Nileydog's Blog

Exercising with your Dog

2012-01-11T06:09:00.000-08:00

My good friend always sends me everything she sees about dogs which is great because then I can share with everyone on here. She send me this article yesterday about exercising with your dogs. I am sure I am not the only person who made a New Years Resolution to start working out more so this couldn't have come at a better time. The article is from the Huffinton Post and here is the link 5 Ways to Exercise with your Dog.

They have some great ideas but I think my favorite one would have to be skijor. I have never heard of this until now, but it looks like it would be SO much fun. If only we would get some snow over here in Ohio. Skijor is an amalgam of cross-country skiing and mushing, in which a person cross-country skis with a dog harnessed to him. The team effort -- the dog pulls forward while the person uses skis and polls to keep momentum going -- results in great distance and speed.

Foreclosed Dogs

2012-01-11T06:01:00.000-08:00

A friend in Texas recently bought a house and when she went there she saw two dogs tied up in the back yard. They are both safe and getting medical attention and will eventually be adopted into amazing homes. It always amazes me how people can just stop caring about their pets when they need to move. I will never understand that. Bruce was neutered on Monday, they were both covered in fleas and they are being treated for some very pesky worms.

Mr. Lab Before

Mr. Lab After in his new home

Bruce before

Bruce on his way to the vet

Maximus

2012-01-11T05:55:00.000-08:00

Maximus is a very lucky little man. He was found on the side of the road along with his sibling, who unfortunately did not make it. The woman who found Maximus called our friend Laurie in Texas who immediately went to his rescue. He is a tiny little puppy who is full of energy and loves to play. He is growing everyday and is looking for his forever home. We do not think he will have a very hard time finding it though.

Dexter - Always Willing to Lend a Helping Hand

2011-12-13T07:09:00.000-08:00

While we were decorating the Christmas tree Dexter decided to get all tangled up in the lights. For some reason he thought this was a new kind or toy that I got for him. He would just roll around in them and bark at the strands. Unfortunately I had to take them away from him because they are electric and I do not want a bar-b-queued dog this year. He had fun while it lasted though.

Christmas Tree Outing

2011-12-13T06:36:00.000-08:00

Every year I go with my parents to cut down their Christmas Tree. Some people don't like cutting down trees for Christmas but my sister made a good point the other day. These trees are essentially a crop that farmers grow for this purpose. Its not like going into the woods and cutting down a random tree... anyways I always love doing this and its not the same unless we bring whatever monsters are living with us at the time. This year we had pretty good weather, usually it is raining or snowing and by the end of the trip we are all usually pretty grumpy and dirty. This year it was sunny and cold, I can handle that mix just fine.

We all bundled up and bundled the dogs up, Dexter ate his sweater on the way to the farm so he was a bit cold. Within 15 mins he had to be wrapped up in my coat, silly dog. Winston of course embraces his sweaters, the boots he is not too fond of so we left those off this year.

After going back and forth and trying to decide on a tree we ended up going with one of the first ones we saw. It always seems to happen like that I guess its best to always go with your first instinct, even when xmas tree hunting.

We (Dad) carried the tree all the way back to the car and it was so big it didn't fit! Luckily we live close by so I ran home and got my car so we could throw it up on the roof racks. Volvo to the rescue again :)

Decorating the Xmas tree is always fun to watch, I usually don't help out much. There is a very precise way the tree needs to be decorated. Ornaments that the dogs might eat need to be up higher, they love anything that has fluff or that is soft.

As long as we can keep the dogs from peeing on or eating the tree it will be a successful Christmas. Wish us luck.

My Oh My - Benji and Sammie Both Adopted

2011-12-13T05:58:00.000-08:00

Our boys sure lucked out last weekend. They have been with us since our Greenville, SC trip in June. Their foster mom has been working so hard on trying to find them the perfect home and she did just that. They have been adopted together and will always be able to be best friends. They were adopted by an amazing family in Houston where they have acres to run on and behave like puppies they are.

RIP Chance

2011-12-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

Chance came to us from Greenville, SC back in June. When we first saw him, his name was Nappy and he was in very bad shape. We immediately knew we wanted to help him and try to give him a good life. Laurie, in Texas, drove 16 hours to go pick him up and take him to his new foster home in Houston, Texas.

Chance was seen by multiple veterinarians and specialists who all worked very hard to help him get healthy. He had very good days when we thought he was going to pull through, his skin started to clear up and he felt better. Those days were very few and far between. Chance's quality of life was not a good one at all. He rarely wanted to come out of his crate and when he would he would run right back in.

While he was with us he was a very spoiled little man. He dined on filet mignon and would get some sun lounging by his pool. He was surrounded by people who loved him and catered to his every need. We did not get to spend much time with Chance, but while he was with us he knew what it was like to be loved and cared for. His favorite person was with him when he passed to comfort him and we hope he is now in a much better place. We miss you Chance and will always remember you how you were on your best days.

Yummy Munchies

2011-10-28T17:30:00.001-07:00

I have had lots of time on my hand while I have been living in Florida during the rainy season. I have recently been updating my dogs list of favorite foods and treats and have added some amazing new delish things to that list. My dogs aren't fans of wheat or any yucky stuff like that so that stuff stays far away from my kitchen. Lots of organic quinoa and organic meats are what they like best. If its not good enough for me to eat they wont touch it. If anyone would like to try some freebies let me know... I have more then enough to go around. As always they are human tested and dog approved. Munch on doggies, munch on!

Carbon Pawprints...

2011-10-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

I was reading an article on one of my favorite websites, http://dognewsdaily.com/, and they opened my eyes to some neat things. So I am not one of those hard-core environmentalists, they mentioned, but I would like to think I do my part to make the word a better and healthier place for me and my pets. Some people will say that being a pet owner is hard on the environment, obviously we arent going to give up our furbabies but maybe we can make them a little more eco friendly. Here are a few tips I found.

- Feeding them organic foods and locally made and packaged food helps dramatically. Support companies that use recycled packaging or packaging that is environmentally friendly.

- Everyone poops! Make sure to scoop the poop using environmentally friendly packaging and compost the poop. Sounds kinda gross but you should try it. Magical things happen in that compost pile.

- Use no toxic shampoos and other doggie products on your pooches. All this stuff runs into our rivers so we should think about what is in the products.

- Dogs like to take their owners on walks. Try walking instead of driving everywhere, especially ifs its only a few miles away.

Lilly Needs Your Help

2011-10-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

Lilly is heartworm positive. We are so low on funds we are having a hard time paying for her treatment. We are not going to give up on her and she could use all the help she can get. If you would like to donate to her treatment she would be very appreciative. You can click here to do so. Just remember we are 501(c)(3) so your donation could be tax deductible, it's really a win win situation.

