Buddy 14-10, 6 years old
Update: Buddy has been adopted! Thank you to Margie Ory, Seri Stastny, Catherine Kennedy and Danielle Pederson for your generous donations to help pay for Buddy’s heart worm treatment. Please share this story and encourage others to make sure that their pets receive a monthly heartworm preventative.
Buddy was an outdoor dog who appeared to be healthy when he came in to GRRIN on May 3rd. As with all new foster dogs, he was tested for heartworms and we discovered that he has a severe infestation. There was no question that GRRIN would take on the expense and potential risks of treatment so that Buddy could return to a normal life . This will take several months – the expense will be about $1000 and Buddy will have to be kept quiet as he recovers (always challenging for the dog and foster family!). If you would like to help GRRIN pay for the cost of Buddy’s vet care, click here.
Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos that carry the heartworm larvae. These larvae mature and grow inside your beloved family member and can grow to be 12 inches long, eventually traveling to the heart and lungs of their host. The treatment is dangerous to the pet and very expensive – it is much easier to remember to give a monthly preventative and have your dog tested once a year.
Max 13-27
Max 13-27
Update: Max was adopted on Valentine’s Day by a veterinarian who will be able to closely monitor his condition and treat him quickly as needed! GRRIN is extremely grateful for his foster mom, caseworker, and the donors who made it possible to afford extreme medical care. Thanks also goes to the Golden Retriever Foundation’s April Fund, which provided a grant for Max.
GRRIN’s foster dog Max 13-27 was recently diagnosed with Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism), which is the overproduction of cortisol by the adrenal glands. Max entered GRRIN in August of 2013; at the age of ten he was experiencing problems sometimes attributed to old age, but after several different tests and treatments, he is improving!
Thankfully, the majority of funds donated to GRRIN are used for veterinary expenses, which have been available for Max’s care. They total over $1400.00 (we’ve nicknamed him Max-a-million!) and his continued treatment and follow-up testing will be over $200 a month as we work to stabilize his cortisol levels. The average cost of vet care for a GRRIN dog is approximately $300.
