Ellie 13-216

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Sponsored by:

Debra Syvertson

 

8/11/2013:

Please welcome Ellie 13-216 to the RAGOM family.  She is a 76 pound, 7 y/o, pure bred, female.  She was found as a stray and never claimed.  Some wonderful people who knew about RAGOM contacted us for which we are grateful.  Ellie Mae, as she has come to be called at our house, is one of the most mellow fosters we have ever had.  She has been with us a week and settled in without any issues.  She claimed the sofa on her second day!

Medically, Ellie is a work in progress and won’t be ready for adoption until a few more things are finished up next week.  She had a mass removed from her right shoulder that was benign.  She gets her stitches out next Thursday.  She is getting eye and ear drops for infections.  She will be having X-Rays of her hips next week as she moves very slowly and she seems bothered by stairs.  She is spayed, microchipped and up to date on all her shots and preventatives.  Due to severe matting and surgery, Ellie received a summer “pixie” cut which makes her look like a lioness!

Here’s what we know about her so far that will help determine what her forever home should have:

  • She is house trained
  • She is not crate trained
  • Fenced yard would be best as she seems like she would wander off
  • Temporary fosters indicate she is good with young kids.  With sore hips, I would caution very young kids who may crawl on her.
  • Temporary fosters indicate she is good with cats, but not tested here
  • She gets along with other dogs, but likes to bark at the neighbor dogs when she sees them outside.
  • She walks well on a flat collar; she grits her teeth when we use the gentle leader.
  • No resource guarding with food, treats or toys.  Actually, she hasn’t shown much interest in the toy basket.
  • No counter surfing
  • She will whine and pace with noises like gunshot or thunder.

We will give an update after her vet appointment on Thursday.  If you’re considering a pup to sponsor, Ellie would be very grateful to have some of her medical costs reimbursed.  If you’re considering a pup to love forever, look no more!

At a Glance #13-216

Golden Retriever Born: July 2006
Female Weight not specified

Status: Deceased

Profile

Sponsored by:

Debra Syvertson

 

8/11/2013:

Please welcome Ellie 13-216 to the RAGOM family.  She is a 76 pound, 7 y/o, pure bred, female.  She was found as a stray and never claimed.  Some wonderful people who knew about RAGOM contacted us for which we are grateful.  Ellie Mae, as she has come to be called at our house, is one of the most mellow fosters we have ever had.  She has been with us a week and settled in without any issues.  She claimed the sofa on her second day!

Medically, Ellie is a work in progress and won’t be ready for adoption until a few more things are finished up next week.  She had a mass removed from her right shoulder that was benign.  She gets her stitches out next Thursday.  She is getting eye and ear drops for infections.  She will be having X-Rays of her hips next week as she moves very slowly and she seems bothered by stairs.  She is spayed, microchipped and up to date on all her shots and preventatives.  Due to severe matting and surgery, Ellie received a summer “pixie” cut which makes her look like a lioness!

Here’s what we know about her so far that will help determine what her forever home should have:

  • She is house trained
  • She is not crate trained
  • Fenced yard would be best as she seems like she would wander off
  • Temporary fosters indicate she is good with young kids.  With sore hips, I would caution very young kids who may crawl on her.
  • Temporary fosters indicate she is good with cats, but not tested here
  • She gets along with other dogs, but likes to bark at the neighbor dogs when she sees them outside.
  • She walks well on a flat collar; she grits her teeth when we use the gentle leader.
  • No resource guarding with food, treats or toys.  Actually, she hasn’t shown much interest in the toy basket.
  • No counter surfing
  • She will whine and pace with noises like gunshot or thunder.

We will give an update after her vet appointment on Thursday.  If you’re considering a pup to sponsor, Ellie would be very grateful to have some of her medical costs reimbursed.  If you’re considering a pup to love forever, look no more!

Updates

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

It’s been nearly a month since Ellie’s last update and what a ride it has been.  Ellie has been a Midwest traveler again.  First, Ellie rode along on a personal trip with me to the Cities.  While I tended to some family business, Ellie stayed with some wonder fosters.  While there, she was finally able to meet her sponsors who were also visiting family in the Cities.  Perfect timing!  Deb and Tim, Ellie truly enjoyed meeting you and we are so glad we were able to make that work.  In preparation for her visit, Ellie had her first trip to the groomers and she did very well!  As you can see, the groomers gussied her up so she was beautiful to meet all her new friends.

Another reason for the grooming was in preparation for her hip surgery.  As you know from previous updates, Ellie has been evaluated for a procedure which will help eliminate some of her hip pain.  Two weeks after her most recent trip to the Cities, we received word that she was going to be able to have the procedure done!  While this is extremely exciting, it is bittersweet for us as her fosters.  This required her to move to a different foster in the Cities to be near the vet.  Ellie became one of the family, slowly warming up and bonding with us.  She is going to be greatly missed.  We are so thankful that RAGOM will be able to help her with this procedure.  RAGOM helps so many of its dogs and we couldn’t do it without sponsors, so please consider this gift during the holidays-perhaps a donation in someone’s name!

