10/11/05: Mango arrived at his new foster home on Sunday evening, Oct. 09 in Ankeny, Iowa. We did not know much about Mango before meeting him - he was surrendered by his former family, still a very young pup, Golden/Poodle mix, and very sweet! What an accurate description of this little guy with his curly coat. We also knew there were concerns about Mango's leg - neurological damage.
The first night was a little rough getting adjusted as we are a little rusty on being a foster home and Mango had to refresh us! Last night was much better - Mango sleeps through the night with ease and so far has been doing great with house training and crate training. Keep our fingers crossed. I was surprised last night as I held him in a recliner that he did not fuss or squirm. So content to just sit there with me. He is very gentle and seems to be getting along just fine with my two resident Goldens. He is not a very brave soul though and is easily spooked by the noise of other canines outside. Mango loves toys and is very, very playful and bouncy and wags that tail a bunch. Mango has a nickname here - "Manny".
This is the news from the vet regarding Manny's leg:
1. Tough decision what to do - possible amputation - we are being referred to a neurological specialist/director at the Iowa State Univ Vet School.
2. No sensation/feeling on top surface of foot - does have some sensation/feeling deep in the nerve - vet was able to tell this by feeling his foot/leg and reaction from puppy
3. Not really concerned about infection at this point - we did not receive any antibiotics for Mango's sores on leg - but did get some tips on how to wrap it and received a spray to aid the skin's healing.
4. Mango was on prednisone previously from another vet in Waterloo - we are not continuing this treatment. Does not recommend prednisone for such young puppy. Also, Mango is being treated for fecal parasites and ear mites.
| Mixed Breed | Born: May 2005 |
| Male | Weight not specified |
Status: Deceased
10/11/05: Mango arrived at his new foster home on Sunday evening, Oct. 09 in Ankeny, Iowa. We did not know much about Mango before meeting him - he was surrendered by his former family, still a very young pup, Golden/Poodle mix, and very sweet! What an accurate description of this little guy with his curly coat. We also knew there were concerns about Mango's leg - neurological damage.
The first night was a little rough getting adjusted as we are a little rusty on being a foster home and Mango had to refresh us! Last night was much better - Mango sleeps through the night with ease and so far has been doing great with house training and crate training. Keep our fingers crossed. I was surprised last night as I held him in a recliner that he did not fuss or squirm. So content to just sit there with me. He is very gentle and seems to be getting along just fine with my two resident Goldens. He is not a very brave soul though and is easily spooked by the noise of other canines outside. Mango loves toys and is very, very playful and bouncy and wags that tail a bunch. Mango has a nickname here - "Manny".
This is the news from the vet regarding Manny's leg:
1. Tough decision what to do - possible amputation - we are being referred to a neurological specialist/director at the Iowa State Univ Vet School.
2. No sensation/feeling on top surface of foot - does have some sensation/feeling deep in the nerve - vet was able to tell this by feeling his foot/leg and reaction from puppy
3. Not really concerned about infection at this point - we did not receive any antibiotics for Mango's sores on leg - but did get some tips on how to wrap it and received a spray to aid the skin's healing.
4. Mango was on prednisone previously from another vet in Waterloo - we are not continuing this treatment. Does not recommend prednisone for such young puppy. Also, Mango is being treated for fecal parasites and ear mites.
I am happy that so many folks had a hand in helping this wonderful little guy find us! He is sooo wonderful! Just a hoot and a handful of clumsy, funny puppy energy! I tried to attach photos to this email, one of Manny nka Wally and one of our 'gang' of dogs. Scout is the 8-year old purebred Golden; Sasha is the 4-yr old Bernesse/Border Collie mix (also a rescue - from South Carolina!) and of course Wally the curly puppy!
Many thanks again & Happy New Year!
Nancy D and family
Mango, otherwise known as Manny-man, is doing great. This happy fellow loves the big dogs and loves to play. He doesn't appear to be in any pain whatsoever from his nerve damaged rear leg and it doesn't slow him down in the least. He is walking normally on that foot and hasn't trying chewing on the sore he had on top, which is healing over very nicely. He loves to wrestle, run, taunt and harass the big boys. He is not at all shy about wanting to take rawhides, bones and pizzles away from either one of them. He is very sociable, and played with a large Golden who came with friends for supper last night. Manny loved grabbing the tail or leg of any dog that was playing to get into the game.