Are you ready for a lifetime of love? If so, you’ve found the right Gal! My name is Lilly, but my foster mom calls me Lill-a-Belle. I’ve had a pretty full life for such a young girl…but let’s save that for later because I’d rather talk about ME ME ME ME!

I am an AWESOME dog!
I am a pure bred All American Shelter Dog!

I get along well with the other four dogs in the house and am doing great with the cats. I don’t know they are itty bitty, so I may need supervision at first!

I am a calm, gentle natured young girl (just about two) and I am happy just to lie at your feet while you cook or rest my head in your lap while you are reading a book. I’m not a complete sack of lazy….I love to play outside. I’m not much on playing fetch, I mean, after all, if you wanted it, why did you throw it? But I love to play “JUMP”. Just hold a toy high in the air and I will jump all the way up there and get it. I like playing “TUG” too!

I am everything you would expect from a lil Southern (Lill-a-)Belle like myself:
I am potty trained and crate trained
I don’t chew or dig or destroy anything
I smell heavenly (baths are ok with me though)
I walk well on a leash and know sit and shake.
I take a tooth brushing well and you can clean my ears without a fuss
I have finally mastered eating off a spoon! Oh the delightful treats I get
from a spoon!
I do not climb fences and I have been taught to sit at a gate or
door until invited (though sometimes I get a little bit excited
and forget what I have learned).
Nail trimming? No trouble there either
I don’t pay much attention to chickens, but squirrels are another story!

My foster mom feeds me the best of treats, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots….all fresh from the garden and I love them. It helps me keep this girlish figure of mine…um, what? Oh, okay Mom. Hey, Mom says she’d like to say a few things, so I’ll hand over the keyboard to her. Hope to see you soon!
Lill-a-Belle is a super good dog. She’s calm natured and great in the house. She is big and clumsy walking on a leash, but she is very polite and has great house manners. She never barks and never begs for food. I can’t imagine the folks that dumped her at MCAC in Georgia! They obviously trained her (and bred her) but then dumped her. Through the miracle of Facebook and crossposting, an adopter was found on her “last day” but sadly, she backed out. The woman whom had arranged all the transport for Lilly decided to rescue her for herself (except she was in Texas and Lilly was in Georgia and she had to be saved NOW)….so, one flight later, she was here in South Carolina, thanks to another miracle, Pilots N Paws (www.pilotsnpaws.com).

So, there’s nothing flashy about Lilly, but she proves to be ALL dog. Deeply intone to the humans around her and a true Queen. She brings a bunch of truth to the very wise saying “Honey, love ain’t always fireworks and big bangs, sometimes it just slips thru the back door and you never saw a thing til it was sitting at your kitchen table”. She is perfect for person or family seeking to add a companion that will blend in quickly and behave well.

Gace Sure Lucked Out

2011-10-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

When we pulled Grace we realized she was heartworm positive. Unfortunately this has been happening a lot with the dogs we are pulling. It doesn't deter us but it makes things very difficult, especially trying to pay back medical bills. Grace's foster grandma fell in love with her on first sight. She has decided to adopt her and we could not be happier. Grace even gets manicures and pedicures now, talk about coming a long way from her shelter days.

Delilah Has A Furever Home

2011-10-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

Delilah was rescued in South Carolina and she has now found herself an amazing home near by. Thanks to her foster home we were able to pull her from a high kill shelter. It is because of our foster homes that we are able to do what we do. Thanks everyone involved in saving Delilah, especially her amazing foster home.

The Goegeous Bella Is Now A California Girl

2011-10-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

We don't usually do out of state adoptions but we made an exception this time. Bella's new mom stumbled upon her at an adoption event. After spending the week with her she knew it was meant to be. Bella is now in her forever home being spoiled rotten like she deserves.

Mr Benji Broke His Leg

2011-10-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

Benji was so excited to see his foster mom one morning he jumped and broke his little leg. He unfortunately had to endure surgery but he is healing wonderfully. He went to an adoption even today and the vet said he will be able to have his cast taken off in a week or so. Once we know he is ok he will be available for adoption. Benji is located in Houston, TX.

It is Finally Fall!

2011-09-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

Ah the leaves will start to change soon, the nights will have that crisp autumn breeze. Fall is my favorite season, and how could anyone argue. Unfortunately I am living in Florida for a few months so I will not get to enjoy all that the festive season as to offer. Taking the dogs hiking when the leaves are falling is usually a weekly activity around my house. This year we will have to settle for beach runs and swimming in the ocean ( I guess I should not be complaining). What are some of your favorite Fall activities? I hope everyone will get out an enjoy the weather for me while I am, stuck, in sunny Florida.

Well Hello Again!

2011-09-26T16:22:00.000-07:00

Hi friends!

Things have been nuts in the doggy world the past few months and I have been very neglectful of all of my blog friends. Well I am back and things are better than ever. Nileydog has been so busy and so many great things have been going on, I can't wait to get everyone up to speed. We have some amazing dogs that are up for adoption, including some amazing puppies. One who I have been fostering and it is going to be very hard giving her up. We have some amazing dogs in Texas who are looking for forever homes and even some in South Carolina. That is right folks, we have gone nationwide! Thanks to everyone's support we have been able to help dogs all over the country. Please stay tuned in the next few weeks for some even more exciting events to take place.

Astor Has Been Adopted

2011-04-17T18:26:00.000-07:00

Astor has found the perfect home and they will be picking her up this Friday. She now has a new human brother who is 9 years old and she loves to follow him wherever he goes. Astor spent the day with them today and it was love at first sight for everyone. We are very happy that Astor has found her happy ending. Good luck Astor!

Sadie is looking for her forever home

2011-04-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

Sadie is a wonderful and VERY sweet dog. She is just about a year old. She is full grown and weighs 14 lbs. She has been spayed, UTD on shots and is micro-chipped. She will need a home that has a fenced in yard because she likes to run and chase squirrels and other small rodents. (That is the terrier in her.)

She has a lot of puppy energy but also likes to snuggle up on someones lap and take a nap. She gets along with other dogs (her foster home has 5 other dogs that she plays with.) Potty training has been going great and as long as she is taken out on a schedule she doesn't have an accident in the house. She would not be too happy living in an apartment, she does tend to bark when she is crated. Her foster home crates her at night. If you have any questions about Sadie, please feel free to ask.

If you are interested please fill out our adoption application and email it to info@nileydogrescue.org. If you are interested please go to www.nileydogrescue.org and fill out the application. You can then attach it to an email and send it to info@nileydogrescue.org. Her adoption fee will be $199

*Will only adopt w/in a 50 mile radius of Cincinnati
*Applicants are required to have a fenced in yard. Application, veterinary reference, adoption fee and home check are required to adopt. NOTE: Once you submit an application and are approved, we will then contact you and answer any further questions you might have. Thanks :0)

Rigby has been adopted!!

