Maddie came into this world as the result of an "accidental litter" between father and daughter.  She was born with a large cleft palate, which put her at high risk for aspiration and other serious, life-threatening complications.  Most puppies like Maddie don't survive beyond the first few days of life, but she's a real little fighter!  Maddie was unable to nurse and had to be tube fed from the time she was just two days old, until she could eat solid food at six weeks of age. 

Maddie came into our care after being surrendered to a vet clinic due to the high cost of the specialized surgery that she would require in order to survive. When Maddie was four months old, she had her first surgery to repair her palate and her nasal passages were widened to help her breathe easier.  Since then, Maddie has undergone two subsequent surgeries to repair her palate and although we are hopeful that her mouth will now heal completely and no further surgery will be needed, we are cognizant of the fact that more surgical intervention may be necessary.  Maddie was six months old at the time of her last surgery, so she was also spayed and had some retained deciduous teeth removed at the same time.

Helping Maddie to recover from all of her surgeries was a highly emotional experience for her foster parents.  After investing so much care and attention into helping her get through it all, they became extremely attached to her and decided to adopt her as a permanent member of their family.  They have contributed towards her medical expenses and have offered to cover the cost of any further surgery or treatment that may be required.  Maddie will be very well-loved for the rest of her life.

Despite everything that Maddie has been through, she is a fun-loving, rambunctious little girl who is always getting into mischief---just like any normal puppy!  She is having fun playing with her canine siblings and going for long walks on the forest trails near her home. 

 

We are very thankful to Dr. Legendre and all of the staff at Canada West Veterinary Specialists and Critical Care Hospital for the wonderful care that they provided.  Special thanks to Cora for sponsoring Maddie and assisting with her medical costs.