THIS JUST IN

ELLIE WAGGED HER TAIL TODAY!

Here she is saying "Hi" during a water break:

Ups and Downs

Overall, Ellie's first week or so at home has been overwhelmingly positive! She is sleeping a ton, her body is healing, and she is getting LOTS of love.

Unfortunately, she also had three seizures.

We knew Ellie had a history of seizures from the start, and she had been started on medication, but it can take a while to determine the right dosage, as well as for the drugs to get into her system. We're hopeful that an adjusted dose and a little time will limit her seizures.

Ellie's new dad, Rob, took her to the vet over the weekend. The doctor was impressed with how much improvement she had made already - Ellie gained 5 lbs in the past WEEK! - and wants to give her another month for the seizure meds to kick in before having her back in for a recheck and bloodwork. He also refused to take any payment for the exam. How awesome is that?!

Ellie's personality has also started to shine through a little bit at a time. We are still waiting for a full-fledged tail wag and bark, but it's exciting to see her come out of her shell a little more each day. She's starting to act more like a dog and less like a shell-shocked abuse victim. Her new poodle brother Luke has also played a huge part in her recovery! He checks on her throughout the day, plays gently with his sister, and is teaching her how to become part of a family once again.

Sweet little Ellie has improved so much in such a short amount of time; she's bound to be a brand new poodle in just a few months!

Adjusting

Ellie has been home for two days, and she is adjusting better than anyone could have expected!

Ellie and her new brother, Luke, in the background

She has been sleeping quite a bit as she is getting used to her new home and family, but is also slowly beginning to come out of her shell. She even PLAYED with her new poodle brother on her first morning as a Jersey Girl! For the first time in who knows how long, Ellie ran around in a big backyard and chased another dog. For a poodle who has been so traumatized, this is a HUGE step forward. Bit by bit, Ellie is becoming more alert and expressive, and her tail has been up more often than it's been down.

The whole family is absolutely in love with her, and we are so excited to share her progress with everyone! Her appetite is ravenous, and she is getting three big meals a day in order to start getting some weight back on. Ellie is going to be one happy, spoiled girl with her new family.

Meet Ellie

This is Ellie. Today, she started a new life with a new family, but her story begins long before she came into our lives...

Ellie is an 8 year old female Standard Poodle. Several years ago she was owned by a woman who took great care of her, brought her routinely to the vet for checkups, vaccines, and management of her occasional seizures, fed her well, and kept her clean, groomed, and loved. Unfortunately, she could not keep Ellie and gave her to a man who cared for her for a while, but his life fell apart and he stopped feeding her. He stopped getting her groomed. He stopped taking her to the vet until he cut a deep gash in her leg trying to cut through the three inch thick mats that covered her body, and had no choice but to bring Ellie to the veterinarian who used to see her regularly.

What the clinic staff first thought was an overweight dog was an emaciated animal covered in inches of matted, dirty hair. Once Ellie was shaved down and relieved of her mats, the staff could truly see the shocking condition she was in. Ellie was a literal skeleton, her skin was brittle and inflamed, her ears were infected and she had a large growth on one side that needed to be removed, in addition to the laceration on her leg that required stitches. The lack of basic care and food had not only broken Ellie's body, but her spirit as well. She was withdrawn and depressed, barely interacting with the world around her. For a dog as social and intelligent as a Standard Poodle, lack of human contact is almost more damaging than lack of food.

But Ellie had landed in a soft spot, and the staff at the clinic worked long and hard to nurse her back to health. Vet assistant Rachel was especially touched by Ellie's condition, and spent as much time with the neglected dog as she could, making her comfortable and giving her the love she so desperately needed.

Rachel also called me almost immediately after Ellie came into her care and told me her story, and both of us determined to find her a loving, forever home at any cost.

The first person I thought of was my mom, Norma. With a love for poodles, a huge heart, and a job that kept her home during the day, she was the perfect potential new home. What Ellie needed was food, love, and a quiet place to rest and recover, and my mom could give her that. When I told her about Ellie, she was heartbroken and offered to be the "last resort" home if we couldn't find another place for her to go, since she and my dad weren't planning on taking on another big dog any time soon with one rambunctious Standard already in the house.

But the instant the two met, I knew they were meant for each other and that God had brought the two of them together. Norma started crying, I started crying, and Ellie just asked for more snuggles.

To make a long story short, after a few agonizing weeks of waiting, Ellie was coming home with my mom! As I type she is on her way home to New Jersey and a life full of love and meatballs. I hope that this blog will help keep everyone updated on her recovery and transition to life as a spoiled poodle! We are so blessed to have Ellie come into our lives, and to be able to give love and care to an animal who needs it so badly.

If you would like to learn more about the awesome people at the vet clinic who saved her life, please visit: whttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Berwyn-Veterinary-Center/165223433503227?ref=ts&fref=ts.