2011-04-03T23:15:00.000-07:00

Rigby was adopted by the most wonderful family last week. He now has a new sister named Pickles and they are quickly becoming best friends as well. We are very happy Rigby has finally found his forever home after being bounced around for so long. Here is a pic of Rigby and his new buddy.

501(c)(3)

2011-03-04T10:47:00.000-08:00

Nileydog is so very excited to announce that we are officially 501(c)(3)!! This is huge news for us. We have been working on this for about 2 years and it has finally happened. We are now able to do so much more that we werent able to before. We will be having our own adoption events on the weekend at Petsmart. We will be posting the dates and locations of all adoption events so stay tuned.

Up for adoption

2011-03-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

We have some bugs who are still looking for their forever homes. Elle, Lucy, Aster, Dexter and Rigby are eagerly awaiting someone to come and adopt them.

Puppy update

2011-03-04T10:40:00.001-08:00

All of the puppies have finally been adopted. Ron was the last one we had and the family that adopted Draco decided that he needed a buddy and they decided to adopt Ron also. Ron and Draco and doing very well and they are happy to have been reunited.

Nileydog Newest addition

2011-03-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

We are so very happy NDR has a new friend named Pete who is wanting to volunteer their time. Pete is currently completely re-doing the website. We are very excited about this and the changes so far are amazing. Stay tuned it wont be much longer until we have a brand new look :)

Thanks Pete!

Rigby up for adoption or looking for a foster home

2011-02-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

The love of my life Rigby is coming back to us because his owner was having some personal issues. He is a truly amazing dog, and by far my favorite foster that I have ever had. I have said many times if I lived alone I would adopt him myself. The pictures are from when I was fostering him. He no longer has the skin issue and he has put on some weight. He looks amazing now.

From his previous foster home:

Rigby is an easy one....and i've had lots to compare him to! I have a few other dogs and Rigby does great. Even though he's very young,he's not annoying to the other dogs. My alpha, Jake, doesn't like most dogs i bring in, but Rigby is unbothered by his growls and would never challenge him. Rigby doesn't have a mean bone in his body and has no desire to be the boss.

Rigby listens really well and is smart as a whip. It takes him only a minute or two to understand and do what you want. And it's amazing how calm and well behaved he is in the house. I've given him a bath and he just takes it in stride.

With Rigby's calm and loving personality, i think he would do great with kids. He loves all people and will let you do anything to him. Rigby's favorite things are his nylabone and cuddling....he really loves to cuddle and just wants love.
Rigby is on the small side. I don't think he's even 40lbs, but his ribs are still showing so he needs a few more pounds.

Momma dog needs a foster home for 5 weeks

2011-01-31T07:12:00.000-08:00

This momma and her babies need a foster home until the little ones are weaned. They are about 2-3 weeks old. So they will need a warm home for about 5 weeks or so. Puppies like this are easy bc the momma does everything for them. She even helps to clean up :0) If you ever wanted to foster this is a great chance. You get to help out not only one dog... but all her babies too.

Ron

2011-01-31T06:40:00.000-08:00

Ron is still looking for a home. He is a yellow Lab puppy. Pretty stinking cute :) He has grown up a bit since this photo but he is still a baby and would love someone to play with.

Abby Happy Tail!

2010-12-28T12:53:00.000-08:00

Abby is loving her new home! She loved meeting her extended family of the Holidays, and got along with everyone. She went to the vet and everything checked out. She was even included in the family photo! We are all so happy Abby found her forever home!

Boston Terriers

2010-12-22T03:07:00.000-08:00

Boston Terriers hold a special place in my heart. My very first foster was a Boston for the wonderful rescue called Midwest Boston Terrier Rescue. They are such awesome dogs, I have one myself (rescued of course).

I received an email yesterday that kinda tore me up. There are 8 Bostons in Scott Co, Kentucky that were dropped off. They seem to be pretty young, maybe one-ish. They are in pretty bad shape. It looks like they have Demodex which is a tiny mite that lives on the skin or hair follicles of mamals. Luckily this is not contagious so I can scoop them up as soon as I see them. At this point they have lost most of their hair, so they are going to be pretty itchy.

I am trying to gets these little guys today so wish me luck. I will of course be leaving some updates as to what happens.

Adoptions

2010-12-13T21:10:00.000-08:00

So much has been happening I have been forgetting to let you guys know. Hmm where do I begin.

Penny was adopted into an amazing home. She has been with us for almost a year. She is no longer Heart-Worm positive which means she was able to be spayed. Now she will live a long happy life with her great new family.

Abby, Hermine and Tipper were also adopted this month.

RIP Buddy

2010-11-02T19:03:00.000-07:00

Buddy was rescued in the winter of 09'. When we pulled him from the shelter we weren't really sure what we were getting. He was so covered in mats we couldn't really see his little face. Once we got him home we took him to Linda's house where she helped shave and cut the mats off. Once he was done he felt so much better.

Buddy was an older dog but to all of us that just meant he was a bit wiser then the younger ones. He had seen a lot in his life and until Linda adopted him his life wasn't so great.

Linda gave him the second chance he deserved. Buddy reminded me to never take my dogs for granted. To always appreciate them and always enjoy every moment of every day.

A Dog's Purpose, (from a 6-year-old)

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish
Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little
boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a
miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we
couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia
procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be
good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though
Shane might learn something from the experience

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded
him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I
wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker
slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or
confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud
about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who
had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.'

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me.
I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, 'People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like
loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?'
The six-year-old continued,
'Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.'

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them
gently.

Being always grateful for each new day and for the blessing you have.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!
That's what dogs teach us...

Nileydog was on Fox news today!!

2010-10-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

We had a great time today at the Fox 19 morning news. Our good friend Stephany set everything up for us. Nevil also got the chance to meet Constantine Maroulis and Meghan Mongillo. You can check out the video link below.

http://www.fox19.com/global/Category.asp?C=195974&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=5234472&flvUri&partnerclipid

Parvo Dogs

2010-10-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

Aster and Abby are Parvo positive. This is a pretty serious intestinal disease that eats away at the intestines. We are giving them sub q fluids 3 times a day along with antibiotics and some other meds to help with the upset tummies. I will keep everyone posted on their recovery. Hopefully the other 12 wont get it.

Went for 2, came home with 14

2010-10-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

There were some very lucky and happy dogs in Estill Co, Kentucky. We planned on getting 2 small dogs and came home with a car full. Luckily we didnt leave many behind and the ones we did were getting picked up by other rescues. We got 4 older dogs and 10 puppies. They were all covered in so many fleas that the bath water was red from all the blood that came off them. They are full of worms and all kinds of nasty stuff. They are just babies and little ones and dont deserve to be treated like that. So needless to say NDR scooped them all up!

Cookie Monster

2010-09-20T14:14:00.001-07:00

8 weeks old Great Dane puppy. Someone dropped him off at an adoption event. He sure is a cutie! Pics to come soon

Peroni (Susie) found her forever home!!

