Marie 2

Marie, now known as Dahlia, along with a Springer, was picked up as a stray and taken to a Virginia  shelter.  Although initially thought to be bonded, Dahlia and her Springer friend were found to be happy individually and so were fostered in separate homes.  Dahlia was found to be heartworm positive (HWP+) and is receiving medication for the slow kill method of treatment.

The “slow-kill” method involves giving the infected dog monthly Heartgard tabs over the course of a year.  (Doxyclycline therapy is sometimes done as part of the treatment as well.)  At the end of the

year, the dog is re-tested for heartworms.  MAESSR will supply the medication to the dog’s adoptive family and will pay for the follow-up vet visit and heartworm test. Although most dogs are heartworm-free after one year, MAESSR will pay for another year of treatment if the dog is still heartworm positive.

Dahlia is a happy attention-loving girl who is housetrained and used to a crate.  Now that she is used to the other dogs in her home, she is allowed total freedom in the house and sleeps with her foster parents or on a dog bed.

This Springer “wanna be” is friendly with adults who visit and gets along with the other dogs although she does not engage them in play and lets them know that her food is “hers.”  She had good house manners—no counter-surfing or trash diving for this girl, but does enjoy the comfy furniture and can be found doing some inappropriate chewing.

Dahlia knows “sit” and walks well on a leash—not pulling excessively.  She is friendly to those she meets on her walks and will ride well in the car although she really doesn’t like climbing into that large contraption!

The new girl in the house is not fond of baths at all and not too crazy about having her nails trimmed by mom.  Her vet appointment and formal grooming are still ahead of her.

Dahlia is indeed a lucky girl to have landed within the MAESSR family and is proving to be a wonderful part of her family.