A very special pup achieved another incredible milestone on November 28th. On that happy day, his name is Sasha and he celebrated his 12-week birthday.
Most puppies assume they will be three months old. But for Sasha, who was born with hydrocephalus, a cleft lip and palate, every day is a blessing.
Since her birth, Sasha has been under the specialized care of Marie DeMarco, a rescuer of cats with special needs. Her rescue organization, FURRR 911, stands for Felines Urgently Rescued, Rehabilitated and Rehomed.
DeMarco specializes in caring for sick, injured or special needs cats, as well as bottle-fed orphaned kittens. She refers to these essential circumstances as “perfectly defective.”
When she saw Sasha, she knew the puppy would be a perfect fit, even though he was a dog!
“She has been a fighter from the beginning and has overcome many hardships in her short time on this earth,” DeMarco said on Facebook. “I’ve worried and stressed as her adoptive mother, lost a lot of sleep and gotten a few new gray hairs, but none of that matters when I look into her eyes.”
Given the terrible illness he just overcame, the little pup now weighs just over two pounds, which is cause for excitement. Upper respiratory infections are common in puppies with cleft palates and Sasha was no exception.
He suffered from fever, nasal congestion, vomiting, an infected eye and weight loss. Sasha couldn’t afford to lose weight weighing just over a pound!
DeMarco became even more anxious when Sasha did not improve after antibiotic treatment. The fragile pup’s temperature had returned to normal, but she was still lethargic, shaky on her paws and reluctant to feed.
DeMarco returned Sasha to her neurologist, concerned that her problems were caused by hydrocephalus.
With the specialist’s instructions and a rigorous daily routine of medications, fluids and tube feeding, Sasha began to recover. By the time her 12 week birthday came around, she was back to her feisty and snuggly self!
“Sasha is a very quiet and reserved puppy,” says DeMarco, who will likely transition from being Sasha’s foster mom to her permanent mom. This is not your average puppy. He loves to sit next to or on top of my foot.”
She also likes to hug her feline companions and other rescues, even if they’re bigger than her!
Sasha has a difficult journey ahead with no promises, but she is surrounded by an enormous amount of love, commitment and support.
“This puppy is a huge inspiration,” DeMarco added. “Despite her congenital defects and her medical condition, Sasha proved to be a fighter with a strong determination in life.”
Sasha’s fans can follow her development on Facebook and donate to her care by visiting the FURRR 911 website.
Update: Sasha crossed the Rainbow Bridge in March 2018, shortly after turning 6 months old. She offered love and delight to her human, canine, and feline friends throughout her short life. Sasha’s memory is kept alive thanks to the FURRR 911 rescue, which has now taken in more puppies with cleft palates.
Volunteer photographer Gina Gencarelli took Sasha’s stunning birthday photos.
Watch Sasha being adorable here:
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