Special Needs

August 7, 2010

We recently took in a 5 week old brindle puppy that suffered a broken leg prior to being surrendered. Her owners did not have the funds to treat her. We did x-rays today and they showed a spiral fracture in her right rear leg. Becuase of the type of fracture, it most likely will require surgery from an orthopedic surgeon. She is a trooper and has no trouble lugging her cast around!

March 15, 2010

Takoda is a puppy was surrendered to us from a breeder. Unfortunately he has many health issues. Takoda has abnormal humerus length and joint construction. Two bones in his arms are showing signs of bowing, and are inconsistent lengths. His elbows are irregular, and have large gaps in his joints. Takoda’s elbow joint is free flowing and not connects to the end of the humerus bone as they should be. And his wrists also are displaying serious abnormalities. He has multiple bones that are too small, missing or disconnected. Takoda has no support between the forearm, wrist, pastern, and forefoot. He is also showing signs of delayed mental and social development.

Takoda was examined by a Surgical Specialist who currently suspects that Takoda might be suffering from Dwarfism (Hypopituitarism), Condrodysplastic disease, or another congenital skeletal condition. Any of these suspected illnesses lead to concerns of the inability for his legs to grow long enough to support his body length and weight, painful joints, probability for cartilage, tendon injures, broken bones, and overall lack of quality life.

Currently Takoda has a great foster home with other Danes that have taken him in as their own. He seems happy, playful, and in no pain. We are not able to determine his quality of life at this time and are waiting another month before making that decision unless he takes a turn for the worse. At this time Takoda is not an able to be adopted due to his health issues and he has not been neutered. Please keep this adorable little puppy in your thoughts!

2-26-10

Hi! My name is George and I’m a 1.5 year old Dane – I should tell you, I’m still quite a puppy! I came from a family with young children whom I did well with. They also had some land so I could run free! Unfortunately, my family has decided to move overseas and is sad that I can’t go with them. My foster mom says that I love to cuddle and follow she and my foster dad around everywhere. Apparently I’m a real man’s man! I like to wait for my foster dad, even if he’s in the shower. He’s a lot of fun and is strong enough to let me climb on him to cuddle. I guess I’m quite a big, beautiful boy, whatever that means! I do love all of the attention I’m getting!

Well, I’m going to go get to know more of my surroundings with foster mom. We’ll write later after my vet check and I’ll let you know how tall I am!

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3-1-10

Well, foster mom and I went to the vet today for my wellness check and everybody obviously fell in love with me. Love at first sight – if you don’t believe in it – just lay your eyes on me! I stand about 34 inches high and weigh about 127 pounds. The vet said that I could stand to gain just a few pounds (only like 5, no problem!).

In other news, the vet was a little concerned about my gate. My back legs seemed to hyperextend and that concerned her so she did a few x-rays on them… they put me in a dark room with a good lookin’ vet… I was a lucky man for those few minutes! She told me I’m good lookin’, too. Well anyway, foster mom says that they received some bad news after those x-rays. It looks like I suffered a couple of tears in my knees as a puppy and that over time they had developed some chronic pain. Because of that pain, I’ve been overcompensating with the hyperextension in the bottom parts of my legs. I could have told them that but I was too busy enjoying all of these new people and places! That just seemed more important to me. All of this to say, my back legs are in bad shape. I’m going to need some pretty expensive surgery to fix my legs so I don’t go lame but foster mom says I am sooo worth it.

Foster mom said to tell you that you would never know I was in so much pain because I’m such a loveable and playful Dane. She also said to say that I’m still up for adoption, despite my disability, and would love to become a part of your family after I get all fixed up. Why don’t you come meet me at Chuck and Dons in Wayzata next Sunday? I would love to show you how people fall madly in love with me at first sight!

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3-8-10

Foster mom said that the rescue is going to start working on fundraising to fix my legs soon hopefully. I really hope so, because I can’t go to my forever family until we do something about this problem. It just doesn’t seem fair, though, because you know what? My legs don’t change how much I love you and want to cuddle! She calls me a lover… I guess that means I love to climb into your lap and rest on you as much as I can get away with it.

I went to my first rugby tournament this weekend and… do I even have to say it? Everyone fell in love with me there! It is just amazing how that happens… and I still don’t have a home. I loved how everyone wanted to show me attention and let me lean on them as they would pet me. Oh, that’s just the best feeling.

We also went to a rescue event at Chuck and Don’s this weekend and I got to meet Bo and Charlie! We had a lot of fun playing together… and I’m just glad I’m big and strong enough for Charlie to play with! She is one muscular girl. We raised some money there and I stole the show when I decided to lay on my back, paws in the air, sun-bathing. Everyone thought I was being cute, but c’mon, you’d be tired, too, following a day on the rugby field!

