Bruno
Update
I’m so happy Bruno got his halo!!! He was immediately a different boy. So confident, and no high pitched barking. Jordan got his too. I can’t wait to see how well he does. Thanks so much!!!
Backstory
Bruno had a family in San Diego that he loved. One day he started drinking tons of water and peeing all over the house. His “dad” was annoyed by this and contacted IMPS to dump him. He was too old to be placed in the rescue. I have had 2 other diabetics and (at that time I was working with IMPS) we tried to network him but because of his age and health issues he wasn’t adoptable so I took him. I got him regulated and a lot of weight off, and then he lost his sight and he is not handling it well. He has as the vet calls it HIGH ANXIETY. He is screaming because he can’t see.
Don’t worry Bruno, Angel Tracey H. has provided for you and 3 other blind dogs (Jordan, Bruno, Evie and Toby) xo
Angus
Backstory
“Angus is a chocolate lab that I rescued off of craigslist exactly a year ago October 7 of 2014! we rescued him from my family who posted the ad saying if he wasn’t taken they would put him down because of his blindness.
Their sons had lost interest since he was now blind. Angus has adapted very well to his new family and is a very loving dog!
Recently he had cataract surgery that did not turn out the way that we had expected. We have now found out he suffers from a disease called PRA that eats the retina in simple terms.
We are doing our very best to understand that he will never see again that’s why we are contacting you to try to get a donated Muffins Halo for Angus because after the expense of the surgery, we are very low on money.
We think this device would definitely help Angus out a lot and us! I am beyond thankful for anything you can do for me and my baby boy!”
Kayla
Mia
Update
Angels,
Mia has neurological issues that are preventing her from benefiting from her halo so her Mom is paying it forward to another blind dog in need.
Thank you Carla and Mia Xo
Backstory
Mia began having dizzy spells when she stood still and stumbling after her dizzy spell. Her original vet diagnosed the problem as an ear infection with a broken ear drum. She was treated for over a month with ear medication and antibiotics so the infection would not spread to her brain. The ear infection cleared up and the original vet said she was fine, but the dizziness persisted. She then went to another vet for a second opinion. This vet found that she had no menace reaction in her left eye and felt that she could not see out of this eye and told us that she felt she had a neuro problem and referred us to a neurologist. Without an MRI, CAT scan and spinal tap this doctor could not render a specific diagnosis, but told us that she had brain disease or a brain tumor and the lesion was effecting her optic nerve at least in her left eye. She said that the results of the testing would indicate whether she needed brain surgery or chemo-like treatments and none of those would be guaranteed successful. Since Mia is 10 we decided that we would not put her through any of these treatments so the testing would be futile. Less than two weeks after this diagnosis she has also lost the sight in her right eye. Her dizziness has seemed to subside somewhat though. She is trying to find her way around.
Mia
“Angel” Hershey
Update
We are saddened to hear our blind friend Hershey recently passed away.
“Hershey had some cluster seizures on Friday and she passed away on Saturday morning. She hadn’t had a bad seizure since July and we were hoping her medicine would control them. We are sure going to miss our baby girl, but we are glad she won’t be in anymore pain and she is able to run and play in heaven where she can see again.”
Hannah Pittman
Hannah is paying forward Hershey‘s donated medium white Muffin’s Halo that you angels provided for him, to another blind dog in need.
Backstory
“Hershey started having seizures in May of this year. She was diagnosed with inflammatory meningitis. She had 4 different episodes, cluster seizures, a few weeks apart with the last one she didn’t regain her sight.
Activity level She gets around the house pretty good, but bumps in to things and our other Shih Tzu as well.”
Hannah P.
Buster
Tucker
Update
“Tucker received his special Muffins Halo today. He took right to it. In fact, I’m pretty sure he is feeling extra cool strutting around. Thank you so much second chance for blind dogs and Muffins Halo for helping to make this possible. He is now living a bump free life. ”
Alyesa
Backstory
“Hi, my name is Alyesa. Our family has been fostering both dogs and cats for just about a year now. We have fostered and adopted out 5 kittens, and we now have our 5th foster dog. Our current foster is much different then those in the past. For one, he’s a puppy. With 2 young kids in the house and 2 large dogs, and 2 lizards we always knew a puppy would just be too much work to have in our busy house, but that changed quickly upon meeting Tucker.
