I’ve never been around a blind dog, but he navigates like I would imagine one would.  He doesn’t have any peripheral vision and can’t tell when someone is close to him.  When you walk up close to him, he panics and backs up into you instead of moving away.  Even talking to him to warn him doesn’t help much.  He just can’t tell what is in his immediate environment. Small dogs seem to sense that they can be easily hurt and are very vigilant about danger in their environment.  Most of the time, humans don’t have to worry about stepping on a dog…the dog will move first. Hunter doesn’t have that self-protection instinct, so the humans have to be more careful when he is up and about. He tends to spend most of his time sitting with me or on the couch or a doggy bed.  He follows me around the house and he sleeps a lot.  I think his eyes cause him pain.  It is really difficult to figure out when dogs are in pain sometimes, but he makes little grunting sounds when I put drops in, or mess with his eyes.  I think it hurts and I think he’s tired of it.  I’ve recently discovered a better way to keep his eyes clean of the crust and discharge that tends to accumulate from his eyes after a day or two of drops.  I just use a wet, warm washcloth now with barely a touch of Johnson’s Baby Shampoo and wring it dry.  I also use Johnson’s to wash his head when I bathe him.  The corn oil in the drops makes his head greasy quickly.  An ophthalmologist I went to personally once had me use it for cleansing around my eyelids and it really doesn’t burn.  Some of the tearless dog shampoos will still burn the eyes.  I figure if it’s good enough for humans, it’s good for Hunter.

There is a surgical treatment for KCS or dry eye, if the drops are not helpful.  It is considered a last resort when management fails.  The operation involves transplanting the duct of the parotid salivary gland up into the corner of the eye.  Saliva will take the place of tears.  The operation has several significant disadvantages.  One is that the volume of tears may be more than the drainage system can handle.  This can result in a watery eye and the accumulation of mineral deposits on the cornea and face.  Eye drops are still necessary to keep the cornea from becoming occluded.  Plus when the dog smells food, etc, and salivates….his eyes will run.  Another solution is to simply remove the eye globes and sew the eyes shut.

None of the options for Hunter are wonderful.  The eye drops are labor intensive, probably painful, and also very expensive for life.  Both surgeries have many disadvantages.  Oklahoma Yorkie Rescue has many challenges ahead in making decisions in caring for this precious pup.

Did I mention that Hunter is just the sweetest doggy ever?  He is such a loving little soul that it’s amazing.  After all he has been through in his life…life at a puppy mill as a breeding dog….losing his precious family…and dry eye, he still loves his people.  He doesn’t like to be hugged and kissed much, but prefers to do the kissing himself.  He loves to lick and when he does, he nibbles.  Those love nibbles are so sweet.  I’m not so sure that much of his licking isn’t his reaction to the eye drops as he does more of it when he gets them, but I choose to interpret it as sweet.

Sally Boyster (Hunter’s Foster Mom)

12.20.11

Hunter had his visit with Dr. Gwin today.  His Schrimer test was 3-5mm, which is no real improvement after 4 months of treatment (at least).  We talked today about the surgery for this condition, which is called a Parotid duct transposition.  Dr. Gwin reiterated that individual dogs react differently to the surgery and that there is no way to tell how a dog will react until afterward.  Some dogs produce too much saliva as I described before and others don’t.  Some do very well and others not so well.  There are simple additions to his diet that can be made to help with the problems associated with constitution of the saliva causing crusty residue on his corneas.  Its buttermilk powder (yes the stuff you buy at the grocery store) and vitamin C.  He says those additions help a bunch.  Who knew?  He still will have to use drops some…maybe not so often and so many.  It will depend on his individual reaction and needs.  The rescue plans to go ahead with the surgery.  He will have his first eye done Jan 12^th.  Please keep Hunter in your prayers that his surgery will end his pain (his pain issues were really what made the decision).  I feel very certain that Hunter’s eyes hurt him a lot and according to Dr. Gwin, one thing the surgery will do is help the inflammation and irritation that is causing him pain.  I manged to get a pic of him with his eyes open, at least as much as they ever are…it’s the first pic and still hard to see them.  This is Hunter all dolled up for his doctor visit today!  We try to look snazzy for Dr. Gwin!  This is a website that explains the surgery really well.

Parotid Duct Transposition Information

Sally Boyster (Hunter’s Foster Mom)

Hunter...you can see his eyes a little if you really look...

