AABR Boxer

As most of you already know, our Mascot and dearly loved girl, Eve, went to the bridge last week. We are heartbroken at her passing. Eve was the strongest, most courageous, resilient, beautiful, and loving boxer most of us has ever met. She had more than her fair share of struggles in life. She came to AABR as a tiny 5 week old puppy from a shelter in Philadelphia. She was so thin you could see almost all of her bones. We discovered she had a condition called Megaesophagus. Her esophagus was overly large, with muscles that didn't work. She had to eat a diet the consistency of runny oatmeal, and sit up to eat & drink so that gravity could move her food into her tummy. It took a while, but we finally got her mega-e managed, and she did remarkably well.

At the age of 3, Eve tore her ACL and needed surgery. Unfortunately, she had complications from the first surgery and additional surgeries failed to improve her joint. She eventually had her leg amputated, but finally was improving when she tore the ACL in the other leg. We were lucky this time and the surgery was successful. Through all of these trials and tribulations, Eve was always a trooper. She loved life and she really loved people. Eve was always happiest at an outreach or fundraiser where she could make friends and flirt. She would generously dole out her chin kisses to everyone who came to say hello, and no one could walk away from her untouched by her story and by her absolutely amazing spirit.

Eve's drive to recover was never in question. She loved her physical therapist, learned to swim as part of her rehab, and always did her best. She loved a little pampering, and well, she could also be a bit of a Diva reveling in her well deserved attention. Sadly, Eve finally succumbed to a battle she could no longer fight. Her digestive system failed her. Her esophagus had gotten worse, she developed IBD in her lower tract, and she lost the ability to digest her food properly. We tried for months to help her. Eve saw a specialist and we did all we could, but we could not save her.

In the last month or so, Eve had her own Facebook page, "Join the Eve-olution," and she has found fans around the world. Eve's story has touched the hearts of thousands of people. She is loved by people that have only seen her photo and her story online. We were blessed to have this wonderful girl in our lives for too short a time. We will miss her and love her forever.

To have Eve touch your heart is the greatest of gifts. We will be working on a Memorial Fund in honor of our girl who worked so hard to spread the word about what a rescue can do. Please like her Facebook page and check back for more info.

Goodbye my little monkey. Mommy loves you very much, misses you more than she can say, and hopes to see you again one day.

Hello everyone! We have some important news for all of you that have followed Eve's story over the years. After much thought and consideration, we have decided that Eve will no longer be available for adoption. It has been almost 5 yrs since Eve came into the AABR family as a tiny little 5 week old puppy. Since then, she has had far more than her fair share of ups and downs. Through everything she has endured, Eve has remained the sweetest, happiest little monkey.

Eve has been in her current foster home for over 4 yrs now & we feel it would be very unfair to her to even consider moving her to another home at this point. Her foster family understands her medical needs and knows Eve so well. We feel it is the best and safest place for her to be. Eve has become the unofficial Mascot of AABR and will continue to attend fundraising and adoption events on their behalf. She has become the chief executive officer in charge of fundraising! Eve will continue in the joint care of AABR and her foster mom.

We know there will be other battles for this mighty mite to fight. She is, after all, a megaesophagus dog, and will always be vulnerable to things like aspiration pneumonia. She will always need medication for her mega-e and for that sad little hind leg that she has. Please continue to help by sending in donations towards her care. We will periodically post updates on how she is doing. We know how many fans she has out there and want you all to know just how much Eve and all of us appreciate your interest, love and support of our girl!

Keep an eye on the events page! Eve will be helping us host the upcoming Boogie with the Boxers 70s Dance Party on Oct 1, 2011, and of course will be doing her best Diva imitation ( well not so much an imitation if you know what I mean) Aug 13 & 20, 2011 at the L'Oreal Your Dog is Worth it Too event. Please come out and see our very special, sweet, funny, princess at these and other events.

Eve willl always be a part of AABR, and counts on you to support the rescue that brought Eve to all of us. Take Care & We hope to see you soon!

