It is with a heavy heart that we notify you that Ellie Joy who was adopted by us will be medically euthanized Wednesday. She has a mass between her heart and lung as well possibly another developing on her diaphragm. Breathing has never been easy for Ellie and this will continue to make it difficult. We had hoped to have her longer. I can’t write through the tears. So this is her story.
Where’s the party? I thought there would be a great big retirement party for me, but they said all parties were canceled because of COVID-19.
I hope we can still celebrate because I’m no longer just a number. I am now retired from that life and will be known as Ellie Joy. I just love that name! Don’t you? I am 6 years old and would not weigh 40 pounds soaking wet. Maybe 35. I breathe heavily when I get hot or excited, so Dr. Larsen will need to check that out. Otherwise, I think I am in pretty good shape for my age and the life I’ve lived.
I can’t wait to share my retirement adventures with everyone.
6/30/20 Update: Ellie Joy wishes everyone a very happy Tongue Out Tuesday! It is hard to understand how this tiny girl can be so happy. We found out at the clinic that her breathing issues are due to a severe case of pneumonia. It sounds like there is a grizzly bear in her tiny chest trying to get out. They started her on two antibiotics and breathing treatments. Many of her teeth are rotten. She has cysts on two of her feet and one has ruptured and is bleeding.
Yet through it all she just keeps smiling. Retirement can do that to you!
7/3/20 Update: Ellie Joy got a little bad news. X-rays showed a possible spot in one lung. We are not sure if this is just the pneumonia or something more serious. They will do more films in a couple of weeks to get a better view once her lungs clear up. We also discovered one of her hips is in pretty bad shape. She will probably have to have surgery on it in the future, but it is not necessary right now.
7/29/20 Update: I’m hanging out at my new foster home and I must say, it’s pretty cool. I like sleeping in the human bed and hanging out with my foster mom. I have a couple surgeries coming up, so stay posted. Hopefully I’ll be ready for my furever home soon!
8/2/20 Update: What a difference a week makes for Ellie Joy. Last week she sounded awful and was struggling to breathe. She was not wanting to eat anything and was losing weight. Then she had surgery. Her palate was very thick and long enough to extend into her larynx. It was making it hard to eat or breathe. Once that was resected, things began changing almost immediately. She woke up quickly and was ready to go. Somehow she broke out of her kennel, and was cruising around the clinic.
Today she is feeling much better, and you cannot hear her breath! They feed her a little bit at a time because she wants to gulp down the whole bowl of soft food. She is getting laser treatments to help with the healing.
There is a whole new life and world awaiting this sweet girl.
8/10/20 Update: Ellie Joy moved into her foster home with a big job to do – Ellie is helping her friend and fellow foster girl Storm with her confidence and she is doing an amazing job.
8/18/20 Update: Little Ellie Joy is a free spirit and just goes with the flow. Nothing seems to bother her. She has a giant personality and a tiny little body and you can’t help but fall in love with her.