Lilli

Lilli.......PMR's first forever foster

Lilli (a very special needs) Yorkie who is now a forever foster ....her Foster Mom will always take care of her, Puppymillrescue will pay all her vet care for the rest of her life.

"Lilli stole my heart before she was even out of the crate that she was brought to PMR in. She was so tiny and so sick. Something told me at once that her name was Lilli (it usually takes days for me to decide on a permanent name). Jackie P, Linda and I were so afraid she was dying, that we sped her directly to Dr Hardwick's hospital.

She was so very ill, with such raging infections and pneumonia, they were not sure that she would survive. After 5 days she did get to come home. It took 5 months of working with medicine levels and learning EXACTLY what worked and what she could and couldn't do before she has become stable.

I have always known that everyone with PMR was helping and pulling for Lilli. Jean and I have talked openly from the very beginning, that more than anything we would love to adopt Lilli, but financially, with her health problems that we could not afford to do so. When Jean asked me about her possibly becoming a forever foster, we jumped at the chance.

When I saw Jean's post, I broke down and cried!!! It was a joyful mixture of knowing that we would be able to keep her, through whatever is to come. To know that she will have the best care and tons of loving Aunties and Uncles watching her along her life. Having seen Linda's Happy in her struggle with collapsing trachea, I know there won't be a fairy tale ending for Lilli. We will take each day, good and bad, and love her all we can.

I scooped Lilli up and kissed her, explaining she was staying here forever. She was so unimpressed--she wiggled and wanted DOWN. She wanted Breakfast!!!

Thanks, again Jean and everyone else. We will do our best with this sweet little one."

Jan Smith
PMR Lady, PMR Forever Foster Lilli, YTRN Cinnamon and Texas Mill survivor Cookie

Lilli went to see Dr Hardwick yesterday for her yearly check up. She is 2-1/2 years old now and weighs 4 pounds
6 ounces. She got all her shots and a good physical. Because she takes steroids twice a day, every day, she had bloodwork done.
We got good news and bad news. Good news is that she doesn't need her teeth cleaned at this time. This is really good, because with her collapsing trachea, we don't know how she will tolerate anesthesia. The steroids have not started affecting her liver or kidneys yet, which is more good news. She still has two Grade 4 luxating patella's, but we knew that already.
Bad news is that the steroids are making her hair become more and more thin. Once a hair follicle is affected by steroids, it doesn't start growing again, even if she was off steroids (which she won't ever be). That's ok because she can wear sweaters in the winter if it gets to that point. The steroids are making her blood not clot as well and she bruises very easily.

The picture shows her neck where they drew blood.

Dr drew it out herself and even with applying pressure, she is left with this huge bruise. The surprise bad news was that both Lilli's eyes have a hazy, oval area on her corneas. Dr Hardwick called a Vet Eye specialist to find out what it was. It is called Corneal Dystrophy. Nothing to be done for it at this time. She seems to see ok, and sometimes it gets worse over time, sometimes it doesn't. It is a rare condition that is hereditary in nature. (Why am I not surprised at that).
Lilli does fine as long as she stays home, inside, without stress or too much playing and VERY little barking. That's a tall order for a young yorkie, but she doesn't have half the energy that most young yorkies have. We are careful to close the drapes when the yard men are coming, or if there is activity on the street so she won't get too worked up. She loves to carry a soft latex ball in her mouth while Cookie plays fetch, but knows what "give to Mama" means when it is time to put the toys away. She is a love and a joy, but does keep us close to home. That's ok with us. We intend to give her the best life she can have, in spite of her progressive health products. She is exactly the reason that people should not breed yorkies to such a tiny size.

Jan Smith
PMR Foster

Lilli' s history..........

Lilli is staying about 3-1/2 pounds now.

