Healing Puppy Hearts, Wobbly Knees & Painful Smiles: Together There’s Hope

Because every dog deserves to run, smile, and thrive without pain.

This week, rescue has broken our hearts in five different ways. Five innocent souls, all with urgent, life-altering medical needs, all depending on us to give them the second chance they so desperately need - but we can't do this alone.

We call them the Fab Five of Heartbreak and Hope: Norman, Mitzi, Kitsune, Sir Reginald Pompington, and Ritchie.

Norman – The Hoppiest Little Nugget With Knees That Betray Him

Sweet Norman is just a baby, but life hasn't given him an easy start. At 3 months old, he is a fluffy little Bichon/Poodle mix who greets the world with joy. He wants to run and play like every puppy should, but his knees give out beneath him. Both knees are severely impacted from bilateral lateral patellar luxation - which means his kneecaps slip in and out of place, leaving him wobbly, unstable, and in pain. Surgery is his only chance at a normal, pain-free life. His radiographs, orthopedic surgery, and physical therapy will cost upwards of $5,000 per knee. Norman is a "throwaway" from a commercial breeding operation. He was discarded because he couldn't bring a profit. He is another in a long line of innocent, sentient lives that are victims of the pet trade. He didn't choose to be born into these circumstances, he didn't choose his challenges. What he DOES choose, every single day, is to greet us with an ever-wagging tail, a great big smile, a ton of kisses and a determination to push through the pain. 💜

🚨🚨UPDATE 8/22/25🚨🚨 Norman had X-rays taken today of both knees at Sano Hospital. We are currently waiting on the radiology report to get to the orthopedic team to get quotes in bilateral TPLO surgeries for this super sweet little guy. Doc wants to HOLD on Norman's treatment and re-evaluate in another 2-3 weeks. This kiddo is on HOLD for now

Mitzi – Tiny Body, Tremendous Heartache

Mitzi is a 4-month-old, 3-pound Silky Terrier, Mitzi is a little wisp of a girl, all softness and sweetness, with a silly, playful personality that could light up a room. But behind her brave smile, her tiny heart is fighting harder than it should, which often leaves her snuggled up with her foster mom resting as she watches the other dogs play the games she longs to join in on. Mitzi has a grade 5/6 heart murmur. She urgently needs a cardiology consult and echocardiogram (at least $715) to diagnose her defect and determine if we can help her.

This beautiful baby should be playing, tumbling, and snuggling her way through puppyhood. Instead, she’s facing tests and uncertainty. With your help, Mitzi’s story doesn’t have to end before it truly begins. She deserves a future. She deserves hope. 💜

🚨🚨UPDATE 8/22/25🚨🚨 Mitzi had her echocardiogram and has been diagnosed with a grade 6 PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus). An artery that should have closed after her birth failed to close and she requires urgent surgery to close the artery. We are working with the cardiology department at Colorado State University to get her scheduled as quickly as we can to help prevent damage to her heart and heart failure. IF the team can repair her heart with a catheter, we are looking at roughly $1,500 - $2,000 for her surgery. If they have to open her chest, the cost will increase substantially. We need your help to save this baby's life 🙏🙏

Kitsune – The Mythical Fox Puppy With a Broken Heart

Kitsune (“Kitsu”) is a gorgeous 3-month-old Shiba Inu baby whose name means “Mythical Japanese Fox.” And he lives up to it—smart, playful, mischievous, with a silly twinkle in his eye. But just like Mitzi, Kitsu has a severe grade 5/6 heart murmur. He urgently needs a cardiology consult and echocardiogram ($715) to know whether his heart can be repaired. Another life meant for profit, discarded when his heart didn’t meet the bottom line. But Kitsu chooses joy every day—adventure, play, snuggles, and his signature eye twinkle that makes you wonder what silly puppy mischief he might be planning next. 💜

🚨🚨UPDATE 8/22/25🚨🚨 Kitsune had his echocardiogram and has been diagnosed with a grade 4 VSD (Vetricular Septal Defect). At this time, there is nothing we can do surgically to repair his heart, and medications are not needed. He will need another Echo in 6 months to monitor the defect.

