At her vet appointment, I learned Lola was approximately 10 years old and heartworm strong. Because of her age, the recommendation was to avoid treatment altogether. But watching her struggle to walk even four steps without gasping for air made the choice clear: I could not let her go untreated. Lola deserved a chance.

Her story broke me. Lola had been a retired service animal. After her handler—father of the people who abandoned her—passed away, she was neglected and forgotten. A neighbor tried tossing dog food over the fence, but she couldn’t reach it. No one wanted to trespass onto private property to save her. For months, she suffered alone… until a new neighbor intervened. When rescued, Lola weighed only 30 pounds.

It was heartbreaking to see a dog who had spent her life serving humans be discarded so cruelly. That is why I didn’t hesitate for a second to pay for her heartworm treatment. She had fulfilled her duty as a service dog; now it was time for someone to serve her.

After her first injection, Lola began to improve. Her breathing eased, and she started to show the strength her doctors underestimated. She had so much love, gratitude, and life left in her. She was a fighter. What happened next was nothing short of miraculous. Lola didn’t just survive—she thrived. She regained her strength, her joy, and her dignity. She went from 30 pounds to a healthy, strong 70 pounds, glowing with life, comfort, and love. For the first time in years, she was truly living.

I tried finding Lola a home, but I quickly learned a painful truth: many people don’t want senior dogs—especially those with medical needs. Even when I offered to cover the cost of her treatment, the mere possibility of future issues made potential adopters turn away. No one wanted to foster her either.

I couldn’t understand it. Senior dogs are the easiest companions—no chewing, no chaos, just peace. They nap, they cuddle, they love deeply. Lola was the easiest dog I’d ever cared for, and every visitor who met her said she was their favorite without realizing they were describing all the reasons senior dogs are incredible.

Fast forward a year, under the care of a highly recommended vet, we retested Lola with a heat-treated antigen test. She was still heartworm positive. With compassion, the vet warned that another treatment could strain her heart. She knew how much I loved Lola and wanted me to understand the risks. But Lola was doing well otherwise, and I saw no signs of heart issues. We decided to move forward—but not with the full three-shot protocol.