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Fortunately, most of the Goldens admitted to YGRR do not have hip dysplasia. Many of the Goldens who do have problems are helped simply by a regimen of weight loss (where necessary) and Glycoflex. We have also admitted several Goldens who have severe hip dysplasia which warrants surgery. YGRR cannot afford total hip replacements except in the most extenuating circumstances. Fortunately, most Rescue Goldens can be helped with a surgery called Femoral Head Osteotomy (FHO). Because of membership generosity and support, the following Rescue Golden girls were given FHOs and regained comfort and mobility. Hannah, YGRR #2114 by her adopter, Diane
Hannah, YGRR #2114, was ten or twelve days out of her first Femoral Head Osteotomy (FHO). She was
recovering in the senior room when I spotted her resting in her crate, and
I simply fell in love. She has people eyes! I had no idea of the dog's
medical history or why she was at YGRR. (Hannah was given up at the age of
six months because of her bilateral hip dysplasia.) A wonderful volunteer
who was monitoring the senior room explained Hannah's condition to me and
invited me to meet her out back to get up close and personal! I did so at
the appropriate time and was heartbroken to see that this beautiful animal
could walk no more than 25 feet without shaking and stopping. The
volunteer was encouraging about Hannah's recovery, but made it clear that
she would require a second similar surgery very soon.
After expressing my interest to the YGRR Adoption Coordinator, I left Riverview
deeply concerned about Hannah's future and my ability to care for such a
young dog with such special needs.
In the next four days a flurry of phone calls were exchanged between YGRR,
Dr. Audrey of Fremont Animal Hospital and Dr. Paul Gambardella of Angell
Memorial Hospital (MSPCA/Boston). All of these culminated in a second trip
to Riverview that week, this time on Friday to adopt Hannah. Accompanied
by a dear friend, a two time Golden owner and 23 year
veteran of the MSPCA, we decided to take Hannah home.
After the ride back from Riverview, as I carried Hannah up the steps to my
home, I wondered if I could do what was best for this beautiful, very
dependent, sweet animal. Late that night as Hannah lay in her crate
resting, not sure if it was okay to sleep, she began to whimper and cry.
Realizing that she was probably far more frightened than I was, I opened
the door of her crate and perched in front of it. For hours, I sat by her,
gently stroking her beautiful face. By sunrise her whimpers subsided and
she was in a peaceful contented sleep so typical of Goldens. I knew that
morning that I had made the best decision of my life!
Incidentally, Hannah's recovery from her second FHO (performed in July) was
remarkably quick in comparison to the first surgery. Thanks to the skill
and kindness of Dr. Audrey and the wonderful staff at Fremont Animal
Hospital and incredible Yankee Golden network, this wonderful Golden is
happy and healthy. Hannah is sweet, loving, energetic, occasionally
mischievous, solid (85 lbs. worth), well behaved and incredibly spoiled!
Anya, YGRR #2444
I think you would be really pleased with her progress. I know I am. Up
until last Friday I had been walking Anya separately from Reuben (my Dobie)
and she made steady, noticeable progress. Last week in particular, not only
was I walking her as far as I do Reuben, but she was going up this very
long, very steep hill about as fast as he does. So I decided it was time
to take a chance and see how they would do together. What a success that
was. So now, every morning and every night we go over to the industrial
park and share our walk together. She has improved even more since I
started doing this.
Anya really adapted quite easily to her new home, but I have to say the
first week she must have really missed her YGRR family because those big
brown eyes looked so sad I thought tears were going to fall out of them.
She doesn't seem sad anymore. I think she is quite happy here. We (Reuben
and I) are certainly happy to have her. The cats don't think it is so
great though. She is so overly enthusiastic (at least I hope that's all it
is) that they take one look and then take off. I'm working on getting her
to react calmly to them and she is making progress, but I think it will be
a long time before they can mingle. It probably took 6-9 months with
Reuben. He was also overly enthusiastic.
I have to give some special praise to Reuben. He has been such a gentleman
about Anya. She has taken over the family room and he only gets to go in
there now when Anya is outside (just as he can only go out in the yard when
she is inside). The only thing he still has a hard time with is when I
walk her down our street without him. He howls at the top of his lungs as
we head around the corner. He is just a baby at heart.
Anya loves to be outside in her yard and will stay there for hours and
hours if I let her. Reuben can't be out there when she is, so I block the
stairs to the deck and let him go out on the deck. He's very OK with this.
I don't think I will be in any hurry to put them out there together. She
is doing so well that the risk of a setback just wouldn't be worth it.
They are both very young and will have plenty of time to play together.
