Melancholy ~ 04/29/2007 to 6/16/2011

[Toni]

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Melancholy has a very sad story. She was found abandoned in a car along with two other dogs along a highway. All three dogs were in very poor shape, and so they were taken to the shelter by the animal control officers. There they stayed until the owner came to claim them. But when the owner found out how much the fines were going to be she decided to only take one. It was a Boxer puppy.

Not only was Mellie thin, but she also had filthy ears that were both full of infection, and a huge bleeding tumor on her hind leg that is very painful for her. We knew her chances of adoption from the rural shelter were slim and we felt she deserved a better life than what she had been living. So....we pulled her from the shelter and took her immediately to our vet. She was checked over, given her necessary vaccinations and had her ears cleaned and medicated and will be given a chance to get healthy and gain some weight before we schedule her surgery to remove the tumor. Hopefully it will not turn out to be cancerous.

We will post more information about this shy girl as we get to know her better. She was just taken out of the shelter April 29th. Check back often to see how this girl does, we will keep everyone aprised of her progress. Please say a prayer for Mellie that this will all turn out well for her.

Mellie is being fostered near Kalamazoo, Michigan.

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[Toni]

Melancholy is finally out of quarantine and in her foster home. This quiet and gentle girl is such a sweetheart....and she is trying hard to learn how to live inside a house. She has been fantastic with her housetraining, and has not had a single accident so far. She is doing great with her crate training too. She likes the security it gives her as she is still very shy. But I don't think it will take long at all for her to realize she is finally safe and be able to really come out of her shell.

Melancholy has been able to put on some weight and the infection is gone in both her ears. Because she is doing so well, I will be scheduling the surgery to remove her tumor soon. Please keep her in your prayers, we are hoping the tumor is not cancerous.

Check back often to see how she is doing, as this special girl has a very rough road ahead of her.

If you would like to donate to Melancholy's surgery fund, you can find the information here: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI633.html

[Toni]

Melancholy had the surgery to remove the large tumor on her leg May 27, 2011. It left a very large hole as there was not enough skin to cover the area after the tumor was removed. She would need frequent bandage changes, medication and lots of time for the wound to heal over. She has been a real trooper and a VERY good girl about leaving her bandage alone. You could tell she was in a lot of pain, as she was unable to walk on that leg at all.

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After the tumor was removed it was sent to the lab to be analyzed. The Histopathology report came back and the good news is that it is not cancerous. They called it a fibroadnexal hamartoma The report stated: "Surgical excision in this case appears to be complete and is expected to be curative; a favorable prognosis with respect to this lesion is warranted." We are very relieved and hopeful she will make a full recovery.

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[Toni]

Melancholy was doing very well and was going in every two days for bandage changes and to inspect her leg. Unfortunately when we went for her bandage change June 10, 2011, it was discovered she had developed a blood clot that shut off all blood flow to her foot. The damage her foot suffered is irreversible which means we have no choice but to amputate.

We did our very best to try to save her leg, but I guess it was just not meant to be. As devastating as this news is, she is still very fortunate that it is not cancer. I have owned a three-legged dog and so I know first hand how well they do. I wish she did not have to go through this difficult surgery, but we will do everything possible to make it as easy on her as we can.

She is such a wonderful dog and does not deserve this. If only whoever had her before had taken care of this problem earlier, she would not be losing her leg now. Please keep her in your prayers and watch this thread for future updates.

To donate to Melancholy's surgery fund through Paypal click here: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI633.html

If you would like to donate by mail, please send to: NSBCR, PO Box 401, Otsego, MI 49078

All donations are tax deductible

[Toni]

Melancholy had her amputation surgery on Tuesday (6/14/11) and is recovering at the veterinary hospital. The surgery went well, thanks to our amazing vet Dr. Jim (who wishes to remain anonymous) and his awesome staff. She will be staying at least until Thursday as Doc has her on Fentanyl patches to help with the pain. I will be able to visit her today and am looking forward to spending some time with her. We really miss her at home, and cannot wait until she is released. But for now I must be patient as the most important thing is to keep her comfortable.

I will be posting more updates so please check back often.

[Toni]

It is with a heavy heart that I must tell everyone, Melancholy went to the Rainbow Bridge June 16, 2011.

This sweet, gentle girl who in the short time was with me...stole my heart completely, is now gone. We had hoped to be able to give her a wonderful life with a forever family, but I am afraid that will never be. But at least while she was here, she had a soft bed, plenty of good food, and no one could have loved her more.

We do not know what her life was like before she came to North Star….but you could tell by her condition, and the sadness in her eyes that it could not have been good. It took a little while for her to feel completely comfortable here, but once she knew she was safe – she fit into our family like she had been with us forever. She honestly never did one single thing wrong all the time she was with me. She loved belly rubs and being brushed and fussed over. She would relax and close her eyes – just like it was pure heaven for her.

One of my favorite pictures was taken not long after I brought her home from the shelter. It was a beautiful day and she was enjoying the soft grass and sunshine. She looked so happy and content…and I was hoping the rest of her life would be this good for her.

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Of course I could not have known at the time that her life would be cut short due to complications from her surgery to remove the huge tumor on her leg. It was a blood clot that forced us to do the amputation and another blood clot that ended her life. I saw her the day before she passed away and she seemed like she was recovering nicely. She was even supposed to come home the next day. Our amazing vet and his wonderful staff did everything they could to keep Melancholy comfortable. She passed away quietly on a soft comfy bed, surrounded by people who cared.

Run free Mellie……until we meet again. I will never forget you.

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