TUESDAY, March 18, 2008, continued - Page 3

Today's vet visits: Mary and Peppy, continued

   Mary's knee is examined and x-rayed, continued

     After the injection Mary didn't take too long at all before she was sound asleep. Laura carried Mary to the x-ray room and laid her on the table. Dr. Terry felt of her knee and said it was most probably a torn ACL, and she had Vet Tech Laura feel Mary's knee so she'd know what a torn ACL feels like.

     Next Laura helped Dr. Terry take two x-rays of Mary's knee.

     Upon viewing the two x-rays, the doctor saw a strange looking screw right in the middle of Mary's kneecap, and the doctor asked me if I knew about this. I didn't remember ever knowing that Mary had had knee surgery before. I do remember that Miss Pat didn't want us to play too much or too hard with Mary because Mary had very bad hip dysplasia. The doctor affirmed how bad Mary's hips were today, but there was no record in their computer at Morton Clinic of Mary having had surgery done there. It was also clear in the x-ray, unfortunately, that Mary does indeed have a torn ACL, just like Colby, Jackson, Lady-dog, and Nikki (and several others before them). We will need to send these x-rays to Dr. McDonald (at the DVSC), which I asked Dr. Terry to do for us.

Again we ask if we're doing the right thing letting our dogs run

     I can't believe we've got another torn ACL, but what can we do? I asked the doctor today if there is anything that she thought we could change at our shelter to avoid these athletic accidents. Our doggies love to run and play and that is the reason we have such large kennel yards and a big playground (our park) to let our dogs be dogs. The doctor thought we were doing the best thing for these dogs just as Dr. McDonald has told us before. But it is just so difficult financially when we get hit with so many torn ACLs, one right after the other. The only way to avoid these expensive athletic injuries would be to confine the dogs to small cages, which Pat Arnold wouldn't do and we won't do, but how can we ask all of you to help us again so soon after Nikki's surgery, which came so soon after Lady's surgery? I feel so bad, and I'm so sorry to have to report about Mary's knee problem, but we are doing what we think is right, allowing our dogs to run and play and tussle and show some spirit and be free in as much space as we can provide for them. Now in addition to our $6,000 balance still remaining at Morton Clinic, we're going to have to raise another $2,000 for Mary's TPLO knee surgery!

Mary to stay inside the hospital trailer

     Back at our shelter we already had a crate ready in the hospital trailer for Mary, who is going to be staying inside for quite a while. She'll wait inside until we can afford her TPLO surgery, and meanwhile we will have Mary keep taking Rimadyl for her pain. We are going to be taking Michael and Mary together to the park, when it is his turn (as Michael is staying outside in his and Mary's kennel), but Mary will be on a leash, and there'll be no more playing for Miss Mary for now, bless her heart. Mary is behaving very well inside since she is used to being brought inside Hospital II during bad weather as she and Michael are among the oldsters who come inside during bad weather. Michael is the one who doesn't like staying inside at all.

Using our resurrected SEARCH ENGINE, I searched for Mary and found Pat Arnold's report on Mary and Michael posted back in 2001, in which Miss Pat talks about a surgery Mary had had on her knee back in 1996.

 

SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 2001 - Question about Michael and Mary - by Pat Arnold

When visitors come to Straydog and we take them on the tour of all the kennels, they often ask about why some of the "long-timers" haven't yet been adopted. The question came up recently concerning Michael and Mary.

The answer is simple: No one has wanted these dogs because they are "special needs" dogs. And they are still here because we are a no-kill shelter.

Mary and Michael are just two of the many "special needs" dogs who have been here for several years, and are still waiting for a loving mom, dad and/or family to adopt them. And as with the other "long-timers" here, the main reason that they haven't been adopted is that they have "special needs" mostly due to hip and/or leg problems, and people just don't want what many refer to as "damaged dogs." Mary was "turned down" twice because she has had problems with her back legs, and Michael has "imperfect" hips, which kept one interested man, from adopting him, which is so sad because Michael would have become the man's loyal companion forever.

Michael: Three-year-old Michael would make a great pet, but because this big fellow is part Rottweiler, this alone keeps many people from wanting to adopt him. Many people just don't like the Rottweiler breed (or else they do like Rottweilers for the wrong reasons). Even though Michael is as sweet and gentle as can be. Unfortunately he is somewhat standoffish when he first meets new people, which is another reason folks pass him by when they come looking for a dog to adopt. We always try to explain that Michael just needs time to get to know people and that he will make a wonderful pet. His "imperfect" hips pose no problem to this sweet, lovable dog. He is as rambunctious and playful as any young dog, and to see him run and play you would never know he has a physical problem.

