Minnie 
Breed: French Bulldog
Sex: Female
Age: 3.5 years old
Weight: 24 lbs.
6/5/2017 Update: Today we said goodbye to our precious Minnie. She fought so hard but the battle became too much. My heart is shattered that I couldn’t fix it all for her. She deserved years of happiness but all I can hope is that the past couple of months were some of her best. I was there with her while she took her last breath, gently stroking her tiny body, reminding her how much she was loved. She’s over the rainbow bridge free of all pain and suffering.
5/31/2017 Update: Sorry it has been a while but the past several days have been tough. Minnie is doing her best to fight on but she is getting tired. She will have a decent day and then decline for a couple of days before she can muster the strength to fight some more. There have been days mixed with smiles and tears. The light in her eyes appears to be dimming.
The blessing is that she still seems to be in no pain and for that we are eternally grateful. It allows us to be a bit selfish and hang on to her with every last hope. She is getting constant attention and love with soft rubs and sweet kisses. She rarely stands much the past few days and is being hand fed.
All efforts are continued in the event she makes a turn in the right direction but each day seems a bit more difficult than the last. No one has given up and we still feel when the time is right, Minnie will let us know. For now we are choosing to show her how much she has taught us about strength, love and compassion.
We ask for your prayers as Minnie continues to fight like a Frenchie
5/26/2017 Update: Minnie received the sweetest gift. It’s a prayer blanket all her own. We placed it over her and she immediately looked up with that beautiful face as if to say thank you. I truly believe she felt the love that was put into that blanket. That’s the most response she’s made in quite a while. Maybe there is a miracle in that special blanket.
There has been very little change outside of the fact she is eating a bit and will take water when given through a syringe. She is still unable to stand to feed herself, drink water or go potty but she will wiggle a bit. She gets round the clock care and attention and all the love she deserves.
The compassion and support that has been poured over her and our family is such a blessing. Never once have we felt alone in this journey. It’s been comforting to know there are people praying and sending their well wishes from all over the country. Minnie had a mission and a purpose and she has accomplished that with her sweet soul touching us all. I will forever be grateful to you all.
5/19/2017 Update: Minnie continues to improve since her last set back and is once again queen of her castle. She will have a follow up with Dr. H in the morning to discuss long term meds and how to prevent set backs. She has a small wound on her left front leg from where it drags so we will be asking for ideas on how to best care for her ouchie.
During all this extra attention she has been getting, she has come to expect rotisserie chicken finely shredded with each meal, extra lap time with the foster mom, plenty of kisses, and the world to revolve around her at least once a day.
Although she still does not “play” with toys, she does like to lie next to them to prevent anyone else from having the idea of playing with them. She has also learned to flip her soft sided puppy play pen over to escape from what she feels is imprisonment. Have I mentioned she’s a spoiled diva?
5/14/2017 Update: We have had a set back in Minnie’s progress. It’s tough but we expected the road to be bumpy. As soon as we started to decrease the steroid dose, Minnie declined within 2-3 days back to being unable to walk or even stand. We knew this would be trial and error to find the right mix of meds. There is no miracle cure to “fix” Minnie but we are working closely with Dr. H to try and sustain that quality of life while preserving her liver and keeping a close eye on her heart. Rest assured she is getting lots of extra love and attention (if that’s even possible) during this set back but she could definitely use some positive thoughts and healing prayers sent her way.
As always, thank you for keeping Minnie in your hearts.
5/11/2017 Update: What a difference a week has made.
Minnie has continued to thrive. She has put on significant weight and her appetite improves daily. There is still room for progress with stability and energy but it will never be for lack of trying.
She is a more mobile and loves being outdoors in the cool grass. She isn’t fond of being in her crate and will spread eagle with brakes fully engaged to avoid being put in.
She enjoys her evening massages and leg exercises and all the attention that goes with it. She is just fine being a lap dog and makes for the sweetest companion.