Hello everyone - it's been a while since our last update. A lot has happened to Eve in a short period of time. As you all know, she lost her left hind leg in April. She was adapting to life on 3 legs when she completely tore the ACL in her remaining hind leg. It was a devastating blow to all of us. Two weeks ago, she had the ACL repaired and has been doing pretty well since coming home. She experienced a pretty bad aspiration pneumonia in the hospital, but has recovered quite well from that as well, with only a little bit of coughing now & then. I've been helping her walk with a sling, and she's doing well. She'll even do some walking on her own a few steps at a time. The key now is to rebuild her hind end muscles. After so much trauma and surgery, she needs to regain a lot of strength, though she can scoot around at light speed when she wants to play with our cat. She will be back in the pool this coming week since her stitches came out today, and that should help her on the way to a full recovery. I'm hoping she'll be pretty much back to her old self by the end of the summer. She's even starting to wrestle with our other foster, Rocky Road, though I keep close eye that they don't get carried away. She's really showing a lot of her old spunk, and getting back to enjoying her life again. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers that we can get her through her recovery quickly, and please, if you can, make a donation on her behalf. Her medical bills have been through the roof this past year. Thanks to all of you who have supported Eve and AABR. She wouldn't have "stood" a chance with you. We are so grateful to you all!

As many of you already know, the vet in Connecticut was unable to save Eve's leg. There was too much deterioration in her femur from the previous surgeries to allow for the knee replacement, and unfortunately the leg had to be amputated. We were all very upset at first, and the poor vet had to deal with my balling, but in the end it was the best thing for her. There is nothing that will keep this girl down! She got home about 10 days ago, and let me tell you she is doing GREAT! We are taking daily walks to build her stamina back up after so many months of minimal activity, and she just loves them. Could it be the fact that all the neighborhood kids fawn all over her? She has already figured out how to carefully get down all of the stairs in our house, though she still needs help going up. She hops around the backyard to get to the back fence to visit her best friend Casey that lives behind us. She hasn't done that for months because it was just to hard. Her little nub was wagging away, and Casey was so happy to see her! She will get her stitches out in a couple of days and then she'll be good to go. I expect that it won't be long before she has mastered this 3 legged thing, and starts running around like the little wild child she used to be. We'll post new pictures soon. Be sure to check out AABR's Facebook page for updates as well.

We want to thank everyone out there who has been so supportive of Eve. You will never how how much we appreciate every donation and prayer that has been offered on her behalf. Thanks to all of you Eve is on the way to a full recovery. We could never have done it without you. It amazes me every day how many good people are out there that love and support our best girl, and Adopt a Boxer Rescue. Love and kisses from Eve and all of us at AABR.

Hello again everyone! Just wanted to update you all on Eve's progress. We are now about 2 months out from her last knee surgery. She started physical therapy about 3 weeks ago, and is making progress. It seems to be slow, but relatively steady. She is using her leg pretty regularly, but still has a wicked limp, and relies on her other leg for the majority of support. Her leg muscles have severely atrophied since this arduous journey began back in May, and it will be no small task to rebuild them. Unfortunately her arthritis is returning, as we knew it would, but she takes Rimadyl and Tramadol every day to try and keep it all under control, and manage the pain associated with it.

Eve started swimming last week, and this is a major step toward her recovery. As you can see by the look on her face, she is not exactly loving it, but she's really trying hard, and she's on her third visit in these photos. There's a lot less panic involved than there was on day one. We're getting her into the pool at least twice a week on top of her regular therapy sessions. She really loves her cold laser treatment, and usually falls asleep during it. The swimming takes a lot out of her, and she's pretty sore the next day, but in the long run she'll be much better for it.

Once again I need to ask you to please help Eve financially. The cost of therapy, laser treatments, and her medication is so very expensive. All of these expenses are on top of the meds she already gets to control her mega esophagus. Please, if you can help in any way we would truly appreciate it. No amount is too small. I know some may wonder why we spend all this money on a little dog with so many issues, and all I can say to that is spend just 5 minutes with her and you'll know. She is the most wonderful, loving, sweet, funny, and in spite of everything happy little monkey you'll ever meet. She is a true ambassador of what a wonderful breed boxers are. Please continue to support our Eve, and Adopt a Boxer Rescue. You'll be so glad you did the day we post that picture of her running and playing in the yard, and you can say that you had a part in saving a very special girl.

