Meet Zora

They say soul dogs find you right on time, and Zora did just that. My husband and I didn't go looking for her; she found us—and on Facebook, of all places.
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Zora came into our lives thanks to a Ball State student who found her abandoned and needing help. Despite her best efforts, especially being a full-time student, she discovered puppy Zora (then roughly 6 months old) was a whole lot of dog. So she shared her on Facebook, as many do. But instantly upon seeing her and that speckled snout of hers, I knew she was meant to be ours. My husband and I hadn't even discussed adopting a dog at that point — I just told him I found our dog. As you can guess, meeting her went splendidly, and she would soon become ours — our Zora girl. 
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From the start, it was clear she was special — very smart, sweet, rambunctious, and a little unsure of the world. She's always carried a touch of generalized anxiety. Still, with time, love, and patience, she's blossomed into a brave little soul. We'd later discover just how resilient our anxious girl is. 
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Zora's journey hasn't been without challenges. One afternoon in early Fall 2023, she woke up from a nap and was suddenly paralyzed in three legs. She was rushed into emergency spinal surgery and diagnosed with IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease). Recovery was intense and emotional — but with the help of a loving rehab team (and lots of treats), and her amazing dad, we taught her how to walk again, one careful, patient step at a time. Since then, we've immersed ourselves in as much about IVDD as possible. It has required a very intentional lifestyle change — no running, no stairs, no sitting on couches or getting in or out of bed, no rough-housing, etc. It took time, but Zora acclimated to what we always called "new normal".
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Less than one year after her IVDD diagnosis, she fell ill very quickly. After rushing her to our regular vet and being referred to more specialized care, Zora was also diagnosed with Addison's disease — a rare autoimmune condition that requires daily medication and constant monitoring. We got very close to losing her during what we now know was an Addisonian crisis — a life-threatening emergency when the adrenal glands, which produce hormones like cortisol and aldosterone, stop producing them sufficiently. This lack of hormones can lead to severe imbalances in electrolytes (sodium and potassium) and fluid balance, ultimately causing the body to shut down altogether. Silently and without warning, her body was betraying her, and we had no way of knowing until that fateful day.
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Thankfully, after excellent care at the Purdue University Small Animal Hospital, we now knew what her newest diagnosis (which we lovingly refer to as "the NEW new normal") would bring — another lifestyle change, plus daily medication and monthly injections for the rest of her life.