She is definitely enjoying life.
5/7/2017 Update: Minnie had a big weekend. She attended her first No Borders Bulldog Rescue event on Saturday and soaked up all the attention. She met other pups and made friends, she got in the kiddie pool, and she gladly accepted all the petting and kisses she could get. She also enjoyed just hanging out in her new stroller with her “Fight Like A Frenchie” bandana tied to it. I think it’s safe to say her first public outing was a success. She had so much fun that she spent most of today just relaxing and getting massages.
5/4/2017 Update: Minnie continues to recover and improve. She felt snug as a bug up in foster mommy’s bed but we’re thinking foster sister Willow Grace wasn’t as pleased 😂
5/2/2017 Update: Minnie was released this morning and is back with us and her foster fur siblings. 👍🏼 She is alert, walking, eating, and re-establishing herself as leader of the pack. She is still weak and tires easy so we are sure to make her rest and relax often. 😉
Minnie is underweight even though she has the appetite of a little pig 🐷 We will be working on fluffing her up and strengthening her muscles. We start physical therapy (which doesn’t come cheap so donations are greatly appreciated) soon and will do a lot of it at home. She presented me with a surprise on our way home when I realized she was in heat. 😩 Ugh. But it actually tells me that her little body is still functioning and hasn’t been too affected by her circumstances. I’ll gladly deal with it to know she’s on the road to recovery and health. I tried a diaper on her today and she went catatonic 😒 and really played it up. She’s such a drama queen 👸 I felt sorry for her and took it off. Suddenly she could walk again. Hallelujah it’s a miracle. 😲
She came home with a host of medications 💊 so we are separating those out and putting them in a pill reminder so nothing goes missed. She still has a way to go but I can see a smile on her face just being back home. 😍
We will closely monitor her progress and make adjustments where needed. There will be a lot of back and forth with Dr. H trying to find the magic potion that’s just right for her. We will continue to update you all and are so grateful for all the support.
Fight Like A Frenchie 🥊
4/30/2017 Update: Saw Miss Minnie today at the specialists clinic. She was alert and seemed happy to see me and another volunteer. She wasn’t up moving around as much as she had been last week but with all the testing and treatments she’s been through, she deserves to be a bit exhausted. I did get a few kisses which made my heart so happy.
She got to chew on her benebone for a while. That seems to be a motivator for her. She will literally go after a benebone. She chews it until she is too tired to chew anymore. She is one happy girl with her bone.
Once we get her home we will be fattening her up. She eats like a horse but hasn’t been able to put or keep weight on. I’m sure it’s all part of the process and isn’t a dire issue but I am hoping to see a plump little Minnie Moo in the future.
The docs plan to further discuss her situation and prognosis and hopefully will provide a long term plan of action that will give Minnie the best possible life to live. I can promise Minnie that lots of sweet kisses, soft rubs behind her ears, and all the bones her little heart desires will be her future. Love will never be in short supply for this little girl as long as I am here to look after her.
I hope my next update will be from home with Minnie settling back in to our family.
4/25/2017 Update: Our sweet Minnie went to see the orthopedic doctor this morning and here is a summary of what I understand our path will be…
1st step is a CT scan this Thursday (and possibly a mylogram and/or spinal tap) to identify if this is truly an orthopedic issue involving her actual cervical disc(s) and which ones are damaged. If it appears so, a myl0gram may provide further information. There are risks with the myl0gram to include seizures but she will be monitored closely.
The fact that all 4 legs are affected leads the doctor to believe it originates in the cervical (neck) area. She doesn’t have some of the classic symptoms yet does present with some others. She’s a complicated case. She doesn’t appear to be in any pain which is unusual but not unheard of. If she is a candidate for surgery, we will move forward quickly and there is a 75%-80% chance of full recovery and she will stay approximately 5 days in puppy hospital. I like those odds and feel she deserves that chance.
