I'm staying with the rescue furever!

Seven year old sisters, Coco and Chanel entered SPIN in December 2024, when their person could no longer care for them. Chanel was healthy, but Coco had been diagnosed with Addison's Disease.  Addison’s can be very easy to manage once the right individualized treatment is found but as the symptoms are often vague and non-specific it can be tricky to diagnose and manage. SPIN’s medical team got to work.

A few weeks after coming into SPIN, Coco crashed and was admitted to hospital. Blood tests showed that her electrolytes were low. She had been having issues with eating, which were not unexpected, according to her intake records. Prior to this Coco and Chanel were doing well on their walks, loved playing fetch and were open and affectionate. And then Coco started vomiting and would not eat or drink. Ultrasound and X-Rays indicated an intestinal blockage and Coco was rushed into surgery.

The foster family was devastated and shocked. How could this happen? Things were going so well. Ah. Addison’s. It is a tricky disease for sure. Hard to diagnose and because prednisone is part of the protocol, dogs often feel hungry and eat things they shouldn’t. In this case it was a toy that must have been ingested prior to intake into SPIN as it didn’t look familiar. Feeling unwell from blockage in tummy caused stress, stress elevated Addison’s symptoms, and all of this caused Coco to crash. It was honestly touch and go.

However, Coco was able to return home and recovered nicely. The two girls were charming and active. They were loved by everybody they met. And then, mid March, Coco had another Addison’s flair up. She presented with diarrhea, followed by weakness. Electrolytes were not within normal range and again an X-ray of her stomach showed something in her stomach. Coco went into surgery.

Once again, Coco was near death and pulled back from the brink. Her happy, lovely self returned and she made a full recovery. It’s amazing how these dogs just simply come back and it’s as if nothing happened, living life to the fullest. Seriously, Coco is a stunning Standard Poodle with a big personality and an even bigger heart. She's smart, funny, and always on the lookout for her next cuddle session—or snack!

Mid June, 2025, Coco was taken to the vet. She had lethargy, diarrhea and was struggling to move her hind legs. Addison's appeared to be well-controlled based on normal electrolyte and cortisol levels. 4DX test was performed and was negative so a tick-borne illness was less likely to be the cause. Arthritis? Neurological? We decided to wait and see.

At the end of July, 2025, Coco was again taken to the vet. Her electrolytes were a bit off. Vet wanted to admit and put her IV fluids. At 3 pm the vet called and told us that Coco was a bit more perky but wanted to keep her overnight as she was not eating well. Oh Coco.

By the end of 2025 it became obvious that Cocoa’s medical needs were likely going to be ongoing. In a normal rescue environment, adopting out a medical needs dog is hard, but 2025 was anything but normal. Added to the mix was Chanel…. Let’s not forget about Chanel.

Coco and Chanel were obviously bonded. It would not be fair to either dog to separate them at this stage in their life. Coco would find it stressful and the last thing you want with an Addison’s dog is stress. Chanel would simply be unhappy. Sigh. What were we going to do? Who will adopt two dogs, one of which has a history of very expensive medical needs?

Once again Coco and Chanel’s fosters stepped up. They had fallen in love with these two silly girls. They adopted Chanel and Coco will remain with them as a SPIN Forever Foster. Coco will receive the benefit of long-term medical support of the SPIN medical team, and Chanel will be able to stay with the family who has cared for her and the sister she has always loved. They will never be apart.

On another note, the foster family has been learning to give Coco injections of steroid medications. Every 28 days she will get a shot. Always something to learn when sharing your life with dogs! We will keep you updated as we navigate the world of Coco and Chanel.