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Thank you Holly Winslow for saving Winslow’s life. NBR would like to honor Holly by giving this remarkable dog a remarkable woman’s name. Holly was determined to do whatever it took to find Winslow help.

7/27/07

Winslow training for the dog days of summer

"Just touching base. Winslow continues to get stronger everyday. He's a regular bull moose now. We are working on his walking and social
skills. He's great with people but has become a little over anxious around other pups. I bring him to the park every day now and we're trying to get him back into the social life. Overall, he is doing fantastic and is a really happy pup. We are still trying to get a picture of his nubby dance but, he twists back and forth so quick that it's hard. Here are two pics, one snuggled up with Pnut's blanket during that little cold snap and yesterday, taking a little siesta."

THE WINSLOW FAMILY

Update 4/28/07

HAPPINESS FOR WINSLOW THE MIRACLE BOY

Winslow is on the final leg of his journey to a new life. He has completed the last of his heartworm treatments and tolerated the procedure well. The doctors feel Winslow is finally healthy enough to be neutered and his appointment has been scheduled.

This fortunate dog has reaped the rewards from the kindness of humanity. Our thanks go out to everyone who has followed Winslow's story and contributed kind words, much needed prayers, and generously assisted with his excessive medical expenses which have taken a toll on our medical fund. I'm sure you will agree with us that he was worth every penny.

The bonus to this happy ending is that Winslow’s wonderful foster family have fallen in love with him. They have requested that he become a permanent member of their family, and we are thrilled.

Welcome home Winslow!!!

Below is a summary from Winslow’s foster family:

“The first time I laid eyes on the emaciated, scarred, furless puppy they named Winslow, I knew we would embrace him as part of the family. As I took the leash from the vet tech at Tufts Animal Hospital, I was instantly astonished at the power that this dog had. It wasn’t the muscle, he was all skin and bones, it came from his heart. Over the gasps I heard in the waiting room when the people saw his poor condition (mind you after weeks in the hospital), you could hear his feet going a mile a minute trying to scramble up to everyone to say hi. After explaining to these people how NBR had saved him, we headed home.

Our one big fear was that our 12.5 year old dog Peanut was going to have objections to a new dog in the house. To our mild surprise, she embraced him. I believe she sensed how much Winslow had endured already and, having been without a family herself, she knew what he was going through.

The days turned into weeks, and weeks melted into months as Winslow battled through all of his treatments. Never a whimper, or tear, as he put milestone after milestone behind him. Throughout all of his pain and therapy, he made countless friends. Not once letting his own predicament get in the way of the hugs that he felt everyone needed. So, as we go into the final week of his “foster” time, we look back at his recovery with disbelief that he lived through it all, and look forward with great joy, knowing he will be part of our family forever.

I promised Winslow that we’d continue to send updates on a regular basis, but, in the meantime if you happen to see a brave little boxer with a bit of a limp, stop and say hi, he’ll make sure you know someone loves you.

For those that have followed Winslow’s story and for the new people to visit this site, please help by sending a donation, if only a dollar (they add up). These pups pay it back a thousand fold...and if you find you can’t help financially, please spread the word to help find loving foster homes which are desperately needed. This world is a much better place because of the love our dogs give us, let’s help all those we can.

Thanks to NBR for saving, not only Winslow, but all of these needy pups, and to everyone who supported Winslow in his effort to survive and have a chance to just be warm, safe and happy (which he definitely is).”

Barry and Sharon

A word from Winslow:

“I ccan’t typee so goood with little hands buttt thanks too everyonee for savingg me.”

Signed,

Sir Winlsow busterbrown rolyypolly bug can’t seem to finnd the rest of my tail :) Meunier

XXXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Update 1/27/07

Well, it has been a while since our last update about Winslow. We had pretty much battened down the hatches and hunkered down with Mr. Winslow due to doctor’s orders after his first heartworm treatment. Luckily he has been doing amazingly well. This latest treatment probably is not even a blip on his radar screen after what he has been through, but, he still needs to be kept quiet. Winslow’s progress has been spectacular but he is not completely out of danger quite yet.

Winslow’s foster parents could easily claim they work two jobs, one for money, and the other to keep a three year old boxer calm. He has packed on the pounds and weighed in the other night at a very svelte 68. Last Friday, he insisted on taking his foster mom and dad back to their local vet to catch up on everyone’s hugs and kisses. The vet came out and her jaw just dropped. Besides being extremely handsome, she also noticed that his big melon head now fits his body.

His repaired shattered leg is coming along great and he is now given access to the front door, which is six steps down. He is allowed to climb the steps once or twice a day to help build muscle strength in that leg. He is also getting along very well with his foster sister Peanut and it seems most of their boundaries have been set. Winslow seems to provide a nice comfort to her as she now likes to stay home in the morning instead of going to work with her mom, as she has done since she lost her brother last March.

