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"Casey" Seabrook

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"Beno" Scheuneman

"Sydney" Irvin

Wednesday Afternoon, June 25, 2025

Dear Small Pawsers,

Before telling you about our two most recent and most in need rescues, I want to give you an update on little Bernie's tail.

He's the one whose tail was dropping to the ground.

Well, it was determined by his veterinarians that this was a birth defect and it was not causing him any pain.

So Bernie was adopted, dropsy tail and all!

Next, we got a very sad case in from an owner surrender near Dallas.

I'm just going to tell you what happened.

The previous owner told me that Animal Control had confiscated her two Bichons, ages 3 and 4, because they were running loose, unvaccinated and not spayed or neutered.

We saw the report.

She promised she would do better and they gave them back to her.

Then she told us in an Owner Surrender Form, that she " Didn't have time for them anymore."

Our Volunteer, Extraordinaire, Ann Roemerman, went to pick them up on Saturday morning.

We got them to the vet by Monday morning.

Neighbors learned that we had them and began to tell a nightmarish story about what had happened to these two poor dogs.

If they weren't running loose, they had been left tied out in the sun with no food or water or shade.

But look at little Bella's eyes.

When they first got to the vet, it was determined that Bella was blind. At only 3 years old.

Her lymph nodes were swollen all over her body and something seemed to be pushing her little eyes out.

We also knew that she wasn't eating and was ADR. ("Ain't doing right". A term I learned from veterinarians many years ago.)

We consulted an ophthalmologist and what they suspected was not good.

We took blood work and sent it out to pathology.

It came back as late stage Canine Lymphoma. Cancer of the lymph system.

This usually presents in older dogs but it has been found in dogs as young as 6 months old.

The eyes are one of the last places it presents.

There is no cure for this dreaded disease.

I know this because I lived it with my heart dog, Nicholas, back in 1998.

Canine Lymphoma; Nicholas' Story

Bella's cancer was much further along that Nicholas's.

Sadly, we had no choice but to let her go home to God.

She must have suffered terribly before she came to us.

Now, I have no doubt that she is sitting in the lap of the Master, never to be in pain again!

Next we learned that due to neglect, Niko has Heartworms and severe dental disease at only age 4.

We'll be doing heartworm treatment and an extensive dental.

So far, on these two, we have spent $1,484.48.

The estimate to complete Niko's HW treatment and for his dental and boosters, is for between

$1723.16 - $2,210.73.

So for Nico and little Bella, we need to raise $3,695.21 to cover their bills.

Next, meet 7 year old Blaze. He came in from PA.

He tore the first CCL 5 years ago and the second one five weeks ago.

His owner had crated him for 5 weeks, in hopes that he would heal without surgery, but he hasn't.

Crucial Ligament Repair in Dogs

He also hasn't seen a vet in several years.

He saw our vet yesterday and it was $721.56 just to get him current on vaccines, heartworm tested, heartworm and flea and tick meds and examined for this knee issue.

We are waiting for estimates from a Board Certified Surgeon and from Cornell Veterinary School.

The fee for this surgery in this area five years ago was $4700.00 from the previous owner.

Until we can schedule his surgery, he is on pain meds, but he needs this surgery.

Many of you know that if one CCL goes, the other one is almost certain to follow.

And it did.

So for just these two, Nico and Blaze, to cover their bills, HW treatment and Surgery, we need to raise $9,116.77.

I know that's a big gulp all at once.

But both of these little ones are in desperate need.

I am here and will issue all Matching Donation Challenges.

What is a Small Paws® Rescue Matching Donation Challenge?

We need to help these two Bichons, Niko and Blaze.

All My Love, Robin