[4doggiemama]

Last night someone I know dropped an extremely off-standard Yorkie at my house. This is McKenzie's' story.... For the last several years I always noticed 3 doggies in an outside kennel even in the dead of winter.....two white matted small dogs and one I thought was a Doxie who always sat on top of a dog house in the pen. The people who owned that house bought a farm so they could 'raise' dogs. McKenzie was one of their breeder dogs....the one I thought was a Doxie....who originally come from this man's girlfriend in Missouri. Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what she came from? She had been bred for five years but wasn't getting pregnant anymore, so the breeder decided to get rid of her. He gave her to the people who were renting his in-town house. They have small children who scared McKenzie to death. She's afraid of humans anyway, but children petrify her. The current owners decided that it just wasn't fair to McKenzie to force her to live with children, although, the owners say that she has come a long way from the time they got her. Can't imagine what she must have been like because she is a timid 10 lbs. of bones. She is sooooo thin. Very, very long body and super short legs. Looks like there might be some Doxie in her but considering what puppy millers do, who knows. She may be an actual Yorkie like the breeder said. Spine and ribs are so prominent. I'm wondering if it is because she has bad teeth and needs a dental. She also is not spayed which I don't quite understand why the current owners didn't tend to. I bathed McKenzie this evening because she smelled so bad. It appears to have set her back in her fear. She loves to be around my dogs but now she just wants to hide. Her skin is so flaky and dry and her hair very brittle. Could possibly be because she is not eating. I went and bought some canned Science Diet that she is on and she gobbled it up. I know that Science Diet isn't a good food, but right now I do not want to change her diet. Already suspicious that the canned it giving her gas. UGH! I have contacted 3 rescues but have not heard back from them. I believe that it generally takes rescues a few days to report back so I'm trying to not get too impatient. I'm not sure what to do about the spay and dental. I've had some horrendous vet bills lately with Chipper. Think I dropped around $500 last week. Any thoughts on what is the proper thing to do? Besides....do I need to let her gain weight before I spay her if it comes to that? I am so worried that no one will want to adopt her. She is not a pretty Yorkie. She also has the tip of one ear missing. The current owner said that they were told that another dog had bit it off. I just feel like I can't give McKenzie enough attention with having 5 other doggies. I am so sad. Appreciate any advice. Thanks. ~Joanne~