Happy New Year to everyone from Eve!! We are all hoping that this year will be a better one for Eve. As you know, Eve needed knee surgery over the summer. That was when the trouble started. She had the first of four surgeries in June in New York. It went very well and she was recovering on schedule until one of her roommates ran into her in the yard. The collision caused the wire holding her knee together to break, which led to surgery a few weeks later when it began irritating the inside of her skin and had to be removed. At that time, the vet also discovered that she had developed a form of auto immune arthritis that only affects the knees, and she had a moderate to severe form. It was a set back, but our little fighter started recovery all over.

Eve begin going for acupuncture, and started swimming as part of her rehab. Things were beginning to show signs of improvement, and then another set back. The pin that went through her lower leg bone had literally started working its way out of the bone and was rubbing relentlessly against the inside skin and tissue of her knee. We couldn't believe it! Once again, she needed surgery to remove the pin, but she just didn't show any improvement post op, and the arthritis was worse.

Eve went to see a new surgeon, closer to home, and it was decided that the initial surgery had failed, and a fourth and extensive (as well as very expensive) surgery would be needed. What a nightmare for Eve! She had the surgery in early December, and so far so good. Eve has started physical therapy, and is just beginning to try and use her leg again. It will be a slow and difficult process, but if anyone is up to the task - our little Eve is! Even on her worst days, she always had a gentle kiss, and a little wiggle for everyone - even when it was obvious as to how much pain she was in. It just broke my heart to see her so sad.

I am happy to report that I am seeing her old spark return, and she is betting back to beating up her stuffed toys, trying a little tug of war with her best pal, Lilly, and bossing Rocky and Treasure around. She loves her therapist, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she keeps improving.

All total, Eve's care has been very expensive for the rescue, and is well into the thousands of dollars. Her therapy will be hundreds more, but this rescue will not her down. Eve has been with us for over three years now, and has worked hard as an ambassador for AABR, even though she has yet to find her forever home. Until she finds a forever home of her own, Eve will remain a cherished member of the AABR family. Hopefully, you will also become a part of her extended family by making a donation on Eve's behalf so that we can get her back to the happy, playful, and oh so sweet little bundle of joy that we all love very much. She is counting on your support. Thank you for helping Eve!!

EVE NEEDS SURGERY!! CAN YOU PLEASE HELP? You all know our Eve by now and her medical history of megaesophagus. She has been doing quite well with her condition, maintaining a steady weight of 40-42lbs. She is a typical happy, rambunctious 2yr old boxer girl despite her mega-e. Unfortunately that wild side has now gotten her into serious trouble. Eve has somehow managed to tear her ACL (cruciate ligament) in both of her hind legs. She is painfully lame, and anti-inflammatory and pain meds are not helping her. Her injury is causing arthritis to develop in both knees and both hips. She still wants to run and play, but the effort is just to painful. Some days she needs help getting up from her bed It's very difficult to see this spunky little mite so sad.

The only answer now is surgery. She will need both knees repaired. They can only be done one at a time, and the estimate we received from the University of Pa Veterinary Hospital is $2000 PER knee. She will need months of rehab before the second knee can be done. The road ahead will be long and difficult, but this little powerhouse has beaten the odds on a daily basis dealing with mega-e by living a full and happy life.

She loves everyone, and everyone she meets, people & pets alike, seem to love her too. She has been the best of friends to so many of our other foster dogs helping them recover from injuries, neglect, and bringing the sparkle back to their eyes as they adjust to new their lives, and watched them eventually move on to their forever homes.

Please, please help us by making a donation on her behalf, that will bring that same sparkle back to the eyes of the sweetest, most loving little boxer you'll ever meet, our lovely girl Eve.

