GoldenGram - November 2020
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Greetings Golden Lover!
Welcome to our Holiday edition of GoldenGram! As stated in our October e-newsletter, we want to reach out to our Golden community more regularly than our print newsletter allows, as well as to those of you who choose to receive our updates only by email. We’ll be sending GoldenGrams about six times a year. If you don’t receive our print newsletter, which has many more great stories of Goldens rescued through NGRR, you can view all our prior print newsletters, including the Fall 2020 edition shown here online. If you have a rescue story to share, please see Comet’s note at the bottom of this e-newsletter on how you can send it to us, and hopefully you will see it in a future newsletter. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy the stories below.
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Update on Adoption Applications |
Like many other Golden rescues across the country, NGRR made the decision to close adoption applications in May of this year. This was because we already had hundreds of applications and wanted to make our way through those before accepting applications from new families. We know so many families are eager to adopt a Golden, especially during the pandemic. More folks are working from home and fewer dogs have been surrendered to NGRR this year, and those that do come in often have complex medical or behavioral issues. Because we have almost 150 approved families and another 175 that submitted an application that is currently being reviewed, NGRR has decided to keep new adoption applications closed and provide an update on January 30, 2021 regarding future plans. In the meantime, we will be actively working to identify Goldens in Northern California that need to be re-homed so that we can quickly place them with an adopting family.
If you’re thinking of getting a puppy since there are so few dogs to rescue, please see the article in our October GoldenGram about things you should consider.
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We continue to accept Goldens and Golden mixes as surrenders. If you know of any families having to make the difficult decision to rehome their Golden, please tell them about NGRR and let them know of our continued commitment to placing surrendered Goldens in loving homes. |
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Heartworm-positive Halo Becomes Much-Loved Leo |
We got a call from a family when they found out that their 4-year-old Golden boy Halo was heartworm positive. They had recently adopted Halo when they lived on the East coast, and while originally heartworm negative, he became heartworm positive within a few months. The costs for diagnostic tests to find out how severe the heartworms were, and then for treatment, were too much for his family. With much sadness, they surrendered him to NGRR.
The first afternoon he was with us, he went to the vet for bloodwork and chest x-rays and began the heartworm treatment regimen. After a night with a foster mom, Halo went to a foster-to-adopt family that was very excited to welcome their first Golden. We were surprised that Halo wasn’t neutered yet, so that was done while awaiting further heartworm treatment. From the very beginning, he showed his new family that he was a terrific sport and a great patient, bumping around in his cone. You wouldn’t have known Halo was sick because he loved to run and play like a typical Golden his age. But that wasn’t safe for him, as he had a “moderate” case of heartworms and needed to have his activities somewhat restricted. After 30 days of antibiotics, Halo had to wait 30 more days for his first treatment injection. He did great, but now his activity had to be even more restricted with only short, on-leash walks. This was challenging for him, and for his family. Their 5-minute jaunts to the red fire hydrant and back got old fast. No problem – Halo took this in stride, tolerating his low-key life and extra hunger due to his prescribed steroids. His family discovered that he loves stuffed toys (especially balls) and being read to by his human sister! After 30 more days, Halo had a set of two treatment injections and an overnight vet stay. More restricted activity. At 4 months, a blood test was done to see if all the heartworms had died and at 9 months, a final blood test. When the test showed negative results, we were able to stop holding our breath. What a process! What a relief!
Halo was treated successfully and must be on heartworm preventive medication every month for the rest of his life. After his long treatment journey, his family started taking him for typical Golden outings – hikes, to the beach, and camping. Turns out he loves all these new things too! With a newfound joy for life with his adoptive family, it was time for Halo to get a new name. To help with name recall, they picked a name that sounded similar to Halo but also referenced the birthday month of everyone in the family. He now goes by Leo and his photos frequently appear on the NGRR Facebook and Instagram feeds because he’s a truly photogenic boy. Leo is as sweet on the inside as he is beautiful on the outside. Leo’s family is so grateful to have him in their life, and he’s clearly very happy to be with them too! He is always up for a cuddle or a game, and he reminds us that connection is what’s most important.
A tip from Leo: Now that you’ve heard my story, please be sure to have your dog on a heartworm preventive so they won’t ever have to go through the painful and potentially debilitating process of heartworm treatment.
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Doing Some Holiday Shopping? Check Out the NGRR Online Store! |
With the Holidays quickly approaching, please check out our online store to share meaningful and useful gifts with your family and friends, near or far. This year, more than ever, we are all searching for a way to bring our loved ones closer together, even if we can't physically be with one another. Shopping for gifts with a non-profit organization is a great way to create that feeling of closeness and spread joy. Knowing that each purchase will help a Golden Retriever in need find their forever home is sure to put a smile on everyone’s face this Holiday season!