2010-09-11T15:35:00.000-07:00

Last week Peroni was so lucky and found herself the perfect home! Bryn and Rob renamed her Peroni and it fits her perfectly. Good luck Peronio

Adoptions!

2010-08-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

This week Samantha, Ellie, Jackson and Ruby all found new homes!!!!! Good luck guys

Dexter

2010-08-02T17:14:00.000-07:00

Dexter has turned out to be one of the sweetest guys I have ever come across. His favorite thing to do is to nuzzle up by your neck and fall asleep on his back. He is the definition of a lap dog. He has learned how to sit and stay, and is working on a few other tricks. One is learning how to stand on his back legs on command. Its pretty cute. He now loves other dogs and I can pick him up with no problems. He was very nervous at first but has done a complete turnaround and I would swear he was a different dog. I think he finally knows he is safe and doesnt feel like he has to always be on guard. He hasnt had any accidents in the house and even walks in his crate at night and sleeps under a blanket. He is pretty stinking cute.

Puppies are parvo free

2010-07-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

The word Parvo scares the hell out of anyone in rescue. When the puppies were starting to show sings we all got very nervous. Luckily they are very healthy and they did not have Parvo!!!!!

Marlee

2010-07-25T17:30:00.000-07:00

Marlee took the worlds longest road trip to Connecticut but she finally made it yesterday and she is having a great time. Her new mom Diane is so happy and they instantly fell in love. Marlee was pulled from West Virginia after being locked in a dungeon when her old owners moved and let her and her Rottie brother. The Rottie didnt make it but Marlee did. Diane found her through an email and long story short she is safe!!!

Thanks Diane

RIP Spot

2010-07-25T17:27:00.000-07:00

Spot 2009-2010

West Virgina rescue

2010-07-09T18:07:00.000-07:00

July first I drove out to WV to pick up Marlee. She was a Boxer who was left behind when her owners moved. She and her Rotweiller brother were loved in this dungeon type room where the Rottie died. They were left in the heat with no food or water. Luckily for Marlee she was found. She was very skinny and sick but she is doing much better now.

Well I went up to get just Marlee and ended up coming home with 8 dogs! Yes 8 in my little volvo. Needless to say it was a mission. In the 13 hour road trip the girls found foster homes for 6 of the dogs. I ended up with Marlee and Dexter (an annoyingly cute Dachshund).

They all came down with Kennel Cough which is oddly good news this is all they had :)

Marlee will be moving to Connecticut (which I am a little jealous about). She will be leaving later thins week.

Marley has been adopted also

Dexter is a little lap dog who likes small dogs and grown up people.

Suzie and Ruby are hopefully being adopted this week

Jackson is the cutest puppy ever, and is still waiting for his forever home

Samantha and Oliver

Dexter

Suzie

Ruby

Marlee

Marley

Jackson

Thanks to everyone who helped this little monsters find a safe home.

Ellie - Up for adoption

2010-06-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

Nileydog Rescue's newest rescue, Ellie, is looking for her forever home. Ellie is a 2 year old lab mix who loves attention and just wants to be around you. She was a favorite with the volunteers at the pound where we pulled her. Her family left her at the high kill shelter after they had twins and no longer had time for her. She's a wonderful girl, she's house trained, spayed, heart worm negative, and UTD on everything. Her foster absolutely loves her, she's house trustworthy and a joy to be around! Ellie is a sweetheart looking for a family to call her own.

You can learn more about Ellie and the rest of nileydog's available dogs at http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?search_id=272675. You can also visit our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000796743984&ref=ts to see pictures and learn more about our dogs see what the latest news with the rescue is. Our website is http://nileydogrescue.org/. Please feel free to forward this email on to friends and family.

Penny - Heart Worm Positive

2010-06-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Penny was heart worm positive. This is very sad bc this could have been prevented by a simple pill that is only given once a month. Now she has to endure the pain of the treatment to make sure she survives. Luckily she is in a wonderful foster home who is making sure she is very spoiled and loved and has an amazing vet Dr. Bercz taking care of her. We appreciate them so much. Hopefully Penny will fully recover and will go on to live a happy and healthy life.

Kirkland Dog Food - Costco

2010-06-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my sisters, Jack, Niledyog has switched foods. We now get our food from Costco! It is the same food as canadea or buffalo blue. You should check it out.... Its actually very very good dog food and its only $20 a bag compared to the $60 we were paying! This will help out a lot. Anyone who wants to donate ...some bags of dogfood we would be very happy :)

Quil and Embry

2010-05-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

Quil. He is 11 weeks old, black lab puppy. He is very playful and cute. He is catching onto the potty training very well and would be great with a family with some kids to play with.

His name is Embry, he is 11 weeks old, black lab puppy. He seems very calm and loves to cuddle. Already catching on to potty training and doing very well.

Rigby

2010-05-01T06:42:00.001-07:00

Rigby's skin is getting much better. He is such and awesome dog I wish I could keep him :( Here are some new pictures of the little man.

Pet Expo

2010-04-07T13:34:00.001-07:00

This weekend we are going to be at the Pet Expo in Cincinnati April 9-11... Please stop by and see us in booth # 517. You can also get a Larosa's Buddy card!

http://www.everythingpets.org/index.php

BEST OF CINCINNATI!

2010-02-21T18:28:00.001-08:00

WE MADE THE LIST! We need your help and need you to vote for us under " Best Local
Cause" its under the Public Eye section! This would be huge for us to
get recognized like this! Please take 30 seconds and go down to our category and select us!!!! We need your help! Please pass along to anyone you know who you think would want to help us out...THANK you so much!

Jenny, Heather and Karen

http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/best-of-21-best-of-cincinnati-2010.html

Rigby

2010-02-11T19:17:00.001-08:00

Rigby is doing great and his skin is healing up and the hair is growing back. He has a yeast infection that covered most of his body but he is recovering right now. He is still a huge love bug and loves to be with people.

Our new love!

2010-01-25T21:01:00.000-08:00

This is Rigby! His so handsome and wonderful and we are so happy to have him be a part of NDR! You can tell by his face he is a Amstaff mix... dont let this scare you off. He is amazingly friendly and lovable. He was found running the streets and due to financial reasons of his previous home he ended up at the pound. Below is a bit of information from he foster home :

"We took him after he was found wandering the streets. He has had some kind of skin problem and is missing patches of hair. Whatever problem he had is cleared up and
the hair is starting to grow back. He is very sweet and loving. Great with other dogs and kids (we have 3 at home that have all played with him- ages 3,4, & 6) He is not leash trained but we can let
him out the back door and if we stand with him he will go out to the bathroom and come right back. He got loose from an outdoor tie out but never ran off he just waited by the door. He would
definitely make someone a great companion I just can't afford to keep him. I just couldn't let him keep wandering the streets and freeze. I figure my basement is better than being outside with the
elements. We let him upstairs every now and then and he is about 75% housebroke. Judging by his teeth and his playful nature we are estimating he is about 6 months old. He resembles an Amstaff mix.
He shows no food aggression either."