Sir Reginald Pompington – The Royal Rascal With a Broken Heart

Yes, his name is grand — and so is his spirit. Sir Reginald is a 10-week-old, 2 pound, tiny Pomeranian with a larger-than-life personality, strutting through life as though he knows he’s meant for greatness. Reggie bounces around like a tiny, cracked-out pinball, playful, hoppy, snuggly, silly—he is joy incarnate now that he's been freed from the cage he was raised in. But behind the bowtie and floof this little prince has a heart that's already struggling. Reggie has a serious heart murmur, just like Mitzi and Kitsu. He needs an urgent cardiology consult and echocardiogram ($715). His joy is real, but so is his pain.
He’s a baby. He hasn’t even had the chance to grow into his royal title yet— and already, his future depends on costly medical interventions. He was discarded and written off because he couldn't turn a profit in the pet trade. But Reggie doesn’t know that. He believes life is meant to be lived with uncontainable energy and endless kisses. And we believe him. 💜

🚨🚨UPDATE 8/22/25🚨🚨 Reggie had his echocardiogram and has been diagnosed with a grade 6 PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus). An artery that should have closed after his birth failed to close and he requires urgent surgery to close the artery. We are working with the cardiology department at Colorado State University to get him scheduled as quickly as we can to help prevent damage to his heart and heart failure. IF the team can repair his heart with a catheter, we are looking at roughly $1,500 - $2,000 for his surgery. If they have to open his chest, the cost will increase substantially. We need your help to save this baby's life 🙏🙏

Ritchie – The Old Soul Who Still Believes in Love

Ritchie is about 12 years old, but his heart is young and his sweet, loving spirit glows! This 10lb Maltese mix came to us neglected, in terrible condition, with a mouth FULL of EIGHT painful abscessed teeth, several other loose teeth and a painful kidney calcification that has gone untreated for far too long. Imagine living every day with that kind of pain — and still wagging your tail when someone shows you kindness.

Ritchie requires an urgent full-mouth exorcism as well as a diagnostic ultrasound and treatment for his kidney. His labs and x-rays have already cost hundreds; his upcoming procedures will cost thousands more. And yet—Ritchie deserves the dignity of comfort in his golden years. He deserves soft blankets, gentle hands, and the relief of knowing he won’t hurt anymore.

🚨🚨UPDATE 8/22/25🚨🚨 Ritchie has had his Kidney ultrasound. Several mild calcifications were noted, along with a chronic nodule on his liver. We are currently waiting for instructions from the vet on next steps. He had his full-mouth exorcism today at Sano Hospital where he had to have TEN teeth extracted. We KNOW he's going to feel SO MUCH BETTER having those rotten, abscessed, painful teeth out of there!

💔 The Cost of Compassion

Echocardiograms: $715 each x 3 = $2,145 (baseline for diagnostics, not including bloodwork, meds or treatment if any)
Heart meds for Mitzi & Reggie - $133 (30 day supply)
Heart Surgery for Mitzi and Reggie - Estimated at $4,000
Orthopedic surgery for Norman: $10,000 (does NOT include bloodwork, X-rays, or physical therapy)
Senior dental overhaul and extractions: (Quote not received yet)
X-rays, Bloodwork, medications for Ritchie (already done) - $629.90
Kidney Ultrasound for Ritchie - $670.31

TOTAL ESTIMATE SO FAR: $17,578.21 (Not to include dental w/ several extractions for Ritchie)

💕 Why We Fight

Norman, Mitzi, Kitsu, Reggie, and Ritchie didn’t ask for this. They didn’t choose to be born into puppy mills. They didn’t choose to be neglected, discarded, or left to suffer. This is what humans have done, and left others to foot the bill.

What they DO choose—every single day—is to live.
To play. To love. To be loved.

At Pawsitive Restorations Animal Rescue, our mission is in our name. We don’t turn away the hard cases. We don’t run when the bills are big. We fight HARD for the animals who need us most.

But we cannot do it alone.

🐾 Will You Fight For Them Too?

If they are fighting to live, we are going to fight with them. But right now, we need YOU. This is a LOT of unexpected medical expenses hitting us all at once.

Please, donate to their care today. Become their biggest cheerleader. Share their story. Rally the whole pack of dog-lovers because right now, these babies need a village.

Together, we can help heal broken hearts, steady wobbly knees, and restore painful smiles to ones of pure joy

They come to us in so many ways; abused, abandoned, injured, sick, lost, pregnant, unwanted and unloved. Your support offers a desperately needed second chance for those most in need. Pawsitive Restorations is a 501(c)3 nonprofit animal rescue dedicated to providing life-saving medical care, shelter, nutritious food, and unconditional love and support to each and every soul in our program.

We are making a difference, one precious life at a time.

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www.pawsitiverestorations.com