If you want to know a little more about me and why I’d be a great addition to your home.. here it is! Foster mom says I’m a real follower. I follow you into the bathroom, into the shower, outside. Anytime you get up to get a cup of coffee, I’m right there with you! I love to play with other dogs but don’t quite understand why the small ones don’t like playing with me as much! I usually show them up, really, but then they just have to start yappin’! Ugh… I guess they just don’t understand what “fun” is – obviously chasing them! I absolutely love my dog bed and if you’re not paying attention to me, I’ll gladly retreat to it. Just don’t put me in my crate, it makes me think that you’re going to leave me again and that is sooo not good! Foster mom says my crate makes me pant and drool a lot. I’ll be sleeping by the time foster mom and dad get back, but it takes a good while to calm down. Another of my favorite things to do is join foster mom every day when she watches the Ellen DeGeneres show. I really love her but I’m not sure the feeling is mutual!

I hope that you’ll take the time later this month when I’m at the Lakeville and Bloomington events to come meet me. Don’t tell them, but foster mom and dad can get pretty boring day in and day out. I would love to show you the problem with my legs and why I need your support in raising the money to fix me! Like foster mom’s said before, I am soooo worth it!

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3-22-2010

Foster mom and I went in for some more x-rays a few days ago. It has been suggested that I won’t need surgery on both legs and maybe just some physical rehab that would help on my right leg. We are in the middle of working out getting a second opinion so it’s been a long, tiring process. I’m excited for when this will be over, though.

In the mean time, the vet suggested that we stop our visits to the dog park but continue our walks. I miss my friends there but do enjoy the walks with foster mom and dad. We’ve seen a lot of cool places! I hope you’ll come see me at the Lakeville and Bloomington events this weekend!

Just so you know, foster mom is working on getting a video up of my walk but she hasn’t figured it out quite yet. Be expecting it soon!

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4/2/10

Foster mom keeps insisting I go to all of the events with her and foster dad so that people can meet and fall in love with me. I love meeting all of the new people, but let me tell you, it is exhausting! I usually sleep for a good long time all the way home and into the night afterwards.

I am so embarrassed, but foster mom says that I have to tell you this, otherwise I don’t get my cow femur filled with peanut butter for a snack! So, I guesssss you should know that I have a little bit of anxiety that I’m dealing with. Ok, it’s so not what you’re thinking. When I first got here to foster mom and dad’s, it only showed when I wouldn’t eat or go to the bathroom for the first few days. But, now that I’m getting a little more familiar with my environment, I get kind of upset with them when they leave me here by myself. At first, we tried the kennel, but I actually broke out of it a few times and showed a lot of anxiety in it even when they were home. (ha! they’ll never know how I managed that…) So, they let me start having free roam. I really enjoyed that but honestly, what’s this home without foster mom and dad? I wanted to show them I was a little angry so I started pulling things off counters and tables and just setting them on my bed to show them that I was in charge when they were gone. Nooowww, I’m starting to chew things up – how dare they leave me! I guess it’s the puppy in me coming out again, or so they say, but really, I just want them to know that I really just have to have my people here with me.

That’s also another thing that foster mom and dad wanted me to tell you… I’m so loyal to my people! I love to stay outside with them and sunbathe while they work in the yard or even just ride in the car with them as they do errands. I won’t even leave the yard unless I see someone exciting outside of it! I guess that’s one of the best things about me. What can I say? Once you fall in love with me, you’ll know exactly what they’re talking about!

I would love to meet you in Duluth, so please come meet me and hear a little bit more about me! I cannot even begin to tell you how much foster mom already talks about me, so I can safely say she’s glad to do it! Catch ya later!

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4/19/10

Foster mom says I have an adoption pending the completion of my surgeries and I am sooo excited to see where I’m going. Well okay, maybe a little nervous, too, but that comes with the territory for me. I went up to Duluth this weekend and got to meet sooo many awesome people that clearly had no problem falling for me. Don’t you wish you knew my secret?

Duluth was a lot of fun and I put on the charm so we could raise money for the rescue and my surgeries. I, of course, know all the moves when it comes to hamming it up at events. Foster mom and dad just roll their eyes now, but they are so lucky to have me, obviously. Unfortunately, we had to miss the Driving for Danes event but I hear Lauren and Harley are super cool.

Foster mom and dad set up my first consultation appointment about my surgeries for next week. Then we’ll schedule the actual surgeries. You’d never be able to tell, but I am a little nervous. The worst part about it is that foster mom says I have to start sleeping downstairs so I get used to not sleeping upstairs with she and foster dad anymore. That so totally is not cool with me but luckily we just took in another foster so I’m not alone.