There was some talk and concern that what is going on with her could have been an infection, either viral or bacterial, that was left untreated and caused some neuro deficit or that there may be a congenital defect she has had since birth. Neither of these situations could be “fixed” and we would have to decide how to proceed to provide Minnie the best option for a quality of life. My money is on an orthopedic problem with a definite fix.
Things are moving forward and she is tolerating all the treatments up to this point very well. We ask that you continue to pray and send positive thoughts. I ask you to consider donating to Minnie’s care through NBBR as you can imagine the financial responsibility that this has caused.
4/24/2017 Update: What a beautiful day for great news! I just spoke with the clinic and Minnie had a great weekend. She is moving around on her own and doing really well all things considered. She will stay at least one more night and hopefully can get in to see an orthopedic specialist and have an MRI in the next couple of days. I cannot thank everyone enough for all the love and support. This little girl is a fighter and she has a village fighting with her. I have no doubt that her care will be costly so if you can donate even a little to her ongoing care it would be so much appreciated. I had never heard the term “Fight Like A Frenchie” but Minnie has definitely schooled me on what it is to be a frenchie and a frenchie mommy. Again bless you all and thank you.
4/21/2017 Update: I am on cloud 9! I went to see Minnie this afternoon and got to hold her. She was lifting her head and looking around. She gave lots of kisses 😘. It was so hard to leave her but it was dinner time and she needed her meds. She tires quickly trying to visit with us.
I spoke with Dr. H and he said he switched her back to “old school” treatments and she’s made quicker progress. Some of these meds have a higher risk factor so he is keeping closer watch on her liver and sugar levels as well. He gave her a night light last night and as he was leaving she barked at him. Lol. Not sure she appreciated the gesture. He has seen more movement in her legs the past two days so he took her out back and had the girls put slings under the front legs around her chest and under her back half to help her walk outside. Kind of like a puppet. She did really well and even walked a few steps on her own.
He seems more positive now that the condition is spine (cervical) related and not brain or illness. He’s hoping she can be evaluated soon by ortho surgeon to see what can be done. He did say he felt she was strong enough to undergo an MRI or CT mylogram. He feels she should stay there through the weekend as taking her home may cause her to try to get up or get too excited for the progress she’s making. He promised to continue to do all he can and said as long as she’s fighting, he’s fighting with her. My heart ❤ is so full.
4/20/2017 Update: I first want to address a question I saw asked in the feed about “what is Minnie’s actual diagnosis?” Here is what we know… it’s neuro and cervically involved. Most likely the disc, disc space, nerves, and even possibly the spinal cord itself. Here is what we don’t know… exact specifics. Dr. H is using his years of experience, Minnie’s symptoms and some trial and error. We are trying to get Minnie healthy enough to be a candidate for further evaluation and possible treatment like MRIs and maybe even surgery. Due to the extensive neglect and lack of medical care when first needed, we are dealing with not only an injury but at least over a year’s worth of no care. This will be a long, slow road with small increments of progress and maybe even a few set backs. We had Minnie for only a week and know very little about her. Please trust that all is being done to give her the best chance at recovery and a productive life. Your prayers and support is a crucial part of her healing. Please know how much it is appreciated.
Now for the morning update 😊. I spoke with the tech that actually sat with Minnie yesterday and will be by her side today. She said there has been even a bit more improvement ❤️. She is now attempting to pull herself forward and even trying to sit up. She is like an infant trying to balance with muscles not yet ready. She’s wobbly but trying. They decided to take towels and roll them up to prop underneath her arms so she can sit up with support. They said even her facial expressions are appearing happy and they swear they saw her smile 😁. I will go out to the clinic today and see what the plan is for the next few days to include the weekend. As information is provided we will definitely pass it on.