Manny is remarkably trainable. I guess the Poodle in him makes him smarter than average (at least the vet at the U of M said they score in the top 5 breeds for smarts). He has followed Mike the resident dog down the driveway for the paper for a week, trying to steal it from him, and yesterday retrieved it all by himself. Mike likes to carry the small flashlight home when we turn around to come back on our nightly walks, and Manny has demanded that he get his own flashlight to carry home, too.
Manny is a typical 6 month old puppy, with lots of energy and occasional naughtiness. He is attracted to the bathroom garbage can and Wednesday decided he didn't like the mum and the philodendron in the window seat- they needed to be pulled out of their potting soil, and so convenient to the back of the couch. (Yeah, they were pretty natty to look at!) In the two weeks he's been here, he doesn't chew on anything inappropriate, even with shoes available all the time. He moved my leather hiking boot from the back door to the front door one day while I was gone, but didn't chew on it. I have been giving him a little plain yogurt on his food and he thinks that's really special, and now he eats all his food instead of grazing. He potties when you take him outside and say go potty or go "more" potty. He has favorite places to do this and I think a family could train him to go in the same spot every day. He has free roam during the day, although my husband thinks Mike is the "hall monitor" and the only time Manny got into trouble was when Mike went on a home visit with me and we left him alone for an hour with Bogey, the visiting dog. ;-)
Manny's left rear leg is less developed than the right leg (not as thick around). He may have some weakness in that leg for the rest of his life, (but don't tell him some people may think he has a disability!) It doesn't slow him down in the least. Personality wise, Manny is incredibly sweet. He loves to be brushed and rolls on his back for belly scratches. He knows sit, down and we have been working on stay. He's almost there!! Yesterday he heeled on our walk off leash in the yard and he should be a snap at learning lots of new commands. He knows his name and his recall is excellent. He is putting on weight and I've had to let out his collar to accomodate his growing. He was 34.5 lbs at the U on the 16th and weighed 38 lbs on the 27th. He's a little thin, but we feel good about his development.
Manny is ready to be considered for a forever home. He would really enjoy having another dog in the home as he wants to do everything his big brothers do. If not, he needs a home that will burn off his energy, stimulate his clever little mind and provide him opportunities to play with other dogs. If you're thinking you're the right forever home for Manny, contact placement
ragom [dot] org.
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Mango came up to the Twin Cities last Sunday for an appointment during the week at the University of MN Small Animal Veterinary Clinic. Our first excursion was to PetSmart. He was skittish about meeting so many dogs head-on in the aisles, and didn't like it one bit when someone barked right in his face. He moved away and sat down by a display table, and was just content to sit there for a while to make sure all was right with the world. Then he was back exploring- so many tall aisles and the sounds of barking dogs! That was a little distressing, too. The cool thing was, when he arrived, he was walking pretty well on his foot and his first foster-mom said that the previous Wednesday he was getting better. By Sunday, you wouldn't have known he had a problem by the way he headed up the stairs, wrestled with my Golden, or hiked in the woods until it was late in the day. Then his leg was weaker and he would occasionally skip or carry it on the 4th time he stepped down on it.
On Wednesday at his vet appointment, his back and leg were x-rayed, and thankfully, the good news is, he doesn't have any fractures of any kind. The examination revealed what we already suspected- he had had some type of nerve injury. The vet decided not to do the electrodiagnostic tests because they would have told us what we already knew- he had some type of nerve injury. The muscle and nerve on his left rear leg are smaller than the right. He has some pain sensation in the foot now when he didn't before. He is using the bottom of his foot when it was dragging before. His surrounding nerves are compensating for the injured one and he has learned to flip his foot forward and we need to work on building up those nerves and muscles to take over for the injured one. The vet believes it is not a congenital (from birth) defect because he is improving. The injury was probably traumatic- some sudden, wrenching of the leg (like getting it caught in a chair when you fall out) that injured it. In any event, he's getting better and we DON'T need to even discuss amputation!!!
Mango (who everyone calls Manny) put on some weight- he's now 34.4 lbs. His growth plates are still open and he will get taller. His hips look terrific (no dysplasia with this dog). The treatment recommended includes an exercise regime of 4 times per day with down time in between. He shouldn't play to the point of starting to drag his foot. The vet also recommended that we keep the sock and wrap off of his foot and use DUCT tape, if we need to, to prevent him from licking the raw spot he developed when he was dragging the top of his foot on the concrete. However, that spot has dried up nicely, and yesterday he left it alone under supervision, so he didn't have any covering on it. If he starts to chew at it again, we were told to put on some ointment and cover the top of his paw with DUCT TAPE!! Apparently, it has healing properties (no kidding- a vet study came out that says so!!).