A little better pic of Hunter...all dolled up!

February 23, 2012

Sorry that it’s been so long since I’ve written an update on Hunter.  It’s been a busy time.  Hunter had his surgery January 12^th as planned.  The original decision was to operate on the right eye first, as it was a little worse than the left.  Dr. Gwin started the surgery by locating the parotid gland on that side and during that part of the procedure, the gland, which seemed strange to him, tore.  He called me and we decided to go for the left eye.  The surgery on that eye went very well. Hunter tolerated the surgery well and came home that night.  Aside from a lot of pain the first few days, he did very well.  Our eye drop regimen changed in that the normal eye drops went into the right eye, but different drops went into the left.  My head was spinning trying to get this all straight!  Plus, he had a bunch of oral meds.  He was on pain medication for about 5 days and he really needed that!  We also had to start the Vitamin C and Buttermilk powder (yes the stuff you buy at the grocery store!) about a week ahead of the surgery.  Those two things have become Hunter’s special treat!  He is a picky eater, so his buttermilk powder goes into a little cottage cheese that he gets every day.  He looks forward to the cottage cheese treat and the other dogs are very jealous!  Those two things work to help keep the calcium salt deposits from the saliva from collecting quite so badly around his eye.

His eye is getting better!  He opens it wider now and his right eye even seems a little better also.  Dr. Gwin explained that for some unknown reason, sometimes the eye that wasn’t operated gets better too after surgery on one eye.  In Hunter’s case that situation would be wonderful, because it’s is unlikely that his right eye can be done.  The gland on that side, for lack of better words, is just squirrely.  It isn’t located where it should be and is very fragile.  It had to be repaired after the attempt to cannulate it, and likely has scar tissue now. So, we hope that eye gets better.  These days, Hunter just seems like he is interacting more, especially with the other dogs. He and my Yorkie, Fletcher, have become great friends and allies.  He has started to bark some, especially when I come home.  It’s really funny, because he seems surprised that he can actually make noise.  He wags his tail more. He just seems happier.  When we returned to see Dr. Gwin two weeks after surgery, he told me that Hunter’s result has been perfect.  His eye doesn’t run all the time like some dogs, but it keeps his eye moist.  He doesn’t have much crystal formation around his eyes.  Occasionally, if there is a really good smell around here (think bacon cooking) his eye will run and drip, but it isn’t often or a problem.  His face will get gunky and stiff on the left side after several days, but it cleans up well and it really takes days before that happens.  I have to clean the crystals from his eyelids about once a week.  Those crystals are a little weird, but it’s not a bad job to do and there really isn’t much.  I had an opportunity to talk with his adopted mom and learn more about the history of his eye problem.  He has battled this for about a year now and was going to vets and a doggy ophthalmologist the whole time.  The whole thing just became too much for her family, when they could see that he wasn’t getting better.  This situation really points out a big issue with pet ownership in general.  You just never know what might happen to them!  Veterinary care can be just as expensive these days as going to a people doc.  It’s a big responsibility to take on and shouldn’t be taken lightly…..and that is why I only have two of my own!  I would adopt every dog I foster, but I know I couldn’t afford to care for them like they should be cared for.  That thinking sure helps my sadness when it’s time to send them out to new homes!  His former owner sent me a couple of pictures of Hunter taken before all of this happened to him.  I think you will be surprised at the difference a year with chronic dry eye can do.  Here are his pictures from last year.  I love his wide open eyes!

Hunter Before Dry Eye

Hunter Before Dry Eye..Isn't he Beautiful?

Also, there is a picture of him right after surgery.  They shaved his face bald.  I just never would have believed they could shave a dog head this close to the skin.  With the rest of his hair fluffing out around it, he looked like a Lion.  I took him for grooming a couple of weeks ago and they evened him out.  The hair is growing back fast on his face and has covered the scar on his cheek.  It won’t be long until he has grown back out.  I promise to get some better pictures of him and post them soon.

Sally Boyster
Hunter’s Foster Mom

Hunter right after surgery....

Each of these little furbabies have already been to see our vets to get their medical needs assessed.  Foster Moms and Dads are working on the social, and emotional needs.  As soon as everyone is evaluated they get posted to the web site.  Check out our facebook page as the foster Moms and Dads post on how they are doing.