After a few days of having this new foster, mom says she’ll write about how our relationship is going. All I know is that he has not been neutered yet and I am ready for the day he is neutered to come!!

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4/24/10

After much deliberation and a lot of serious discussion with both the new foster and foster mom and dad, here is what I have to say about living with another Dane…

First of all, he has no understanding for my love bites. If you know me at all, you know that I give love bites to show affection and to start a play session… however! How does this Dane have no understanding for that!? Second of all, he is so loud when he sleeps! I have had to go over to his side of the bed a few times just to let him know that he needs to quiet down because I am really trying to get my beauty rest (you probably know though, sleep doesn’t help this handsome baby, it is all nat-UR-AL!). Third of all, he has shown foster mom and dad that it is possible to go to the bathroom in the same part of the yard every time. What is he doing to me?! That’s supposed to be a secret. He is just trying to one up me, but I’ll show him!

All in all, though, (don’t tell him!!!) it has been really nice to have a friend around. My separation anxiety from mom and dad is basically out the window… you’re welcome mom and dad! I love having another Dane to follow around or for him to follow me around. I guess the only frustrating part about that for mom and dad is when we try to walk out doors at the same time. We both have to suck it in, but we get it done somehow.

I will reluctantly conclude this update by saying that I really enjoy having a friend but I wish he would just understand my routine and either join in or stop whining! You can come meet both of us at Chuck and Dons in Elk River on Sunday. I can’t wait to meet more of you and let you see that I was born with this body!

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5/14/2010

Foster mom always said I’d get a girlfriend one day after I learned some more manners. Well, mom, I’m learning what it’s like to have a girlfriend who thinks I don’t have manners, either. We like to cuddle on the dog bed together and do most things together, but she doesn’t like to play like I do. Lucky for her, I’m really good at calming her down and apologizing with kisses.

Foster mom and dad set the date for my surgeries. The earliest we could get in was June 15. I’m getting nervous but I know you’re all thinking about me and I’m really excited to have my legs back. The surgeon is leaning towards the belief that I have BOTH torn ACL’s and OCD. They will be doing scopes to find out if that’s true before they go in to repair.

I’m planning on trying to make it to all the events that I can before the surgeries because we really need to get going on the fundraising. Foster mom and dad said it’s going to cost anywhere between $2000-5000 to fix my legs. That’s a lot of money but I trust that you’ll help me get better. I hope to meet you soon!

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6/14/2010

Everyone keeps treating me like I should be nervous about something. What in the world? So what? I’m getting my surgeries tomorrow, the 15th… don’t you understand that that means I will be able to run around with all of my friends at the dog park pain free?! Personally, I think that’s a GREAT thing!

I hear I might be on some pretty powerful meds afterwards, too. It’s about time! My girlfriend is going to love this. She’ll see it as an excuse to spend allll day cuddling with me when I’m knocked up on drugs. I’m really hoping foster mom and dad feel bad for me, too, during recovery because that could definitely mean more peanut butter bones and lots of cuddle time!

I know you all will be thinking about me tomorrow and that’s why I’m going into this without a hint of nervousness… well okay, I’m nervous, but let’s get beyond that. Please think about me throughout the day and continue sending in that work-bonus money as I know the rescue is still working really hard to pay for my surgeries. I cannot wait to be recovered and continue to meet you all at more events! You guys mean the world to me!

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6/16/2010

Hi everyone… I’m just coming out of the drugged state so foster dad’s going to have to take this one…. thanks for all of your love and support through my surgery…. peanut butter?….

I just spoke with the vet tech. and she says that George’s surgery went quite well, and he’s just waking up from anesthesia.

Left – OCD Lesion found – will need operation
cruciate ligament stable – should be fine with future OATS procedure to repair OCD.

Right – TPLO procedure performed -cranial cruciate torn and Meniscus torn (both repaired)
No concerning OCD Lesion found

Foster mom and I really appreciate your love and support for George in all of this. We have all felt the prayers and thoughts throughout the past few months. We will keep you posted after we speak with a vet in person tonight.

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6/18/2010

George’s foster mom here. George is doing well post surgery right now. Foster dad and I went to visit last night and bring his favorite bones to him, filled with peanut butter. The peanut butter bone was taken care of in mere minutes. After that, he tried very hard to cuddle up in his drugged sleepiness in the crate they wheeled him out in, but gave up quickly.

It turns out that somewhere in the process of surgery or post surgery, George suffered a hairline fracture to his operated knee. The vets will be going in at 11:30 today to repair that at no cost.

