Rescue Journal

an update on raymond and a few other things

Carol  ·  Nov. 17, 2007

his surgery was re-scheduled for today, his bloodwork was slow in getting back. i will pick him up after work and bring him home.

there is another new little dog here, she is not a saint, she is a temporary favor for a rescue friend. her name is "faith" so if i write about her, you will know who i am writing about.

i think the new cushings dog's name is sparkles. she is coming in tomorrow, i will pick her up from her vet after work too. in many years of rescue i have never had a sparkles...and now we have two?

that sad old abandoned guard dog is no longer in need...the temporary home decided to keep her and get her the vet care she needs.

and finally those two wandering wanna-be saints tried to get in here again yesterday. i saw their little faces peering in thru the fence at 6 am in the morning. the malamute is wearing a cone cuz he had just been neutered.i spoke to the room mate when he picked up the dogs and told him the other dog still needed neutering too. i suggested some fun things involving more time spent with the dogs and maybe they would stay home instead of visiting here.

and speaking of malamutes...sadly, the senior lady's dogs we were helping are now all looking for homes, as well as 2 cats and some chickens. the lady has passed away and i believe malamute rescue will be posting their pics on their site in the next few days. greg continues to go every day to care for the animals until they find homes.

Comments

Beverly

The Mals are all up...Diana K is "working" on them. No takers yet as far as I can see in the apps submitted :(

I'm "TRYING" to get the blind old fart over here and not having much luck with transport over the ferry and up island.

Heidi

Hi Emma, I just typed (and lost) a very long explainatin of cushings disease. In a nutshell cushings is a hormonal disease caused by the production of excess corticosteroids. The areas affected are either the adrenal glands (on the kidneys) or in the pituitary glang (brain). Some of the funcions altered are the flight/fight response,water and electrolyte regulation and testosterone production. What you will see is a great increase in water and food consumption and of course output. Later the animal will look pot bellied from weakening abd. muscles and an enlarged liver. They loose hair (without the ithing) and become lethargic. Nina (my lab) was always warm and panted a lot. She liked lying where it was cool. The vet will inject dexamethasone (steriod) and test the response. An increase or no change will indicate cushings. An increase usually means a tumor in the pit. gland and no change usually means a tumor on the adrenals. Adrenal tumors can be treated with surgery (cure) but both can be managed with diligence watching symptoms and meds. Anipryl is one drug used (also used for dementia in dogs) another is a chemo drug I cannot remember the name of. I had Nina on both (not at the same time). True diagnoses can only be made with an utrasound. I believe the tumors are not cancerous and dogs can live a healthy happy life with good management. Try the web: cushings, cannine cushings,etc. for more info as it is very complex and hard to understand. Nina was diagnosed with cushings at 12 and lived a happy, healthy and active life. She passed away last Feb. at 15 and a half from oral cancer. I have info on dog water mats (to keek warm or cool). Nina loved hers and made her comfy. Cheers Heidi

carol

the wanna-be saints were back again this morning...i stuffed them back into the multi-purpose room til i have time to deal with them on my lunch break.