The story of Sally, the Dachie puppy, starts in an oxygen bubble. She was diagnosed with pneumonia just weeks after she was born. She was constantly gasping for air and had huge difficulty breathing on her own.
After her breeder almost gave her up, Sally was taken in by Kathryn Mongrain, the vet technician from the Bottle Brigade animal rescue, who decided to help her. That’s where her bubble story begins…
Sally Was Raised In An Oxygen Bubble In A Home Nursery
Only weeks after she was born, Sally’s breeder decided that he couldn’t take care of her anymore. She had progressing dog pneumonia – the respiratory disease that disabled her from breathing properly.
Not only did Sally have problems breathing on her own – she was constantly lethargic and out of energy. And, that’s where Kathryn stepped in!
Kathyrn Mongrain, the veterinarian technician and the founder of the Bottle Brigade animal rescue, took Sally in until she completely recovered.
She built an oxygen bubble for this Dachshund puppy, staffed it with blankets and toys, and made sure Sally got enough oxygen to breathe.
She Had “Everything” In Her Bubble, But Nothing In Reality
Sally had everything she needed in the bubble, but she wasn’t able to go out even for one bit. Her lungs were still too weak for the real world, so Kathryn and her family decided to take Sally anywhere they went.
She was a curious dog all along, always looking outside her bubble, desperately wanting to get out.
“She was wagging her tail, she was licking the window of the oxygen chambers… We were fighting for her. We couldn’t even go in there to love on her because the second we would unzip it, all the oxygen would come out”, says Kathryn
Sally Never Lost Her Enthusiasm
Sally never, ever lost her enthusiasm and her will to come out and play with her family. She was constantly watching them and trying to paw her way out.
“You could tell she would always be watching you because wherever we were, we brought her bubble so that she could see what we were doing. Then, one day, she started pawing to come out”.
At that moment, Kathryn decided to unzip the bubble and let Sally out for a few short minutes. She eagerly went out, but couldn’t last even for fifteen seconds. Unfortunately, Sally still needed the oxygen so she could breathe normally.
The Process Was Slow
Every day, without exception, Sally went out for a few short moments. She was craving real life, pawing her way out of the bubble, and yelping whenever she was in it.
Every day, she would go out for a short walk, and rush back in when she felt like she was losing air. It was a slow process.
For the first couple of weeks, she couldn’t last a minute outside. However, day after day, the amount of time she was spending outside was getting longer until one day, she decided not to go back anymore.
“One day, she just didn’t want to go back in the bubble… She chose that day to no longer be there.”
Months after being in her bubble for the most part of the day – Sally had a breaking point. She was finally fine enough never to step foot into her bubble again. Instead, she was using time-outs to give herself a little rest whenever she felt tired or unable to breathe with full capacity.
Bonnie, The Vet Technician, Decided To Adopt Sally
Kathryn’s coworker, Bonnie, was there all along. She was included in the whole process of Sally’s recovery, and they knew that she would eventually adopt this beautiful Dachshund.
When Bonnie took Sally to her home, Kathryn was relieved knowing that this dog was going to the perfect place.
Bonnie was determined to provide Sally with a nurturing home and a lot of fun. She already had several more dogs and small kids, which totally correlated with Sally’s positive spirit.
“Her true spirit came out… Our goal is to have her live her life. There’s a lot of stuff she missed out on in the bubble”, said Bonnie.
The Dachshund Dog Who Lives The Best Life
Sally plays with kids, frolics in the back yard, goes shopping, and even goes camping with her family. At first, she was a little afraid of water, but now she swims like a pro.
Once a lethargic, poor puppy, Sally’s now the perfect pet that knows how to bring joy to her loved ones.
Sally’s A Healthy Dachshund Now
She no longer has breathing difficulties, nor does she need to be in the bubble anymore. Today, Sally is a healthy Dachshund that lives her life to the fullest.
She even participated in the local “Wiener dog race” and, you won’t believe it – won! One thing is for sure – her bad days are definitely behind her.