Given that he has 30 pounds on her and is strong as an ox, he could hurt
her very easily without meaning to. I have some ideas up my sleeve as to
how I may be able to even things out a little. Maybe in about another
month I'll give it a try. I look forward to the day when you can see the fruits of your labor of love.
Ginger, YGRR #2480
In October 1998, our YGRR Intake Coordinator took a call about a very sweet
and well behaved female Golden who needed a new home because of a divorce
in her family. Ginger was described as the quintessential Golden. She had
a happy and even temperament, she was wonderful, trustworthy and never
grumpy with the children in her family. She asked for attention by gently
putting her head on her owner's lap. She loved going for car rides. She
knew how to sit, lie down, come and fetch. She was a perfectly wonderful
almost four year-old Golden who needed a new home through no fault of her
own.
Ginger's only shortcoming, if it can be called that, was that she had
severe hip dysplasia on her right side. She had been x-rayed to confirm
the diagnosis and she was on Rimadyl to control her pain. But she required
corrective surgery and her family could not afford it.
Ginger was admitted to YGRR in November 1998. Our veterinarian conducted a
complete examination and concluded that her left hip was perfect but her
right hip was in very bad condition. Ginger may have been hit by a car
which damaged the hip joint and her right leg. Her right leg was shorter
than the left and significantly deformed.
The only surgery that our
veterinarian and the orthopedic veterinarian we consulted recommended was a
complete hip replacement. If we tried a femoral head osteotomy and it did
not work, we could not subsequently try a complete hip replacement and
Ginger might have to endure a permanent limp and pain.
Ginger's case presented YGRR with a quandary. Complete hip replacement
surgery would cost thousands of dollars. How could we possibly justify
spending that amount of money on one dog when there are so many who need
us?
Amazingly, without our even asking, YGRR members came to the Rescue. Two
individual, unsolicited Christmas donations arrived the same day that we
received the orthopedic surgeon's report and projected cost of surgery.
The total amount of the donations was only five dollars less than the
estimated cost of the surgery.
We had our answer -- Ginger would have her surgery and no other Rescue
Goldens would be deprived as a result.
In January, Ginger went to North Deering Veterinary Hospital in Portland,
Maine where orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael Hoff performed her total hip
replacement. The surgery was quite complicated because Ginger's femur was
bowed and quite deformed. The surgeon even consulted with a specialist in
Colorado on the best approach to her surgery.
Because her surgery was so complex, it was best for Ginger to recuperate at
Riverview. However, a family was selected to adopt her and they came to
visit a few times. During one visit, Ginger's soon-to-be human "brother,"
age seven, told us "I will wait for Ginger for as long as I have to because
she is the best dog in the world."
For the first few weeks after surgery, Ginger could only go outside to
relieve herself. Later on she received extensive physical therapy from our
staff including flexing and extensive range of motion exercises to build up
her strength. Everyone celebrated the day that Ginger used her right leg
to scratch her ear! Two months after her surgery, Ginger went home with
her new family who had waited ever so patiently for her.
Giving a Rescue Golden this type of hip surgery was a first for YGRR.
Ginger's "pilot program" treatment and recuperation allowed YGRR to
evaluate whether it is possible to establish a special fund and program for
dogs in her very unique circumstances.
In Conclusion
The YGRR Special Needs Golden program is truly a team effort. Without
adopters like Fran and Diane who willingly gave their new Rescue girls the
time they needed to recuperate, we would not be able to place these special
dogs. And, without the extraordinary generosity and support of YGRR members and friends, we would not be able to afford the FHO surgeries or the total hip replacement that was Ginger's only hope. Thank you all.
If you would like to help Rescue Goldens like Hannah, Anya and Ginger, please
become a YGRR member or consider a donation. Thank you.
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Rescue and Adoption services for Golden Retrievers from the six New England states. Address: P.O. Box 808, Hudson, MA 01749-0808 Hotline: 978-568-9700 Adopt
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Having applied to YGRR in December of 1996, I had been approved as an
adopter and was waiting to be notified of an appropriate dog. As a
prospective adopter, I was anxious to see Yankee's new Riverview facility
and visited the new site with a friend on the day of the grand opening,
Sunday, April 27th.
I want to thank everyone who took part in caring for this wonderful little
dog. What a great, great job you did! I'm so happy to have her here with
me. Anya was given up at the age of ten months because she was timid and
had a submissive urination problem which her owners could not manage. On
examination, it was determined that she had bilateral hip dysplasia and she
required two femoral head osteotomies.
FHO (femoral head osteotomy) surgery is therapeutic for most of our Goldens. However, late last
year we were presented with a Golden for whom a FHO would not work. Here
is Ginger's story, made possible by the generosity of YGRR members.