Monday, February 23, 2009 - Caroline County Humane Society in Ridgely, Maryland receives a report of a fight where a petite brindle boxer named Sassy Mae was being viciously attacked by another dog the owner's home. The police arrived first and witnessed the attacking dog dragging and pulling Sassy Mae by her left front leg. They stopped the attack but not before Sassy Mae received extensive injuries to all 4 legs and the left side of her body. The most serious damage was to her left front leg. Animal Control took the dog who attacked Sassy Mae to the shelter where she was euthanized and Sassy Mae was taken to Denton Animal Hospital. The vet treating her was not sure her leg could be saved and advised it may have to be amputated. Torn, exposed muscle tissue hanging from her leg was cut away and her wounds were flushed. She was also put on an antibiotic. He stated she was incredibly sweet despite the obvious pain she was suffering.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - Sassy Mae remains at the vet for care but I am contacted by Caroline County Humane Society and asked if boxer rescue will take her. Adopt A Boxer Rescue (AABR) said they would take her but had no foster homes available so I volunteered to foster her. The plan is for her to be turned over to AABR once she is released from their vet.

Thursday, February 26, 2009 - The vet feels her leg may be salvageable and she is putting weight on her leg. Sassy Mae is released from the vet and taken to Caroline County Humane Society. The volunteers at the shelter state she is a "DOLL" and despite her wounds, her nubby tail wags happily! The shelter will turn her over to me for AABR on Saturday as she is scheduled to have a bandage change tomorrow.

Friday, February 27, 2009 - Bad News....Sassy Mae went in for her bandage change and the vet decided to keep her overnight. She will no longer put weight on her left front leg and the wounds have abcessed as infection has now settled in. It is feared by the tending veterinarian that her leg may possibly be at risk to be amputated after all. Prayers are needed more than ever!!

Saturday, February 28, 2009 - Sassy Mae needs to be seen by a specialist if there is any chance of her leg being saved. She is turned over to me for AABR. When I saw her wounds on her left leg I was taken aback. Never had I seen such a severe injury! Her leg was swollen 3 times its normal size from her elbow to her foot!! The wounds on her leg were openly draining, the worst wound is a large, deep tear in the upper leg just below the elbow joint. The sight of her makes you want to cry yet her happy little face and eager kisses make you happy she is so fortunate just to be alive. I transport Sassy Mae to Dogs & Cats Veterinary Referral in Bowie, MD where she is examined by Dr. Davis who is on staff today. Dr. Davis advises she needs to be admitted due to the extent and seriousness of her injuries. The soft tissue specialist, Dr. Snakard will further evaluate her on Monday. In addition to the severe swelling, she is running a temperature of 103.2 and has an infection that, if not gotten under control, could result in the loss of her leg and could also pose a threat to her life. Dr. Davis is putting her on IV antibiotics, pain meds, and will culture the infection to see what antibiotic it will be sensitive to. She will put Sassy Mae under anesthesia to determine the depth of her wounds, flush them thoroughly and insert drain tubes as needed. She will call me with an update tomorrow.

Sunday, March 1, 2009 - Dr. Davis from Dogs & Cats Veterinary Referral called and said they anesthetized Sassy Mae last night to better clean out and assess the depth of her wounds. The large wound at the top of her left leg runs the entire course of her limb down to her foot. She stated that when the attacking dog had her leg and was shaking the limb back and forth, this motion will cause tearing inside the leg resulting in the would being so deep and not just a puncture wound. Drains have been inserted in her legs and she is on pain medication to keep her more comfortable. Her antibiotics were switched from Cephalexin to Baytril. Last night her temperature went up to 104.3 but is now back down to the high 102 to low 103 range. All is going as well as can be expected at this time and she is still eating and drinking well which is a great sign. Dr. Davis said despite everything she is going through, she continues to be her sweet self to everyone at the hospital!

Monday, March 2, 2009 - Dr. Snakard who is the soft tissue and orthopedic specialist examined Sassy Mae today. An xray showed where the attacking dog bit deep enough to put indentations in her leg bone. Dr. Snakard has concerns with how much her leg continues to drain. She is hoping to get a partial culture back today regarding the infection to see if Sassy Mae is on the right antibiotics. Otherwise there is concern there are pockets of infection in her muscle tissue that need to be debrided. Tomorrow Dr. Sankard will put her under anesthesia to assess the damage and if it is too severe, her leg will be amputated. Like everyone else, she commented on how very sweet Sassy Mae is and how her tail never stops wagging despite all she is going through...