Happy New Year to everyone from Eve. She has just had her 2nd birthday and her second anniversary here with AABR. I truly can't believe that she is still here. Yes, Evie has her issue, namely the megaesophagus, but she is the most wonderful girl, and you all are missing out on so much. Her mega-e is just not that big a deal! She has outgrown her special chair, and we didn't bother to build her a new one since she is doing just fine without it. Last July we started her on a medication that has helped her immensely. In fact she has gone from regurging 6 to 8 times a day to maybe once or twice a day max, though most days not at all. She has the routine down pat, and she'd be happy to teach it to you. She's as good as gold, gets along with dogs, cats, and kids of all ages. She has seen so many other members of her foster family move on to loving homes of their own that I can't help but wonder what she thinks of it all. Does she wonder "Why not me? Why doesn't anybody want me"? I cannot explain to you just what a fabulous little girl she is. She is beyond words. She goes week after week to adoption events, meets so many different people who say "Oh what a sweet dog, she's so adorable", they see how loving and funny she is, some even express an interest in adopting her. Then I have to tell them about her special needs, and suddenly the interest is gone. Nobody wants a dog with an issue, so back home we go, and hope that maybe next week someone will see beyond her mega-e to the huge heart full of love that she has to share. She's been waiting such a long time. Could that someone be you?

Eve just had her annual check up, and her veterinarian at the University of Pa was seriously impressed with how well she is doing especially in regard to her weight. She has been maintaining a pretty steady 42lbs, and that is phenomenal for a girl with mega-e.

She is about as active & happy as a boxer girl can be, and was quite the star when she made an appearance on a local Philly television program called The 10! Show. Everyone was CRAZY about her, and she flirted her little heart out with them all. I just can't understand why this little girl can not find someone out there willing to give her a home.

She is a beautiful, happy, bouncy, loving, snuggly, and most of all deserving boxer. Yes, she needs more care than an ordinary boxer, but who wants ordinary when you could have EVE?? It's not hard to prepare her food: soak it a few hours in the fridge, put in a blender or food processor, give it a good whirl, and your pretty much done. I make it in batches that last for a couple of days at a time, averaging 3 meals a day. I say get in your seat and she does. She knows the routine, and makes it easy, unless of course that cat comes by and distracts her. She and the cat have a "thing", and the cat just loves to push Eve's buttons. They really are quite good friends when it comes down to it.

The best home for Eve would be someone who works from home, or maybe a retired person who has some extra time each day to care for Eve, and has another dog (a boxer would be especially good) to be her playmate as she is very active. She has very good manners, is crate trained, house trained 99%, and walks well on a leash, but must wear a harness because of her condition. We use a specific brand that I have found works best for her. I will give it to the family that finds it in their heart to make a place in their home for Eve.

Please, please consider being Eve's forever family. She is so worth the extra effort, and you will be so glad you took a chance on her the first time you wake up in the morning to find her little head nestled on your shoulder.

Here we go again gang, another update for Eve. We've been doing this for over a year now, and Eve is more than ready to move into her forever home. I know that the extra care she requires may sound a bit daunting, but honestly it's not that bad. Once you get a little practice at preparing her food, and the actual feeding process itself, you'll see it's really no big deal.

We have learned a lot caring for Eve this past year, and I believe that some of her previous updates may have caused undue concern about what it takes to live with Eve. She has the routine down pat!! She gets into her chair on her own, and often knows on her own when to take a break & let her food begin to digest before continuing to eat. She is an AMAZING little girl, and I have grown ridiculously fond of her.

Thank you NBC's Tracy Davidson and AABR volunteer Linda Rosen for being there for Eve.

Here is the video that Tracy Davidson from NBC 10 news did to help us find a home for our little Eve, who really is not so little anymore! I think it was great that she took the time to do this for us !

Eve is doing so much better than we ever thought she would! Eve will be 1 year old at the end of November ,and she is as happy and healthy as she can possibly be. She has actually out grown JoJo the other foster dog in our home, with whom she has become the best of pals. They run and wrestle and carry on constantly. I just can't imagine where they get all of that energy. If I could bottle it we'd be millionaires.

We have her feedings down to twice a day, though ideally 3 times a day would be better. I balance her out by adding Boost or Ensure to her meals, and that makes up the difference in calories & protein of the missing meal. She also gets 2 kongs stuffed with peanut butter every day, one in the morning and one at bedtime. She is the sweetest, dearest little dog. I really can't say enough about how adorable she is! . She will bring love , joy, and laughter to your home. Please make room in your heart and home for Eve.

