Max arrived in rescue in September of 2004. His owner had accepted a job as a flight attendant that would take her away from home for 3 to 4 day stretches at a time, multiple times each month. He was just two months shy of his 9th birthday.

Max came to the rescue with a medical history of canine pancreatitis. He has no pancreatic function at all. His owner provided the appropriate medications for his condition when she turned him over and his foster home has continued (and will continue) to ensure that he receives his medication, twice a day, every day, for the balance of his life.

If this were Max only problem, he might be considered for placement. Indeed, he was in a new home at one time, but made an error in judgement and was returned to the rescue. You see, in his new home, he bonded to his stay at home daddy. When he saw his daddy being "attacked", he defended him the only way he could. He bit the attacker. He couldn't know that it wasn't an attack.

In September of 2007, Max was diagnosed with another disease: Myasthenia Gravis, complicated by megaesophagus. He's currently under the care of an excellent neurologist in Jacksonville, FL and is taking his treatments in stride.

He's never going to recover from either condition, but he's so full of the love of life that all little dachsies should have, that putting him down is not an option. It never was, since his conditions are treatable. Expensive, but treatable.

Max is a happy little boy and he loves his foster daddy, who reciprocates whole-heartedly.

September 26, 2011: Max lost his fight with his health issues and left for the Rainbow Bridge today. He will be missed, but because I loved him so very much, I had to allow him to leave. Thanks to the compassion of his veterinarian, his departure was much easier for him than it is proving to be for me.

I'll miss you, Max. You were a great little companion and a good friend.