I got a call from Tamara who… runs the fostering at the rescue (Animal Rescue Recon) that she was going to the shelter to pull some dogs. I was suppose to go with her but wasn’t able to. She sent me pictures of 3 dogs, a 5 week old Pom/chi, a large adult cattle dog mix, and a 5 month old Shih Tuz mix that was blind. I immediately took to the cattle dog. She encouraged me to come meet her as she was a little hyper.
The following day I drove there to meet the cattle dog, but when Tamara and I walked in the door a worker in the shelter was holding a small puppy wrapped in a blanket and held over her shoulder like a baby. They handed him to me and he just cuddle right in and clung to me. They then told me he was the blind puppy, who at the time had no name. At that moment I knew I couldn’t hand him back. If I didn’t take him, who would? And knowing the shelters kill rate I knew he wouldn’t make it out alive.
We’ve gave him the name Tucker. He lights up our world. It took him awhile to find his inner puppy, but boy when it started to show through it just put a smile on my face. He is a bouncing, playful, adorable little guy, and very smart.
Now that he has acquired some speed he tends to run straight into walls, doors, toys. He shakes it off well but I think a Muffin’s Halo would be a wonderful tool to help Tucker safely play and find his way around.
I first heard of the Muffin’s Halos through another local rescue, Umbrella of Hope. All the blind dogs that they take on have a Halo.
Thank you for reading Tucker’s story. He is a very special guy to us, and we cannot wait for him to find his forever home. He has taught us that being blind isn’t much of a disability at all. Hoping to open the eyes to many others that dogs with disabilities are just as adoptable as any other dog.”
“Angel” Wickett
Update
Hi there. Wanted to share that my little Wickett passed away this morning, one year after being diagnosed with SARDS. My heart is truly broken. You all were kind enough to send him a Muffins Halo, I would like to send it back in case it can help another little blind dog in need.
Lindsey Dickens
Backstory
“My name is Lindsey and my best little friend is Wickett, a 13 year old chihuahua mix. Wickett used to be a pretty normal guy, four legs, two good eyes and a very big bark!
That all changed in May 2006, when he was hit by a car and left for dead on the side of the road. We searched everywhere for him when he didn’t come back in from going potty outside (had managed to slip through a gate that someone had left open!) to no avail.
The very next morning my sister and I made phone calls and visits to every vets office and shelter looking for our dog. Turns out a Good Samaritan had seen him laying in the street, scooped him up, and took him home so he wouldn’t have to die alone. By some miracle he made it through the night, and the lady reported him as found to our local humane society who immediately put us in touch.
In tears, my sister picked him up from his rescuer and rushed him to our vet. The prognosis was grim. His neck was broken in two places, and he had many lacerations and missing teeth. He was paralyzed from the swelling in his neck. They told us he probably wouldn’t make it.
Wickett is a fighter though, and he did make it… but the journey was tough. He was sent home after several weeks in a thick neck cast, and he couldn’t use his legs. Slowly, with much love and determination, he slowly regained the ability to walk, but it became clear he would never regain the use of his front leg.
A year passed, and Wickett was up and around! He shuffled his back legs and hopped on the one good front leg, but he didn’t let that slow him down. Things took another bad turn though when he began to chew the toes on his bad leg, a trip back to the vet determined that the nerves were dying and causing him great pain. So, with much sadness we decided to have his leg removed.
In typical Wickett fashion, he bounded right back! It seemed to be a relief to have the painful leg gone, and he adapted quickly to tripod life. We thought everything was smooth sailing from there. Regular trips to the chiropractor and acupuncturist kept him comfortable, and he relished his job as greeter at my grooming salon, where all my clients know him by name.