She is continuing to defy the odds and “fight like a frenchie.” 😍
4/19/2017 Update: I just spoke with the clinic and they were so excited to tell me that Minnie is holding her head up and stable on her own. She still isn’t able to pull up or stand but she is raising her head, controlled, and looking around. 😍😍😍
I was told they switched her over to some IV medications that seem to be kicking in and giving her a boost. That was the best phone call I’ve had in a very long time. She is fighting with all she has. I will fight with her and for her.
I fully believe all this has been, and will continue to be, possible because of the kindness and support of everyone involved…NBBR, Dr. H and staff, people who have donated, prayers and well wishes from you all. Thank you from the bottom of my happy heart ❤️.
4/19/2017 Update: I spoke with Dr. H’s tech and she said that Minnie tolerated the second round of the Mannitol but has had little change in her condition. He said she may be “a hair bit better.” He said he would like to try one more round and then follow that up with some more steroids and have her stay one more night. He is giving her every chance to show some positive response to the treatments. He said she still cannot stand nor walk at this time. Please keep sending those thoughts and prayers her way. I’m disappointed I can’t hold her but grateful for Dr. H and his staff for not giving up on her. Let’s hope she’s just being a true bully and taking her sweet time and doing it on her own terms.
4/18/2017 Update: I spoke with Dr. H’s tech and she said that Minnie tolerated the second round of the Mannitol but has had little change in her condition. He said she may be “a hair bit better.” He said he would like to try one more round and then follow that up with some more steroids and have her stay one more night. He is giving her every chance to show some positive response to the treatments. He said she still cannot stand nor walk at this time. Please keep sending those thoughts and prayers her way. I’m disappointed I can’t hold her but grateful for Dr. H and his staff for not giving up on her. Let’s hope she’s just being a true bully and taking her sweet time and doing it on her own terms.
4/18/2017 Update: I just spoke with Dr. H’s office for a midday follow up. They have administered a dose of the Mannitol with basically no response. There has been no noted side effects nor does she seem in pain. She ate a bit when offered and pottied but didn’t get up to do either.
Another round of Mannitol will be given soon to see if she makes any progress. I will call them again around 3:30 and see where we are at with her progress.
Again, thank you all for the concern and support.
4/18/2017 Update: At 8:56 am this morning I called Dr. H’s office for an update on our little Minnie Moo. I was told that she rested well after receiving some Gabapentin. This morning there was the slightest of improvement and movement. Not much, but some. I’ll take it!
Next step is to start the Mannitol treatment and see how she responds. I will follow up on her every 30 minutes. Lol just kidding. I will try not to bother them but I will be following up frequently to just see how she’s doing. If she responds well enough to go home, I will pick her up and bring her back to recover with me. If she needs more time there, she will stay at least another night. She has to be past the risk of serious side effects before they will just send her home. Although I want her in my arms as quickly as possible and recovering, I must agree that their caution is warranted and respected.
I asked the tech to do me a favor and go back there and kiss her sweet little face and tell her foster mommy loves her and is fighting right along side of her. Thank you all so much for the kind words, prayers, positive thoughts, and continued support for this little girl. She sure deserves every bit of it.
4/17/2017 Update: I don’t know how to begin. The news on our sweet Minnie isn’t what we had hoped to hear. Her little body is trying so hard to keep up but the struggle is becoming very difficult. The obvious is her inability to walk or hold herself up. This may not have been from her playing too much or too hard but simply because there is just more wrong than we knew. Dr. H feels that her spinal issue will be a constant up and down battle. Although she had some good days this past week, her liver has begun to be effected by all the medications, her heart is enlarged, she still has a significant UTI and she is losing weight.
Dr. H spoke with us about all of the options available for Minnie. There were lots of questions and tears. The path chosen for tonight will be to continue to make her comfortable and give her a medication called Mannitol. It “may” provide her enough relief of the cervical swelling that she is able to stand and walk. This procedure comes with the possibility of risks such as hemorrhage and dehydration.
If love could fix her she would be good as new but I know that’s not the reality. Know she is resting and has the entire staff tending to her. I will follow up with the doc tomorrow and we will go from there. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.