We spoke with the vet further about what will be expected in the future. It turns out that George does have a partial cruciate tear in his left knee that will need repair with the TPLO surgery. He also has a good sized OCD lesion in his left knee that will require the OATS procedure. However, the lesion is in a very hard place to operate on and other options will need to be discussed as well.

For now, we are ready to begin working on George’s recovery with him as we know this will be a long and painful process for him. Keep George in your thoughts and prayers. Keep spreading the word about George as the costs continue to pile up. We appreciate every thought, prayer, and dollar.

Follow us on Facebook… join the group “I Heart George” and you will get daily updates of his progress. We will also be opening a twitter account for that purpose.

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06/29/2010

I’m so tired of this house arrest thing. I’ve only been home for a week and a half and I really miss cuddling with my girlfriend. We’ve been told that it’s not safe for me to recover and “stay quiet” with her but I swear that’s all we do! We liked to sunbathe indoors, through the window. I could really use a break here. I’m a little upset about it so foster mom and dad have had to deal with some of the separation anxiety symptoms returning. Not only that, but I’ve started whining so they get the idea about what I’m going through. Nobody understands me! Foster mom and dad keep telling their friends that I’m acting like a teenager lately but what else do they expect? Humans always talk about growing up fast, but I just want to be better so I can go back to the dog park like a normal puppy!

I’m not going to lie… foster mom and dad did allow me to come up to the cabin this weekend with them which was a huge breath of fresh air. Obviously I can only lay around quietly, but at least I was able to lay around quietly in a different environment. They also brought me up in a van which was really exciting. I got to sprawl out on the floor while doing one of my favorite things – driving with foster mom and dad and my girlfriend!

Other than that, I guess I’m recovering well. I still get sore here and there but foster mom and dad know that and the warm packs really help. They also trust me to know my limits. That’s pretty easy as I know that if I go past my limits, my body will pay for it.

I cannot even tell you how excited I am to get out of this house and back out to events to see you all. Please continue to send those prayers and thoughts my way so I can recover quickly and start getting out and about.

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08/10/2010

It’s almost been 8 weeks since my surgery and I’m eager to start feeling like a normal puppy again. Foster mom and dad keep talking about some type of 8 week check up that’s going to happen on Friday but I have no idea what that means. Apparently we’ll be doing some x-rays and everyone’s hoping for some good news. What I want to know is when I can go back to the dog park where all my friends are!

My girlfriend is doing a good job of keeping me company for now. All she wants to do is cuddle and usually that’s okay with me. She’s so needy, but what woman isn’t?! Every once in awhile she gets on my nerves but then I just find my own space to take a break from her. That really ticks her off. My foster dad tells me that’s a good way to make her want to make up with me, though. Apparently humans are the same way! He just said not to tell my foster mom… shh!

I hope I get some good news on Friday and get the okay to come out and start seeing all my friends again! You all are the best and I can’t wait to see you all soon!

1/31/10

I have been in the rescue for one week now. When I came to the rescue I stayed with the family who is fostering Dixie before I came to my permanent foster home. Between you and me, I think Dixie has a HUGE crush on me! What I don’t understand, is why everyone keeps calling me Bo. It’s not a name I’m familiar with, but I’m getting use to it.

I was surrendered because I was given as a present and she couldn’t take care of me, as I’m not a small lap dog. Before that I was used as a stud dog and left outdoors for the most part and not kept as a family dog.

My foster mom says I’m going to be with her and her dane for a couple of months as I haven’t felt good for a long time. After going to the vet I’ve learned that I have whipworm, heartworm and possibly a very tiny round cell tumor. No wonder I haven’t felt like myself! My Mom says I also need to get fixed when I’m a little bit healthier. Not sure what all of this means, but Mom says I’m going to start feeling better soon as I’ve been given medication for the whipworm and will be staged for the heartworms beginning on February 8. The round cell tumor will be removed when I get fixed.

My hind legs also shake, but the blood work didn’t show anything and we think it could just be nerves and mal-nutrition. This transition to my foster home has been a little stressful!

For now I’m happy to have a soft dog bed to sleep on, a warm house and plenty of affection. My foster Mom says I’m at all what she expected for an intact male…which I guess is a good thing! That’s all for now…I’ll write more once I’ve started the heartworm process.

2/10/10

I started my heartworm treatment on Monday morning. I didn’t like staying over at the vet till Tuesday afternoon, but my foster mom said it was the best for me. I’m on a couple of medications right now and need to remain calm till my next treatment on March 8th. That is because the worms basically disintegrate in my blood stream and there is a concern that a blood clot could form. So I won’t be able to go to any of the UMGDR events for a long time and met people due to Dr’s orders! I had a lot of fun at the Plymouth event at Chuck and Don’s on Sunday though!!