Dear Peoples--
Lilli here. I'm the little yorkie princess with the collapsing
trachea. I'm feeling better for now. Foster Mom has me on three yummy
medicines that help keep me from getting sick. I am such a good girl
and take them with little bits of cheese, twice a day. I can play
several times a day for maybe 20 minutes at a time before I start
coughing and have to rest.
Yesterday a big box came to the house from Puppymill Rescue. Foster
Mom told me that lots of people care about me and Precious and sent us
all kinds of goodies. Then she opened the box and it had bunches of
good stuff. Blankets, sweaters, treats, bowls and the best---TOYS!!!
Balls, stuffed toys, squeaky toys and tug of war toys. NEAT STUFF!!
I saw where Auntie Jackie made cutesy pictures of Blaze just sitting
there looking at all that stuff. NOT ME!!! I zoomed in and claimed me
a green frog and I was off to show it off.
Here I am with my frog. Thanks everybody.
I'm getting sleepy. . . . Think I'll let Foster Mom finish this. . .
. Need a nap. . . .

Lilli is sleeping on her back in her little bed by the computer. Thank
you everyone for the goodies. I'll get pictures of Precious with the
blankets that she claimed later.

Jan, Precious and Lilli

Her coat is growing in
shiny and silky. She still loves short periods of playing with her
orange squeaky ball and chewing on greenies or bully sticks. She likes
to sleep between foster Mom and Dad on her little blanket. She
snuggles in and is such a good girl. She is learning what "No Barking"
means, so she doesn't get too excited.
We took Lilli in for a consultation with the surgeon on her
collapsing trachea. They said that little ones like Lilli, when they
have the trachea problem, usually have other problems that aggravate the
situation. Might be an elongated soft palate, or allergies, or a slight
infection . She would need a test that she would have to be
anesthetized for a scope to be placed down her throat with a tiny camera
to actually see what is going on. There is a danger in doing the test,
that she might not be able to breathe after anesthesia, while she is
waking up. There is that danger any time she is sedated. She is
considered a high risk and they would take special care, but---.
This test would tell them what is wrong, but even if they know, it
doesn't mean it is correctable. At this time, PMR has decided to let
Lilli be a happy puppy. She has a good quality of pain free life,
interrupted about once a month, by two days of wheezing. Her
medications are adjusted for a few days, and she feels fine again.
Over time, and we don't know how long, being on prednisone can affect
her other organs adversely. It can cause liver, heart and kidney
problems. At this time we are not going to spay her. At some point,
when she needs a dental or some other procedure to keep her healthy,
then she would be anesthetized and everything be done at one time.
Any family being interested in adopting this darling almost two year
old yorkie will have a loving little girl. She has specific needs
though: She needs a parent to be home most of the time, to keep an eye
on her collapsing trachea and monitor her medications when she is
wheezing. She will need a home where there are no other dogs that will
try to play with her and over stimulate her, no small children and no
cats. It is a lot of special needs, but she is a very special little
girl.

Overall Health Information
Special needs -- severe collapsing trachea. Two Grade 4 Luxating Patellas

http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/tracheal_collapse.htm

List current medications: Torbutrol 1 mg ¼ tab every 6 to 8 hours for cough
Theophylline 100 mg tab ¼ tab every 12 hours
Orapred 15mg/5ml sol .15 ml by mouth twice daily
Or as adjusted by Dr.

Temperament Information
OK with other Dogs?: Quiet dogs no play             OK with Cats?: NO
OK with Kids?: NO      Ages of Kids: NO
Needs fence?: YES       Ok on Leash?: NO

Too delicate for children – would get excited around cats. Too much activity in
Walking on leash.

Special Considerations/Needs

Must have someone at home most of the time. Can only play supervised for about
15 minutes, without wheezing. Needs family with dogs that won’t play or only dog.
10 minutes of barking, can (and has) put her in the emergency clinic with trachea
Problems. Not spay at this time. Anesthesia is a HIGH Risk for her. Medicines
Must be monitored closely. Prolonged use of Orapred can harm, liver, kidney,
Heart, etc
Other Information
Wonderful little yorkie girl, without the sustained energy level of average pup.

Ready for Adoption?: For very special family only. With spay contract.

Jan Smith
Foster Mom

John Lech is my special PAL