wonder dog rescue // News

NO Mobile Adoption This Weekend...

2008-05-08T13:02:00.000-07:00

Good Lord! We're taking a weekend off...

Hah, not really... :-) There is a lot of "behind the scenes" work that needs our attention.... cleaning, packing, storing...

While we wont be doing a mobile adoption you CAN still hook up with us to meet any dog that you might see on our list. Just throw an email over to adoption@wonderdogrescue.org

Happy "Mothers Day" to all of the moms, caretakers and nurturing people who make this world a better place!

Volunteer BBQ!

2008-04-28T21:55:00.000-07:00

We held a barbecue yesterday to thank the most amazing group of people... our volunteers. They transport, help at mobile adoptions and do all kinds of things to help ensure that the dogs are loved, healthy and (most important) adopted to loving homes!

Tilly

2008-04-28T21:49:00.000-07:00

This precious little girl arrived Saturday from the Stanislaus County Shelter.... A BIG Thank you to Andy at the shelter, and to the amazing Ms. Tammy for transporting her to safety! Tammy had been fostering the little girl. If you can make a donation in ANY amount to help her, just go to our main page, wonderdogrescue.org and click on the 'donate' icon. thank you...

We're going to see the vet tomorrow... I'll post an update!

WDR's Easter Bikkie Hunt

2008-04-28T21:40:00.000-07:00

We held our first annual (first *ever*!) Bikkie Hunt on Easter Sunday. The humans had fun treating the dogs.... And the dogs had a blast searching for the yummy treats! A good time was had by all....

2008-04-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

Mayumi and Taco have created a Dogster group for dogs adopted from Wonder Dog Rescue! The URL is http://www.dogster.com/group/Wonder_dogs-10556.

This will be a great opportunity for people to share ideas, stories and photos! Please stop by and join! I'll be there too!

Linda

Rest in Peace, Hobie

2008-04-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

Hobie came into rescue 6 or 7 years ago.... he was found in the San Jose area, roaming the streets. The woman who found him had him neutered and brought him to rescue. "Hobo" was so darned cute, and I wanted to keep him.

But this loving fellow was adopted by Sue and Joe. He brought so much happiness to their lives.... They let me "dogsit" when they went away, and this kept Hobie in my heart for all of these years.

Hobie suffered a sudden decline in health. He was hospitalized for just a few days. And this morning he passed away.

My heart is heavy for his loving owners. Hobie will be missed by many of us here too. He had many dog friends at Wonder Dog.

from "The Once Again Prince" by Irving Townsend, to Sue, Joe & all who have lost a beloved companion...

We who choose to suround ourselves with lives even
more temporay than our own live within a fragile circle,
easily and often breached.

Unable to accept its awful gaps,
we still would live no other way.

We cherish memory as the only certain immortality,
never fully understanding the necessary plan.

Rest in Peace, little Hobie....

lb

Queenie in trouble

2008-03-27T22:48:00.001-07:00

One of my all time fave films!!

Reverse Sneezing

2008-03-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

Many people ask me about this, wondering whether their dog has a serious problem. I found this in my email box, and it's a good explanation of the problem!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today's tip was written by PAW volunteer and adopterLynne Keffer. By the way, you can now access theMerck Veterinary Medicine manual online at http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp

Have you ever been startled by your dog exhibiting snorting, honking and gasping noises? Have you felt helpless while you watched your canine friend appear to be struggling to breathe?

What you probably witnessed is the condition in dogs
known as reverse sneezing. It actually has nothing to
do with sneezing, but is a spasm caused by an
irritation of the soft palate. The soft palate is a
soft, fleshy tissue extension off the hard palate, or
roof of the mouth. Small dogs in particular can
exhibit this behavior and certain breeds may be
predisposed to it. It has sent many a distraught owner
to the vet in panic.

Some animals can have this condition for their entire
lives, or it may develop as the dog ages. During the
spasm, the dog will usually turn her elbows outward
and extend her neck while gasping inwards with a
distinctive snorting sound. Gently massaging the
throat area or pinching the dog's nostrils shut so she
must breath through her mouth can help shorten the
episode. Sometimes taking the dog outside in the fresh
air stops the spasm. Once the attack ceases, all goes
back to normal.

