Rocket

On March 2nd, we lost this BIG personality-filled handsome boy.
 
BHRR’s Rocket
 
So far he had come.
 
He came from a world of emaciation, from being allowed to jump through an open window(deaf/visually impaired at that) to come and go off a busy dark road, fed when people remembered to feed him, unsocialised, lacking manners, often left alone – to being deeply cherished, putting on almost 40 pounds of solid muscle mass/weight, allowed to shine with his personality, learned re: helping hands, not hurting neglecting ones, developing gentlemanlike manners, the joy of so many wonderful things with sights, smells, experiences, car rides, play dates, and many kinds of tasty treats!
 
He always wanted to be in the middle of the action, a mischievous boy that was never hesitant to jump into the fun, create havoc from stealing paper towels, to stealing the clean laundry as Gwen tried to fold everything, to standing just looking at us with his gorgeous intense eyes as his brain spun thinking of the next exciting adventure or trouble he was planning. 
 
He was such a goof! Always a ham, and when the camera came out – boy, did he go into overdrive with the facial expressions plus tongue!
 
Sadly, since October 16th, we have battled IS with precious Mr. Rocket. 

We kept holding off on him making his special announcement as we worked diligently with his team of Vets/Specialists to first control his seizure activity.
 
From exams, to phenobarbital to adding Keppra to no avail. His seizures became more and more frequent until he began to experience prolonged cluster seizures.
 
Double Merle Danes are so prone to many medical conditions and IS is a big one for them.
 
He was at that right age for all of this to come to the forefront.
 
This loving, full-of-life, happy boy was cradled in Gwen’s arms while she and Dr. Liston humanely crossed him over the night of March 2nd.
 
The heaviness of our hearts, the tears that have been shed as another Dane that we wanted so much to be able to have his forever loving after in an adoptive home was not to be.
Mr. Rocket, as with all of the dogs that we are blessed to assist, you have made us better, stronger, given us so much joy, kept us on our toes, given us so much laughter, head shaking, and happiness……
 
We miss you fiercely, and as Gwennie is known to say, we will meet in our dreams until we can visit in person once more…..
 
RIP for earth has lost a massive angel……
 

BETTY WHITE CHALLENGE: January 17th, 2022!

TO DONATE TO BHRR IN HONOUR OF A TRUE ANIMAL HERO: PayPal to gwen@birchhaven.org OR Email Transfer contactbhrr@gmail.com

Even $5 would mean the world to the animals AND us!

Thank you in advance for any consideration to help us in 2022 to continue to help those in need of our highly specialised programs!

 

BHRR’s Rocket, BHRR’s Giselle along with one of my own Danes, Salt (sandwiched in-between) just could not stay up until our 14th Annual ‘JUST IN TIME FOR XMAS’ Online Auction ended! 

AND we have had a bit of excitement with some quick bids coming in! However, these three are completely oblivious!
 

BHRR Doggie News Update!
 
The picture is of Mr. Maxwell sunbathing!  So freakin’ handsome.
 
1) Mr. Maxwell had a repeat urinalysis on Wednesday, October 13th has he had begun to have some inappropriate urination episodes. Nothing alarming was noted, yet his vet elected to put him on Zeniquin in case he has bacteria in his prostate(he was neutered late in age) that is causing issues. Additionally, with how brutal his past has been with UTI’s, his vet wanted to be cautious.
 
The home is working to ensure that he is in a SA free enabling environment too to assist in dealing with any behavioural causes of the urination accidents.
 
2) Mr. Brutus had his own recheck the same day – He remains on Apoquel 16 mg SID, his antibiotics have been switched to Amox-clav from the cephalexin he had been on for a month as his skin had stopped responding.
 
His eye medications have also been switched up again as his eye infections have also stopped responding to his previous meds.
 
His ear infections seem to be responding ‘ok’ at this time to the medications.
 
He has been putting on the weight plus muscle and WOW, what a gorgeous boy in temperament plus behaviour. We see no reason once he is healthy, why he could not be placed up for adoption.
 
3) Miss Jamila – she went into heat October 2nd – so unfortunate that she was so ill when she arrived as she would have been spayed that first week of September. This puts her at continued high risk of pyo and mammary cancers.
 
Her ears and eye infections continue to be treated, and thanks again to Carol Bruck for her donation to have Miss Jamila be Miss August in the 2021 Calendar being so generously put together by Katherine Bruck!
 
Last I heard there were still two calendars available for sale – Katherine will have to confirm this though.
 
4) Gwen is also working hard on Miss Rosie, the special needs redbone/black/tan houndx – Gwen has been in touch with the O., and working on getting her into our rescue on Thursday.
 