Things took a turn for the worse again this past November. Wickett didn’t seem himself. He would freeze in the middle of a room and just stand there. I took him to my regular vet and to the chiropractic vet, fearing he had hurt his back or was in some kind of pain. They found nothing apparent but gave him pain medication. The next few days I began to develop a sneaking suspicion that something wasn’t quite right with his vision… and a trip to the eye vet confirmed that he had no retinal function.
He was diagnosed with SARDS, a terrible disease that is still being explored. He went blind in a matter of days and it shattered our hearts. Gone is the plucky little character that announced the arrival of clients, that loved to play tug with his little toy every morning when I was trying to tie my shoes. Now he is scared, unsure, and depressed. He got some pretty nasty scratches in his eyes from bumping into things, and had to have eye drops made from plasma to heal them. Now he just sticks to his bed, where its safe. He is hesitant to move around our house too much, and has smacked into walls on a regular basis it’s just not fair. Life was hard enough on three legs, and now he has no sight. We do our best to make sure he knows how loved and special he is, and he has so many people that love him! He still comes to work with me every day, but sticks to his safe bed.
I just recently discovered Muffin’s Halo, and think it’s wonderful how it helps restore some independence to blind dogs. With Wickett missing a foreleg, I’m not sure how it would fit him, but I look forward to getting more information to see if this is something that can help my poor little man.”
Angels,
WOW…talk about a survivor. ..I have a Wickett sense that this boy is going to get back to his plucky self once he gets a Muffin’s Halo.
Maxwell
Update
“We are celebrating BIG TIME in our house tonight. Prince Maxwell walked up the outside steps from the yard to the door ALL BY HIMSELF!! He used his halo to guide and “nudge” each step along the way. Each day, a little more independence, a little more freedom–We LOVE you, Muffin & Angels”
Backstory
We have medical/behavioral situations that make them less likely to be adopted.
Currently, I have 18 doears ago and Arizona Chihuahua Rescue was having an adoption event in Flagstaff, AZ. Up to that point, I had only ever had big (giant) dogs. Had never been interested in or even considered
gs in my home…of this crazy number, 11 of them are my own dogs (meaning they’ve been here more than 6 months and will spend their retirement with me.) And the King of them all is a bossy little prince named Maxwell…
I was shopping in PetCo 2 y
My name is Cassie S. and I’m a middle school teacher in Winslow, AZ. I also run foster and rescue out of my home, pulling dogs from Phoenix shelters, bringing them up north where they hopefully will have a better shot at finding a home. My focus is on dogs who are senior or who ha
“ankle biters.” But I walked in the door and happened to glance to my left while digging for some coupons in my purse. I saw this exercise pen full of yapping, bouncing, NOISY chihuahuas…everyone was happy and silly and rolling everywhere. I gave the nice lady, Helen, the obligatory, “How cute,” brush off and went to move on. Not only was I not interested in little dogs, but these dogs were already in a foster rescue program…my focus was on pulling/saving dogs from overcrowded shelters in the big city. Space in my home was reserved for THOSE dogs.
But before I turned my head away and got back to shopping, my eye caught this pathetic, trembling little ball huddled in the back of the pen. He was quite possibly the ugliest dog I’d ever seen. His tail was twisted and bent like a weird pipe-cleaner, he had one eye and a giant Snaggle tooth sticking out of his lower lip. I tentatively stepped up and asked, “Who’s that one?” Pointing at that little hot mess, Helen seemed a bit surprised, but she told me that was Snaggle. I asked a bit more and found out he was about 10 years old and he was stressed out. This would probably be his last adoption event, as they seemed to depress him. He wasn’t playing or interacting with the other dogs at all.
She told me that he had lost his right eye in a Phoenix shelter when he’d been left in a kennel with two bigger dogs that attacked him. The shelter vet had stitched him up, but it had been a perfunctory job at best, hence all the jagged lines and scar tissue. I asked if I could hold him, and she placed him in my arms…and as cliche as it sounds, my entire life changed. I lit up in a way I hadn’t felt since I was a child. He curled in my arms like a baby and stared up at my with his one eye and rubbed his face on my shoulder and it was all over.