(Another technique sometimes used to stop a bout of
canine reverse sneezing: behavior specialist Sarah
Wilson suggests trying to get the dog to swallow,
touching the back of the tongue if that is safe.)

It is thought that the pharyngeal spasm can be caused
by a number of irritants, including dust and pollen,
or household chemicals. Moreover, some dogs can
launch an episode after eating, drinking or running
around, or while pulling on the leash.

If your dog experiences this behavior fairly
frequently and the episodes are severe, a trip to the
vet is in order to determine other possible causes,
which can include viral infections, polyps, excessive
soft palate tissue, and nasal mites. However, many
cases of reverse sneezing appear to have no
identifiable cause.

Some Old time Fun!!!!

2008-03-12T14:35:00.001-07:00

THIS is rescue in action....

2007-06-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

We received this email from a N. CA shelter yesterday.... yes, the baby will be safe... he is being transported tomorrow. After temp testing he will be placed in a foster home. Medical and behavior needs will be addressed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello,

I am contacting you today about a terrified little Boston Terrier in need of
rescue.

A54322 is an approximately 3 year old intact male who weighs 7.9 lbs. He is
brindle and white. He was placed in the shelter's night deposit on 6/6/07
with no note as to his origins (how sad).

This little guy is just beside himself around all of the big barking dogs
here. He wants out of here! Can somebody please rescue this poor little
guy? No temperament test has been performed on him because he is so
fearful.

Thank you for your time and attention and I would greatly appreciate your
prompt response.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are able to do this work because of the support and generosity of animal lovers - like you! Please consider making a tax-deductible donation in any amount. You can use a MC/Visa debit card at paypal... just go to http://www.wonderdogrescue.org/ and click on the 'donate' button.

Your Inner Dog will thank you heartily!

PUPPIES!

2007-06-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hi! These 6 sweet babies were rescued in merced. the ACO was not able to capture the mom, sadly. Pups are 4-5 weeks old, in good health at the moment and eating very well.

They are being socialized carefully, under the loving guidance of "Mom Megan" at Healthwize for Pets!! Watch these pages for an update on adopting.

bostons!

2007-06-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

These two bostons were given to us by another group. although they'd made progress in their foster environment they needed placement assistance. Both dogs need to be only animals in their household.

The little boy went to his home yesterday.... and we're hoping to place the girlie over the weekend. We have some wonderful folks waiting for a boston terrier to love. these dogs are youngsters too, probably a year and a half old!
:o)

Los 3 Podengos

2007-06-13T23:09:00.000-07:00

These dogs have begun a remarkable transformation in foster care. They feel safe, curious and are growing more affectionate toward people too! Here are their shelter photos along with a photo at the foster home. to see more photos/bios please check our adoption page at www.wonderdogrescue.org

Choking Dogs & Cats - what you can do...

2007-05-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

Hello! This was sent to me, and I felt it was really valuable information, worth sharing... knowing it could save your dog or cat's life!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHOKING

CALL YOUR VET IF NEEDED.

Dogs are notorious for trying to swallow things that are a little too big.. The result can be choking where an object lodges in the airway.

REMOVE THE OBJECT

When time is of the essence, you must act quickly.
Pull your pet's tongue out of the way. Reach deeply in to the back of your pet's throat and try to grasp the object. If it is a ball, and you are unable to move it, try using some type of instrument- tweezers, pliers or even a spoon shaped tong. If after a few attempts it is still lodged, but you can still hear wheezing and some noise when your pet is breathing, then you have time to rush to your vet.

Open your pet's mouth. For a dog:

Grasp the upper jaw with one hand over the muzzle.
Press the lips over the upper teeth with your fingers
on one side and the thumb on the other so that the dog's lips are between its teeth. Firm pressure may be required. The dog then can't close its mouth without biting itself and is less able to bite you.

If you can see the object then try to remove it with your fingers.

For a cat:

Grasp the cat's head so that your palm is over the cat's head, your thumb and index finger are behind the canine (eye or fang) teeth.

Tilt the cat's nose upwards. In most cases this causes the cat to automatically relax the jaw muscles so that you can open the mouth.

