Entered: 08/28/2005
Status: Adopted
Age: 3
Color: Liver/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Health:
Temperament:
Updated 2/16/06: Maddie “Mouse” has just returned from a trip to Disney World with her foster family. She did not get to see the infamous rodent but got many souvenirs of her trip. When she could not be with her family, she spent her days in doggie day care and had a terrific time! She had so much fun with the water in her run that the day care staff finally had to give her a bucket-type water bowl, so she couldn’t get into it for play!
Maddie also enjoyed the car ride but was happy to return home to see her big Springer brother, Casey. It was sweet to see them nuzzling each other and then getting as close as could be to go to sleep.
Despite having received a bordatella vaccine before she left, Maddie developed kennel cough. A large lump was also noticed on her jowl. She made a quick trip to the vet who believes the lump might be a swollen lymph node from the respiratory infection. Maddie is now on antibiotics, and the lump will be watched.
Overall, medically, Maddie’s Grand Mal seizures remain on about the same schedule of occurring twice a month. Her meds have been adjusted again, and she is about to start acupuncture as a possible remedy to the seizure activity. Her visual deficits have not improved as the ophthalmologist suggested they might. She still bumps into some things around her, and it now appears that part of her visual difficulty is related to a depth perception problem.
Maddie is not one to let imperfect health slow her down. She remains a happy and active girl. She is full of love and is a little, cuddle lamb with all around her.
Updated 12/11/05: Maddie continues to thrive in her foster home. She has begun feeling comfortable enough to start playing with her Springer foster brother, Casey. She also loves to cuddle up and sleep with old Ben, the resident German Shorthair Pointer, who has made her feel welcome from day one.
Maddie is at the kitchen door ready for a car ride every time she hears the keys jingle-jangle. That is a dangerous proposition since she has quietly gotten into the family groceries more than once on outings.
Medically, Miss Maddie’s epilepsy has seriously been scrutinized over the past several months. Her Grand Mal seizures are down to one every two and a half to three weeks. She continues to have several Petit Mal seizures a month. All of these are an improvement over what she was experiencing when she arrived at her MAESSR foster home. There is continuing focus on her meds, and new procedures are being explored.
When Maddie had a very thorough eye exam, the ophthalmologist found her visual deficits were coming from further back in her brain and were due to previous multiple seizures. She continues to have difficulty navigating, knocks things over, and bangs into objects, frequently creating the “lake” effect in the kitchen.
Despite all of this little girl’s physical challenges, she is the sweetest bundle of love on four feet. Recently, she has learned to woo on command!
Are you ready to give a little TLC in exchange for some Maddie sunshine in your life?
Original: When Maddie came into foster care, she was in need of emotional support and a reassessment of her treatment for epilepsy. According to her relinquishing family, she had been having several seizures a month since January. They were very afraid because she was alone and crated for 9 hours a day. When Maddie met her foster family, her little, stubby tail stayed parked between her legs, her eyes were dull, and her epileptic seizures were frequent. At the beginning of September, Maddie visited a neurologist who pronounced her to be very healthy, put her on a new medication schedule and offered a positive outlook for her.
Maddie was crate trained but not housebroken when she arrived at her foster home. When confined for short periods, she would have accidents. It was quite a challenge to approach housebreaking because Maddie seemed to think of the outdoors as only a place to smell the fresh air. With a concerted effort by her foster mom, Maddie is now almost accident-free. Maddie’s little stub has learned to wag away too, and she frequently startles her foster family with her foghorn-like, happy woo-woos!
Recently, a potential vision issue was noticed. Maddie occasionally bumps into objects and seems to be locating things by scent rather than vision. This will continue to be observed. Due to her medication, Maddie is not always steady on her feet and needs occasional assistance with getting from place to place. Despite her physical challenges, Maddie is as sweet as springers come. She likes nothing better than to lumber up into a lap to fall asleep while her foster mom watches television.
Updates will be coming as more about Maddie’s health becomes clear. When she’s ready, Maddie will be looking for a forever “lap” to settle into.