Tuesday, March 3, 2009 - Dr. Snakard called and said there has been a dramatic improvement!! This morning her swelling has FINALLY come down and the drainage has reduced significantly!! This is good news because it means the antiobiotic she was changed to on Sunday night which was Baytril might be doing the trick! Because of this progress, Sassy Mae will not have to go in to surgery today and her leg will continue to be flushed and wrapped twice daily. There is a chance I can pick her up on Friday if everything continues to go well! We just need to get her down to one bandage change per day and then I can take her home and relay her to Bowie for the bandage changes every day. Thank you to everyone for your prayers and donations! Both are very much needed as her medical costs are very expensive.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009 - Dr. Snakard called with more good news this morning!! Sassy Mae continues to improve although she is still in a lot of pain. But she is moving forward and not backward so for this we are grateful! Today, Sassy Mae's drainage is even less and the swelling continues to go down. She is no longer on IV antibiotics and is taking them orally now which is also marked progress! She is still expected to be able to go home with me on Friday to continue her recuperation and once healed, she will need therapy to exercise her leg muscle and to see if she will be able to use her leg properly after all is done. By the way, my very good friend and wiggly Boxer boy, Newman, is doing a cookie drive to raise money for Sassy Mae's medical bills for Adopt A Boxer Rescue! The cookies are $3 a bag for assorted flavors of cookies and let me tell you, your dogs will be BEGGING for these wonderful cookies!!! You have to visit Newman's very informative and ever entertaining Blog at newmanontheblock.blogspot.com Newman is a very talented writer considering he writes with his paws, and you will find his Blog to be a place you will return to again and again but beware, you WILL catch yourself laughing out loud at some of his comical writings!! Thank you Newman!!

Thursday, March 5, 2009 - Sassy Mae continues to improve! Today her drains were removed from her wounds and a soft splint was placed on her leg so she can be encouraged to use her leg. Her pain meds have been reduced and she is no longer on any IV fluids! She remains a very happy girl and Dr. Snakard said she can come home with me tomorrow!! Now we just have to hope she can use her leg to be sure there is no permanent damage that would prevent her from doing so, otherwise, an amputation may still be a possibility.

Friday, March 6, 2009 - Well today was the big day! Sassy Mae was released from the hospital and came home with me today! We arrived home about 6pm and as soon as she had a chance to check outthe new smells, I gave her dinner and she eagerly cleaned her bowl! Good girl Sassy Mae! She is putting weight on her casted leg and she wants to be out and about the house but I have been given instructions by Dr. Snakard to limit her exercise so her muscles can heal properly. During the attack her muscle was torn away from the bone so the healing process will take some time. But so far so good for this tough little girl and she is getting plenty of attention and love showered on her!

Monday, March 9, 2009 - Sassy Mae has been wonderful! She is doing well here at my home and she and CJ hang out together and get along great. She is good in her crate and is just a good house dog. Saturday and Sunday she went for bandage changes and again today. The specialist also looked at her today and said most of the wounds on her leg have granulated meaning they are healing properly! Her deeper wounds are less healed but they are getting there and there was no necroptic tissue which is great news! Tuesday, March 10, 2009 - Went for the daily bandage change again this morning and was told Sassy Mae can be taken off the Metacam pain killer so she is only on one pain killer now. She also will be taken off one of her two antibiotics after today. She will continue to take the Baytril for a few weeks. She had a Heartworm/Lymes/Ehrlichiosis test done today and all 3 were NEGATIVE!! I was especially concerned about the Heartworm Test since the previous owner could not produce any vet records for her so it is suspected she has never been vaccinated or on Heartworm prevention. So this was a big relief!

Monday, March 16, 2009 - I apologize for not updating sooner but things have been pretty much the same so there really was nothing new to update until now. Good news today! Dr. Snakard told me today that Sassy Mae can FINALLY go every other day for her bandage changes! This is wonderful progress and means her drainage is getting more minimal so her bandage can stay on longer! All of the wounds on her leg have healed over well except for the couple of spots on her toes but they are also on the mend. Dr. Snakard feels that Sassy Mae will be able to keep her leg and will do well although she may have a slight limp in her walk. We will know once she starts walking on it without the aid for the splint in her bandaging and after some therapy exercises. I am leaving tomorrow for NC for shows so Sassy Mae is staying with the Brushwoods who have offered to help me with Sassy Mae while I am out of town. They will get her to her appointments for bandage changes while I am gone and will give her lots if attention!! The best news I received today was when Dr. Snakard said there is a chance the bandaging may come off for good next Monday so cross your fingers everyone!!! I will report here to let you know!!

Friday, March 20, 2009 - Sassy Mae had the splint removed from her cast. She was very sore and hesitant to use her leg as a result but this was exepected as teh healing process is still taking place from the extensive damage that was done to her muscle and skin tissue. Sassy Mae is currently staying with the family that will be adopting her. They live close by to me which is wonderful and currently own an 8 1/2 year old boxer boy named Tucker who is from my breeding. Sassy Mae and Tucker have become fast f riends and enjoy cuddling up together on one of teh family's comfort chairs. I know a lot of wonderful homes wanted to adopt Sassy Mae and I can assure you the home caring for her right now is an incredible family! Besides the other boxer they also have a 5 year old son who adores Sassy Mae and told me on the phone that he wanted Sassy Mae to stay because she is his "best buddy". How sweet is that?