You can then use the index finger on the opposite hand to gently open the mouth. Place the finger tip on the lower incisors(the small teeth between the canines) and gently push the lower jaw down.

An alternative is to push your thumb and index finger of the hand holding the cat's head towards each other. Some cats resent this more and it is easier to get bitten but it does hold the mouth open while the opposite hand is now completely free to hold tools etc.

Examine the mouth and if you can see the object it may be possible to remove it with your fingers or small pliers. Do not attempt to remove a needle embedded in the roof of the mouth but take your cat to your veterinarian.

It may be possible to gently pull the tongue forward but some cats will not allow this. If you can not remove or see the object or your pet is struggling too
much to allow you to examine the mouth (and it is small enough) then pick your pet up by its hind legs, turning it upside down and shake.

COMPRESSIONS

Gentle compressions on both sides of the widest point of the chest may help dislodge the ball. Place both hands at the back of your pet over the widest point of the chest while he is standing, and give 5 firm compressions to dislodge the ball.

Slapping the back while shaking may to dislodge the object. If your pet is too large to pick up or if you still can not dislodge the object lay your pet on its side. For small pets place your palms behind the last rib on both sides of your pet's abdomen and press your
palms together quickly 2 - 3 times. Repeat if necessary.

HEIMLICH
If after trying to manually remove the object, and after gentle compressions it won't move, and your pet is not breathing, then proceed to the Heimlich.

TURN your pet upside down, with back against your chest. WITH both arms, give sharp thrusts to the abdomen.

AFTER 5 thrusts, stop and check to see if the object is visible in the airway. If so remove it and give 2 mouth-to-nose rescue breaths. If the breaths do not go in, repeat HEIMLICH.

In some cases, your dog is too large to pick up. You can lay him on his side, and make a fist. Put your fist into the hollow beneath the rib cage, then push firmly upward and inward. Repeat for 5 times, then check to see if the object has been dislodged.

CPR

If your pet completely stops breathing, then you will have to know the CPR steps. After the airway has been opened, you may need to give artificial respiration.

CLOSE your pet's mouth and breathe directly into his nose until his chest expands. If the chest doesn't expand then go back to STEP 2 - AIRWAY.

VENTILATE at 15 breaths per minute. One BREATH every 4 seconds.

PROCEED to STEP 4 - CIRCULATION
>In some cases of choking, your pet's mouth has been injured. This means feeding a soft food for 7-14 days while the wounds heal

Gopala Krishna

2007-05-29T02:04:00.001-07:00

I'd never heard this sweet song by George Harrison...Saludos y gracias a Mugui Ochoa for the amazing grafic. Rescue is my sadhana

The Time is NOW for AB1634

2007-05-29T00:08:00.000-07:00

Please.... we dont agree on everything.... but the senseless killing MUST stop, and ab1634 is the first bill that has come along which can make a difference. The bill goes to the assembly this week and there is STILL a battle ahead.

Please take five minutes to telephone or fax your representative and ask him or her to support this bill! Here's more info, right off the CA healthy Pets Act. All the info you need is on the web page, http://www.cahealthypets.com/

Blind Diabetic Pug... meet GoGo

2007-05-26T22:45:00.001-07:00

UPDATE: This sweet gentle dog passed away..... what a tragedy. He should never have been allowed to get into such a horrible physical condition. RIP, my friend.

ah, gentle reader.......

Sweet Mr. GoGo was truly saved by one very kind woman. He's new to rescue, and what a little doll he is. GoGo is blind and takes insulin daily. We are monitoring him very carefully. The entire gang is crossing its paws that we find a superb home for him.

GoGo will have some exceptional medical expenses. We'll soon do a BG Curve.. this is a day long blood glucose test which measures his sugar and helps us to get him on the right dose of insulin. He's frail and very underweight too.... but such a little love. He has also been diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy, which makes it hard for him to use his back legs... He's just a dolll though, never complains!

We'd be grateful for any donation for his care. You can do this by going to http://wonderdogrescue.org/how/tigersfund.html.

Thanks!

LOOK at this sweet boston pup!

