Marlee
In Loving Memory
11/1/07 update – very sad news!
I’m Marlee and do I have a story to tell! I was rescued as a
stray from an unpleasant situation. As you might be able to tell, I
am not exactly a “small breed” but the nice folks at SBRET couldn’t
leave me in the situation I was living in. I am a female Cocker Spaniel mix that is probably around 8
years old and I’m deaf. My foster mom worried a lot about not
being able to communicate her love and caring to me but…you know,
I am getting the message just fine!
I was living on table scraps
out in a yard and now I have soft beds in a house. Because I got
pretty overweight on the scraps, my new mom has me on a weight
management dog food and I am losing a lot of weight. I love my new
family. They even have two other dogs who I get along fine with
although I am not up to playing. I am incredibly sweet. My mom
says that I am actually her easiest dog to live with because I am
so undemanding. Getting pats and hugs is so cool. I love being in
a family and want to be where ever you are even if I am just taking a nap.
Now…to my health issues. My foster mom knew, when I first came
to her, that not all was normal with the amount of panting I was
doing and because I was having a hard time breathing. She took me
to her nice vet who did several tests and they discovered that I
had fluid around my heart and my thyroid level was very low. I am
taking pills (yummy because my new mom puts them in a little peanut
butter) that should improve both those problems. I also have two
tumors near my tummy that need to be removed but that can’t be done
until my heart gets all better. I have cataracts, but the vet says
that I have about 75-80% of my eyesight. I also have a “cherry eye”
that I’ve apparently had a long time.
I will keep writing updates about my health as more tests are
done after I’ve been on the pills for a while.
I can’t really be adopted yet unless someone promises to follow
through with the vet work. I may always have to be on some sort of
medication. I want to feel better and, even though I am in my
“Golden Years”, I deserve to be as healthy as I possibly can
be. Small Breed Rescue will do everything within reason that they
can do but it will take a lot of extra money that they don’t
have. I sure would appreciate it if you could make a donation to
them for me. I love my new life and hey…I am worth it!!
PLEASE won’t you help me have the best life possible? Donations
can be mailed to SBRET, P.O. Box 22482; Knoxville, TN 37933, and
please make sure your check is marked “Marlee Fund” in the
memo section. Since we are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization,
donations to SBRET are tax deductible. Donations can also be made via PayPal.
Thanks so much to the people that have made donations to help with my vet bill: Jane Sutton, Lisa England, Beverly Mersino, Bryan and Kim Martin, The Ivey’s, LouAnn Ferguson and Debra Gorchess
8/19/07 update:
I have been with my foster family several weeks now and I can tell
you, I am a different dog! Life is not only very comfortable now but
lots of fun too. I frequently carry around a bone but still don’t
understand those toy things; I just never got introduced to those
things before I got rescued. My vet tried me out on a heart
medication to reduce the fluid around my heart but it didn’t work; he
is researching another medicine for me. The thyroid pills are
working – they are just trying to figure out the perfect dosage. The
pills make me drink lots of water and, of course, potty a
lot. I am trying to get my foster family to figure out my potty
schedule. I have also lost LOTS of weight – over 10 lbs – so that I
look absolutely great. I look and feel a lot younger now – sometimes
I get sort of bouncy which makes my human family laugh as this is a
side of me they haven’t seen. My foster family loves me a lot and
that makes my tail wag!
10/6/07 update:
My life is so nice now, but I can’t believe that my vet found out that
I have another medical problem – something called “Cushings” – it is
like a hyper pituitary gland. My thyroid medicine is working just
fine and now I am on another medication to help with the pituitary
imbalance. Unfortunately, these pills cost $6 a piece which is a lot
of money for Small Breed Rescue to spend on an old, wonderfully sweet
gal like me but…they are going to do it. My foster Mom says that
she will give me a home until I get called to go over the Rainbow
Bridge because I am enjoying my life too much. No one who sees me
can believe that I have so many health issues. If you could help me
by helping SBRET pay for some of my medical expenses, I sure would
appreciate it.
11/1/07 update:
Marlee crossed over the rainbow bridge but not out of our hearts. She
was so very sweet, stoic and funny in her own way. It was hard to look at
her without instantly liking her. My family is thankful that she became a
part of us for too short a time. Thanks to kind hearts at SBRET, she did
not live her final months in fear, pain, terrible living conditions, or
lack of kind attention and love. Her body gave out but her heart remains
entwined with the many who were involved with her rescue and care. Even
though she was never a good adoption candidate for SBRET, she embodied
the very spirit of dog rescue. Her sweet face and story remind all of us
who rescue, provide care for, foster, or adopt rescued animals, why we do
it.
We would like to thank all the people who donated to make Marlee’s last
days as comfortable as possible. Her medications and repeated blood
work were very expensive and the contributions were very helpful in
defraying some of those costs.
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Please contact SBRET if you would like me to be a part of your family.
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