Durango 16-092

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Profile

 

Sponsored by:

The Hayes Family
"Wishing you a speedy recovery sweet boy!!"

Lots of love from Mary and Carl
"Your are a true hero. Now you can run and play and
live life to the fullest. Thanks to all those who have helped you."

 

"We wish you a speedy recovery." -Kristin and Casey Kelly

From John and Amy Borg

From Ginger 07-705

 

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Date Posted Fence Kid Friendly Another Dog Cat Friendly
6/30/2016  Not required Yes Optional  Yes
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

Everybody, please say hi and welcome Durango to the RAGOM family. Durango has been with us now for about 7 weeks, but we wanted to learn more about him and his prognosis before he made his debut, and he is currently unavailable. This young man has had an unfortunate, rough start in life. It's unclear on whether his problems are related to a birth defect or if he suffered some sort of accident, but the end result is the same, and to put it in simple terms... he has a bad front leg. Durango was originally surrendered to RAGOM because he developed a severe limp and needed surgery. There was a defect in one of his growth plates, and the surgery was done to try to help his leg grow straight. Had the surgery not been done, his leg would have bowed out significantly as he grew, and he would also have severe arthritis in the joint, and thus severe pain and mobility issues. Our wonderful orthopedic surgeon, Dr. R., performed an ulnar ostectomy, where bone was removed on part of his forearm. After having several follow-up X-rays done to watch how his bone is growing, it has been deemed that he will need more surgery. Unfortunately, this next surgery will be very significant. While consults are still being done and appointments being scheduled, the recommendation is for Durango to have a dynamic external fixator placed on his front leg. This particular surgery is usually deemed as a last-ditch effort to save his leg. What this entails is not simple nor easy. There will be small wires that go through his bone at specific intervals that will then attach to metal rods that are on the outside of his leg. A section of bone will once again be removed. The wires and rods will be connected to nuts and bolts that will then need to be turned in very small increments over several weeks. The end result is that as new bone growth is developed, his leg will hopefully be lengthened and straightened at the same time. Unfortunately, this surgery is very specialized and will be very expensive, in the thousands for sure. RAGOM believes that this surgery is in Durango's best interest, but we need your help. Please consider sponsoring this sweet young fellow or making a financial donation in his name. He is worth every penny and promises to blow everyone that helps a big, wet puppy kiss to boot!!


Notice how my front leg is a little shorter and crooked. That's OK; I make up for it by being cute!


Yep, my leg looks crooked in this one, too.


Taking it easy after my first surgery.

OK, enough medical stuff... What else can I say about Durango, other than he's about as perfect as they come. He is an adorable, purebred, light blonde Golden puppy. On his last check, he weighed in at 26 pounds. He is neutered, microchipped, and up to date on all his vaccines. He is about 95% potty trained, having an occasional accident only when us humans miss his signal to go outside. He gets along great with our 3 Goldens and 3 cats. He absolutely loves to play ball and meets us at the door with a ball or toy in his mouth. He is kenneled during the day when we are gone, but gets free roam when we are home and at night. His favorite place to sleep is under our bed, with his paws sticking out from underneath. He also loves to cuddle!!

We are in love with this young man. He is such a gentle boy that always has a smile on his face and tail wagging. Again, please consider sponsoring him if you are able. The road ahead of him is still long and uncertain, but he is a trouper and deserves to live the Golden Life.


It's hard to sit still for a picture when you're still a puppy!

At a Glance #16-092

Golden Retriever Born: December 2015
Male Weight not specified

Status: Adopted

Profile

 

Sponsored by:

The Hayes Family
"Wishing you a speedy recovery sweet boy!!"

Lots of love from Mary and Carl
"Your are a true hero. Now you can run and play and
live life to the fullest. Thanks to all those who have helped you."

 

"We wish you a speedy recovery." -Kristin and Casey Kelly

From John and Amy Borg

From Ginger 07-705

 

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Date Posted Fence Kid Friendly Another Dog Cat Friendly
6/30/2016  Not required Yes Optional  Yes
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