Mary: This gentle Black Lab mix would also be a wonderful pet, but because of her hip and knee problems she is still with us. Naturally everyone who's interested in adopting a dog or pup wants to know about the animal's health, and we are always very honest about any problems the dogs or pups may have.

These couples both "turned Mary down" when we told them she had had to have surgery in 1996 on her right rear knee to keep her knee cap from popping out of place (Luxating Patella), and then in 1997 she was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and had Pectinomyotomy Surgery. So, neither of these couples wanted her, even though Mary's knee problem is easily kept under control by not letting her over exert herself with lots of running or jumping. But just as with her companion, Michael, and the other special needs dogs here, when people find out the dogs are not "perfect," they just don't want them.

Our Philosophy on caring for dogs with health problems (or "special needs") is a very simple one:

Our vow to every dog and puppy living at our shelter is that they shall never suffer again. This means they all will receive the love, quality care and medical attention they need--the healthy dogs, the sick dogs and all the "special needs" dogs. They all will have a home with us (at our Happy Home for Strays) until the day they are adopted. Many of these "special needs" dogs will probably be with us for the rest of their lives, but there's always hope that the right individual or family will come along. Whoever would have ever dreamed that Blind Dog Stevie and his seeing-eye buddy, Little Pete, would have been adopted?

Because we are a no-kill shelter we do not "put dogs down" just because they are old, or blind, or deaf, or happen to have bad hips, or arthritis, or other problems. Some of the special needs dogs have been here for years because nobody wants them with their problems--yet all of these dogs would make absolutely wonderful pets. We make them feel special and loved. They are available for adoption. They all deserve to live a good and happy life just as much as any other dog. Every dog and pup we take in will stay here, alive and well, until the day they are adopted.

If you might be interested in adopting one of our wonderful, "special needs" dogs, please call us at 903/479-3497.

 

Here are just a few of our other "special needs" fellas:

Katie: Sassy Katie is about 11 years old; she's a black mix/mix and weighs approximately 65 pounds. She is deaf and has a slight heart problem and arthritis and the beginnings of cataracts. Katie is a lovable dog and she'd make a great house pet for a grandma or grandpa, or a household without young kids. [Passed on]

Danny Boy is a beautiful Red Chow/Retriever mix, almost six years old, with long fluffy golden/red fur. He weighs 83 pounds, and is a big gentle, lovable fellow and must be a house dog due to his tremendous fear of thunderstorms. He had a skin problem, diagnosed as phemphigus by the vets, and he is perfectly fine when kept on his special diet and supplements. Danny loves people and grown kids. [Passed on]

Bishop: This sweet fellow is a Doberman/Rottie mix. He's approximately five years old, and a "bit" overweight at 65 pounds. He has severe hip dysplasia but is doing fine on his special diet, and being a pampered house pet would do wonders for his hip problem too! He gets around just fine, and would best be adopted into a family without young children. [Adopted]

Bobby and Briar are brother and sister. They are medium-size shepherd mixes, approximately two years old, weigh around 60 pounds, and have beautiful short golden hair. They both have a serious birth defect which caused problems with their back legs, and they have both had major surgery on their back knees to repair this problem. They are on a special diet and supplements and are doing fine now. [Still at Straydog]

They were found as feral pups when they were 10 weeks old, and they had had a terribly rough beginning to their young lives. We had never taken in such wild, frightened little pups, and it took us half the day to catch them. Bobby and Briar are still fearful young dogs. They will come to all of us here, but it will take a very patient, understanding person, or couple, or family to come and visit this brother and sister many times, most likely over a period of several months in order to win the trust of Bobby and Briar in order to be able to adopt them. (The Nicholsons came to visit Blind Stevie and Little Pete at least once a week for more than four months, and Bill and I drove the two dogs to the Nicholsons' house for several get-acquainted visits before the official adoption took place last fall.)

Buddy and Betsy are the big, gentle Rottweiler brother and sister. They are a little over a year old and need to be adopted together. Buddy weighs approximately 120 pounds and his little sister, Betsy, weighs 70 pounds. They are big, lovable young dogs, very playful and strong, and they are on a special diet and supplements because of their severe hip problems. [Still at Straydog]

Trixie is the German Rottweiler mom of Buddy and Betsy. She is about five years old and weighs 56 pounds. She is a wonderful, wonderful dog. Trixie is very loving and affectionate to people and grown kids. She is very territorial and protective, and it would probably be best if she had dog obedience training. Her original owner, who obviously dumped her along the highway with her two pups, Buddy and Betsy, unfortunately taught Trixie to be very aggressive toward new acquaintances--especially men--, but once she gets to know you, she can be as gentle as the most gentle dog in the world. [Still at Straydog]