You can check out the 2021 NGRR calendars featuring our rescue pups, as well as NGRR water bottles, tote bags, bumper stickers, picture frames, bandanas, and notepads. Whether you are looking for a large gift or a small one, we hope you’ll find something you like at our store!
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Canine Holiday Hazards and Safety Reminders |
While the holidays can be the most festive season for humans, they can also be the most hazardous time of year for our four-pawed family members. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to help make sure your dog enjoys a healthy, happy holiday season. Many things change in your home during the holidays. Packages and visitors come through the door, decorations adorn the house, big meals are made with special foods, and wrapped gifts may surround a new tree in the main part of your home. As much fun as this can be, it can also pose some stress and risks to our dogs. Here are some important holiday safety tips and reminders that can help keep you and your pets happy and healthy during this season.
Christmas Trees, Decorations and Presents
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Glittery tinsel and ribbon can be a magnet for your four-pawed companion. Ingestion of these items can wrap around the base of the tongue and may cause an intestinal blockage requiring surgery to save your pet’s life. Also, be sure and secure your tree with a sturdy stand and do not put edible items on the tree for decorations. Evergreen needles, if ingested, can get stuck in your pet’s intestines and require surgery for removal. Make sure dogs do not drink the water at the base of the tree, if you have a live Christmas tree. Christmas tree water, with or without additives, can cause serious stomach upset.
Holiday Guests and Children
- Keep your dog away from open doors to foil any escape attempts.
- Make sure your dog has a microchip.
- To avoid stress, leave your dog in a quiet room and place their crate in a quiet location. Introduce guests including children to your dog, making sure everyone who interacts with your dog knows good dog introduction etiquette and the rules of the house.
Electrical Cords
- Use electrical cord covers and cord organizers to prevent your dog from chewing electrical cords. If your furry companion gnaws on a wire, it could cause serious injuries such as electrical shock or oral burns.
Candles and Essential Oils
- Never leave candles unattended or on a table in reach of your dog. Also beware of essential oils that may smell enticing but can be poisonous to pets.
Holiday Plants are a great way to brighten up a home, but can present real dangers, as many are toxic to pets.
- Even non-toxic plants can still cause severe gastrointestinal upset if ingested in large quantity.
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Holiday plants that can be harmful to pets include Amaryllis, Poinsettias, Azaleas, Chrysanthemums, Evergreens, Holly, Juniper, Lilies, and Mistletoe.
Toxic Food and Alcohol
- If your celebration includes adult holiday beverages, be sure to place your unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot get to them. If ingested, your pet could become weak or ill and may even go into a coma, possibly resulting in death from respiratory failure.
- Fatty, spicy human foods, as well as bones, should not be fed to dogs. Also, skip the sweets. By now everyone knows not to feed chocolate, or anything sweetened with xylitol, but we all know the lengths some of our furry friends will go to chomp on something yummy. Best advice is keeping your dog on their regular diet. Pets can join the festivities in other fun ways that won’t lead to medical complications and costly veterinarian bills.
Antifreeze and Sidewalk Salt
- Anti-freeze and rock salt are some of the cold weather chemicals that cause problems for pets. Be especially careful if using anti-freeze with the chemical ethylene glycol because it can be deadly to animals. Rock salt can cause a chain reaction of dangers. If a pet walks on it, it can irritate paw pads, causing pets to lick or swallow the rock salt, which can result in agitation and vomiting. Look for ice melts with a propylene glycol base that is a relatively pet-safe way to melt ice.
Other Holiday Tips – Here are some additional doggie tips for the holidays:
- If you plan to travel this holiday season, be sure to find a responsible pet sitter. Interview and introduce the potential sitter to your dog before deciding. Leave detailed instructions including emergency contact information and all essential feeding, routine, and health care needs.
- Make sure all pets in the house have been microchipped.
- Most importantly, do not forget to get your canine companion a gift! Stick with chew toys that are basically indestructible. Kongs that can be stuffed with healthy foods such as yogurt or chew treats that are designed to be safely digestible are excellent choices.
Resources
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Connect with NGRR on Social Media |
There's apparently a lot to catch up on! We’d love to connect with you on social media! Check us out on Facebook and Instagram (links below). |
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He’s gearing up for a busy December, but in the meantime, Comet is ready to receive any suggestions you might have for future GoldenGram issues. Please do send us pictures and stories of NGRR dogs you've adopted! We look forward to hearing from you.
Look for our next GoldenGram the third week of January. In the meantime, we’re sending our best wishes for continued health, and for a safe and happy holiday season!
Your friends at NGRR
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Comet wants to hear
from you!
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Phone: (650) 665-0964
Address: 405 El Camino Real, Suite 420
Menlo Park, CA 94025-5240
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