4/16/2017 Update: Wow! What a difference a week of simple, basic care mixed with a lot of love and pampering can make for one special pup.
Minnie came here in pretty rough shape. She was unable to walk without curling her left leg under and supporting herself on her paw and staggering due to an unknown neurological issue. She had stains on her left hind leg from incontinence and lying in her own waste, no hair on the top of her nose, her eyesight limited, and was so thin you could see her spine and ribs. That was just the obvious physical condition. The emotional scars were much deeper. Minnie never coward to touch, in fact she didn’t respond at all. It was like she had gone so long without being petted or stroked that it just didn’t register to her what was happening when she received it. Could be that she had become numb to the neglect and any negative touch that may have happened. She didn’t make eye contact, she didn’t know how to play with toys, she didn’t chew on bones… she was just there. Her little body just existing.
Within 24 hours she was at the vet getting her first check up which I’m sure was long overdue. She had a host of issues but none that couldn’t be addressed with a little bit of medication and a whole lot of love. We had a game plan to nurse her back to physical health and a team determined to show her how precious she was.
Each day, for the past week, has started and ended with a handful of medications to alleviate different ailments and make her poor little body more comfortable. Some medications will cure and some will just treat. She takes them all like a champ (with a bite of peanut butter of course). She has started responding to her name and even initiating affection. She has begun to chew on bones but still has no interest in toys. She has found her place in the pack among her foster fur siblings and of course her place is on top. She can be a bit bossy when the other dogs are playing and will bark to let them know she disapproves but is in no way aggressive. Her walking has improved greatly (we have used gripper socks when she’s on the slick floors) and she has even participated in a game of puppy tag with the other dogs. Of course it ended when she said so. She does get tired easily so breaks are necessary.
Her appetite is awesome but her bowels and bladder are still a challenge. We have decided to diaper her at night, when we’re gone and on car rides. This keeps her from being in her own waste and from me having to clean a messy room and puppy. Bathes are very scary for her. She isn’t able to stand in the tub without slipping so she gets nervous. I have experimented with a few different techniques and found that the quicker the better in as little space as possible. The sink it is. We spend as much time outside as the heat will allow so that she has plenty of opportunities to go potty. She doesn’t alert us when she needs to go nor does she go outside when the door is wide open. I will continue to work on that to see if there is any chance at all she will catch on. With some of the meds and her neuro issues, I’m not sure there will be much improvement. We do lots of praise when she does potty outside any way. Unfortunately she doesn’t seem to react to praise as a good or bad thing. She just stands there. She is unable to lift her head to look up and that creates a small field of vision limiting her to just what is in front of her on eye level. She doesn’t seem to mind it and it appears it’s now just normal to her but I will often get low enough for her to see my face and make sure she knows I’m happy with her.
Her nature and disposition is so calm, quiet and sweet. You just want to pet her and hold her all the time. She is unsure when you pick her up and her entire body stiffens but eventually she melts into your arms with her little awkward body. She does like me to lie in the floor with her while she naps. If possible, she will lay down next to one of my bulldogs and nap with them. I have even found her laying beside my bed.
As far as dogs go, this is one of the softest souls I have ever encountered. To have so much obviously happen to her in her short little life and not show a moment of aggression is amazing. She has been a joy to have around and continues to improve daily. I know she has more treatment and care ahead of her but if little changes it wouldn’t matter. Minnie is perfect the way she is and everyone that meets her falls in love.
4/14/2017 Update: She’s doing really well but gets tired pretty quickly. She follows the pack everywhere they go to include running out the back door when they hear a car go down the alley. She may be the last one but she isn’t left out. We have discovered she is a bossy butt. Lol. If my bullies get to rough housing more than she thinks is necessary or if the get too rambunctious, she will get right up to them and bark a very serious bark of warning. Once she’s said her peace, she moves on. Her appetite is fabulous and she’s doing fairly well on pottying outside. We’ve had a few accidents but not a lot. She wasn’t too sure about her bath but afterwards you could tell she felt pretty. Then she went in the mud. Ugh. She loves the mud. She’s still a joy to have around and I look forward to seeing how much she changes over the next few days.