2007-05-26T22:35:00.000-07:00

Little Bessie was surrendered to rescue by a sweet couple. They felt that their home was not right for such a young pup.... and I am glad that they chose us to rehome her. Bessie had giardia, some housebreaking issues and some separation anxiety.

We're not taking applications for this four-pound sweetheart at this time. Truth be told, there are many people who've submitted applications in the past.... but IF we dont find a suitable home we will post her on our "adoptions" page...

Mobile Adoptions!

2007-05-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

Mobiles are a LOT of work... they are also a whole lot of fun.... here are some photos from today's mobile. Generally, we're at Healthwize for Pets in the Lower Haight on Saturdays. But in June we're adding mobiles at Bernal Beast (on the most amazing hill ever.. BERNAL!) Watch our pages for exact days and locations!

A HUGE thank you to the people who responded about our needing a camera...... thank you, Craigs Listers!!!

more dogs!

2007-05-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

Random Acts of Dogness!

2007-05-20T18:30:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd take a break from the mountian of bills and paperwork to say hello! We receive many photos about animals in need, lost and sick dogs as well as updates from adoptors... Send us your photos, we'l post 'em here (max 170k please!)

Here are a few from the archives! Enjoy... :o)

R.I.P. Buster

2007-05-15T16:29:00.000-07:00

Sweet little Buster..... when he arrived in rescue he was so thin... His name WAS buster, so we know that he was an owner surrender. they reported that he'd had a seizure although I never saw one.

Buster fit right into the household. He was quiet, gentle and very loving. He didnt always like the other dogs walking on him and would voice his disapproval. Dr. Gordon thought we should give him a chance to put on some weight.... He did not appear ill.

But as time went on it became more difficult for buster to eat. The painful part for me was knowing that he WANTED to eat. Several weeks ago I was cooking chicken, chicken livers and he was munching them down... but as recently as a week ago he had no interest. Even a small piece of hot dog would be spit out... For some reason he could not swallow. Last week I also started giving him soft food only... baby food, canned dog food w/chicken broth... his favorite was cream cheese and he also loved tapioca pudding. Sometimes he ate it off of my finger, other times I used a syringe... I had to feed him around the clock because he wasnt getting enough at feedings. On Thursday we saw the doctor again. This time we did blood work, which came out okay. But the Friday x-ray showed trouble in his lungs, most probably cancer. I returned to the hospital, took Buster for a final walk, gave him some cream cheese and then prepared to say goodbye. I held him and talked to him as the needle was inserted... first a sedative and then a drug to stop his heart.

I cried so much over losing him. I know he wanted to stick around.... This part of rescue never gets easier with time.

Happy Halloween!!!

2006-10-30T22:33:00.000-08:00

Buddy and Big Buster update!

2006-10-02T22:47:00.000-07:00

Sweet big Buster! He was dumped into rescue because the family of the deceased owner was unwilling to care for him. He is 12 years old and blind. "Bussy" has one large and several other small mast cell tumors which were removed, along with some work on his eyes and teeth. Before we could do surgery on him we had to fix up his skin and several other infections. Buster has had his surgery now and life the rest of his days in peace. thanks to Dr. Gordon and the wonderful staff at Mission Pet Hospital in SF for taking such GREAT care of Big buster! He is certainly available for foster or adoption but is otherwise safe from euthanasia. Donations for his care can be made via paypal at www.wonderdogrescue.org.

Buddy was found wandering around in Bakersfield. Severe dry eye had rendered him almost completely blind and he appeared to be deaf. With the assistance of Boston Buddies in Southern CA buddy received the vet care he needed while in Bakersfield and was transported to the Bay Area. Meds have helped to clear up the infections in his ears, and he can now hear! He has put on some weight and is living the life of a much loved dog. Buddy is available for adoption or fostering. He does have moderate heart disease which will one day lead to congestive heart failure. But we'll love him to pieces until that day comes! We'd be grateful for donations for Buddy's care ... in any amount!

Adoptions and Coming Events!

2006-07-17T21:38:00.001-07:00

WonderDog's next mobile adoption is on Saturday July 22, from noon until 3pm, at Healthwize for Pets, 157 Fillmore at the corner of Waller in San Francisco. We hope to see you there!

Below are some pictures from recent mobile adoptions....