For my last update, I wish to thank so many people who have opened their homes, hearts and heads to help Ellie reach her full physical potential.  Thank you Judy, Kris, Dayle, Trace, Karen, Kathy and Deb.  There has been much coordinating to make this possible and Ellie is so lucky you all were involved.  Ellie is now at her new foster home in the Cities and awaits her procedure in the very near future.  Stay tuned for the rest of the story…

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Happy Howl-o-ween, Ellie fans. Yes, I said “Howl-o-ween.” That is not only the upcoming event where Ellie will be the official greeter for the trick-or-treaters, but it is also the name the event that Ellie recently attended. She and many other RAGOM alumni and supporters attended the local event to spread the word about RAGOM. It was cold and windy, but she had a great time meeting all the people and other dogs that were there. Her personality is so calm and relaxed that people were just drawn to her as she approached them. She lived up the “Meet & Greet” part of the event and made a few new friends. Speaking of meet & greet, she is looking forward to meeting her sponsors very shortly! Enjoy the pictures below of the event, and yes, Ellie will be wearing her costume again as she helps hand out treats next week!

 

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Here is a quick update and pictures for Miss Ellie Mae…our wonderfully loving foster. We’ve noticed that the longer she is here, the more open she is becoming. She now follows us from room to room in true Golden fashion. She has learned from her foster sister that if you nudge a human hand, you get more pets! Ellie and her foster sister have learned that snuggling together during a storm puts both of them at ease (that and a Thundershirt!) 

Ellie attended the Woofstock Meet and Greet this past weekend and melted a few hearts! She was a trooper-staying out in the cold and rain for the full 3 hours. We made sure we had tarps and blankets for the dogs so they could stay warm and dry.

We are still working on the next step for her hips-deciding which surgery to move forward to. In the mean time, she does very well with her mobility with the help of pain medications and anti-inflammatory meds. Yesterday, she was chasing foster sister Jasmine while Jasmine was chasing bunnies!

Look at this face…who can resist such a beautiful creature?

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Ellie’s big adventure update! Ellie made the journey to Minneapolis to see Dr. R. She met lots of wonderful fosters, transporters and of course other RAGOM and resident dogs. She became fast friends with Maggie, another foster who was seeing Dr. R. Thank you to all who loved her while she was with you.

Ellie came back with recommendations for one of 3 different procedures which RAGOM will have to consider. A total hip replacement is preferred but is cost prohibitive. The other two options will ensure that she can move pain free. It sounds like another trip to the Cities may be in her future!

In the meantime, we continue to help her live her new golden life…She was digging through the toy basket and found the nyla bones…her new favorite thing! She enjoys her walks and we are working on a bit more weight loss. Below, Ellie and foster dad are reviewing some commands. She is excellent with “Sit” and “Down” and we are making great strides with “Come” and “Stay.” She does love the treats at the end of good behavior!

Friday, September 20, 2013

Ellie the mid-west traveler! Ellie traveled to Minneapolis this past weekend to attend the annual fundraiser for RAGOM…Goldzilla. She had a great time! She met other RAGOM volunteers and their foster dogs. She also met several people who were looking to adopt from RAGOM and took the time to hear her story. We want to thank everyone that took the time to visit with us and meet our dear girl. It was such an exciting and busy time that foster mom forgot to take pictures of Ellie at the event. Here is one with her lying with foster sister Jasmine and Foster Son Austin waiting to meet people.

It was a long drive home after such a busy day and Miss Ellie was one tired girl.  OK, so was foster mom and foster son!  Ellie took some of her pain meds for her hips and hit the hay on HER couch.

The travel doesn’t end there…Its back to Minneapolis this weekend to meet Dr. R. for evaluation of her hips.  There is a possibility that she will have surgery that same day.  We are anxious to find out the results of the visit.  There are so many people to thank that have helped Ellie get to this appointment.  Obviously, Dr. R. who gives of her time so selflessly needs to be thanked.  The behind the scenes action that takes place to transport and house a foster from South Dakota in the Cities takes a small village and we are thankful for all that helped arrange that small feat.  We want to thank Kris, Deb, Jean and Karen for their parts in transporting and temporarily foster Ellie while she is up there!  

The unsung heroes are the people who sponsor our dogs that help cover the costs.  Ellie has very special sponsors, Deb and Tim and we want to thank them.  Other sponsors are always needed so if you’ve been considering this, please think of Ellie.  The plan is this…Drop her off on Friday half way to the cities. Volunteers in the cities will transport Ellie the rest of the way.  She will camp out at foster homes up there and see Dr. R on Monday.  If all goes well, she will catch a ride half way back to South Dakota Monday where we will meet her and bring her back home.  