I mean come on!!! I dont think a dog can get any better then that! Jenny, Heather, and I have a soft spot for the bully breeds so we cant wait to get our hands on this guy!

New dog "Post Secrets"

2010-01-05T16:03:00.000-08:00

Shaggy had been adopted!

2010-01-05T16:01:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that Shaggy has been adopted!!! He found the best home ever with 3 kids and wonderful new owners!

Charlie

2009-11-18T21:45:00.000-08:00

Charlie is our newest addition... he is still a puppy at 6 months old and a very handsome little guy! His adoption fee is $200

Shaggy!

2009-11-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

Shaggy is staying with me and he is still up for adoption. He has calmed down a lot and doesnt have much of the puppy craziness anymore. He still knows all of his commands he learned at puppy school and is so sweet! If I was allowed I would keep this one :)

Raven

2009-08-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

Raven was found in a dumpster outside one of our units during a thunderstorm. Scott though she was a little bird, hence her name. She was about 3-4 weeks old and needed to be bottle fed until she could eat on her own. She is now thriving and doing great.... even though all the vets didnt think she would make it. Thanks to Scott she will live a long healthy life.

Denver and Aspen

2009-08-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

Denver and Aspen came from Clermont Co pound. They are both about 8 years old and were used for breeding. They both have kennel cough which will be all cleared up in a few weeks. They are both settling into their new foster homes with Jenny and Erin. They are two of the sweetest dogs I have every come across. All they want to do is sit on your lap and be your best friend. They are going to someone very happy when they are adopted. Denver is the black long hair little guy, and Aspen is the tan guy.

Kitty still needs a home!

2009-07-25T10:44:00.001-07:00

4th of July Parade in North Side

2009-07-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

Nileydog was asked to walk in the Northside parade on 4th of July. It was great and we got a lot of exposure :) Here are a few pictures of the day!

GALLIA UPDATE

2009-07-13T13:06:00.001-07:00

Dog shelter gets a make over
by Elizabeth Rigel
1 month ago 525 views 0 2

Gallia County Dog Warden/Shelter Manager Jean Daniels is pictured with a young male dog she calls Tommy that is waiting to be adopted from the Gallia County Animal Shelter by a nice family or individual. Elizabeth Rigel/photo
GALLIPOLIS — The Gallia County Animal Shelter has begun to take on a new look, coinciding with some changes recently made at the shelter.Aside from new management, some interior repairs and a new canine sorting system, the shelter is also taking on a different look outside with the addition of landscaping.Jean Daniels took over as dog warden/shelter manager approximately five weeks ago after having worked as a volunteer at the shelter for the better part of a year. She credits the county commission for getting the ball rolling, beginning with the development of a new description for the position.Though they may not have all the kinks smoothed out yet, Daniels and Deputy Dog Warden Jason Harris are working to adapt to the changes with some aid from members of the community along with some local veterinarians and businesses.Daniels recently implemented a system for sorting canines, which includes a five day quarantine for new dogs so as not to spread any sicknesses or diseases to the general population, along with the specifying 18 regular runs for dogs and four runs for puppies.“We can run into problems when people drop off sick dogs because they can then infect others,” Daniels said. “We’re working to control that better.”On this day, the shelter is home to approximately 50 canines, which makes things a bit overcrowded, but Daniels assures that roughly a third of those dogs will soon be rescued. In fact, rescues have risen tremendously in recent leading to a subsequent drop in the number of euthanizations performed. Animal shelter staff has been working hard to send out dog information to contacts who put them in touch with people willing to rescue. Daniels said that they have made some deals on rescue fees for people taking entire litters of puppies and members of the community are also helping out by transporting dogs for rescue.“If we can get dogs out then we don’t have to feed them and don’t have to euthanize,” Daniels said.She added that the amount of food available often plays a part in how many dogs can be kept at the shelter as they are only required to keep an animal for three days before it can be euthanized.“They best thing that people can do for the shelter is to get their animals spayed and neutered,” Daniels said.Female dogs can give birth to two litters per year, but male dogs can play their part in the reproduction cycle every day of their adult lives, she added.Community involvement also plays a significant role in the operation of the shelter. Local veterinarians have offered discounted rates for dogs needing treatment; Tractor Supply plans to host adoption days once a month, offers the shelter discounted dog food, and collects donations; the Busy Barnyard hands out flyers and collects donations; Davidson’s Landscaping has offered to design the planting area; and a 4-H group is going to help plant and tend the landscaping, which is also being donated. Daniels said that a young man recently came in to volunteer and spent his time pulling ticks off of dogs.“I absolutely love it here, there’s just not enough time in the day to get all of the things done that I want to have here,” Daniels said. “I’ve got all these little ideas that I want to try, but it can’t all happen right away.”Some of those ideas include putting up a website for local people who lose their dogs, laying safety matting on the floors, fencing in a section of the yard, adding drop boxes, and selling promotional items such as leashes and collars containing the shelter’s logo.Adoption fees are $45 and include a $7 shelter fee, $3 food fee, $5 license fee, and $30 for a spay/neuter voucher, which are honored by Four Seasons Veterinarian Clinic, French Town Veterinarian Clinic, and Riverbend Animal Clinic. Rescue fees are $13 for adult dogs and $13 for a litter of puppies.The animal shelter is always in need of donations whether they be monetary or otherwise. Items needed include bedding, food (puppy and adult), towels, treats, sturdy toys, grooming supplies, crates, printer supplies, and a washer and dryer. Monetary donations can be earmarked for specific uses and are needed for medications, equipment, facility, spay/neuter, training, and general purposes. Volunteers are needed for adopt-a-thons, outside upkeep, fundraising, walking dogs, fostering puppies and dogs with special needs, and transporting dogs to rescue connections. Citizens are reminded that donations are tax deductible.Office hours at the shelter are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment, though Daniels is usually around as long as she’s not out on a call.“If my car’s here, then I’m here,” she said.

Big News

2009-07-02T01:35:00.001-07:00

Nileydog is about to go nationwide! Ill keep you posted :)

New Kitty

2009-06-16T10:48:00.001-07:00

We went to take some Beagles back to Hillsboro yesterday and Erin fell in love with a very tiny kitten. So Nileydog now has a new kitty! She is very tiny and very sweet. She is at the vet right now so keep your fingers crossed she will be healthy!

Dog Fest

2009-06-16T10:43:00.001-07:00

We had a great time at Dog Fest - A few of our friends found forever homes. Piper, Sadie and Oscar Meyer were all adopted! We raised some money and got some sun too. All the dogs had a great time and loved being around all the other people and dogs. There were a lot of different booths and all kinds of neat things for people and their dogs to do.