I’m getting better at walking on the laminate flooring in the kitchen. There are a couple of kitchen rugs going to the door and to my water/food bowls so I don’t slip and slide all over the place. Oh…I also learned how to climb the stairs to the second level in my foster home!
Chat with you next week!

2/28/10

This “house arrest” is no fun! My foster mom says I need to remain “calm” due to the heartworm treatment. If I get excited there’s a chance a blood clot could form and we don’t want that! My next heartworm treatment is on March 8th and I’ll be staying over at the vet’s for two nights this time.

I’m a big attention hog and need to be around you at all times! If you go into another room with flooring I don’t like to walk on (wood, laminate) and there aren’t rugs for me, I’ll lie down and patiently wait for your return to the room I’m in. I rarely bark, but will let out a soft growl when I see somebody approaching the house.

I did fine this weekend with a toddler and some older elementary age kids. There is a new foster Dane (Charlie) here also. We are getting along fine, but would love to play together, but because of these darn heartworms we can’t.
I do plan to be at the Twin Cities Pet Expo on March 6th from 2 – 6 and then at Chuck & Don’s in Wayzata on March 7th from 11-2. I hope you will come and meet me!

3-7-2010

It was a lot of fun meeting people at the Pet Expo on Saturday and at Chuck & Don’s in Wayzata on Sunday. I think I was a big hit as people wanted to take their picture of me.

Anyway, I’m currently at the vet having my second round of heartworm treatment. It’s not much fun here at the vet and I need to stay for two nights this time. I know it’s for my own good, but I would rather be home.

I was tested for whipworms again and they are gone! So I’m going to start slowly gaining weight I hope!

Gotta go!

3/26/10

My second round of heartworm treatment went well, but staying at the vet’s for two nights wasn’t fun! I’ll need to remain on year round heartworm treatment and will also need to be rechecked in four – six months. I’m still on “house arrest” (no activity) from the heartworm treatment and if I’ve gained enough weight I’ll be neutered the week of April 5th.
It’s a good thing I’m such an easy-going guy. I “kennel-up” really well and have had free-roam for up to six hours with no problems. My foster Mom says I must be feeling better as I’ve started the bad habit of counter-surfing. Can you blame me? The cinnamon rolls and chocolate cake were just too tempting!!

This weekend I’m going to a “farm”. Not sure what that means, except a long car ride which I’m looking forward to.

Oh…I’m ok with toddlers too. My foster Mom kept a close eye on me to be sure as the toddlers dog is extremely forgiving of the toddler!

Sullivan (aka Sully) is 3 ½ years old. His parents had to surrender him because he has had to have surgery on both of his knees and it was just too expensive for them to keep him.

August 21, 2009
Angel for the past three days has shown a loss of appetite and lethargy. Sara her Foster Mommy watched her closely every day and night monitoring for changes. Last night at 10:00pm Sara brought Angel in the emergency clinic because she was showing symptoms of bloat. They determined after an evaluation and x-rays that is was not bloat. They gave Angel medications to make her comfortable and treat her symptoms until morning. The veterinarians there determined it was not life threatening and felt additional tests could be done in the morning. Sara was going to bring her to work at the veterinarian clinic to determine what was causing her illness this morning.

It comes with great sadness that Angel has crossed the Rainbow Bridge; but passed at her Foster Home in Sara’s arms, while on the phone with the emergency clinic. We do not know the cause of her death and did not perform an autopsy. We are investigating the death and are working with another clinic to review her treatment from the emergency clinic.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Sara Kastner, Angel’s Foster Mommy. Sara has spent months caring for Angel. Everyday Sara brought Angel with to the veterinarian clinic she works at. She nurtured her back to health increasing her weight, training her with hand signals, and providing a safe loving home. Sara supported Angel through two tough surgeries and many rough days in between.

Angel taught many of us valuable lessons. Her strength was inspirational. The love that she shared with us will never be forgotten. It is important that during this sad time we remember Angel was brought into our lives for a reason. Do not let her die in vain.

We are setting up a memorial on our website for Angel. Please send the board an email of your memorial that you want posted.

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August 07, 2009
Angel is officially off all medications now! Yay! We went on a short walk a couple days ago to get her out of the house, and she did great! I can tell she is still sightly sore and favors her right leg (the side the tumor was removed from) after a while, but she is recovering well. It’s getting tougher to keep her activity restricted, she wants to play so badly! Her ribs are no longer visible, and when I weighed her last week she was up to 98lbs. Her right ear (the one that flops over) is starting to stand more now too, maybe she just needed to regain the strength to hold it up. It isn’t 100% but is up a lot more often now. Her hair is also growing back from the surgery with amazing speed, I bet within two weeks you won’t even be able to tell she had surgery! What is amazing about Angel is that you can’t even tell she’s deaf. She is so good about watching and reading your body language that you wouldn’t ever notice. The only thing is when I come home and she’s sleeping, I have to touch her to wake her up to let her know I’m home.