I asked what I had to do to bring him home and was informed that I had to fill out a bunch of paperwork, write a big check and schedule a home visit. Well, I wasn’t leaving him, so I pulled up a chair and told Helen I’d wait until after the adoption even was concluded and she could just follow me home.
Snaggle, renamed Maxwell for the hammer-wielding serial killer from the Beatles’ song, took about three minutes to get his bearings and start ordering all the big dogs, cats and people in my home around. He doesn’t have much interest in the other animals, other than telling them what to do and knowing he’s superior to them. He isn’t really much interested in other people either. But from the moment he was placed in my arms, he has rarely, if ever, left my side. He goes to work with me, the grocery store with me, he shares my pillow. He refuses to be “trained” to do what mere humans wish, but he rules this house with a bossy bit of attitude you’d have to see to believe.
Over the last two years, Maxwell has been my constant companion. The other dogs defer to him and basically let him have the run of the home. We’ve definitely fought some medical battles with him…his heart, lungs and bloodwork are all tip-top, but the one eye has caused him to run into things, getting himself scratched and banged up quite often. He’s struggled with infections in the eye socket from the rush job that was done removing the left eye. He has a partially collapsing trachea and is on daily steroids to ease his coughing. But when we go into our vet, he’s a king surrounded by his harem. You should see all the staff and doctors and nurses coo and coddle him.
About a month ago, he started squinting and scratching at his remaining eye. There was also some nasty drainage from the right eye socket. Now, he’d had ulcers and lacerations on the one eye several times since coming to me, so I figured we needed to pick up some of his serum eye drops and some antibiotics from the doctor. They make these eye drops by spinning down his own blood, allowing for faster healing for eye trauma. Everyone at the clinic knew that preservingMaxwell‘s one good eye was absolute priority.
Turned out that this time, Maxwell had a huge laceration ulcer that covered the entire surface of the eye. At that time, his doctor was not optimistic about saving the eye, but the regimen she put us on required antibiotic drops and serum drops around the clock every hour as well as oral antibiotics and discontinuing his steroids for coughing. So we set up a schedule. For two weeks I would wake every hour, on the hour. During the time I was teaching school, he’d stay at his auntie’s house and she would administer. His coughing was painful and the eye was obviously paining him. When we went in for his re-check, sadly, the doctor determined that the eye had ruptured despite our best efforts and Maxwell had to be whisked into emergency surgery right then. They not only removed the remnants of the right eye, but also opened up the left socket and scraped out scar tissue and irrigated the area, in hopes of preventing further infection at THAT site.
Two days later, I picked up my little man and we’ve been struggling ever since. He’s wearing his cone of shame, but is so tentative trying to move around. He’s depressed and scared. Every time he moves, he runs into something or falls off of something. I’ve started sleeping on the floor on a mat next to him. Our huge backyard that was once his kingdom is now a place he’s terrified to enter. I wish I could put into words the disheartening change in my little man.
Obviously, he’s still got a long road of adjustment and healing in front of him. Within my circle, we’ve been discussing all sorts of options, and it was his Uncle Chris that found your site. It is amazing what you’ve done, what you’ve created for these special little ones. We will be saving up to purchase one of your Halos, as part of my commitment to giving EACH of my dogs the best golden retirement possible. But with the care and maintenance of the rest of the pack, and with Maxwell‘s treatment/surgery depleting the coffers, it will be a while before we can do it. When I saw your offer, it gave me hope that maybe I could help Maxwell a bit sooner.
As a direct result of Maxwell opening MY eyes about smaller dogs, we’ve saved and placed 40+ small breed dogs as well as 19 large dogs over the past two years. Currently, I have 5 bigs and 13 littles in my home. These little dogs would not have even had a chance with me without the special love and personality introduced to me by my Maxwell man. I promise that, should we be chosen as the recipient of the second hand halo, it would not only be put to good use, but it would go towards improving the quality of life for a very special, very deserving little dog.
Thank you for your time in reading our incredibly long story.
Best,
Cassie S & The Pack
“Angel” Grampy
Please let me know if there’s another doggie out there who could use Grampy’s Muffins Halo. Thank you so much for the assistance.
Sincerely,
Dorothy