Reese

2009-06-06T14:06:00.000-07:00

Reese had surgery on Thursday to remove a tumor from her front leg. Unfortunately it was another mast cell tumor. We will get the biopsy results back in a little bit then we can decide on her treatment. Hopefully we can do radiation and no chemo. So keep your fingers and paws crossed for good results. Hopefully we caught it early!

Puppies

2009-06-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

All of Dolly's puppies have found amazing homes. We are waiting on Jack to get pick up tomorrow to go to his forever home. Good luck little guys!

Freya

2009-05-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

Freya is still waiting for her forever home. Freya is about 2 years old and around 45-50 lbs. We're not sure what she's mixed with, ....she looks a little shepardish, but the coat is short and her ears don't stand up. Freya's person was going to allow her to be put down because he couldn't afford to keep her, but Nileydog came to her rescue. As you can see from her photos, Freya is missing an eye. We're not really sure how that happened, but she does fine without it. Freya has so many wonderful qualities.....she young and has energy to burn, but she is such a dear. Freya loves other dogs....and she lived for months with a number of cats! Freya also does really well with small children. But if she has to choose....dogs are Freya's favorite.... Even if another dog is a strong alpha, Freya can win their heart. Her current foster home has an alpha Doberman that doesn't always do well with strange dogs, but Freya is doing fine with him. She's gentle and really doesn't want to be the boss... Freya is housebroken and loves her crate. She sleeps in her crate and is quiet as a mouse. Also, Freya loves to be outside. Unlike her foster mom's spoiled dogs, she doesn't jump up on the door...she's happy to wait until you call her in. Freya is very loving, but it takes her a little while to trust new people. She trusts dogs, cats and little kids, but she's a little slower with adults. But, as the saying goes..., good things come to those who wait..... just give her a little time and you'll be rewarded. Freya has been looking for her forever home for a number of months and her foster mom doesn't get that...she has so much to offer.... If you want to be the lucky one, pls contact Nileydog today.

New Fosters

2009-05-14T16:05:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more of our new fosters.

Chows

2009-05-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Finally have some pictures of the chows! This is Max and Bubba. They are so sweet and friendly.

Reese

2009-04-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

This is the newest addition to my family. Reese was an owner surrender who has cancer and had a very hard time finding a home. I decided to hang on to her, Winston is very happy. She loves to be on furniture and this is what she is trying to do in this video.... Please ignore the mess and the bras in the background. :0)

Shaggy Upate

2009-04-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

Shaggy went to the Rolex this weekend and he had a blast! Here are some of his new pictures. He is so handsome. He really loved being around all of the horses and he did so well.

Dolly

2009-04-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

We pulled Dolly from Scioto Co. She had 5 puppies who were about a week old and we couldn't leave them there. There was another mom who had 3- 2 week old puppies who they were going to put down b/c the mom bit someone when they tried to take her puppies. We decided to see if Dolly would accept them and luckily she did. Now Dolly has 8 puppies. Her fosters are going to be bigger then she is in no time :)

3 fosters

2009-04-21T17:18:00.001-07:00

Here are Dolly's 3 fosters

Dolly's puppies

2009-04-21T17:11:00.000-07:00

Dolly's puppies are growing up so fast. We have 8 but here are her 5. She is fostering 3 others.

Lucy

2009-04-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

We picked up a 4 month old Great Dane yesterday! She has some pretty bad mange but it is clearing up very well. She is very sweet and HUGE! She has not grown into her feet so she is a little clumsy still. She comes with her AKC Papers too!!! She is going to the vet in the morning and will hopefully get this all cleared up soon.

Cloey Happy Tail

2009-04-19T18:42:00.000-07:00

Cloey was adopted yesterday by an amazing family. She is so lucky they found her. Of course I cried when she left... I wonder if I will ever get used to all of this. I didnt even spend any time with Cloey, it just makes me so happy she got a second chance at life and made a family so happy, I just cant stand to think that she shouldn't even be alive right now. Just breaks my heart.... Good luck Cloey, you deserve all the happiness in the world!!!!

Lets see how far we can take this....

2009-04-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

So I just wrote this email to the commissioners at Gallia, the city of Gallia, the state of Ohio and so many more people who could possibly get some things changed....... Please pass on to anyone you know...

PERMISSION TO CROSS POST

My name is Karen Zapkowski. A little over a year ago I co-founded Nileydog Rescue. We are a nonprofit group of committed volunteers whose mission is to rescue, transport, foster, spay/neuter, and re-home abandoned and abused dogs from high kill shelters. Our main focus has been on pulling dogs from Gallia County, Ohio. Over the past year we have helped to pull hundreds of dogs from this shelter and not only have them go to our rescue but to other rescues in Ohio, and other states.

We understand that when you are pulling dogs from county shelters you are going to come across a wide variety of illnesses and diseases. After we pulled our first dog with Parvo we decided to help the county by buying bleach and a sprayer to spray down the dog runs. At this time only a water hose was being used to clean the runs after each dog. This is not a sanitary way to clean and only spreads disease.

I thought that this would help a little bit. It did not. The dog runs are constantly full of feces that has been there for days. There is urine all over the dogs. The first thing we do when we get home is bathe the dogs to get rid of the smell. Again we understand dogs being pulled from shelters are not in good shape, but this does not mean they need to be sitting in feces and urine.

This past week, we pulled 8 dogs from Gallia, County. During the course of this week we have had to euthanize 5 of those dogs. 4 had Parvo, 1 had Lepto and we are currently treating one for Distemper. All of these diseases are ones that can be vaccinated against with a vaccine that cost about $1.50. Instead we have spent over $5,000 this week alone trying to save these dogs and then had to euthanize them all because they were too far gone.

We are 4 women who work full time and go to school and yet we run a dog rescue because it is our passion. We have had many up and downs and yet we still do what we do because we know there are so many amazing dogs out there. We are unable to continue to pull any dogs from Gallia, County until we are assured measure will be taken to clean up the shelter. We can no longer afford the expense that comes along with the inefficient ways things are being done there.

There is only one assistant dog warden who runs the entire shelter, this is not a realistic thing. One person can not keep up with the cleaning and feeding of all the dogs that come in on a daily basis, no matter how hard they try.

I just want you to be aware of what is going on out there and as long as sick dogs are being pulled, rescue groups will start backing off. I have already talked to a few who were planning on pulling dogs but decided to go to Scioto Co once I told them of the sick dogs we pulled from there last week. Adoption rates will drop drastically unless the proper precautions are taken and people are assured the shelter is being sanitized after each dog.

We are contacting the state of Ohio also and our local media sources to guarantee things will be changed. I never want to have to euthanize another dog due to unsanitary conditions of the shelter. These dogs would have had a better chance at survival if they were left on the streets, the only reason they are dead is because they were placed in the shelter at Gallia, County. The Improved Standards for Laboratory Animals Act states that better care is required for dogs in laboratories, why is this not the same in shelters?