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July 27, 2009
“Angel is doing great! She had her sutures removed today and no longer has to wear a bandage. She was starting to get irritated by the bandages and was tearing them off every day requiring me to re-bandage her every morning. We are both relieved that she was given the ok to be bandage-free! She was very itchy underneath it so she got a bath to help sooth her skin right when we got home from the vet today. She is still on antibiotics and pain meds and her activity will still be restricted for 4 more weeks. She gained weight back nicely since the surgery, she is at 98.4 lbs now, almost 20lbs from when we got her! We also got results back from her tumor, it was a mild malignant tumor with only 20% chance of returning! It sounds like she is almost ready to find her forever home!”

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July 21, 2009
Angel had a vet appointment today to remove her Fentanyl patch and to check her bandage. She has developed a small hot spot under her bandage, so the bottom layer was removed. She has to go in next week for another appointment and to have the bandage removed. Her energy level is coming back, I even had to stop her from running around today! I attached a picture of her waiting for me to help her out of the car after her appointment today, silly girl milks it for all it’s worth!

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July 15, 2009
Angel is home and doing great! Her chest tube was removed this morning around 9am and she was kept at the vet for further monitoring until she was released around 1pm. She has been sleeping most of the day which is good, but when she wakes up you can tell that she is pretty painful. She is going back to the vet on Friday to replace her fentanyl (pain medication) patch and to have her bandage checked. She’s walking alot better than she was this morning which is good too.

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Monday July 13
Her energy came back full force since her last surgery and she recovered well from it. She is up to 95.5 lbs today. Her coat is looking amazing and has all the shine it should. Her pre-surgery exam went great and the surgery is a go for tomorrow.

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Monday July 6th
Angel is doing great! She is recovering well and should be ready for the surgery to remove the cancerous tumor next Tuesday. She is up to 92 lbs and continues to gain weight each week.

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Wednesday July 1
Today Angel was taken into the clinic for a per-operation exam, as she is getting ready for the removal of her tumor. Angel has been on antibiotics for what was thought to be a vaginal infection. The antibiotics have not been working and her symptoms have persisted. Today she went through a surgery in attempt to try to discover the issue causing the vaginal discharge. The doctor that performed the surgery called with the horrific news that a foreign object was found deep in Angel’s vagina. The doctor believes the only way that this object could have made its way into Angel is if it was physically pushed into her vagina. Angel also had some bumps removed from her back and head. She is awake and smoothly recovering from her surgery. Angel will be returning to her foster home tomorrow morning to prepare for her next surgery in a couple of weeks.

Words cannot explain the deep disgust and we all have hearing of this cruel new discovery. Why anyone could hurt an animal, and in such a traumatic and horrific manner makes each and every one of us want to vomit and cry all at once. This news only reassures all of us that we are doing the right thing by saving Angel. If anyone deserves a chance at a better life, it is her.

Keep Angel in your thoughts and prayers this evening, as she needs them.

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Sunday June 27
Angel made an appearance today at the Kapoisa Adoption Day event in South St. Paul. She sun bathed laying in the grass while people came up to pet her. She was the star of the show and we told her story to all that met her. Everyone was surprise at how warm, and friendly she was for the neglect and abuse has not seemed to affect her behavior and personality. She did a great job and made a wonderful impression on many people.

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Thursday June 18th
Angel is being treated with antibiotics for what is thought to be a vaginal infection. Today we did another culture on the mystery discharge coming from her vagina and it came up with no significant findings. However, it is getting worse and we are going to give her another round of antibiotics.

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July 5, 2009

Angel is doing great! Last Tuesday she was at the vet for a pre-surgery exam and a foriegn object was found inside of her that had to be removed prior to her tumor being removed. She was spayed and a small benign tumor were removed at that time as well. She is recovering well and should be ready for the surgery to remove the cancerous tumor next week sometime. She is up to 92 lbs and continues to gain weight each week.

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June 22, 2009

Angel weighed 87.4 lbs this week at the vet, which is up about 4 lbs from the week before!
She officially knows the “sit”, “down”, and “No” signs and we are working on stay. Angel has discovered the joys of sleeping on the couch and that is her new favorite place. She is in love with Titan, her foster brother, and they constantly play now.