Everybody, please say hi and welcome Durango to the RAGOM family. Durango has been with us now for about 7 weeks, but we wanted to learn more about him and his prognosis before he made his debut, and he is currently unavailable. This young man has had an unfortunate, rough start in life. It's unclear on whether his problems are related to a birth defect or if he suffered some sort of accident, but the end result is the same, and to put it in simple terms... he has a bad front leg. Durango was originally surrendered to RAGOM because he developed a severe limp and needed surgery. There was a defect in one of his growth plates, and the surgery was done to try to help his leg grow straight. Had the surgery not been done, his leg would have bowed out significantly as he grew, and he would also have severe arthritis in the joint, and thus severe pain and mobility issues. Our wonderful orthopedic surgeon, Dr. R., performed an ulnar ostectomy, where bone was removed on part of his forearm. After having several follow-up X-rays done to watch how his bone is growing, it has been deemed that he will need more surgery. Unfortunately, this next surgery will be very significant. While consults are still being done and appointments being scheduled, the recommendation is for Durango to have a dynamic external fixator placed on his front leg. This particular surgery is usually deemed as a last-ditch effort to save his leg. What this entails is not simple nor easy. There will be small wires that go through his bone at specific intervals that will then attach to metal rods that are on the outside of his leg. A section of bone will once again be removed. The wires and rods will be connected to nuts and bolts that will then need to be turned in very small increments over several weeks. The end result is that as new bone growth is developed, his leg will hopefully be lengthened and straightened at the same time. Unfortunately, this surgery is very specialized and will be very expensive, in the thousands for sure. RAGOM believes that this surgery is in Durango's best interest, but we need your help. Please consider sponsoring this sweet young fellow or making a financial donation in his name. He is worth every penny and promises to blow everyone that helps a big, wet puppy kiss to boot!!


Notice how my front leg is a little shorter and crooked. That's OK; I make up for it by being cute!


Yep, my leg looks crooked in this one, too.


Taking it easy after my first surgery.

OK, enough medical stuff... What else can I say about Durango, other than he's about as perfect as they come. He is an adorable, purebred, light blonde Golden puppy. On his last check, he weighed in at 26 pounds. He is neutered, microchipped, and up to date on all his vaccines. He is about 95% potty trained, having an occasional accident only when us humans miss his signal to go outside. He gets along great with our 3 Goldens and 3 cats. He absolutely loves to play ball and meets us at the door with a ball or toy in his mouth. He is kenneled during the day when we are gone, but gets free roam when we are home and at night. His favorite place to sleep is under our bed, with his paws sticking out from underneath. He also loves to cuddle!!

We are in love with this young man. He is such a gentle boy that always has a smile on his face and tail wagging. Again, please consider sponsoring him if you are able. The road ahead of him is still long and uncertain, but he is a trouper and deserves to live the Golden Life.


It's hard to sit still for a picture when you're still a puppy!

Updates

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Durango told me today that while life has been so busy this fall he would appreciate if I would send in another update. Apparently I've been remiss in my Foster Mom duties. So here is the announcement....Durango is now available & can start looking for his forever home! Let me start by back tracking to his last update tho. Right after Goldzilla Durango had a visit at the U. At that point his leg was healing but not quite enough to remove the fixator so it was wait & see. A couple days before before his next visit (at the beginning of a October) Durango developed yet another infection at the pin sites. I was able to contact his surgeon over the weekend & he was once again started on an antibiotic. Durango then went in the following week for an X-ray. This time his leg was healed enough ( approximately 85%) & Dr Anderson felt comfortable in removing the fixator (FINALLY!!! ) so the fixator was removed that same visit. Durango did fantastic. I don't think he misses that thing at all. However, because his leg was not casted & just a bulky dressing was on again, he was back to wearing the cone of shame & activity restrictions....still not able to run or jump or play like the big puppy he is. After a couple more days I was able to remove the dressing & the pin sites were healing well. Now finally, as of 2 days ago Durango is a free man...no more restrictions!!! Well sort of....he can run & play like most dogs but for the rest of his life Dr Anderson felt that his running & ball chasing should be kept to a minimum. While his leg is healed the important thing to remember is that he had 3 areas where the bone will always be weaker than the surrounding bone. Thus running & hard stops should be avoided as much as possible to reduce his risk. And to remember that he will also always have a limp. We have 2 young male Goldens that have been Durango's foster brothers & while inside they play pretty well together, outside they are bruts, & that's putting it nicely. So we limit his outside activity with them but let him have free play time when our older Golden is outside with him.

I think Durango certainly appreciates having the fixator gone. No more daily pin care. No more medipaw or covering on his leg. Certainly more comfortable to sleep. And an instant 5 pound weight loss ( well, maybe not that much, & it was just on his leg but still...)! It's interesting to note that as his fur is starting to grow back in on that leg that it is a couple shades darker than the rest of his fur. I kind of hope it stays that way because it's as unique as he is.