Last week also saw a one of our dogs getting released by the vet and 2 going to their forever home.  Allie had mange and yeast infections when she came to us.  She is now ready for her forever home.  Both Oscar and Fonzie found forever homes.

Unfortunately, finalizing our records for 2010, we have come to the sad decision to increase our adoption fees.  They will increase $20.00 per dog.  Any one getting one of our rescues is still financially ahead.  They all come spayed or neutered, have all of their shots, any medical issues are taken care of, and are micro chipped.

OKYR relies on your donations,  loving foster homes and people willing to adopt  a rescue.   Can you help out in 2011?  It already shows signs of being our biggest year ever.

Regardless of how they got here, dogs require the same sense of belonging and need for love that humans do. They’re social animals and want to feel connected in some way.  Suddenly life as they knew it has forever changed and they’re adrift in a world that often has no room for them.

Why don’t older dogs get adopted? The most sought after characteristics amongst rescues are those less than 2 years of age.  As a result, there are very few of these animals in rescue for very long and the wait for one can be substantial, often discouraging people from adopting a rescue at all.

But why must the dog be so young? This seems to be a psychological thing more than anything else. At two years old, it can be assumed that a dog will have a good, long time ahead of it.  At three years old, most people assume that the animal has fewer than 10 years left and don’t want to think of the heartbreak of losing it so quickly.

The ultimate barrier is at age five. Once an animal turns five, it’s nearly impossible to place quickly. If turned into a shelter, it is almost certainly guaranteed a quick euthanization. Most shelters are overcrowded and the only practical solution for them is to destroy the ‘unadoptable’ animals. How many animals were destroyed last year for the crime of being over five years old? Last month? Last week? How many will it be today? You can change this heartbreaking statistic.  If you have room in your home and heart for an older dog, consider the following reasons to adopt an older dog:

What You See Is What You Get

From the start, you’ll know important things like their full-grown size, personality and grooming requirements. All this information makes it easier to pick the right dog and forge that instant love connection that will last a lifetime. If you’re not into surprises, an older dog is for you! Rescues are full of adult dogs who were once puppies that became the wrong match as they got older.

Easy to Train

Old dogs can absolutely learn new tricks! Older dogs are great at focusing on you and on the task at hand because they’re calmer than youngsters. And, all those years of experience reading humans can help them quickly figure out how to do what you’re asking.

Seniors are Super-Loving
Older dogs are often more than ready and willing to bond with you and your family. They’re very grateful for the second chance they’ve been given and are very good at giving and receiving love.

They’re Not a 24-7 Job
Grownup dogs don’t require the constant monitoring puppies do, leaving you with more freedom to do your own thing. If you have young children, or just value your ‘me time’, this is definitely a bonus.

They Settle in Quickly
Older dogs have been around the block and already learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack. They’ll be part of the family in no time.

Fewer Messes

Your floors, shoes and furniture will thank you. Unlike puppies, older dogs have the physical and mental abilities to pick up on house training really fast. With their teething years far behind them, seniors also are much less likely to be destructive chewers.

You Won’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew

There are those who yearn for a doggie friend of their own but hold back because they worry what might happen in their lives in the years to come. They are wise to do so. A puppy or young dog can be anywhere from an 8-year to 20-year responsibility, which is not appropriate for the very elderly or those with certain long-term future plans. Providing a loving home for a dog in her golden years is not a less serious commitment, but it can be a shorter one.

They Enjoy Easy Living
Please consider a canine retiree rather than a high-energy young dog that will run you ragged. Older dogs are looking for human companions who will value their wisdom and their slow pace.

Save a Life, Be a Hero
At shelters, older dogs are often the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized.  And when you adopt older dogs, you can erase any unpleasant past experiences that they’ve had by loving them and caring for them.

They’re CUTE!
Need we say more?

by Caryn Franson

OKYR -Foster, Adopter,

When Peanut first came to OK Yorkie, he was in bad shape.  His years spend in the puppy mill took a toll on him – especially his teeth!  They were all rotten and hurt so bad that he could hardly eat.  Luckily, the first thing our wonderful volunteers did was get that taken care of.  After some encouragement, and a lot less teeth, Peanut learned that it was no longer painful to eat his food.

That wasn’t the end of things by far!  The poor guy had hair loss and a bad eye too.  His health was pretty shaky for a while and he was definitely considered an emergency case.  But with the help of our vets and a little button to help his eye heal, Peanut was on his way.