5) Mr. Rocket’s big announcement has been delayed as he had a seizure episode the night of Saturday, October 16th. He had not had anything prior nor has he had anything since.
 
6) Mr. Romeo remains soon to be making his own special announcement.
 
This past week saw over $2,100 in vet bills accumulated, and may this next week not be as expensive.
 

My last post of my night!
 
Well, these pictures sum up a good part of my day! 
 
With it being so glorious, I took some time off from school (my day off from work), and Sean & I worked to get some pictures of BHRR’s Miss Jamila(going to be August Calendar Girl thanks to Carol Bruck‘s generosity!), BHRR’s Mr. Rocket & BHRR’s Mr. Romeo -so they could make their special announcements……
 
Yet, Mr. Rocket (deaf/visually impaired) had his own plans for today.
 
What a hoot he is!
 
I just wanted him to be still and ‘pose’ nicely for one….well, I wanted three great pics, yet, I would have settled for one good pic! LOL
 
I so love that goober head! Never a dull moment! JUST stay still and stop making faces for just…..one….bloody…..moment….PLEASE! 
 
From our home to all of our friends, family, and supporters, the best of good night wishes are being sent!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mr. Rocket was de-twinkled yesterday!
 
His weight was 47.7 kgs(104.94 pounds). So, he is up another 5.72 pounds AND since his arrival to BHRR; he has had a total weight gain of: 37.44 pounds! 
 
WTG!!! Mr. Rocket!
 
He is lean, he is muscled, he looks fantastic! If he put on a few more pounds 5+ , I would be very happy.
 
I did a nail trim plus microchipped him while he was under for his neuter and he was SUCH a good, brave boy!!!
 
Trazdone given the night before and the AM off to minimize his stress and his neuter was a smooth procedure. Textbook!
 
Now, the fun begins….keeping him calm, quiet and away from his incision! 
 
Once he heals, he will have his own special announcement to make.
 
In a couple of weeks, he should be ready to make his own special announcement.
 
We also need to post updates soon on: Mr. Romeo, Miss Olive, Mr. Symba and Mr. Dean!
 
AND please also join me in wishing Sean a FABU Birthday today!!! 
 

BHRR’s Rocket(Deaf/Visually Impaired GD) says ‘whatcha doin’!? 
 
Today, he was at LAH for his recheck. As most are now aware, he bloated last weekend and to have some good news come out of this past week of nightmares makes Sean/I slump our shoulders with a bit of relief.
 
We are not yet ready to post of the not 1, yet 2 devastating BHRR Haven Dog losses this past week and we do promise to do that shortly.
 
We also remain eternally grateful to Hospitals such as EVC and LAH for being there in our time of need. Additionally, we remain incredibly thankful to the Vets including Dr. Ammar for stating so clearly ‘that I did everything’ while looking directly at me after he walked into the exam room.
 
As I responded to him, we certainly tried and tried hard as this is what we do to be there for such deserving animals like these two and each time I was told that there was so many things that were medically wrong with these amazing dogs and that we did everything right…..Quality of life…quality of life.
 
We work so hard to go up and beyond and do right by each and every animal that crosses our doors.
 
Every single Vet and Specialist involved that spanned no less than 5 Hospitals strongly recommended/encouraged plus advised to make the humane euthanasia decision and supported us immensely when it was time to say good-bye.
 
It reinforced what we knew to be right and gave us some strength to draw upon, to stand up and do what these two beauties needed us to do.
 
In the meantime, we want to post this good update:
 
Mr. Rocket now weighs 45.1 kgs(99.22 pounds) which is up 11.22 pounds from his last weight. Slow but sure buddy, slow but sure!
 
This means since he arrived into our rescue program, he has put on 31.72 pounds.
 
He is still thin yet, he looks miles better than he once did plus as a young growing Great Dane, he will need to keep putting on more weight.
 
He was given a big thumbs and was deemed healthy enough to finally begin his vaccine protocol.
 
He will be de-wormed again tomorrow.
 
He and Mr. Porthos are now also scheduled for their neuters the second week of March.
 
We also wanted to impart that there was a cancellation on February 23rd for Dr. Philibert and Mr. Symba’s 2nd TPLO surgery is now scheduled for that day. Moved up from May 4th. So, we are in a desperate mode trying to figure out the remaining funds needed for his surgery.
 
Sean and I are deferring two mortgage payments – we can do so once a year – yet, we are still going to be short $2,100 for his second necessary surgery.
 