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June 09, 2009

Angel is a three or four year-old female Great Dane. She is almost all white, with bright beautiful blue eyes. As you can see, she has one cropped ear and is very thin. Angel is deaf, and has some vision problems. One of our volunteers found Angel tied to a tree in the yard, and starved. Angel was than brought into UMGDR where she is being fostered.

This week Angel was just diagnosed with Chondrosarcoma. This is a malignant tumor that arises from cells that produce cartilage; the rubbery tissue around joints. This type of Sarcoma is found predominantly in the area around the bones. Angel’s Sarcoma was found attached to her rib, near her shoulder. If the cancer has not spread to her lungs, we have a good chance at saving Angel’s life. If the cancer has spread we will give her a happy rest of her life with plenty of love, food, and playtime.

Her life saving surgery will be around $3000.00. We will keep her supporters updated as we learn of the severity of her diagnosis.

05/30/2009

Axel came to us due to a condition called Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency Syndrome. That means that his pancreas can’t produce the enzymes that he needs to digest his food so that his body can use the nutrients in it. So, he is starving even though he eats a lot of food. In order to treat this, you need to supplement his food with an expensive medication that is made of pancreas of other animals. It usually has good results, but the medication costs a lot. It will be a life time medication that he will be on to make his life comfortable and keep weight on him. There is always the possibility that he may not do well on the supplement or may have other issues arise like diabetes. He will also need to be neutered yet, but he needs to be healthy first. So, we will have to keep him in foster for a while to see if he does well and gains weight before he can be placed in a home.

If you would like to help with the costs of Axels medication and vet costs, we would welcome any help you can give. He is such a sweet boy, that he deserves the chance at a good life regardless of the costs. We will keep everyone posted on how he does with the medication and weight gain.

Marm’s story:
Update: Marm has been adopted by one of our loving volunteers!
Marm is a puppy that was found wandering and was taken to a shelter. He is approximately 8 months old and is suffering from a severe eye injury and well as a staph condition with possible secondary infection.

This pup is going to take a long course of treatment to make him healthy and ready for a good home. If you can help financially with his treatment please send us your donation marked “Benny’s Fund”.

Updates on his condition will be posted here so check back often.

May 1, 2009
Photos of Marm as we took him in:

May 5, 2009
Marm is doing much better than expected. His blood work is almost normal. The current goal is to rid him of the staph infection before it does more harm. When he is healthy we will start working on the eye. He doesn’t seemed bothered by his skin condition and just wants to eat, sleep and play like a normal Dane puppy.

May 7, 2009
Marm is not responding to antibiotics as hoped and further testing is being done. At this point he is exhibiting many of the symptoms of Lupus. He is starting steroid therapy to see if that helps at all. Lupus can affect the cornea, which might account for the clouded eye, which appears to have no vision. Lupus patients must stay out of UV/sunlight and Marms condition does indeed worsen if he is in the sun. If it is Lupus it is an autoimmune disease and will require life long treatment. We will continue searching for answers and attemp to help Marm back to as normal a condition as possible.

Benny’s Story:
Click here to jump directly to Benny’s status updates.
Benny was purchased by a young woman who had never had a dog. She had no idea how or what to feed a Great Dane puppy. As a result Benny was crippled and unable to walk by the time he was three months old. He was diagnosed with HOD (click here for an explanation of HOD) and has been on pain medications for three months. He has not had proper care through this ordeal. The veterinarian treating Benny called UMGDR and asked us to take the pup, as he felt he could be saved. The owner agreed to surrender Benny to our care. He is eating more every day. He went to the vet today for blood tests December 29, 2008 and hope to have the tests back on the 30th. He has a long haul ahead, with many veterinary visits and medications.

Due to Benny’s extreme need of medical care, the cost to care for him is expected to be significant. Help us help Benny by donating.

or if you would rather, mail a check payable to Upper Midwest Great Dane Rescue to
Upper Midwest Great Dane Rescue
3296 70th St. E.
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076
Benny’s Progress:

December 29, 2008
Benny visited the vet today. He is running a fever and may have an infection in one lung. His knuckles on his front legs swollen and calcified. The vet prescribed an antibiotic, and some pain medication. He had some blood work done at the vet, that we expect to have back tomorrow. Overall, Benny was active, alert, curious, and a good boy at the vet.

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December 30, 2008
The first lab reports are back and generally look good. The veterinarian said most of his problem is due to starvation and the infection. He is stronger already and can walk out side, explore the yard, do his duty and come back inside under his own power. He does need help with the steps and getting moving.

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December 31, 2008
Benny stood up in his crate, came to the front and out, walked across
the room to the door and went out. ALL ON HIS OWN!!!! He is playing musical crates,
going from on to the other and sleeping in them for a while. His other blood work reports are in and are not good. He is suffering from an infection and we hope the continued antibiotic treatment will help him. He is very interested in the other dogs, is playing with his toys as he lays in his crate and is eating around two pounds of meat a day.