Big Boy is a beautiful Heeler/mix and weighs about 70 pounds. We think it will be best for him to be adopted into a home without young children. Big Boy has had one seizure (a month ago) that we know of, and since that time he has had no subsequent seizures (that we've been aware of). He is not on any medication for this since the problem has not reappeared, and per our vet it is very likely that he may never have another seizure. Big Boy is afraid of thunderstorms. He does not like most other dogs, and most likely he does not like cats either. This fellow will become a loyal companion to his owner. [Still at Straydog]

Julie is a mix--maybe a touch of Greyhound. She is about seven years old and weighs close to 70 pounds and is a truly wonderful, lovable dog. She has had two epileptic seizures that we know about, but this happened over a year ago, and she is not on any medication as the epilepsy never developed into any problem for her, and she has not had any more seizures (that we are aware of). Yet, because of these two seizures, which she had over a year ago, a woman thinking of adopting Julie, changed her mind. Julie would make a wonderful house pet! [Passed on]

 

There are several more, wonderful special needs dogs here too, but I've run out of time to mention them all today. Please call if you'd like to know more about any of our special furry friends.

Click here to go to the entire posted page from Pat Arnold's June 10, 2001 update.

Oscar, DeeDee, Stormy and Thunder play together

     During park walks today I saw little man Oscar playing with all his pals and having fun. Oscar is completely back to normal and doing just fine. DeeDee and Oscar are back in their kennel, but these two get together with Storm and Thunder during park visits.

Mary's and Lady-dog's x-rays are emailed to Dr. McDonald

     When I was at the clinic, I asked Dr. Terry if she had sent Lady-dog's  x-rays to Dr. McDonald, and she said she had, but we haven't heard from Dr. McDonald yet. So back at the shelter I called the DVSC in Mesquite and my call just went to voice mail. Next I tried the Dallas Center on Trinity Mills Road, and they told me that both the Mesquite and the Plano branches would be closed all week for Spring break but that Dr. McDonald was there at the Dallas facility today. I then spoke with Dr. McDonald, who told me he hadn't yet received an e-mail with x-rays from our vet. I told him I would ask our vet to send them again, and I also talked to the doctor about our older doggie, Mary, who apparently has a torn ACL in addition to very bad hip-dysplasia. I also mentioned the screw that Dr. Terry had found in the x-rays, and Dr. McDonald said to go ahead and e-mail Mary's x-rays too and as soon as he received them, he would call us.

     I called Dr. Terry back, and she assured me that they would e-mail the x-rays again today, including Mary's x-rays. It was a little after 5 p.m. when Dr. McDonald called me back saying that he had received the x-rays of both our dogs.

   Lady-dog

     Dr. McDonald said that Lady's x-rays looked great, that everything had healed well. We are to release Lady from all restrictions, allowing her to run and play without a leash. He even said that Lady-dog could go back to her outside kennel, but I'm afraid that Lady, being such a crazy runner, might hurt herself again, especially since she has gone over two months without running at full speed. (You'd think we were talking about a thoroughbred race horse.) We will let Lady run in the park every time we take her for a potty break, but we will still keep her inside at least one more week and slowly let her get exercise and slowly get used to using her leg at full speed.

   Mary

     The doctor said that he couldn't really tell from the x-rays if Mary has a torn ACL, but he trusted our vet's opinion, so whenever we are ready to bring Mary in for her TPLO surgery, just giving him a call and he will be glad to do the operation. I also asked about the screw in the middle of her knee, the doctor said that it look like who ever did that the intention was to hold her knee in place and did a good job, but now the torn knee will definitely need a different type of surgery, meaning a TPLO. about her very bad hip dysplasia, the doctor said the same thing he had said on Nikki, it won't matter it won't make it worse, Mary will be in better shape if we repair her knee. So there we are, we have another big worry to worry about, along with just what might happen next?

The storms finally hit starting at about three p.m.

     As we said at the beginning of today's report, a big storm was moving our way, and it finally was on top of us at a little after three p.m., right after we finished the afternoon feeding, which we finished early in anticipation of the bad weather. All the dogs ate well, and thank goodness we got all of our chores done. During the thunder and lightning the only doggie who really got scared was Oso, who was already inside, but we had to put him in a different crate right here in the main room, and then he was fine. He just wanted to be close to us, big baby.

Puppy Conrad plays with LeAnne

     Because we now have Oscar back with DeeDee, we couldn't continue to let Puppy Conrad spend time in DeeDee's kennel with her during his day here at the shelter. (Conrad comes to work with us during the day and goes back home during the night as he has really become part of the family.) But now Conrad was lonely here, and after a little thinking we thought of how sweet Pup LeAnne is, and we tried Conrad with her, and they had a great time together.