Dharma

❗️DHARMA. Her fight never ends. Now every breath is at stake.

Dharma wants to move forward. She gets excited about walks, tries to keep up with her older sister Mantra, and for a moment acts as if her body has no limits. Then a heavy, loud breath appears. Air passes with increasing difficulty through her narrowed airways. Dharma slows down, overheats, and her caregivers try to calm her down and help her catch something that comes effortlessly to most animals. Another breath. Then the next. And one more.

Dharma suffers from BOAS, or Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome. Her anatomy makes it difficult to breathe freely, especially during movement, excitement, and high temperatures. Spring and summer, which should mean walks, grass, and sunshine, can once again become months of breathlessness and a constant struggle for air for her. Dharma needs surgical correction of her nose and palate. Only surgery can open the way for her to a life where every greater effort does not end in desperate gasping for breath.

And yet, from the very beginning, her body had to bear much more than should fall to one young dog. Dharma was abandoned by a backyard breeder, later rescued by us, and then adopted by people who saw not a problem in her frightened eyes, but a family member. On the day of adoption, her liver was in very poor condition. Treatment allowed it to stabilize, but other symptoms quickly appeared. Dharma walked unsteadily, and her hind legs clearly refused to obey her.

An MRI performed at a specialist clinic showed extensive spinal deformities and a risk of disability. The changes are inoperable. Dharma will need rehabilitation throughout her life to maintain mobility and the ability to move independently for as long as possible. Neurological problems also affect urination and defecation. Dharma doesn’t always feel the approaching need and cannot control it. The home was filled with hygiene pads, more exercises, and a daily routine tailored to her needs. Only one thing remained unchanged: the decision that she stays and that she will be loved exactly as she is.

She also underwent surgery to remove a lesion from her paw that raised suspicion of cancer. She regularly participates in rehabilitation, although the exercises are not always easy or pleasant for her. Dharma, however, remains stubborn, brave, and full of life. She clings to people, climbs onto laps, seeks closeness, and tries to participate in everything happening around her. She has Mantra by her side, an older sister also rescued from a backyard breeder, who took her under her wing. She has a family that didn’t leave after the first, second, or subsequent diagnosis. Only money is now lacking for a step that cannot be replaced by love or the best home care.

Dharma’s caregivers have been funding examinations, treatment, and rehabilitation for both adopted female dogs all this time. Today their savings have run out, but Dharma’s problems won’t wait until they can rebuild them. Before the next warm months, surgery must be performed to allow her to breathe more freely. We cannot fix her spine. We cannot reverse the changes she was born with, nor can we take away her need for further rehabilitation. However, we can fight to ensure that for the next few years she doesn’t choke during every walk, play, and moment of joy.

Dharma is only three to four years old. She may still have a decade of life ahead of her. A decade of cuddling with people, resting next to Mantra, walks, and that crazy joy that still shines through all her body’s limitations. But first, she must be able to breathe freely.

Today we ask for your help in funding Dharma’s nose and palate surgery. We cannot fix everything that irresponsible breeding has destroyed. However, we can fix what takes her breath away every day. Help us ensure that next spring Dharma doesn’t have to choose between the joy of a walk and the ability to breathe. So that she can follow Mantra, feel the grass under her paws, and not stop just because her body cannot take in enough air.

Let’s help Dharma breathe. Without a struggle. Without panic. As simply as every dog should be able to breathe.