Sunday, March 22, 2009 - This morning Sassy Mae chewed part of her cast so she was taken in to have a bandage change. She now has an e-collar which she doesn't care for much but the healing is sore and itchy which is why she wants to chew at it.

Monday, March 23, 2009 - My friend Suzy Schmigel works for Dr. Heard who is a veterinarian. Dr. Heard has offered to spay Sassy Mae for free!! So much outpouring of kindness through donations and prayers have come from so many making Sassy Mae's treatment and recover possible for Adopt A Boxer Rescue! Truly this is a success story in progress!!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - Sassy Mae went in for another bandage change and GOOD NEWS!!! The bandage was removed finally!!! The foster family she is with right now said her leg is very badly scarred. I haven't seen the leg since the day I picked her up in the photo higher up in this story but I can imagine it is pretty bad. It was bad when I saw it 5 days after the attack. She continues to favor the leg but she does occasionally put weight on it which is a good sign.

Saturday, March 28, 2009 - Sassy Mae's leg is looking good and a big difference from when I initially picked her up from the Humane Society. The picture of her leg at right was taken today. Sassy received her vaccinations today and got to visit all of her friends at the shelter. Everyone was so happy we stopped by! Tuesday, April 14, 2009 - Sassy Mae will keep her leg!! She continues to do well and will be adopted by the family that took over fostering for me. They absolutely adore her and are helping her with rehabilitation of her leg. My friend Pam Knowlton's Boxer Newman and his French Bulldog brother Roger's cookie fundraiser has raised $1,000 for Sassy Mae's medical bills!!! On Saturday I will take Sassy Mae to the dog show in Timonium, Maryland where at 9:45am, in Ring 21, Newman and Roger will be dressed in their best suits to present the check to Adopt A Boxer Rescue and Sassy Mae will be there to assist them! The outpouring of donations from people has been a true blessing THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Donations are still needed to help cover her bills. This special girl is truly deserving and her leg was saved because the medical treatment she needed was made possible as a result!!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009 - I wanted to let everyone know that to date, your donations have raised over $2,000 to go toward Sassy Mae's vet bills and this is not counting the $1,000 raised by Pam Knowlton's cookie fundraiser! Credit is due to so many people, here is a run down of the money that was raised so far:

• Adopt A Boxer Rescue for agreeing to pay for her medical care.
• Potomac Boxer Club and Maryland Boxer Club supported with donations. 
• Pam Knowlton's Boxer Newman and French Bulldog Roger raised $1,000 to help with her vet bills by organizing a dog cookie drive.
• Sassy Mae’s story here on the Amity Hall Boxers website along with sending out mass e-mails to dog loving friends, boxer breeders, and non-dog friends, generated approximately $1,500 in donations according to Adopt A Boxer Rescue.
• Dr. Luis Braz-Ruivo who is the owner of Dogs & Cats Veterinary Referral in Bowie, MD where Sassy Mae is being treated by a soft tissue/orthopedic specialist, discounted over $1,000 from the Sassy Mae medical bills accrued there.
• Sassy Mae’s vaccinations were donated by Caroline County Humane Society.
• Her spay is being donated by veterinarian Dr. Jessica Hurd at Severna Park Veterinary Hospital.

What an incredible community outreach by everyone!!!! Thank you so much for making it possible for this special girl to have received the care she did!! Donations are still needed to cover the over $4,000 bills completely but so far the community outreach in offering donations has truly been AMAZING!!!

Thursday, April 16, 2009 - Sassy Mae's home rehabilitation with her soon to be adoptive family had been going very well and she was putting weight on her leg more often than not which was a great sign. However, after a trip to the therapist and an intense therapy session by the specialist, she has not put weight on the leg for a few days now. Hopefully this is just a minor set back and she will be able to walk into the Timonium show Saturday using all 4 legs...

Saturday, April 19, 2009 - Today at the Potomac Boxer Club Specialty show in Timonium, MD a check for $1000 for the money raised by Pam Knowlton's cookie fundraiser, which was headed by her Boxer Newman and his French Bulldog brother Roger, was presented to Adopt A Boxer Rescue! Sassy Mae was present for the gala wearing her tiara and Boxer Rescue sash! Newman and Roger were dressed in their best suits and Elaine Hauck from Adopt A Boxer Rescue was there to receive the check. It was a great day and I am humbled by the amount of money Pam was able to raise as well as ALL of the wonderful donations that have come in to offset Sassy Mae's medical bills! THANKYOU TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED AND THANK YOU TO POTOMAC BOXER CLUB FOR ALLOWING NEWMAN'S CHECK PRESENTATION TO BE DONE AT YOUR SHOW!!

Website design by Beth Downey. 

Amity Hall Boxers 2009 ©   Contents of this website may not be copied without written permission by the website owner.

[ABOUT US] [AMITY HALL HISTORY] [REMEMBERING...] [EVENTS] [OUR BOYS] [OUR GIRLS] [PUPPIES]  [AVAILABLE BOXERS] [BOXER STORE] [STORIES, ETC.] [LINKS]  [INFO & TIPS]