Dino seems to have a very balanced and even temperament and appears to get along with just about everyone, two-legged and four-legged.  In addition, he seems to be a dog who wants to hang around home - at his last owner's house, he went out without a leash and didn't leave their acreage.  We think Dino is simply so grateful to have a home, safety, comfort, and now to be medically treated, that he doesn't feel the urge to wander.  It appears he can go into almost any home with a house, yard, family and be a happy, loving dog.

Dino has a sad history.  He lived with a family in an apartment and then was given away to someone the family was introduced to.  The new owners loved Dino and had several other dogs along with cats and small kids.  But from the moment they got Dino, they could tell  something wasn't quite right.  He ate large amounts but lost weight.  He constantly strained to poop and when he finally did, it was diarrhea.  Unfortunatley, they were not financially able to get him to the vet.  After some months they contacted MOGS and we immediately arranged to go meet him and assess his situation.  It became clear that he needed IMMEDIATE medical attention, so we took him into our program and rushed him to the vet.  He weighed a mere 59 lbs, and should weigh 80+ lbs.  He was skin and bones, and his coat was rough and dull.  His new owners had done their best to help him but weren't able to.  When he got in the car on the way to the vet, he almost seemed to know he was getting help - and after some looking out the window, he curled up on the back seat, utterly exhausted from his months-long ordeal.

DIAGNOSIS:  Dino was diagnosed with a condition called "perianal fistula", or "PF".  This is a condition in which fistulas (small pockets) form both inside the anal canal and on the outside of the anus, making it incredibly painful to pass stools.  Common symptoms are an inflamed anus and anal canal, diarrhea, extreme straining to eliminate, weight loss, and constant biting at the area.  The internal anal canal looks similar to the external anus, and that is how the severity of the condition is assessed. The more inflamed, and the more fistulas there are, the more painful for the dog.  Dino went untreated for months so his backend was in terrible shape.  Simply lifting his tail was extremely painful for him.  He had even chewed a spot on his tail raw trying to alleviate the pain. When the vet was finally able to gently lift his tail, we all gasped - his butt looked like raw hamburger.  (CAUTION:  several pictures below show this, for those who want to know what this condition is really like and what Dino has been enduring.)  His anus was red, swollen, inflamed - it almost looked like someone had taken a meat cleaver to the area.  We knew that the inside of his anal canal, where the stool had to travel to exit, was every bit as bad.  Poor Dino had tried for months to eliminate hard waste that couldn't pass, and it stayed in the anal canal until it liquified and finally emerged as little spurts of  diarrhea.  This sweet boy had endured all that pain week after week, month after month. When he tried to eliminate, his body bent almost completely in half, in a V-shape, with the strain.   It was gut-wrenching to watch him.

TREATMENT:  PF is a condition that is managed.  There is no surgical intervention.  It's largely a matter of experiementing with a high-quality diet supplemented with probiotics and other gut health products, combined with the use of a medication called Cyclosporine.  In addition, laser treatments often help greatly.   Dino got his first laser treatment within minutes of arriving at the vet's office.  It hurt him so much we had to sedate him, and then physically hold him upside down while he struggled (see pictures)!  Our hearts broke for him, but it had to be done to get the healing started.  He will have weekly laser treatments for the foreseeable future, and fortunately they are no longer painful for him.  The pain is already lessening.

PROGNOSIS:  We're on the road to stabilizing and controlling Dino's PF, but it will be a journey.  First we de-toxed his gut, which required a strict diet regimen that limited his intake to some fortified broth for a few days and then gradually increased the amount and type of food he can eat.  We had to be careful not to put more waste into his system until we could start reducing the fistulas so he can pass the waste.  The good news is that within 24 hours the diarrhea had stopped and he was expelling small nugget sized bits of solid stool.  While very far from normal, it was a far cry from the diarrhea.  He still strains mightily to move those small pellets of stool past the fistulas, but that straining should gradually decrease as the combination of diet, medication and laser treatments kicks in.

MEDICATIONS AND COST:  The main medication is Cyclosporine, which is extremely expensive.  He gets both oral Cyclocporine (pills) and external Cyclosporine (a topical soluton of it applied gently to his anus).  This expense, combined with laser treatments, dietary supplements and a special diet, are a huge drain on the rescue's funds.  If yoiu can spare a few dollars, please donate to Dino's medical treatment and recovery! Go to http://mogsrescue.rescuegroups.org/info/donate -- or go to the left navigation menu and click on "How to Donate".  Just specify it's for Dino.  And thank you!!!


OVERALL:  Dino is a great dog with a wonderful temperament, who is so relieved to be on the road to recovery and feeling better.  He's sweet and loving, and is desperate to get better.  He will be the light of one lucky family's life!  He simply needs a family that's willing and able to manage and maintain the regimen of diet and medication he will need, likely for the rest of his life. Is that YOU?  If so, you will have a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime dog!


DOGS:                 Yes, lived with other dogs.  May need proper introductions to highly rambunctious dogs
CATS:                 Yes, lived with two cats
KIDS:                 Yes, great with kids
IDEAL FAMILY:   An active or mellow family will suit Dino, he simply needs a family who will love him forever and is both able and willing to deal with what's required to manage his perianal fistula condition for life. 
 




DINO's ADOPTION FEE:   $300
This fee covers only part of what we spend to vet, board and rehab the dogs we save. On average we spend over $450 on each dog. We made a decision to keep our adoption fee at the 2005 level even though vet prices have doubled and tripled since then. We are constantly fundraising to cover the deficit. At minimum, your adoption fee includes the dog's spay/neuter, heartworm test, heartworm treatment if needed, rabies shot, distemper/parvo shot, bordatella shot, deworming, monthly heartworm and flea preventives, and microchip. In many cases it also includes surgery and various types of vet treatment for standard issues such as hot spots, ear infections and so on.
 

INTERESTED IN ADOPTING DINO?
Complete an Adoption Application Now!

Good with Dogs, Good with Cats, Good with Kids

STOP!! READ THIS BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER!

1. We're picky about our adopters. 
2. Are you sure you're up to having a GSD?  They're not for everyone.  They take a lot of time, effort, training.  They shed year round.  They're big.  They scare lots of people.  They "mouth" and herd.  They're usually strong-willed and stubborn.  You have to have references and a home visit.  If you're not willing or able to deal with any of this, please don't waste your time or ours applying.  
   
3. Will the dog be an inside family pet? We do not adopt to outdoor-only homes. All dogs must be indoor dogs.
4. Do you leave your dog outdoors when you're not home?   We do not adopt to homes that leave their animals outside when they're gone.  You must put your dogs indoors when you're gone.  A 3 yr old adopted MOGS dog died when the owners went to run errands, left her outdoors, the gate was somehow opened, and she was hit by a car.  Tragic and 100% preventable. Even privacy fences get broken into.  Gates are opened.  Thieves steal dogs. Never leave your dog outdoors when you're not home!!
   
5. What's your plan for unexpected events and major changes?  New baby? Divorce?  Moving?   How you will provide for your dog if your family breaks up? 
   
6. Will you make a lifetime commitment?  It's your responsibility to keep your dog safe, loved and cared for FOR LIFE.
7.  Do you understand we expect you to keep that lifetime commitment?  It's YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to stick by your family member -- no matter what.
8. Are you unable or unwilling to make a lifetime commitment? Do not apply.

 

Have Questions? Email us at mogsrescue@gmail.com

Thank you for considering a homeless dog or cat.