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January 1, 2009
Benny just left with his new foster mom. He was active today,
wandering around the house, going up and down steps, being very
friendly and like a new dog. He has grown since Sunday and his mind
is clear. He has had no pain medications for a couple of days and is
eating well. I can’t believe this is the same dog that was brought
to me Sunday. He is pain free, alert, walking around and showing an
interest in his surroundings. He didn’t give me what I had wished for
before he left though. I wanted to see him wag his tail. Maybe he
can’t, it might be frozen in position.
Here’s a photo of Benny on Day 4:

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January 2, 2009
Benny had a restful night. Woke up once to pee. He has taken water
twice this morning and I added some to his breakfast. He is
eager to eat and very alert. I’m not sure but I think I got a little
hug snuggle from him this morning. He wagged his little skinny tail
last night.

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January 3, 2009

He is having a rough day. Yesterday was great. He is taking liquids but not much food. I am leaving food with him and putting tiny bits in his liquids. He puked vile this morning so I am sure his little tummy is in about the same shape he is. He has been out 4 times to pee and he pooped twice. He comes to check on me every once in a while and goes back to bed. I gave him water and meat juice with the pill mixed in it. That was hours ago and so far so good.

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January 4, 2009
We almost lost Benny last night. His temp was 105.2, lung sounds, cough and lethargic.
His foster mom got her vet out of bed and advised to give aspirin, fluids
and pray.

This morning his temp is normal, he is drinking and looks better.
This doesn’t mean we couldn’t still lose him. His body is so weak and
he has to fight hard just to survive. Hopefully good food and the
antibiotics will see him through this. Benny is a fighter, he wants
to live.

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January 5, 2009
Benny is not doing well. His body is fighting so hard but he appears
to be having a flair up of the HOD and is in pain again. Her
veterinarians said they had never, in all their years of practice,
seen a case as bad as Benny. His foster mom is taking him home and will
continue to try to keep him hydrated and fed. She has pain medication
and will keep him pain free. If he doesn’t bounce back again in a
couple of days like he did the last time we will let him go. He
deserved a chance, his veterinarian thought he could make it and we
answered his plea to help. We can do no more, it is in the Spirits
hands now.

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January 6, 2009
From Benny’s foster home:
AM Update
I woke up to a Benny staring at me.
He has had his medications and 16 oz of water along with another baby bottle full of
goo. He is alert again and eager to eat and drink. He is only taking food
from the baby bottle.

PM Update
Benny the Great Dane is having an amazing day. He has played with me, He is eating,
like a great Dane puppy. He is up and moving from bed to bed and
following me and watching me. He is standing up to eat. And he is eating
a bunch!

Benny is a full fledged PUPPY. He crazy and goofy, driving me crazy.
This boy is 100% house trained. Sits, shakes, lays down. Pretty smart
little cookie.

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January 24, 2009


Benny is coming along well enough to go to his forever home in the near future. He will require medical care and possibly some surgery down the road. Only people who are truly committed should apply. He will need to be kept on the raw diet and supplements, which are what saved his life. Benny is a happy puppy who needs lots of love and patience. All applications will be considered but remember his future care may be expensive and he can not be insured. When you apply put Benny in the question “which dog are you interested in”.

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January 28, 2009
Here’s a recent photo of Benny. He’s doing great!

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February 8, 2009
Benny is still doing great. Look at him running in the photo below…

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February 25, 2009
Benny is doing great. The photos below say it all.

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March 09, 2009

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March 19, 2009

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March 26, 2009

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March 30, 2009 Benny has been adopted!
Here is a photo of his new sister welcoming him home…

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June 25, 2009
An update on Benny….
Benny is great. I am sorry it took so long to get everyone an update. He has gained a lot of weight here and there and the healthier he gets the more spunky he is. We love him to death, he is our softball mascot and comes with us everywhere. He likes to ride in the truck with the windows down and has made many friends at dog parks, banks, movie stores, pet stores and around the neighborhood. He is a very spunky guy and has a ton of personality. He is very feminine sometimes and loves to prance around the yard. We often joke about him being a model in a past life because he flicks his feet behind him like a show dog. He is great and we are glad to have provided him with a forever home. He makes for many comedic experiences and I will get many more pictures to show you all. Our favorite is when he waits in the truck with his head out the sun roof or his premature shaking. Once he was taught to shake, its all he wants to do now. you tell him to sit and he automatically puts his leg up to shake. He now weighs in at 110 lbs. and his legs are looking slowly better and better.”