Once again, Durango & I want to say thank you to all those out there in RAGOMland that have contributed to his care financially, especially the Hayes family, Mary & Karl, Kristin & Casey Kelly, John & Amy Borg, & Ginger, as well as those who have been saying prayers and sending positive thoughts & well wishes for a speedy recovery. I am humbled beyond belief just thinking about it. We couldn't have done this without you! I also want to say thanks to Dr Anderson & his staff at the U of MN for his care. I know it's his "job" but I also think he went a step above, was always easy to reach & just plain old did an awesome job!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Look, I can cross my legs again!!

Just hanging out... look no fixator!!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Durango has been doing great & was able to make to Goldzilla last week. Let me tell you that he had an absolute blast!! We brought a wagon for him, knowing that that much walking would really tire him out, & he milked it for all it was worth. He definitely laid on the cuteness & charm as we were walking about. I couldn't get 5 feet without someone stopping us & saying "oh look, is that Durango? He's so cute, how's he doing?" . He absolutely loved being the center of attention.

Making friends and getting a kiss.

Durango & I want to say thankyou to all his supporters, & especially to the Hayes family, & Mary & Carl for sponsoring him. The road has been tough so far, & there are days where when I wonder if Durango would think its all been worth it. But after seeing all the love & support, good wishes & bellyrubs that Durango got that day, I know in my heart that we couldn't have gotten this far without any of you & your generosity. Thankyou from the bottom of our hearts!!!

Durango & I went back to the U of MN for a follow up visit on Tuesday. While things look good, it wasn't good enough to get his fixator off. Dr Anderson said it might have been a little too optimistic but we had our fingers crossed anyway. An X-ray was done & while it showed the bone was continuing to heal it's not at the point where it is strong enough to remove the fixator. I also asked why his leg continues to look so swollen, & he said that the soft tissues are remodeling themselves & that it is normal & will change again once the fixator is off. I'm still doing daily pin site care & while there isn't anything that looks infected there is still a lot of drainage, especially on the top sites. Because of this he decided to continue Durango on the antibiotics for another week just to be safe. For now the plan is to do X-rays again the first week of October. At his next appointment if there's enough healing, then he will under go the knife that day & get the fixator removed. Please keep fingers, toes & paws crossed!!!

On another note, Durango has discovered the joys of the raspberry patch. I have a huge raspberry patch that is going haywire with berries. Our other dogs love hanging out with me & will eat the berries right off the vine. At first Durango thought we were all nuts but after watching the other dogs have fun he decided to join in. Now as I'm picking I hear the slurp slurp noise as he's licking his lips & picking his own. Now if only I could get him to put a few in the bucket I'd have it made!!

Hanging out with his buddy Jackson.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

It's been almost 2 weeks since Durango's last update & they have been both good & bad. A week ago Friday found us back in the clinic with Dr. Anderson. Durango had a routine exam & x-rays were done. His bone was beginning to heal so it was determined that we wouldn't be able to get anymore length by doing more distractions. If we continued to distract once the bone started healing too much, it would put too much pressure on the Kwires which in turn could cause the Kwires to "tear" the bone. Dr. Anderson decided I should do 3 additional turns over the following 3 days but this time just on one side...that would help to straighten the bone...& then no more. The next follow up would be around September 12th , when another x-ray will be done to determine if the fixator could come off...finally!! We went home full of smiles!

Unfortunately that smile didn't last long. Over the course of the weekend Durango began to not feel good. By Monday he wouldn't eat anything, even when tempted with such yummies like cut up hotdogs. He could barely stand up, & when he did his back end appeared very weak & wobbly. He definitely was not himself. It also seemed like he was in pain despite getting his regular pain meds twice daily with an additional one as needed. I reached out to Dr. Anderson & on Tuesday we were back in the clinic again...I'm not sure if it's a good thing when we walk into the U of M clinic & people recognize us & say "Oh, Durango's back". Unfortunately Durango had developed an infection in his leg. Thus he was started on antibiotics twice daily. It only took about 2 days for them to really "kick in" but we will be continuing them for 3 weeks to make sure the infection is truly gone.

I think Durango has finally "turned the corner" in his recovery. He is finally at the point that he gets around really well. He is putting more weight on his affected leg, & of course walks with a limp, but we need to hold him back...he wants to run & play, & even tries to get up on our bed by himself. Because he is still on restrictions, his activities are getting more & more difficult to limit. While he can't run yet we have been allowing him more time for supervised play with the big dogs. He thoroughly loves a good game of tug of war & will often try to initiate a fun game if the other dogs become too boring. He remains quite the snuggle bug too & loves to snuggle & sleep on the bed with us.

