How could you possibly, after 11 years with a dog just up and move without giving a single thought to your devoted companion? That's what Jody was wondering when we went to pick her up from her owner's house who was offered a job he "couldn't refuse" up in Boston.

Lucky for her that her owner decided to turn her over to GRRMF; a shelter surely would have put down a dog of her age and her circumstance. When we picked up Miss Jody she was filthy dirty, her toe nails were so grossly overgrown that they actually curled around in circles and she was missing hair all over her sweet face due to flea dermatitis (a wonderful bonus she was granted for being an "outside" dog for the majority of her 11 years). Being it was a Saturday and our regular vet was closed, we took her to PetSmart before even bringing her home and had their veterinarian examine her (I was afraid she had something that could be contagious to my own dogs). Luckily, the hair loss wasn't mange, but she did have roundworms, yeasty ears, lumps on her mammary glands that they suspected were cancerous and a positive heartworm test. We sent out some fluid that was aspirated from 2 areas for pathology to get an idea of what we were dealing with.

 Miss Jody came home with antibiotics, ointments and an $1400 estimate to treat her heartworms, have various diagnostic tests done and lumps removed and to be spayed. I was devastated. Sunday morning I woke up determined. I started her on Flax Seed Oil and Cottage Cheese (a holistic cancer treatment), figuring at the very least it would improve her coat. We gave her a nice bath, a serious manicure and fluffed her out all pretty. I had convinced myself that her heartworm test had to be a false positive and that the lumps were not cancerous at all.

I took her to my vet the following Friday to have a second opinion. Another heartworm test was done and came back positive. My vet suggested addressing the tumors first, seeing how she tolerated the surgery and then treat her for heartworms.

Naturally, all this treatment would cost rescue a lot of money. So, we scheduled surgery for Miss Jody 6 weeks out in Orlando, at Tuscawilla Oaks Animal Hospital where Dr. Rubenstein (the Saint) gives us most of our treatment at or near his cost.

Well, something strange happened. I got a phone call from Dr. Rubenstein the day of her surgery asking me if he had the right dog. Not only did he get 2 NEGATIVE heartworm tests, but he could not palpate ANY lumps where the 2 vets here that saw her had documented they were located. I assured him that was Jody and he proceeded with her surgery to spay her at the least. He did find one VERY SMALL tumor that came back as a mixed mammary tumor (excellent news) which has a very small recurrence rate. Jody tolerated the surgery well, recuperated for a few days in Orlando and then came back home with us. I cannot tell you how happy I was to hear such wonderful news!!!

 Jody continues to get younger everyday. No joke. Not only does she swim like a champion, but she chases lizards like no other and plays like a puppy with our 2 youngest dogs, Indy and Ben. She still gets her flax oil and cottage cheese daily, which she absolutely loves and her coat is just beautiful.

Jody has also become a NATIONAL CELEBRITY! I entered a picture of her into the ALOVE4GOLDENS calendar contest and she won 2nd place out of 95 dogs entered! What a gal! I've also learned that a dental student at University of Florida happened to stumble across that winning shot of Jody swimming and has used it as the screen saver on 180 computers! I happen to have a friend there who is in her 2nd year of dental school and she said she almost fell off her chair when she saw that shot of her on their computers! Go Jody! You seem to get everyone's attention and you should! You are one special girl!

Jody is a SURVIVOR. She is AMAZING. She deserves to find a wonderful forever home! Could it be with you?