Hello everyone, Mistee Bubbles the Newf here. Spencer is sound asleep right now and mom and dad are talking about him so I thought that Sophee Bear and I could fill you in on how Spencer’s ultra sound went today.
First, Spencer was a very good boy and did not move, so the vet got a really good look at his heart and how it was working. Spencer currently has a level 2 heart murmur. What this means is his heart has to work a little harder than everyone else’s, but he is in good condition and a wonderful pup.
But what does this mean in the future for little Spence? It means that Spencer could get better and his heart murmur could go down to a level one when he gets bigger and grows into his body, or it could stay the same, or worst case scenario, it gets worse. How much worse, who knows? But we have a favorite foster whose name is Emma and she had a level 2 heart murmur and now it is a level 5. She is almost 2 and doing very well. It just means he will have to be watched and played with appropriately.
So as Spencer grows up, what does he need from his family (a family like Sophee Bear and I have)? We have a mom and dad that try to get us to behave, brought us to training – I know half the time you would never know we have both completed dog 2 - but most importantly, a family that will not overwork and stress his heart.
It's unfortunate that Spence was born with this defect, but we know that he can live a GReat life in the right home. Spencer had a great family that was planning to adopt him, but they want a dog that can accompany the dad on hunting trips and Spencer will not be able to do that. As a breed, Goldens are great for hunting, jogging, therapy work and many other special activities; but each Golden is different and that is why RAGOM works so hard to make the right match for both the dog and the adoptive home. Spencer needs a family that will provide him with only a moderate level of exercise -- he will not be a running partner and he can't handle hours of roughhousing or extended periods of heavy exertion. Since he is a puppy and can be full of puppy mischief, he will also need a family that can come up with creative ways to keep him stimulated in spite of any physical limitations.
Anyhow – Spencer is hoping someone will come forward and express interest in a little guy with a few heart issues. He is a great boy, 95% potty trained at 8 weeks, loves people (a little too much in my eyes) and has a wonderful personality.
If you are interested, please email Placement
ragom [dot] org and Mistee and I will give you the once over before we let mom talk to you!