I also received three very generous donations from caring kind rescue angels for my Birthday that totalled $450. That will be put towards the bills that still remain for the two BHRR dogs that have now left us.
 
If anyone may consider Mr. Symba’s bills to donate to: Donations can be made direct to Liston Animal Hospital: 613-591-0966
 
OR via PayPal to gwen@birchhaven.org
 
OR via email transfer to contactbhrr@gmail.com
*please do advise of the password

 

AND we also wanted to post that yes, we are aware of the brewing situation of a hoarding GD case and we were reached out directly by the authorities involved. We are on standby as needed. With a lot of experience/knowledge working with hoarding plus puppymill situations; we know that that this will be a long drawn out situation as the courts do what they need to do in order to make sure that there are not any loopholes or things missed.

As what was stated in Sean’s end of years statement plus posted on this page, we know that there will be the exception made as we transition BHRR.

In knowing that many of these Danes are also special needs; we are in a stand by mode to help as needed……we will post as more unfolds and waht/if BHRR will be helping out with.

So, today is not a good one…..
 
After being free from seizures for 1 month plus 1 day, Mr. Oslo is now back admitted to the TO emergency for having had cluster seizures earlier today – 3.
 
Thank you to his foster home for bringing him into Emerge.
 
This is their estimate – and Gwen has reached out to them as they are charging $60 when he has already been there once – December 30th/31st and we have been treating him for IS since he arrived into our Rescue back in October. We are now waiting to hear back.
 
Per his emergency Vet, he is dehydrated and they have him on fluid therapy plus seizure watch in the ICU for the next 24 hours.
 
Then we have BHRR’s Rocket who bloated. He is now stable.
 
If anyone may consider their causes to support, donations can be sent via email transfer to gwen@birchhaven.org
 
OR via email transfer to contactbhrr@gmail.com
*we just need the password.
 
Fundraising options remain very limited due to COVID and weather and our Drive-Way Nail Trim/Ear Cleaning events will not start up again until April.
 
Thank you in advance for any consideration, even $5 to support their deserving causes and please keep both wonderful boys in your best wishes.

BHRR’s Rocket – the emaciated, special needs Great Dane – was at the Vet today.

Cassy Montgomery came with me shy of three weeks ago to pick him up from an unpleasant situation. Thank you again for coming with me.

His weight – and there is a picture posted in this group and also in his detailed blog – was just shy of 68 pounds when he was picked up. Pictures really do not show the level of emaciation that he came into rescue with.

His previous O. said he was about 120 pounds. I knew from photo’s sent that he was nowhere near that weight and at an ideal weight should be around 115-120 pounds, depending on his growth – he is quite young still. ~18 months or so.

Today, he weighs 40.3 Kgs(88.66 pounds). He has put on just over 20 pounds since he first arrived in our care.

He is still emaciated yet, we are slowly getting there. We started feeding him 8 small meals a day and now he is eating 5 meals a day and eating well. We had to teach him how to eat again.

With his better weight; we did his pre-op bloodwork and heartworm/tickborne disease testing and we are not surprised to note that he has very high globulin levels or that he came back Lyme positive.

He is on Doxycycline for the next 3 weeks and we will then do a recheck, repeat blood-work, re-weigh and see if that time if he is in better condition for vaccines. Next week he will be de-wormed once more with Interceptor Plus.

His neuter will not occur until he is healthier too. His happy tail is finally scabbing over and we are working to stay on top of him not banging it.

His manners are coming along so beautifully and he is such a wonderful boy!! He really is! He no longer tries to hump everything nor does he bark nonstop in inappropriate attention seeking behaviour. His leash manners are improving nicely and he really is quite affectionate.

We are teaching him that he is worthy and important and that he is going to be ok. He was very deprived of much in the way of consistency plus structure not to mention obedience plus attention and his previous O. did state that they did not have time for him since he and his partner split.

He is picking up hand signals incredibly fast and Sean/I do still believe that his potential to be placed up for adoption at some point in the future when he is ready is high. We will see…..he has such a long road ahead of him and he is safe regardless if he is adoptable or not. We assist those that are in the next of need of us, not those that are exclusively highly adoptable. Our Haven program is the majority of what BHRR does.

AND he is wearing two collars as he is a huge flight risk. His previous home would quite often leave a window open for him to come and go at will. Cassy and I remain so shocked that he was never hit by a car as he is deaf/visually impaired and was living right off a dark busy rural area road.