At this time, if no further complications happen, Durango is planning on being at Goldzilla. I think we will be bringing a wagon for him in case he gets tired or we get tired of slowing him down! Watch for him in the foster showcase!!

Durango16092f1.jpg           Durango16092f2.jpg
Durango's fixator

Durango16092f3.jpg
Hanging out in the sun

Durango16092f4.jpg
Rolling in the grass....my favorite!!!

Durango16092f5.jpg
So handsome ❤️❤️

Durango16092f6.jpg
The contortionist!!


Monday, August 8, 2016

I'm not quite sure where to start but Durango had a very eventful week & not all of it good. I'll try to give the condensed version so here goes.

Last Tuesday Durango had his dressing taken off by his surgeon. Even though he had quite a bit of swelling everything looked great. Dr Anderson did the first cleaning of all the pin sites & the first distraction...meaning the turning of the bolts which will now be a daily occurrence to start to lengthen & straighten Durangos leg. At this point he no longer needs a dressing on & we can leave it open to the air as long as Durango leaves it alone....which he didn't, hence the idea of wearing a t-shirt instead of a cone.

The following day was a good one. As foster mom & a nurse, I was very comfortable doing the wound care & distraction on Wednesday evening...no issues at all & Durango didn't seem to mind.

Thursday at about 1 AM my daughter woke me up yelling that there was blood all over the floor. I ran to see & then traced it back to Durango, who was sleeping on the floor by the bed. It appeared to be coming from one of the upper pin sites. I put a dressing on it, watched it for awhile & when it seemed under control I headed back to bed. Worried, I couldn't sleep & got back up to keep on eye on the dressing, which by now had soaked through. After a couple calls to the emergency vet, off we went back to the vet hospital. The ER vet redressed the wound & notified Dr Anderson. When he came in it was again redressed it & since there wasn't any active bleeding sent us home. However within an hour of getting home his dressing was soaked through again. Back to the vet hospital we went. Once again a new dressing was placed, X-rays were done to try to figure out the source, & many labs were done. The decision was made to keep him overnight for observation.

Friday morning started out well however Durangos blood work didn't look so good. Even though there wasn't bleeding coming through the dressing Dr Anderson wanted to see what was going on underneath. Unfortunately there was way more blood than he anticipated once he removed the dressings. With Durangos labs getting worse again he needed to figure out where this was all coming from so that meant more surgery. Dr Anderson then tried to open just the area by the pin but wasn't able to find the source of the bleeding so he had to make a larger incision. He still couldn't find a source of the bleeding but did a few internal stitches & then decided a pressure dressing was needed. Unfortunately that was too hard to do with the fixator in place so the top ring had to be removed. The thought was that a hematoma would form & give internal pressure & then the pressure dressing would provide external pressure. Durango ended up spending the night again for observation.

Saturday afternoon seemed to be the turning point. No signs of bleeding, the blood counts & labs started finally improving & Durango was feeling better, eating & drinking. Finally time to go home!!!

Durango has been doing great since he came home. The t-shirt that he had the first day didn't work too well as he was able to lick through it. And Durango hates the dreaded cone. Instead we now have something called a medipaw which is a vinyl type covering that can fit over his dressing & is closed with Velcro. By keeping it covered we can avoid the cone during the day, but it gets too moist & sweaty so it comes off at night to air out & the cone goes on. Seems that we've worked out a system. Durango is in good spirits. I think he has finally figured out that this darn thing is here to stay ( at least for now) & he can get up & down quite easily with it. The hardest part now for him is no chasing the ball or playing with the other dogs as he still has lots of restriction.

We go back to see Dr Anderson on Wednesday & hopefully will get the dressing off & the top ring put back on the fixator ( that makes it much more stable & secure). Wish us luck!!

Again, Durango & I are simply amazed by all the financial & emotional support that has been sent his way. It hasn't been an easy road but knowing that so many are sending positive thoughts our way makes it so much more bearable. Unfortunately though due to these complications the cost of his care has increased so any additional donations are always appreciated. Thanks!!!!!!

 

 

Getting his dressing off for the first time

And this is what it looks like...

Finally home!!!

Back in the hospital...

A bigger & bulkier dressing this time

Can I please come home now???

After 2 1/2 days in the hospital, finally heading home!!

Afternoon siesta time!!