Eve is doing extremely well. We have gotten all of the results back from the vet and the news is very good. Eve passed all of the enzyme tests with flying colors, which means she has no additional deficiencies, and the mega esophagus is her only medical problem. The new "chair" has been very beneficial, and the Ensure we've started adding to her meals is helping her gain steady weight. She is a little more work than your average dog, but we are very comfortable saying that it is really time for Eve to find her own forever home. She would love a home with an active playmate, that will run and wrestle with her. Though she is smaller than some boxers, she can definitely hold her own with the "big boys". She loves everybody, is just a bundle of joy, and will absolutely bring sunshine into your life. Please consider bringing this little love bug into your home. She is soo sweet!!

Eve is doing FANTASTIC!!!! We finally got the special chair that one of our fine volunteers built for Eve. It is called a "Bailey's Chair", designed by someone who also has a mega esophagus dog. Though she's not too crazy about it yet, she is bearing with me about it. It is definitely making a big difference for her. We have been able to shave about 10 minutes off of the time it takes for her food to make it down to her belly, since the chair keeps her in a much better upright position. We have made an adjustment to her diet by adding some powdered Ensure to her meals, and the extra calories are doing their job, especially in combination with the new chair. She has gained 6 whole pounds this past month, and is now a whopping 36lbs. Everyone is commenting on how good she looks, and she is a nonstop bundle of! energy. Our new foster dog Pete has become her new best friend!

Little Miss Eve has rejoined our foster family. She has been doing pretty well and has grown a good bit (she's up to about 21lbs). We still have some concerns about her weight as she is still too thin. She is going back to the University of Pa Veterinary Hospital for some follow up care in the next couple of weeks (blood work, x-rays, and whatever else she needs). We are hoping to get a better handle on improving her diet so that she finally grows a little bit rounder. The mega esophagus will never let her be a normal sized boxer but we are quite enjoying her petite size. It makes her typical rambunctious boxer behavior easier to deal with though the senior members of our canine family may disagree. Eve is doing pretty well with her house training as well. When she does have an accident it is usually because we need to adjust the amount of water we add to her food.
Eve had her first big adventure out with her new pack last weekend. We all headed out to the state park for a nice long walk. It was a little tricky getting 3 boxers of different sizes, and 1 Chihuahua mix to walk in unison, but after a few stops & starts everyone seemed to figure it out. We met lots of new people, several kids of various ages, and new dogs, and enjoyed the outing immensely. We were all tuckered out when we finally got home but had so much fun it was well worth it. The nap at the end was pretty good too.

Eve will be at SPOTS on Montgomery Ave (info in the event section on home page) with her roommate Dutchess and pal Oscar this Saturday June 16th from 11am to 2pm. Please come out and meet us!

Once again Eve needs your help. We would really appreciate any financial assistance anyone can offer us to help cover Eve's upcoming vet visit. Blood work and x-rays are very expensive but this little girl is such a gem we need to do what we can for her while we search for her very special forever home. Thanks from all of us at AABR, for your generosity, and a big sloppy thank you kiss from Eve!!! We will have some new photos very soon! Hope to see you at SPOTS!!!!!!

After costly diagnostic testing we now know surgery can not help Eve. Eve was seen at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School by their specialists. We have learned that she will need special care for as long as she has. She needs to be feed at least 4 times a day (6 would be great till she gets a little bigger) and held with her front paws up for 10 - 15 minutes after each feeding. This helps prevent her from inhaling her food. Eve's esophagus is very large and does not have normal motility. We are looking for a home who wants to nurture this adorable, happy puppy. If you think you are that special home please email gkaram18@aol.com

Adopt A Boxer Rescue got the phone call on Christmas Eve that there was a puppy found as a stray and she was sick and in dire need of being rescued. She was in a high kill facility and they were full so her chances of survival were slim. An incredible volunteer dropped everything and went to rescue Eve!

The little Boxer puppy just barely weighs 2 pounds! She is emaciated and loaded with worms. Her first stop was to the emergency vet hospital where she was treated and given a complete physical. It was reported from the shelter that Eve would throw up her food each time so we had her X-rayed and Eve has a genetic defect called mega esophagus, that won't allow her to swallow properly. In order to save her she must eat tiny amounts of food every hour or so. In order for her to live we must perform a very risky and costly surgery.

I ask each and every person that reads this to PLEASE make a donation right now so that we can have the surgery done as soon as possible. We need your help to save Eve. She is a precious bundle of unconditional love and she deserves a chance to live.

We will keep you posted on how she is doing. We will do what we can to save her.