[romeosmom]

This was posted on craigs list RI- They want to put her down, so I figured I could post it here.

Angel and Max are 2 shephards that came to the Scituate Shelter when their owner could no longer care for them. A volunteer group paid to have Angel taken to the vet because something was obviously wrong with her legs. And 2 vets have diagnosed her with Degenerative Myelopathy. Everyone at the shelter is devastated by this diagnosis. You can google it and read all about it.
It doesn't cause any pain but it is progressive and will get to the point where Angel will become incontinent and/or paralyzed. BUT she is not there yet.
She runs around the yard we have at the shelter with her buddy Max and they love playing ball together. Angel is the SWEETEST MOST AFFECTIONATE dog you will ever meet. I know the odds are 1 in a million that anyone will adopt this dog and give her the love she deserves with her remaining time, but I had to just put it our here in case there was a chance. But right now the plan is to euthanize her on a good day after we let her play outside with her buddy Max all day, the volunteers will love her up as much as they can, so she can die happy and not have to live in the pound kennel for her remaining time.
The vet said there are treatments that may slow down the progression of the disease and I may be able to get some funding for that if someone out there can take her. Angel is only between 5 and 8 years old. She may have several months or up to a year left, one of the vets told us. That may not seem like a lot but you have to think of it in dog years. 1 year to a dog is 7 years to a human.
We won't just give her to any home. It has to be someone who has the time to play with her and love her. You can email me or contact the shelter. We are open Saturday 10-3, if anyone would like come visit Angel.
Here is the petfinder link. I wrote this before we found out she had this disease. We will adopt her out without Max if need be. She does love her one one time with humans and will probably be OK without Max.

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=10409125

Angel & Max
Scituate Animal Shelter
Clayville, RI
401-647-7200
[email protected]

Can anybody help these 2 sad shepherds?

 

[romeosmom]

Look at those sad eyes...

 

[chjhu]

I rescued a senior (probably 10+yo) female from GA, some of you know her, Jesse. She had advanced DM when she came to me and lived with me 2.5 years. It sounds like this girl is in much better shape than Jesse and she can have some good years left, especially with a cart. It is impossible to predict the speed at which DM progresses. It is faster in some dogs but slower in others. I think there is no need to rush having her PTS. There are people out there who will adopt special needs dogs.

 

[CampPappy]

My Gretchen just turned 11 and has had DM for probably 3+ years. The 'treatment' is not that expensive. She gets good quality food and LOTS of supplements...Cytl M....Glu-Chond....SyoviG.....Vital Link Supplement. I firmly believe the supplements have slowed the progression. There's no pain associated with the disease. Gretchen is still walking, though not well and has no strength in her hind quarters. She is leaking urine, but there is medication to help with that and she's doing well. So....adopting a dog with DM is not such a bad thing. Gretchen has a ramp to do the steps into the house and is still enjoying life.

 

[Spiritsmam]

I've not had a DM dog myself, but working as vet tech, having owned a GSD/lab mix with LS disease whose hindlimbs gradually deteriorated until she was in a cart, I would think that Angel has some significant quality time left.

I'm in the middle of the canine rehabilitation course run thru the University of Tennessee. One day we had a discussion about rehab for DM dogs - I wonder if Angel would benefit?

I'm going to e-mail the shelter about her ... it's a long shot and a long drive, but she'd be welcome to retire with me ....

Joanne, Spirit and Eli

 

[jsmurray31]

Originally Posted By: SpiritsmamI've not had a DM dog myself, but working as vet tech, having owned a GSD/lab mix with LS disease whose hindlimbs gradually deteriorated until she was in a cart, I would think that Angel has some significant quality time left.

I'm in the middle of the canine rehabilitation course run thru the University of Tennessee. One day we had a discussion about rehab for DM dogs - I wonder if Angel would benefit?

I'm going to e-mail the shelter about her ... it's a long shot and a long drive, but she'd be welcome to retire with me ....

Joanne, Spirit and Eli

You are such an angel - I hope it works out.

 

[Spiritsmam]

Here's the strange thing. I've offered to help 3 "urgent" dogs in the past month or so ... Within a day or so all have found forever homes local to them. I hope that someone local to Angel and Max will take them both, just wanted the shelter to know that there are people who will adopt special needs pups.

Joanne

 

[CindyM]

Joanne, you are an angel and it sounds like you are good luck for the urgent dogs too!

 

[daniella5574]

Joanne that would be wonderful!! I am praying this girl can come live with you!!

 

[jsmurray31]

Joanne,

Have you heard anything? If she hasn't found her forever home, I hope and pray she comes to you.

