Maltese Rescue May 2024

We were contacted last week by a neighbor of a show breeder who informed us the breeder has medical issues and her breeding dogs need rescue. We got in contact with the breeder’s relatives to see how we could help and made plans to pick up the dogs the next day. The dogs were taken to our vet, who completed physical exams and bloodwork. None of the dogs came with any vaccine or medical records. They all had teeth that were in bad shape and did not appear to be spayed or neutered. Over the next few months, they will receive the medical care required to get them healthy. Please consider donating to help support their medical care. We’ll be updating this page as they continue their healing journeys.

Sweet Pea at intake

We estimate Sweet Pea to be around 10–12 years old. Because she came to CHR without any shots or medical history, her first stop was at our vet for a full workup, which included bloodwork, urinalysis, fecal test, deworming, heartworm test, and a rabies shot. She also had an eye test, where it was discovered she had dry eye, a condition that can lead to blindness if left untreated. She’s now on dry eye medication and antibiotic eye drops and was also started on medication for an ear infection. Sweet Pea was also found to have several mammary masses and severe dental disease, which required eventual surgery.

Sweet Pea now healing

Sweet Pea’s mammary masses were removed and, luckily, biopsies revealed they were not cancerous. She also had dental surgery during which all her remaining teeth were removed, leaving her with only one canine tooth. Sweet Pea is now resting and enjoying being pampered by her foster mom, who dotes on her precious little princess.

Beau at intake

Little Beau weighs only 5.5 pounds and is estimated to be around one year old. Our vet discovered a significant heart murmur, so we took him to see a cardiologist who performed a cardiac workup including an echocardiogram. Sadly, Beau has PDA, a congenital heart condition which is fatal if left untreated. He needs surgery urgently to repair the defect. Doctors tell us he can live a normal life if he has the surgery.

Beau had surgery and is healing

Beau is recovering great from his PDA surgery. The surgery was a success, and he no longer has a heart murmur. Beau will have a heart ultrasound in a few months to make sure everything is okay. We are so grateful that he will now be able to live a long and normal life!

Remy at intake

Remy was a matted mess and underweight when he first came to us. He did not come with medical records, so we immediately took him to our vet for a full workup, which included bloodwork, urinalysis, a fecal test, deworming, a heartworm test, and a rabies shot. He is also being treated for an ear infection. We’re going to help him gain some weight before taking him in for neuter surgery. Because Remy is estimated to be around 10–12 years old, we have to make sure he’s healthy before he has surgery with anesthesia.

Remy's new journey

Remy is enjoying the good life in his foster home. He’s been groomed and washed a few times since his rescue and is slowly gaining weight. His foster mom dotes on him all day. He enjoys following her around and snuggling on her lap. We’ll be posting an update soon!

Ellie at intake

Ellie was very matted and dirty when she was first rescued. When she came to us, Ellie did not have any vet records so will need to visit the vet soon for a full exam. She’s currently in heat, so we are waiting to have her spayed.

Ellie perks up after her rescue.

When she first came to us, Ellie was terrified. We suspect she lived in a closed kennel all her life, so she didn’t know how to handle her new freedom. Now, she races around her foster home. She recently discovered toys, and you can often find her with a toy in her mouth squeaking away. She no longer cowers but walks and runs confidently through the house and backyard. This sweet little pumpkin is loving her new life. We’ll be sharing more updates soon!