Next Tuesday Winslow goes back to the hospital to be evaluated for the second and third portion of his heartworm treatment. He will receive more tests including another echocardiogram and a series of chest x-rays. If the cardiologist gives the OK the doctors will proceed. Unfortunately, Winslow is required to be hospitalized for three days for the treatments and observation.

Winslow’s foster parents have asked all the people out there following Winslow’s story to send him good thoughts and wishes!

If you can help with the medical care for Winslow

You can send a check directly to: Northeastern Boxer Rescue
P.O. Box 95 Sunderland MA 01375. or use

makes it easy and secure to send payments online via credit card.

Update 12/24/06

Winslow has once again surprised the doctors with his tenacity to defy the odds. Winslow returned to the hospital for his scheduled appointment with the cardiologist, and had chest x-rays and an echocardiogram performed to further evaluate his heartworm disease. They were all amazed at how great he looked and were elated to see him so happy. His echocardiogram still showed evidence of heartworms in his pulmonary artery, although his right heart and pulmonary artery appeared smaller than they did on his last echo (which is good). His chest x-rays showed a small amount of fluid around the lungs which is likely a residual from his previous chest infection.

The cardiologist decided to forgo the procedure to remove the heartworms directly from Winslow’s heart since his test results were more favorable this time around. Bloodwork (CBC, Chemistry panel) and urinalysis was also submitted to ensure that Winslow did not have any persistent underlying liver and kidney disease that would affect his ability to tolerate adulticide therapy. Winslow returned the next day to receive his first adulticide injection (1 of 3 injections), and the doctor wants him to return in a month or two to repeat the tests to assess his condition before scheduling his second treatment.

Winslow was not feeling well for a few days after his treatment, but he is now feeling much better. His foster mom and dad are doing an excellent job keeping Winslow as quiet as possible and severely limiting his exercise during his heartworm recovery, per doctor’s instructions. Winslow is not quite out of the woods yet, but the road is near.

Update 11/17/06

We are happy to report that Winslow’s recovery is progressing nicely. He is now living happily with his new foster family, and their daily reports have been inspiring. He is a remarkable dog and we are humbled by the opportunity to help him begin a new life.

The following is an update from Winslow’s foster dad.

“What a face on this guy...Winslow is smart and getting stronger every day. We are still working his leg three times a day, and he uses it just about every step now. He still bounces, but I'm sure he will stretch out those tendons soon. Winslow is getting around the house quite nicely, but is still not allowed any stairs. He seems to like the ortho bed at night as it cradles that arm a little better with the memory foam. The ramp out back is working well for him. We went back to the vet to remove his stitches and they all came out great; the staff all got their weekly hugs and kisses.

Winslow continues to put on weight and his hair is starting to grow back. He seems to enjoy life more and more, and is happy to greet each new day. He looks more vibrant every time I see him. He is eating well and seems to be filling out. We're hoping one rib, every three days, will disappear from Winslow's physique. We see him putting ounces on everyday. He was so skinny that first day, I was shocked, but he is making a comeback as only he can.

Winslow is also starting to really pay attention to his surroundings. When we take him out, he’ll spend a couple of minutes sniffing the air before doing his patrol around the perimeter to make sure we’re safe. He is sleeping really well now, keeping us safe from the world. This morning he was so comfortable that all I got was a wag, stretch and a “don’t forget to turn out the hallway light on your way out” look.

And the face...Your six million dollar puppy is “priceless” he’s got a great soul. Winslow still has a couple more hard months ahead of him and we will do our best to make him comfortable.”

The good news.....Every day gets better for Winslow and the generosity of the people who read his story makes it all possible. All of us at NBR are truly grateful to all of the people who have sent donations and kind words of encouragement for Winslow’s recovery.

The bad news.....Winslow’s medical bills are still climbing. Winslow will need to undergo another operation, and we still need your help. Again, any donation is appreciated.

Update 11/2/06

Winslow’s health has been on a roller coaster ride since being admitted to the hospital ICU, and the daily reports from his doctors have kept us on pins and needles. His care has been extensive (and extremely expensive), but the good news is that he is recovering remarkably well.

The doctors were surprised that Winslow bounced back so quickly after the surgery to remove the necrotic tissue from his badly infected leg and abdomen. We were later elated when the doctors determined that open chest surgery would not be required for the infection in his chest cavity (pyrothorax). He had a minor set back when he developed pneumonia but it was quickly controlled because of the intense monitoring of his condition and the high-powered IV antibiotics he was being given. The repaired fracture in his leg is healing as expected.

