10/21/2013:

They say that the eyes are the window to the soul & that is certainly the case here. Silver Maple made the long transport from Atlanta to Minnesota ( thanks so much to Mobil Mutts!!) 2 weeks ago from a very high kill shelter. We don't know anything about this young man's past but if he could talk I'm sure he would tell us of a difficult life.

Silver is approximately 3 years old & is a golden mix. He weights in at 44 pounds & could gain a little weight. He was also heart worm positive & has old injuries to his left front & right rear paws. When he first arrived it looked like maybe he was shot through the paw since there was a healing round hole on the top but after visiting the vet we found out that was not the case. The best guess is that he was hit by a car at some point & has suffered subsequent nerve damage to his front leg & is therefore unable to bend it at the elbow. This causes him to swing his leg out to the side as he walks, or drag the leg forward with the top of the paw scraping the ground. As he walks over hard surfaces it then gives him an abrasion on the top of his paw & thus what looked like a possible gunshot wound. On his back paw he has a couple of toes that are missing & the vet isn't sure if the 2 injuries are related or if he was born that way. We have been having Silver wear a doggie boot on his front leg to help protect his paw from further injury. Most of the surfaces in our house are either hardwood or tile so he wears it pretty much all the time....he leaves it alone & certainly doesn't seem to mind.

As far as his heart worm is concerned he started his treatment last Monday. He spent 3 days at the vet where they injected him with medicine to kill the worms. Unfortunately it can be very painful for him to get the shots (they described it like injecting him with cyanide) & also potentially dangerous. As the worms die off they can cause a clot that can go to his heart or lungs causing an emboli which could kill him. He is home now but must be kept as quiet as possible...outside only for potty breaks & no running or rough housing. He will go back in in 6 weeks for another injection & then can be neutered 2 weeks after that if all the worms are gone. He has been brought up to date on all vaccines & is now microchipped as well.

Silver Maple is an absolute sweetheart. He is very quiet & was definitely a favorite at the vet. He watches everything....watching & assessing, very observant. He loves to snuggle, gets along great with our 4 goldens, & doesn't mind our 2 cats either. He is 90% potty trained with only an occasional accident. He marked once in the house when he first arrived but not since then.

I can't say enough good things about Silver Maple, he is such an awesome young man. We are so grateful that RAGOM takes in dogs like him, takes care of his medical needs & gives them a new chance at life. That is what rescue is all about & I am so honored to be a part of it. If you are interested in meeting this southern gentleman contact your placement adviser. Please also consider making a donation, if at all possible, to help with his medical care & for those other dogs like him.