Heartworm can't keep him down.

When we decided to foster/adopt, we were confident that we wanted a Great Dane.  We did our research to learn as much as we possibly could about this unique breed so that when we reached out to Lucky Farms, we were as ready as we could be to welcome a new addition.  When Marlo arrived on our doorstep, underweight, heartworm positive, and with his wonky little cow hocked legs, he had me at hello. As we got to know him, we realized that he was a magical creature.  With all of the bad cards he had been dealt, he was just a love. Goofy and awkward and yet beautiful and regal, Marlo was a gift to our family.  I was ill prepared, however, for the impact of heartworm treatment on our sweet boy.  During those months of limited activity and painful injections, we would often lie with him in his crate to soothe and assure him. Slowly but surely, he began to put on weight, and the side effects of the treatment went away.  We celebrated when Marlo was declared heartworm NEGATIVE.  His recovery was a long road.  Aside from the physical side effects of the treatment, we discovered that Marlo was traumatized by the experience. Our once goofy and confident puppy was now dealing with insecurity and mistrust of those outside of our family. I am happy to report, however, that with loads of patience and lots of love, Marlo’s personality has returned. He is once again confident and kind, silly and sweet, and quite simply the most perfect 180 lbs of Great Dane love. His favorite place is on anyone’s lap, and we are more than happy to oblige.  I cannot imagine life without this special boy.  He is such a gift.