Public Law 99-198 Food Security Act of 1985, Subtitle F - Animal Welfare
Also called "The Improved Standards for Laboratory Animals Act" and enacted December 23, 1985, this section clarifies what is meant by "humane care" by mentioning specifics such as sanitation, housing, and ventilation. It directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish regulations to provide exercise for dogs and an adequate physical environment to promote the psychological well-being of nonhuman primates. It specifies that pain and distress must be minimized in experimental procedures and that alternatives to such procedures be considered by the principle investigator. It also defines practices that are considered to be painful. No animal can be used in more than one major operative experiment with recovery (exceptions are listed). The establishment of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is introduced with a description of its roles, composition, and responsibilities to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Also included is the formation of an information service at the National Agricultural Library to assist those regulated by the act in prevention of unintended duplication of research, employee training, searching for ways to reduce or replace animal use, and to provide information on how to decrease pain and distress. The final section explains the penalties for release of trade secrets by regulators and the regulated community. --http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm

Please let me know what can be done about this situation. We want to pull as many dogs as we can from Galllia, but we need you to help us.

If anyone knows how we can go about changing this please let us know.

NDR has a new bank account

2009-04-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

We are no longer using 5/3 for our banking... Donations can be made at any National City

RIP Marley

2009-04-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

We just had to put Marley down. Marley is the 5th dog we have gotten from Gallia that we have had to put down this week. Marley had Lepto, he was vomiting blood and his abdomen was full of urine. He would have died a very painful death tonight if we did not put him to sleep. When I first met Marley, Jason, the dog warden told me he was not a very friendly dog and that he wasn't sure we should take him. I saw him in his run and he was shaking, he was terrified. I did something I really have never done before when Jason told me a dog was aggressive. I opened the door and went in and sat down on the floor in his run. Now if you were to see this shelter this is not something a normal person would want to do. Ignoring the piles of poop and pee Marley ran over to me sniffed me and jumped right in my lap. I know from the moment I saw him that he was an amazing dog. D.J. decided to foster him and this was the first dog he had ever had. Marley was not able to survive the disease but becasue of Heather and D.J. he knew what it was like to be loved. For a short Marley knew what it was like to be in a home that loved him.

Upside Down Dogs

2009-04-12T16:40:00.001-07:00

My cousin Chris showed me this website and it is so funny!

http://upsidedowndogs.com/

The Dangers That Lurk in Your Easter Basket

2009-04-12T16:27:00.000-07:00

Beyond the risks of sweetners and chocolates, there are plenty of risks in that sweet looking Easter basket. First up, those hardboiled eggs may taste fine to a pet now (dyed shells and all – yuck!) but, if he decides to bury it in the backyard and dig it up later, he can get very sick from eating those rotten eggs. What other threats lurk inside? Find out when you read more.

Small children's toys may also look like toys to a pet, too, but these fragile knick-knacks can wreak havoc on a pup's delicate tum. They're definitely not gonna hold up to his chompers and, if he gets plastic bits stuck inside, he may have to have surgery. Plastic eggs often smell of the treats inside tempting a pooch to take a nibble. And, if those treats are jellybeans, forget about it. Jellybeans are hard for many children to chew and can cause a choking hazard, imagine what it'd do to a pup.

Even though the paper grass pictured here is not as risky, the shiny, decorative Easter grass can lure in a curious cat, but pose the same problem as tinsel – strands can't be digested, get stuck in their intestines, and totally mess up the digestive system. If you're celebrating this holiday, I recommend not leaving the treats for the two-legged family members unsupervised from the furry friends. And, if you are hiding treats around the house, keep pets in another room and total up all the prizes after they're found to make sure none have been hidden too well for a person . . . but not for a pup's nose!

Marley update

2009-04-12T16:16:00.001-07:00

Marley is doing a little bit better this weekend, but he is not out of the woods yet. Keep your fingers crossed we will get some happy news tomorrow!

Marley

2009-04-12T07:59:00.000-07:00

Marley came from Gallia and he has Lepto. This is a very serious virus that has a death rate higher then Parvo. Again a vaccine that costs $1.50 could have stopped this from happening. We are not sure if Marley will be able to pull through or not but we are praying he is ok.

Happy Tail

2009-04-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Tail is one of our newest and luckily we got him from Scioto Co so he is still healthy!!

RIP Spot

2009-04-08T18:39:00.000-07:00

We had to put another one to sleep today. Spot was a 5 month old Husky from Gallia Co. Again he was so sick b/c of the conditions of the shelter and how his previous owners treated him. Just when I think things out there are getting better, this just proves they are only getting worse. Spot was an amazing dog and deserved an amazing life. Sorry we didnt get to you sooner little man.

Newest Friends

2009-04-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

Sunday dog Secrets

2009-04-07T19:26:00.001-07:00

RIP puppies

2009-04-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

We had to put down 3 puppies today b/c they had Parvo. We have 2 more that are in iso at the vet hoping they do not start showing signs. If only people would vaccinate their dogs and clean the shelters we would never have to run into this issue. Now 3 Lab puppies had to die b/c people dont understand the importance of taking care of their animals.

Rescue trip

2009-04-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

We pulled over 20 dogs yesterday (not including the 4 puppies we saw running on the highway) from Gallia and Scioto yesterday. I will post some pictures soon. That brings our total to 375!!!!!!!!

RIP little Arlo

2009-04-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

Arlo went to be with Gracie in Heaven last week. He took a turn for the worst and there was nothing we could do for him anymore. He is no longer in pain and he is with his sister again.

Over 300 Rescued!

2009-03-26T20:51:00.000-07:00

Post Secret

2009-03-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

I don't know if anyone else looks at Post Secret but it is my favorite website. Here are a few of the secrets that have dogs in them that I thought were cute.

2009-03-22T20:20:00.000-07:00

Izzy and Domino are getitng so big!

RIP little Kangaroo

2009-03-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

Gracie went to meet Niles today on the Rainbow Bridge. After all of our efforts and prayers she let us know it was her time to go. As hard as it was to make this decision we know she was suffering and could not go on any longer. Gracie was lucky to have lived with Jenny and Tim for 17 weeks and got the chance to feel true love. If it wasn't for them she would never had made it as long as she did. Gracie got the chance to snuggle in bed with her "people", play with her friends (especially Sadie), go to the dog park, chew up all the Hanky Panky's she could find and so much more. Most dogs will never get to experience any of those things. Gracie was an amazing puppy whose life was cut short due to a devastating disease. She will always remind us why it is that we do what we do. It is the little ones like her that we fight so hard for. If only her mom Freya was fed good quality food and taken care of we would not be in this situation and Gracie would be happy and healthy. Thank you Gracie for coming into our lives and making such a difference.