4/10/2017 Update:
Please welcome Minnie to the No Borders Bulldog Rescue family. Minnie is a 3.5 year old French Bulldog that weighs 24 lbs.
Where to begin with Minnie? Prior to joining the No Borders Bulldog Rescue family Minnie was named “Sadie”. After reading “Sadie’s” story it will be very apparent why her name was changed. All the volunteers involved in rescuing Minnie were positive that she needed a new name to go with the new life she will be living.
Minnie was being sold on Craig’s List by an owner that just wanted her gone. The owner described Minnie as a healthy 2 year old French Bulldog that could possibly have hip dysplasia. She quickly grabbed the attention of a group that rescues Bulldogs from bad situations. They sprung into action to get her from her previous owners and were ready to transport her to an out of state rescue that was eagerly awaiting. When the volunteer arrived to get Minnie, it was found that she could barely stand and was unable to walk on her front leg. Actually her front leg was bent underneath her with the bottom of her foot facing upward. She was also having difficultly breathing. It was quickly noted that Minnie was in no condition to make the out of state drive. So, NBBR was contacted and asked if we would be willing to take Minnie. You know the answer…..
Once Minnie was at her foster home it was noticed she was missing a piece of her tongue in addition to other aliments. Minnie did not appear to be able to control her bladder or her bowels. As you can see the list of items were quickly adding up. The first step was to make Miss Minnie comfortable and get her a good meal. While Minnie was resting her foster mom started reviewing the packet that the previous owners had sent with her. She found that Minnie was not a heathy 2 year old dog, as stated, but was 3.5 years old. She also found that Minnie had visited a veterinarian approximately 1 year ago where the report was she needed medication and possibly a visit to a specialist. Instead of heeding this advice, the family decided to put Minnie outside to fend for herself while she attempted to sell her as a “breeding female”.
The next step for Minnie was a trip to our clinic to determine what exactly Minnie needed to start her healing process. After many diagnostic tests we received some good news and some news that will need time to determine how Minnie will be treated long term. First of all we found out Minnie is Heartworm negative. After living outside for many months, we thought she would be Heartworm positive for sure and are very happy she tested negative. However, we received news that Minnie does have an enlarged heart and she will most likely need to be on medication for the rest of her life. Minnie also has some potential neurological issues that are causing some of the symptoms. Currently we are not able to determine if the neurological issues are due to the bones/tendon/nerve formation or a severe infection that has been left untreated for MANY months Minnie was given a steroid shot and a muscle relaxant to see how she would respond and low and behold, within minutes she was up walking around with an interesting pep in her step. While it is possible that some of her conditions could be due to this severe untreated infection, we will know more as this treatment is given time to work. We are proceeding cautiously to see if this course of medications help. If not, she will be referred to a specialist to get a second opinion. In addition to all of this news it was determined that Minnie has intestinal parasites as well. Minnie left the clinic with a bag of medications and a long list of special notes on how to care for the little princess.
Despite all that has happened to this little girl, she is filled with nothing but love from everyone that meets her. All she wants is to be loved and is feeling comfortable enough now to snuggle and give kisses. Minnie’s sweet soul immediately draws everyone into her world. Everyone who has met her wants to pamper and baby Miss Minnie and who could blame them?
While Minnie’s journey has just begun, and it looks like it could be a long one, we want to thank all those that have donated, sent up prayers and helped Minnie in so many ways. Sometimes it takes a village to rescue a Bulldog and, from the outpouring of love and well wishes, Minnie has the best village behind her. We will do all we can to help Minnie continue to fight like a Frenchie!