With his eye all better and a fancy new haircut, Peanut began to settle in to his new life.  Now he loves to spend his days laying beside you on the couch, and his nights in his very own doggy bed on the floor. But if his own bed isn’t available, he will graciously share yours with you! He’s a tough little guy who has been through a lot and deserves all the rest he wants.

Peanut is an older gentleman, about 8 to 10 years old by the vet’s best estimate.  He weighs about 7 pounds and is looking for a very special home without any cats or small children.  Read more about this guy on our Available Dogs page, or take a look at our other dogs needing homes.  You may just find the little boy or girl of your dreams!

Yesterday, her foster Mom (Annette) took her to  church with fur brother Samson and they walked about 4 or 5 laps (her church is awesome and allowed their to walk Samson while temperature’s are uncomfortable) and this is not  a small church (WCC).

She placed the leash on Bree to get use to and dropped it and she followed Samson the entire time.  After a well earned  power nap  we all went to the back yard and both Bree and Samson were running around.   She is so eager to learn!  and her foster Mom was already able to get her to sit about 3 times yesterday. We are on to clicker training soon.  Did we say this girl is an Angel!!!   Her forever family is going to be lucky!

Next it was a trip  to Petsmart where she got  a new PINK leash and to off to look at beds.  Foster Mom let her check them all out. Bree finally crawled up into a bed and laid down and she gave that look of I am never getting up from this spot. It was adorable! Then she heard Samson bark (he was with his Daddy) and she jumped up and took off to find him.

When we met back up she started nudging him to play and her little tail was going 90 to nothing.  He is constantly with her and today he had been nudging her more to play, it is pretty cool to watch Samson teach her something.

Potty training is going very good. She has been excellent she tinkled in the house day within the first 10 minutes and then while we went to dinner she had to go. Wood floors you got to love them.

She really is too cute she will do a stretch with her little hiny in the air and start to wag her tail. It just makes you want to get down on the floor with her and make up for all of the loving she missed in her life up until now!

She has an appointment for next Friday to get  spayed!!  No more babies for Bree!

One can only imagine the life of hell he must have endured.  This special boy, has very little jaw bone left.  In fact, it there is no bone there to hold it in place.  When the vet looked at his one tooth, it came out in her hands..

During his x-rays, they discovered another tooth embedded in his gum’s, there was no bone left so it slipped into the tooth pocket.  That will have to come out.

This little guy has infections in both eyes and is not well enough to have his surgery yet, we will have to wait for the antibiotic’s to clear things up.

His first night with foster Mom Kathy,  he did not have an appetite, so, foster Mom went to see our resident food specialist, Season from Mann’s best friend.  She set him up with Vital food.  Added a little yogurt to it and that was all it took.  Yeah, he is eating.

This little guy has been on a rocky road, but now the road is seeded with green grass and a little easier to walk on… 

Stay tuned for more on Jagger’s journey

Mercy … she’s 7.2 pound Blessing!

In spite of all that she’s suffered, Mercy maintains an indomitable spirit and trust for humans that’s hard to imagine.

Her spine shows scarring from some old trauma; one shudders to think of what happened to her and the pain she must have endured at the time.  At the front of her mouth resides a tumor the size of a gumball.  It completely blocks her ability to eat or drink like a normal dog but the resilient Mercy figured out she can get her food and water by sticking her tongue out of the right side of her mouth.  She also gives kisses from that side, showing her capacity to forgive, even after all the atrocities she must have seen in her lifetime.

She’s all but toothless, making it impossible to determine her age.  She could be six, she could be sixteen.  Puppy mill females like Mercy typically lose their teeth at an early age because producing and feeding litter after litter with every heat cycle robs their bodies of calcium.  Due to lack of good nutrition, they are especially vulnerable to infections and parasites and it’s not uncommon to see sparse, coarse coats with balding spots and sores everywhere.

What little hair she has is severely matted with urine and feces from living in cramped, unclean spaces.  Looking at Mercy, it’s clear to see she has known every bit of this kind of neglect and then some.  And yet she brightens when we enter the room, greets us with a wag of her little stump of a tail, and relishes in the touch of a kind human hand.  If she isn’t giving up, neither are we.  We promise to give Mercy the kind of life she deserves with whatever time she has left.

Stay tuned for more on Mercy’s Journey!