Jodi

 

[Spiritsmam]

Nope, not heard anything yet, but the e-mail address was a generic shelter address so I wouldn't expect to hear anything until the start of the work week.
Joanne

 

[romeosmom]

Joanne,
Hoping you hear from them! Thanks!

 

[MatsiRed]

Originally Posted By: SpiritsmamNope, not heard anything yet, but the e-mail address was a generic shelter address so I wouldn't expect to hear anything until the start of the work week.
Joanne

Hi Joanne,

GSRNE has been in contact with the shelter about both dogs. Not sure where that's going yet. I'm heading down there on Friday to do a photoshoot of both dogs for a photo story on our website.

I saw this post this morning and when I spoke to the ACO, I asked her if she'd seen your email yet. She said she got "a beautiful email from someone in North Carolina, a vet tech." I told her about this forum and that you're a long timer here and there are rescues in your area that could do homechecks, etc. She said she plans to keep an open mind about it for sure, but I think wants to see what she can accomplish closer to home first.

Here is the rest about the dogs, which she gave me permission to post:

"We don't have any background information on the dogs. The man who owned them lived alone and has emotional or mental issues. He had no family or friends nearby and was taken from his rental home by rescue. This wasn't in my town, it was in the next town over (they use our shelterf). I went with the Foster ACO and a police officer to take the dogs out of the locked house(when the rescue takes someone they have to lock the door behind them and we couldn't find anyone with a key) One window was unlocked. The dogs did not even bark or growl. The police officer climbed through the window and brought them out the front door. They love everyone that walks through the shelter. I took each of them to the vet separately and they behaved perfectly, even when having blood drawn. They both have Lyme and Erhlichia (not sure how to spell that one lol). They will start Doxycyline tomorrow. Angel is in no noticable discomfort and does not appear to be incontinent. The vet said that she probably would not have use of her hind quarters in another year. She did say that if Angel was an "owned" dog that there are some medications available to keep her comfortable and possibly slow down the DM. If there is anything you can do, I would be forever in your debt. They do not have to go together. Angel was fine on her vet trips without Max and was actually quite a kissy face with everyone at the vet. He couldn't care less if she's around, he just wants a human ball throwing machine. I joined several of the shelter volunteers and a dog trainer yesterday for our very first group class. The trainer works toward getting the dogs to earn their AKC good citizen certificate. I handled Max and he did very well. Of course, being the only shepherd in the class that kind of goes without saying. lol....At first the vet thought (Angel) about 5 or 6 yrs but then, I guess, taking the condition into consideration she decided on 8. She guessed Max as between 3 and 5. He's not muscled up really well in the hind quarters either so I'm guessing that they didn't get much exercise."

This ACO has two shepherds of her own and loves them. The vet was ready to put Angel down and she asked for more time as she feels she has lots of life left. I believe the diagnosis was made based on physical exam only, and by two different vets. BTW, Angel is NOT incontinent, and she doesn't feel that both dogs need to stay together since she's had them apart and both did well without each other.

For anyone interested in reading about DM:

http://www.mzjf.com/test.html testing

http://www.mzjf.com/signs.html warning signs

http://www.mzjf.info/Forums/index.php support group/educational (which I'm a member)

 

[Spiritsmam]

Great to hear that rescue has been in touch and that the ACO got Angel more time. I hope that Angel and Max find their forever homes soon, there will be a bed for her here should she need it.

 

[CindyM]

Any news?

 

[MaineLady]

GSRNE is evaluating both these dogs tomorrow. We'll know more mid-week and will be sure to update you all then! I'm not convinced that Angel has DM...she is an over angulated American line GSD and I think a lot of vets have just never seen it before.

 

[MaineLady]

Re: Urgent Help needed for senior female Scituate

GSRNE is taking in both the dogs in this shelter
They seem very nice and none of the tests we do during the evaluation showed that Angel has DM.

You can mark this one saved.

 

[MatsiRed]

Re: Urgent Help needed for senior female Scituate

If mods want to move her to the Where are they now section, my camera will be following her as she makes her way through GSRNE now, from shelter to foster to adopter.

In the meantime, here are her shelter images. She's a soft-eared beauty (and he's to die for)!


Meet Angel.

And her companion, Max.

 

[4dognight]

Re: Urgent Help needed for senior female Scituate

WOW! Maybe no exercise and the lyme disease is affecting her legs. Wonderful pictures. I am glad they have found a soft place to land .

 

[BowWowMeow]

SAFE: Help needed for senior female Scituate

MODS: Please move to Rescue Stories

These two look and sound wonderful. It looks like they both have muscle atrophy in the back. Hopefully with good joint supplements and regular walks they will both strengthen up well.