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Gabby
Female 8.5 Years Old
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Maxine
Female 7 Years Old
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Waldo
Male 10.5 Years Old
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It takes a lot of time, energy, and money to run a rescue and we value every donation received.
It is our promise to you that your contribution will be put to good use, finding Good People for our Great Danes.
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As a recap, Gary came to RMGDRI at 9 weeks old with an Angular Limb Deformity. With the intense help from his veterinary team, including specialists, veterinarians, therapists and caregivers, Gary has made remarkable strides. With proper nutrition and therapeutic stretches and exercises, the Angular Limb Deformity that Gary was diagnosed with has improved! It's not perfect, but gives RMGDRI immense hope that corrective surgery may be avoided.
Gary is currently 9 months old and has a lot more growing to do. Stay tuned as we continue his nutritional and therapy interventions!!
Please refer to the radiographs for comparison. The top photos were taken in August 2020, the bottom photos were taken in February 2021. The yellow ovals bring attention to the Angular Limb Deformity. Take note the difference in severity between the top and bottom photos. The orange arrows on the right leg point out Gary's growth plates.
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Left Leg X-Ray (Above)
Right Leg X-Ray (Below)
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3-10-2021
It saddens me to report that Diego's 81-day stretch of no seizures has come to an end. This seizure was visibly mild compared to others and seemed to affect him a lot deeper. It took a full 24 hours for him to completely recover. He spent most of that time in a deep sleep on the couch. The medication Keppra has been added to his pill regimen for the next 48 hours.
3-14-2021
Diego experienced another seizure today. This one started in my presence. Diego had been snoozing away on the couch when he had woken up and acted like he was readjusting his position when he fell into an episode. So thankful I was there to assist, otherwise he would have fallen off the couch. Again, the seizure was visibly mild, shaking was mainly contained to the neck, head, and mouth. The rest of his body stiffened but there were no paddling movements and he maintained both bladder & bowel control. Keppra has been added to his pill regimen for the next 48 hours.
3-18-2021
Diego experienced another seizure today, very similar to the last. He had been sleeping on the couch, this time he started seizing before he even woke up. Keppra has been started and a call to his Neurology specialist has been placed.
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3-27-2021
Diego experienced 2 seizures today 6 hours apart. The first seizure was pretty bad and required furniture to be moved to prevent Diego from harming himself during the seizure. On a scale of 10 (with 1 being mild and 10 being severe), I would rate this seizure an 8. Definitely, not the worst that we've seen, but pretty close. The second seizure was very brief, contained to the neck, head, and mouth. There was little to no recovery on this one.
I followed up with the neurology specialist by phone as well as sent an email outlining the seizures that have happened. It absolutely rots that he's had a total of 5 seizures in the month of March despite doing so well the previous months before. After chatting with the specialist about his seizure activity, a few changes have been made to the seizure protocol. Instead of receiving 1000 mg of Keppra three times a day for 48 hours after a seizure, he will now receive 2000 mg of Keppra three times a day for a week (in addition to his other daily meds).
4-1-2021
Today marks day 5 of no seizures for Diego.
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April showers bring wet dog smell but that's not why we're sharing this great article from the AKC.
Learn more about the medical reasons your dog may be considered odoriferous and what you can do to keep from turning noses.
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For many, spending more time at home meant tons more time with dogs. Did you notice anything? You’re not alone.
Many of us accepted a certain level of dog odors until we were together 24/7 for weeks on end.
“I don’t think you should know that your dog is next to you just by your nose,” says Jackie Campbell, DVM, DACVD, from Animal Allergy & Dermatology of Colorado.
Ashley Bourgeois, DVM, DACVD, from Animal Dermatology Clinic Portland, adds that dogs pick up scents from their environment. Dogs with yards often smell like grass. Dogs from rural homes sometimes smell like hay. “With smaller dogs, their owners hold on to them a lot,” Bourgeois says. “Sometimes they smell like their detergents or perfumes.”
According to Campbell, many of us harbor misconceptions about giving dogs too many baths. She says monthly is a good idea for most dogs, but she sees canine patients who receive weekly baths or even daily showers. Today’s dog shampoos with lipids and ceramides help protect the skin from drying out.
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Medical Reasons Dogs May Stink
Secondary yeast or bacterial infections on the skin or inside the ears remain the most common medical reasons dogs might smell awful. Allergies often begin the process, which leads to scratching and licking that open the door for infections.
“Secondary skin infections are usually things that we normally live with happily,” Campbell says, “but something went wrong that caused overgrowth.”
Malassezia yeast and staphylococcus pseudintermedius bacteria can overgrow on dogs, causing skin issues and odors.
Look for:
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Signs of discomfort: When Campbell asks if dogs feel itchy, people initially say no then describe itchy behaviors, including head shaking, licking, or rubbing the body or head against furniture, people, or walls.
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Changes in skin and coat: Campbell suggests looking for skin color changes ranging from red to black from chronic inflammation and for hair loss or spots of shorter coat from dogs nibbling.
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Progression: Bourgeois recommends watching for the smell getting worse (or not) since an increase in odor intensity is meaningful.
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Smell plus: Bourgeois says, “If you notice the smell, and all of a sudden you notice that there is a little bit of crusting and red on them, or their ears are bright red, then that’s going to be abnormal.”
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What Not to Do
Don’t waste time: Searching online or trying to fix things yourself can delay improvement. “Too often,” Campbell says, “I hear from owners, ‘Oh, my gosh! I wish I would have found you sooner. I’ve been dealing with this for two years, and in 30 days, I have a new dog.’”
Don’t use home remedies such as:
- Borax
- Hydrogen peroxide (especially inside dogs’ ears)
- Vinegar
- Bleach
- Coal tar
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“Coal tar is a really old product, and it’s sometimes thought of as being more natural,” Campbell says, “but as we became more advanced, we realized that coal tar can act as a carcinogen, and it’s also so stinky.”
Bourgeois explains that veterinarians sometimes do use diluted solutions of vinegar topically to treat yeast infections. She says, “You have to be careful with the concentrations you’re using because they can be really irritating and damaging to the skin.”
Don’t go wild with spray-on fragrances. Bourgeois says that covering up dog odors with body sprays or perfumes can cause more skin irritation.
Don’t make assumptions about costs. In many cases, veterinary prescription products are more cost-effective and clinically effective because they feature higher concentrations of key ingredients such as:
- Chlorhexidine (an antiseptic)
- Miconazole (anti-fungal,
- anti-yeast)
- Phytosphingosine (skin protective lipids)
- Pramoxine (a soothing topical anesthetic)
- Getting Veterinary Help
With so many people home during pandemic restrictions, Bourgeois says, “It’s kind of an eye-opener for a lot of our clients to really see what a whole day for a pet with an infection or allergies looks like, and so we are getting more people seeking care because they’re noticing how big of an issue it is.”
Bourgeois adds, “If it starts getting worse and worse, reach out again because we do see things like infections where all of a sudden there are new lesions or your pet is even more uncomfortable. The severity may have increased enough that we feel like its valuable to come in.”
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