The last hurdle Winslow must endure is a delicate procedure to treat his heartworm disease. The cardiologist, who is one of many specialists overseeing Winslow’s care, would like him to recover for a few more weeks before beginning treatment. The procedure the cardiologist is recommending involves the surgical removal of adult worms taken directly from the heart. Winslow will be anesthetized and the worms will be removed with forceps via the jugular vein. The specialist said that performing this surgical procedure prior to starting standard heartworm treatment is safer than doing the standard treatment alone. This procedure is scheduled for the week after Thanksgiving.

We are extremely grateful that Winslow has survived, and marvel at his tenacity to live. Unfortunately the hospital bill for Winslow’s care has climbed to over $13,000. No…that is not a misprint. When we accepted Winslow into our rescue program we had no idea that he had such extensive medical issues. However, since the doctors said Winslow had a good chance for a complete recovery with major medical intervention, we could not deny Winslow the opportunity to live a good life.

Needless to say, we are in desperate need to replenish our medical fund. If you have followed Winslow’s story please send a donation to help us pay his medical bill. If everyone who reads his story would donate at least $5 we would be in better shape to help the next dog who needs care. We cannot continue to help these dogs without your assistance. We need your support more than ever.

Update 10/23/06

Luckily the doctors were able to stabilize Winslow’s condition after a few days of round the clock intervention in ICU and they began tackling his medical issues one by one. The doctor’s felt the leg surgery was the first thing to correct since it was causing him considerable pain. The surgery was a success but it was a very difficult repair. It required much hardware, including plates and pins to put his bones back together. Physical therapy has started and will continue for some time. The surgery was also lengthy and was very hard on Winslow given his condition. He lost a lot of blood and recovery was very slow.

Draining tubes were placed on both sides of Winslow's chest and his chest cavity has been flushed daily. The doctors were hoping that this infection would clear with medical intervention. However it now appears that Winslow may require open chest surgery.

Winslow’s left front leg has a very serious infection and has been difficult to heal.

Since his arrival at the hospital Winslow has developed complications with this leg wound as well as a wound that he has on the side of his chest. Some of his skin tissue has become necrotic and this dead tissue must be surgically removed. He will be going into surgery again tomorrow and depending on what they discover with the chest wound, they may decide they need to perform open chest surgery at the same time. Although Winslow is not the best candidate for surgery because of his condition, the doctor’s feel that he will not get better unless these surgeries are performed. Please continue keep Winslow in your thoughts.

10/17/06 -

Flown On The Wings Of Angels...Winslow Needs Your Prayers

Winslow is in critical condition and he is in the intensive care unit at Tufts University Animal Hospital. He definitely needs your prayers. When we first received the call about Winslow we understood that his leg was seriously fractured (apparently hit by a car), he was abandoned by his family, and had not received medical attention for two weeks. We immediately arranged to have Winslow flown to Massachusetts where he could receive the best medical care available. As soon as we saw him we were shocked by his condition and could not help but cry. When we arrived at Tufts Animal Hospital it was apparent that Winslow was in bad shape, however we were not prepared for what the doctors discovered upon their examination.

Winslow must have flown on the wings of angels because the doctors were surprised he was still alive. When he arrived at the hospital he was in septic shock due to his untreated injuries that had become infected. The doctors diagnosed multiple serious medical issues that need to be addressed. Each medical problem complicates the other and together they are intensely life threatening. Despite the many problems to overcome, the doctors felt Winslow should definitely be given a chance for recovery because of his sweet nature and his strong spirit. Multiple specialists were brought in on his case, and a treatment plan was arranged. The duration of his treatment will be long and expensive.

Winslow’s right front leg was badly fractured at the elbow joint, and he has a wound on his left front leg which has a serious bacterial infection. His most serious medical problem is called pyrothorax. Pyrothorax is an accumulation of pus within the pleural cavity, usually associated with infection. The infection causes fluid to accumulate in the chest cavity – the space between the lungs and the body wall – which causes difficulty breathing. This is a serious condition and is often fatal if not treated promptly and aggressively. In addition, Winslow also has heart worm disease. Sadly all of his medical problems have been caused by neglect.

Obviously Winslow has an amazing will to live and a determination to beat the odds. He was scheduled to be killed at the shelter two days before we received the call to help him and he was somehow miraculously overlooked on their “to kill” list. He surely has a guardian angel watching over him. Please continue to say prayers for him…Winslow will need all of them.

If you can help with the medical care for Winslow

You can send a check directly to: Northeastern Boxer Rescue
P.O. Box 95 Sunderland MA 01375.
or use

makes it easy and secure to send payments online via credit card.

Available for adoption through Northeastern Boxer Rescue