Now to the antics. This boy loves dogs and he loves to play. He loves to wrestle, take away bones, rawhides and Kongs. He wants to be the first dog on the trail and will run like the wind to stay shoulder to shoulder with the competition. But he wants the dogs around. If they stop to smell something, he stops and comes back to them. Last week, he could only harass the resident dog. This next week we are dogsitting for a friend, and this dog is even more fun to harass! Manny knows his name and will come when called, especially if you have a reward for him. He knows sit and is pretty good at down. We're working on wait, but he's still a puppy and wants everyone else's cookie, besides his own, so it's so hard to stay in one place when the treats are being handed out.
Manny also loves people. He's taken a liking to my husband, who just laughs at his puppy antics. This morning we had to coach Manny on the use of the Kong to get his kibble out. He only eats about a cup of his 1.5 cups of puppy food, so we put the rest in the Kong and seal it with peanut butter, and he works for the rest of his kibble. When it comes out, he eats it. Manny is a cuddler, too. He doesn't squirm and loves to lay on your lap or next to your leg on the couch. He will sleep on the bed or next to it on a blanket. This boy is sweet, playful, and a ton of fun. The pictures don't do him justice.
Manny would love a home that keeps him stimulated: whether it be kids or another dog. He probably won't need a fence as his recall is so good at such a young age and he could be boundary trained. The vet thinks he's pretty smart for a young guy and absolutely adorable. His new family will have to pay attention to how he's doing on his rehab as he's getting stronger, but the vet said it was highly unlikely he would have a lifelong problem with his foot. At this point, he's improved very much since he was seen at the University of Iowa- with his using the foot correctly, he's retraining the nerves and muscles there to be able to walk appropriately. We should pay attention to how he's doing and make sure he gets enough exercise to build it back up.
If you're thinking you could be the family that will keep Manny busy, give him exercise and a warm lap, and help him get healthier as he grows into a big curly blonde boy, contact Placementragom [dot] org.
Hello Everyone!
It's me - Mango. I had a very fun week in foster care. Actually, it's been very educational. I have learned alot about myself and I would like to share this with you. I have been watching alot of television and listening to the radio - reading the newspaper and I have heard them talking about Designer Dogs. From what I have learned - I match this description. Sounds like Designer Dogs are pretty special - so I started acting a little arrogant around the other dogs in the neighborhood. I thought I was better than them. Then one of my doggy friends asked me if I was so special - why was I in foster care with a rescue organization?
Suddenly, my arrogance turned to sadness - and I went home to talk to my foster parents.
My foster mom told me she does not know why my previous family gave me up - but she's sure it was not my fault. That made me feel better. She told me that I was a very, very special doggy and assured me that I will soon find a forever home. That really made me feel good inside. She told me that my new family would love me not because I have a Golden/Poodle coat - but because of my wonderful spirit and gentle heart.
I think I'll stop listening to all this talk about Designer Dogs - it's foolishness.
Love, Mango
Mango's Behavior: This little guy just acts like a normal, happy-go-lucky puppy. He likes to chew on things but obeys "no". He enjoys car rides. He enjoys the company of humans but most enjoys his canine friends. His favorite game is "chase me" as he is constantly wanting my Goldens to run after him. He likes treats and enjoys the water. I anticipate he will also love the snow. He is really not afraid of much - other than his reflection that he sometimes notices in the fireplace door. For the most part - he is relatively quiet and does not bark much.
Mango's Schedule: Mango usually rises between 4:30 - 5:00 am each day and eats his breakfast when he gets up. He lays back down around 7:15 am. Around noon, he gets a short break to go outside and potty and play. He eats supper around 5:30 pm each day and has the rest of the evening to play. He goes to bed between 9 - 10 pm and sleeps fine through the night.
Mango's Health: Mango spent a very long afternoon in Ames on Wednesday and was evaluated at Iowa State Small Animal Clinic. Unfortunately, I do not have any definite answers to give you and no prescribed treatment at this point. The doctor is requesting further testing on Mango to possibly include : bloodwork, electrodiagnostic testing of limbs, biopsies, radiographs, etc.
We do know that an important nerve in Manny's leg has been damaged/injured but we don't know why? Congenital? Infection? Trauma? and that's what they want to find out. I will keep you posted as I know more.
He is slightly underweight for his age so I would like to see him put on a few extra pounds. Currently, he is only 27 lbs.
