Save Maggie: Young Dog Needs Your Help

**updates**

12/3 7:45pm

Today we went and spent a couple hours with Ms Maggie (updated pictures above). She is showing little signs of improvement. The doctors are doing a xray tonight on her lungs as it’s beginning to sound like she may have some fluid caught in her lungs. She still is not walking on her rear end. She has a catheter in still. The surgeon will be in in the morning to evaluate Maggie and get some cat scans and MRI’s. As we were getting ready to leave Maggie was attempting to stand to come with us. For tonight, please continue to pray for healing for our baby girl.

9:30pm 12/2

We called to check in on Maggie. She’s not showing many signs of improvement. Although she is seeming more relaxed, Maggie still has not been able to release her bladder naturally or with assistance of the ER vet massaging the bladder. A catheter was inserted for drainage of the bladder. The doctor is suggesting more imaging and more than likely spinal surgery. This surgery would be upwards of $10,000 for Maggie’s size.

Maggie a boxer mastiff weighing in at 95 lbs. was rescued from a home that wasn’t the best for her at the age of 7 months she just celebrated her 3rd birthday. Her previous owners didn’t have the best means for her survival. We took her in with open hands. After chewed up couches, shoes, and clothes, Maggie realized what it was to be loved. Although she was very fragile at first, once she became comfortable and realized what it meant to have a real home with parents who cared about her and spoiled her, she became the most vocal girl with the loudest vocal, you could hear her from blocks away when we came home, howling and talking to us about how happy she is to see us and cursing us in howls at how long we were gone.

On Tuesday Maggie greeted us as we walking in the house, needing to go outside, was let out the back door, current conditions had the region very cold and iced over, Maggie and her big bodied self rushed out the door, her strong paws, hit the ground running on iced stairs. Causing Maggie to slip and fall on her rear end.

At first the injury was non equivalent in Maggie’s eyes, she pranced the yard like nothing was wrong, she came back inside, grabbing her favorite toys and pacing through the house so proud. By Friday, things started to take a turn for the worse. Maggie was heavily limping on her rear legs. Non vocal and we could tell something was off. Maggie continued eating as the heifer she is. By Saturday night Maggie was no longer holding down food. Both of her loving parents cared for her into Sunday afternoon, although Maggie hit a spike of talking to us again, wagging her tail, and showing signs of improvement. Things weren’t looking good. We continued providing a few nibbles of food and water when she could hold it down. Our eldest dog staying strong by her side, kept giving us signs something was wrong.

On Monday we woke up to Maggie showing signs of downfall. She was struggling to stand on hear rear legs and not wanting food or water. We made a call to the vet, they were able to squeeze us in late afternoon. We arrived at the vet, having to carry Maggie into the examination room as she was not able to put weight on her rear end. She was examined by a nurse that was very familiar with Maggie, as the nurse became very concerned seeing Maggie as she was, she directed me that she would need immediate X-rays as they were concerned with a blockage in her bowels. The nurse asked us to carry our baby girl to the X-ray table. After many X-rays it was determined that Maggie had an injury to her spine resulting in her not being able to urinate for several days due to the pain of squatting. After the veterinarian reviewed the X-rays we were prepped in our examination room. The vet informed us that we had 2 options. The first option was to load Maggie back up in the car and take her home, likely saying goodbye to her within the next 24-48 hours. The second option was to take Maggie to the Emergency Hospital for Maggie to be treated. The Vet explain that Maggie had suffered a spinal injury likely contributing to the fact that she was in to much pain to squat and release her bladder resulting in her bladder holding urination for 3+ days. Maggie’s bladder had grown 7-10x the size it should be.

With no doubt we checked our savings accounts and rushed to the ER. Maggie was wheeled in on a gurney and taken back for examination. For several hours we waited for answers, pacing the halls and parking lot. We were finally called back to the in patient rooms.

We were greeted by a very knowledgeable ER Vet. The vets plan of actions seemed great.

The ER vet’s plan was to administer pain meds and anti inflammatory medications to relieve the bag pain Maggie was experiencing from her fall in her back . This would allow Maggie’s body to release her urinal flow and urinate naturally. The hope was to give Maggie these meds to relax her body and release the inflammation in the back so that she could show signs of improvement and being able to put weight on her back legs. Ultimately allowing her to flow her urinal track. We have both drained our accounts for this one night stay, but need help to continue this rescue that has become a very strong part of our family.