 

 

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update on our sweet sweet Durango. He had his surgery done on Wednesday & everything went as planned. After surgery he was very groggy & they were working to manage his pain so he wasn't allowed to have visitors. On Thursday then he was recovering nicely but still pretty out of it so due to logistics of needing his dressing changed on Friday morning it was decided to keep him another night. His dressing was removed this morning but he had a significant amount of swelling & drainage around the wire sites so Dr Anderson decided to put another dressing back on. I will be taking him back in on Tuesday for the dressing removal & then learning how to do the distraction process.

When Durango & I left the clinic this afternoon as soon as we got to the door he put the skids on...there was no way he was gonna walk out the door. After several minutes of trying to coax him, I finally gave up & carried him to the car....I think that was his plan all along! Once we got home his tail really started wagging. He was sooooo happy to come inside & immediately grabbed a tennis ball to hold in his mouth. He greeted our other dogs & was ready to play but mean foster mommy said no & made him go lay town for another nap. I think the hardest part of this whole ordeal is going to be keeping him quiet. Durango is on strict restrictions....leash walking only, & absolutely no running, jumping or playing for 6 to 6 weeks!! He is currently sporting a cone of shame so he doesn't lick at his dressing. I had gotten him one of the donut ones but had gotten the wrong size so another trip to the pet store is in order...also going to see if I can find some mind game type toys for him to help keep the boredom at bay. Otherwise it's going to be a lot of movies & snuggle time for this boy!!

Durango & I want to say thank you to everyone out in RAGOMland that have been sending positive thoughts his way. We can't possibly thank RAGOM & their supporters enough for making this surgery possible. Also an extra special thankyou to the Hayes family for sponsoring Durango....he promises a nice wet kiss for you if he gets to meet you at Goldzilla!!

 

     Day after surgery...still at the U of M hospital but could finally have visitors.

 

 Durango says pink just isn't his color!

      Finally home and settled in on a soft bed of pillows for now.    

 

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Durango & I are just in awe, well me mostly, but I'm sure if Durango could speak for himself he would agree....RAGOM, & all of their supporters are absolutely, hands & paws down, the best!! Thanks to the generous support of all Durangos admirers he will be getting the surgery he desperately needs to save his leg. I certainly cannot say thankyou enough. I send my sincere thankyou & Durango sends wet, slobbery puppy kisses to everyone that is making this possible.

 

Durango had his consultation appointment yesterday at the U of MN. X-rays were repeated & after much discussion on the best course of action, what is in the best interest of Durango while giving him the best chance at being a normal dog, we decided to proceed with surgery & he is now scheduled for next Wednesday. There are a few issues at hand. One being the area of his previous surgery as it appears to not be healing in the desired way. The next is his growth plate on his radius appears to be fused & that is causing his front leg to bow out. The 3rd area is his elbow....while Durango is just 7 months old he already has arthritis starting in the joint, grinding with movement & it is starting to cause the upper arm/ humerus to misalign. The surgery will be 2 parts....first cutting away part of the radius where it is fusing & then placing an external fixator that will go through the radius, & that it turn connects to metal rings that go around his leg. On a daily basis during his recovery bolts will be turned very slowly. Then as the new bone growth develops it will allow for lengthening & straightening of his leg. The 2nd part is to again cut away a piece of bone but this time on the other end close to his elbow & on his ulna. This will hopefully allow for the humerus to align better & take some of the pressure off his elbow. All in all the recovery period is expected to be at least 6 to 8 weeks, depending on how his bones respond. During that time his will be on limited activity, with no running or jumping. Multiple X-rays will be needed after surgery, over several weeks, to make sure we are "turning the bolts" at the right speed. Too slow & the bone could fuse back together; and too quickly will be painful & could cause weakness in the bone. As is evident this is a very technical surgery & I am so happy to know that we have an awesome surgeon & surgery team to provide Durangos care. Once his recovery is complete he will then need to undergo yet another surgery to remove the fixator, this one hopefully will be very simple in comparison!!

In spite of all this Durango is growing by leaps & bounds. When he first came to us he was 23 pounds of puppy. Now he is 45 pounds of pure joy. Although I am certain he has a fair amount of pain, he is always smiling, tail wagging, ready for play, kisses or snuggling. We love this boy dearly & are praying for a good outcome for him....so that he can run & play with the big dogs & actually be able to keep up without pain or significant lameness. In all reality he will always have a limp. The goal though is to keep it to a minimum, letting his joints move freely & keeping him pain free. Please keep this young guy in your thought & prayers as we move forward.