My mom said tonight, all a dog really wants in life is to someone who loves them so much that they would cry when they die. Someone who loves them so much it just breaks their hearts when they pass. Gracie was lucky enough to have people like that in her life.

If it should be that I grow frail and weak,
and pain should keep me from my sleep,
then you must do what must be done,
for we know this last battle can't be won.

You will be sad, I understand,
but don't let grief then stay your hand,
for this day, more than the rest,
your love and friendship must stand the test.

We've had so many happy years,
what is to come can hold no fears.
Would you want me to suffer? So,
when the time comes, please let me go.

Take me where my needs they'll tend,
only stay with me until the end,
and hold me firm and speak to me,
until my eyes no longer see.

It is a kindness that you do to me,
although my tail it's last has waved,
from pain and suffering I have been saved.

Do not grieve, it should be you,
who must decide this thing to do.
We've been so close, we two these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears.

Arlo

2009-03-17T06:35:00.000-07:00

Turns out Arlo also has multiple shunts. The doctors give him about a year to live and Gracie has about 6 months. We are trying to contact Dr. Tobias in Tennessee who is a specialist and hopefully we can get them down there and she will have an idea of what to do. We will do whatever we can to make sure they both live a long and healthy life.

Good day

2009-03-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

Gracie had a good day today! She helped Jenny do her laundry.

6-7 Shunts

2009-03-11T18:42:00.000-07:00

I am speechless, as are the doctors. Gracie has 6-7 shunts in her Liver. This hasnt been seen since the 70's. We will be taking her to Tennessee if we can raise enough money to have a specialist look at her. Arlo also has a shunt but is in much better shape. Litter mates having shunts is also very rare. We are told Gracie might only have a few months to live.

This is proof you need to feed good quality dog foods. If Freya would have been taken care of during her pregnancy Gracie would live a long healthy life.

Portosystemic Shunts

2009-03-08T20:00:00.000-07:00

Here is what is going on with Gracie. We also are worried Arlo has the same issues. We will find out tomorrow. Hopefully Dr. B can find something and explain why Arlo is so aggressive. I will keep you posted.

Shunt anatomy and physiology

In the fetus a shunt, called the patent ductus venosus, is present and bypasses blood away from the liver to the placenta so that the mother can cleanse the blood for the fetus.
Once the fetus is born the shunt closes within three days after birth and the puppy's liver must clean the blood. Sometimes the shunt does not close off.
A portosystemic shunt, therefore is an abnormal vessel that allows blood to bypass the liver. As a result the blood is not cleansed by one of the bodies filters: the liver.
These dogs also have much less blood that flows to the liver which causes the liver to remain small.
There are many variations of congential portosystemic shunts that are found at surgery, however there two main groups: shunts located in the liver (intrahepatic shunt) and shunts located outside of the liver tissue (extrahepatic shunt). The intrahepatic shunt is most commonly found in large breed dogs and extrahepatic shunts are seen in small breeds.
Above is a diagram showing the blood flow from the intestines, through the shunt (labeled) , then to the heart. Most of the blood does not flow to the liver due to the resistance of the filters in the liver, thus the blood is not cleansed by the liver.

Clinical signs

Abnormal behavior after eating
Pacing and aimless wandering
Pressing the head against the wall
Episodes of apparent blindness
Seizures
Poor weight gain
Stunted growth
Excessive sleeping and lethargy
Straining to urinate due to bladder stone formation
Patient with a shunt may have many clinical signs and some have only a single clinical sign
Some dogs do not show signs until they are older

Diagnosis

A variety of blood tests can be used to help to support a diagnosis of a portosystemic shunt.
Bile acid test are always elevated. Generally the bile acids levels (after feeding a meal) in patients having a shunt are higher than 100. Other diseases such as microvascular dysplasia, generalized liver disease, and acquired shunts due to liver cirrhosis can also cause elevated bile acids tests.
Sometimes the shunt can be identified with ultrasound imaging.
Nuclear scintigraphy is a fairly reliable test to ascertain whether a shunt is present, but may not be able to differentiate acquired from congenital shunts.
In most dogs we are able to identify the portosystemic shunt at the time of surgery.
Sometimes multiple acquired shunts, caused by end-stage liver disease are found; unfortunately no surgical therapy is useful to treat this (other than liver transplant, which is not practical in dogs).
If the shunt cannot be found at the time of surgery, dye is injected into one of the veins going to the liver and x-rays are taken (portogram). This will show the blood supply of the liver and the offending shunt, if it is present.

Treatment

If possible, we prefer to have the patient as stable as possible prior to surgery. This involves having your pet on a low protein diet and administering prescribed medication.
- Antibiotics are used as bacteria, which are normally removed by the liver, by pass the liver and result in bacteria circulating in the blood.
- Lactulose is a medication which traps toxins such as ammonia in the stool. It also decreases the transit time of the stool so that toxins are expelled quicker (thus the pet will defecate more often).
- Low protein diet should be fed in order to decrease poisons that affect the brain.
Surgery is the best treatment for a shunt. Usually at the time of surgery the shunt can be identified (arrow showing large vessel) as is seen in photo below.

For pets that have a shunt that is located outside of the liver, an ameroid constrictor ring is placed around the vessel (in photo below see metal ring). This device slowly closes the shunt over a period of 6 weeks.

If the shunt is located in the liver the surgery is much more complex. Because these shunts are usually found in large breed dogs, the shunt likewise is frequently very large. We have successfully used large ameroid constrictors for this purpose, but in some cases two surgeries are needed.

Potential complications

Complications can include high blood pressure (portal hypertension) of the vessels going to the liver, which results in fluid accumulation in the belly. If a high level of portal hypertension is present after the shunt is tied off, the pet will die.
About 15 % of the dogs having surgery will develop small-acquired shunts that basically function like the congenital shunt and thus the pet may need medical treatment for life.
Infection is an uncommon but possible complication.
Seizures may occur in the first 3 to 5 days after surgery.
- Seizures can be caused by low blood sugar levels, which is easily treated
- Seizures can be caused by the imbalances of the chemicals within the brain as the blood is being cleansed. These patients may die if they are not responsive to medication.

Postop care

After surgery your pet will still need to eat a low protein diet. Once bile acid levels (blood test) normalize a regular diet can be fed.
Lactulose and antibiotics are continued for about 10 days after surgery.

Prognosis

The overall success rate is about 85%. Usually the pet will start to feel better with 10 to 14 days after surgery.

*http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/pss.htm*

Buddy Happy Tail

2009-03-08T18:17:00.001-07:00

Buddy now lives with Jenny's mom

Scout Happy Tail

2009-03-08T18:07:00.001-07:00

Scout has a forever home, she loves to go boating and play in the lake.

Blue Happy Tail

2009-03-08T18:05:00.001-07:00

Blue now lives in Indiana

Scruffy Happy Tail

2009-03-08T18:03:00.001-07:00

Scruffy found his new forever home