UPDATE on the 3 Musketeers!
*AND BHRR’s Dean & BHRR’s Rocket*

On December 8th, BHRR’s Porthos & BHRR’s Athos were in for their pre-op exams and bloodwork in preparation for being neutered – apt.’s scheduled for January 19th.
*We had already given them their all of their vaccines plus boosters, have them de-wormed monthly plus they are on monthly flea/tick/heartworm meds etc.*

BHRR’s Porthos weighed 44.90 Kgs(98.78 pounds)
BHRR’s Athos weighed 44.20 Kgs(97.24 pounds)

Unfortunately, the blood-work for BHRR’s Athos showed an extremely elevated WBC 27.12
*Reference Range Normal: 5.05 – 16.76 x10^9/L

He was placed on antibiotics for 10 days and two Vets said that normally values like this mean Cancer yet, one step at a time and to do the antibiotics first and repeat blood-work. He is just a puppy. Per his Vet, he clearly had been brewing an infection for a very long time, long before they arrived.

Advised to recheck just his CBC in 10 days time. He was back last night and I stayed in the parking lot waiting for his results and they are now: WBC 14.22
*Refence Range Norma: 5.05 – 16.76 x10^9/L

SO YAY! YES! SO HAPPY!

BHRR’s Aramis was in for their pre-op exam and blood-work on December 10th and she weighed 38 Kgs(83.6 pounds).

Her spay was scheduled for January 22nd yet, with the newest addition of BHRR’s Rocket – he really needs to be neutered – so, he is taking her spot. He is scheduled for his pre-op exam, bloodwork including heartworm/tick borne diseases and vaccines on January 2nd. With him being super skinny – emaciated, I am not keen on neutering him or vaccinating him any sooner than need be.

So, if he is not ready, we may move BHRR’s Aramis back to that spot – the Hospital is booking into March now and the Hospital that I am working at is booking into April – or we will move BHRR’s Dean into that spot. His neuter apt. along with boosters were rescheduled from yesterday – sent in Mason’s Tango instead for his own neuter – as he has a brutal happy tail right now. We asked his own wonderful foster to bring him in to the Vet and he is on antibiotics.

Dean will now be heading in shortly for his own recheck plus boosters. We already did his pre-op exam plus bloodwork (including pre-op and heartworm/tickborne diseases) plus initial vaccines and de-worming.

It is our hope that BHRR’s Athos, BHRR’s Dean and BHRR’s Rocket can all be successfully rehabilitated and placed up for adoption at some point.

Here are the 3 Musketeers(two are deaf/visually impaired and Mr. Athos has a slight visual impairment) enjoying the recently expanded side yard! 

 

BHRR’s Rocket. This is how skinny – emaciated – the poor boy is.

Has anxiety issues and boundary/respect issues with people and dogs.

Came from a substance abuser home. The man is going through a divorce and has room-mates, fed the dog ‘when he could’, when Cassy and I went to pick him upon Sunday December 13th; the dog had not been let outside in 26 hours.

Needs to seriously decompress.

Thank you again to Leanne and her daughter Cameron for stepping up to be his special Secret Santa and giving him a new name for a new beginning!

 

On December 8th, we were tagged by another Rescue in re: to a special needs Great Dane needing urgent assistance.

~2 – we feel he is more like 15 months. This is a male, unaltered special needs Great Dane that the O. thinks they have had for about a year.

He is being re-homed due to a divorce. The information posted said he is about 120 pound. In the one pic posted he looks quite thin and I would say ~65-70 pounds.

He is also due for vaccines, Rabies – O. says December 25th, yet, there is no prior vaccine history records being handed over as the O. said that they do not have a Veterinarian.

Per the home, the dog has anxiety issues – barking, not like being left alone – along with lack of training and 2 times has made a mouth connection over food. Did not break skin.

Some additional comments by an assessment made by the group that went to see him and posted seeking assistance for him is below:

____________________________________________________

Our assessment: we believe there are limitations to sight and hearing but was able to have the dog respond to being called by name and hand signals with some patience. NO manners (barks for attention, jumps, nips (no mark or broken skin) when frustrated on leash/restrained. Moderate anxiety (was told he was previously crate trained but not for the last year with the current owner) dog is currently given free roam of the house and property (is allowed to jump through an open porch window to come and go as he pleases- we don’t believe he is walked on leash). We believe anxiety would resolve or greatly improve with proper boundaries/safe place and exercise. The home is not stable or safe (was informed room-mates have substance abuse issues and the environment of the home changes quickly) and he is deteriorating. He needs a very experienced handler who is comfortable providing the structure this boy never had. We don’t feel that he is aggressive just frustrated and pushy, very puppy like but in a Dane body. We were told he has lived with children and a small-med dog in the past, but we would not recommend placement with either, until a structured decompression period has passed and he can be properly assessed.