Stay tuned to the next update to find out what happened and what is in store for her future.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Ellie is going on her first road trip!  Yup, she and resident dog Jasmine will be heading north to the Cities this weekend to attend Goldzilla- the annual RAGOM fundraiser.  We are excited to meet other RAGOM fosters and their humans.  We are also excited to meet RAGOM fans!  Fans are the people who help RAGOM meet their mission- to rescue and re-home Goldens and Golden Mixes.  Stop by the foster tent to meet Ellie and hear her story.  To recap:

  • Ellie was found as a stray and spent time in a shelter.  She has been in RAGOM’s care for several weeks.  
  • Much of Ellie’s needs are medical.  She has bad hips and will be meeting with a specialist in the cities to see if surgery will help relieve the discomfort she has.  She is ready to go from all other medical perspectives.
  • Socially she is fantastic!  She is mellow, calm and loving.  She loves to be outside lying in the grass and sniffing the air.  
  • Oh, yea…she chases bees!  Not good as Foster Mom is deathly afraid of them and hates to pull her away from the flowering bushes she likes to investigate!  See how she likes to be in the bushes?
  • She is able to walk about a mile at a time, which is a big step forward. 
  • She has no resource guarding behavior with humans or other dogs, she does not counter surf or get into things she shouldn’t.  
  • She sleeps on her pillow either in the family room or bedroom.  
  • She has free roam of the house when we are not home.  
  • She gets along well with dogs and reportedly does fine with cats.  
  • She does have some storm anxiety and likes her Thundershirt.

If you are touched by her story and want to learn more, stop out to see her at Goldzilla or consider sponsorship to help her finish her care with RAGOM.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Thank You!  Thank You!  Thank You!

This extra special update is in honor of an extra special couple, Deb and Tim S.  It appears there is a love connection happening between the S family and Miss Ellie Mae and we couldn’t be happier.  Their sponsorship of Ellie will help cover some of the special medical care Ellie has needed and will need for her hips.  This medical care will ensure that Ellie has great quality of life--pain free activity!  RAGOM could not do what it does for these rescued dogs without this generosity!  Look how happy she was when I shared the news with her…she hopes to meet you soon!


I'm so happy!  Thanks Deb and Tim!

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Ellie’s Magical Story:

This weekend we had 3 other couples at our home and Ellie befriended all of them.  She would walk up to each person and just stand there until they pet her and then walk to the next.  She isn’t demanding with a paw or a nose, she just waits with her big brown eyes until you pet her.  Her magic worked wonders for one couple…

Ellie climbed onto the sofa next to Deb and looked at her.  I told Deb, “She wants to lie on your lap.”  “You’re kidding me, right?” was the response back.  “No, if you’re ok with her doing that just lift up your arm.”  Deb did and Ellie proceeded to lay her head in Debs lap.  That’s how the two of them spent the rest of the evening, Deb petting her and Ellie snoring.

What’s magical about that you might ask…Deb and Mark’s little dog died about a year ago and Mark didn’t want to  get another dog.  We saw Mark the next day and the first thing he said to us was “We can’t come to your house anymore when you have fosters.”  “Why?”  I asked.  Mark’s response, “Because now I see why Deb wants another dog.  That Ellie is the kind of dog that would be great for her when I travel-big enough to look intimidating and yet loving enough to keep her company.”  I suspect they will be looking into a companion soon!  Magic!  I only wish I had captured the moment on film.

What I did capture was Ellie after her bath!  Isn’t she stunning?  She loved the water but loved the brushing even better.  You can see by the pictures below she cleans up pretty good.  Even Ellie took to admiring herself in the window…Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?

Monday, August 26, 2013

Ellie the self taught wonder…that’s right, self taught. We are going through training classes with our resident dog and working on home work for week one: “Sit” and “Lay Down”. I was training her in another room and Ellie came to find us. She stood there for quite some time observing. While “Sit” is a command our resident knows well, “Lay Down” is a whole different story. As if she could feel our frustration, Ellie came over and must have said to our girl “watch me and I’ll show you how it’s done.”

At the “Sit” command to our resident, Ellie looked at me and “Sat”. With “Lay Down” to our resident, Ellie slowly and methodically laid down and then looked at our resident. Totally amazed, I continued to work with both of them. Within 5 minutes our resident was following Ellie’s lead. 4 days later, both dogs will “Sit” and “Lay Down” on command (with a treat of course).

There continues to be some medical work for Ellie. Her eyes are still red, so we changed to a more potent steroid. She moves much better with daily medications. The specialist in the cities wanted x-rays of her knees, so she had those done which showed they were in good shape. Her blood work was normal, ruling out any hypothyroid disease. We await word on when she will have her exam by the specialist. In the mean time, she is on a green bean diet to try to get the last few pounds which will be better for her joints and daily short walks. We went back to a gentle leader with her because she is very strong when she first starts off. She isn’t a fan, but is starting to get used to it. Keep following the adventures of Miss Ellie.

Monday, August 19, 2013

It’s week two with Miss Ellie and she has been a delight.  She slid right in to the groove of the house.  She and our resident dog Jasmine are great together.

She has been on a few outings the past week.  Ellie is not the best passenger in the car.  She willingly climbs in but pants on the drive.  She mastered turning on the wipers & the hazards as well as opening the cup holder while I ran a quick errand.  Good thing the car was off or she may have mastered the gear shift!

One of the outings was to a Meet & Greet at Petco.  Ellie loved the attention she got from her fellow Golden Retrievers and Golden lovers of all kind.  Her “Lion Cut” was a big hit with many of the kids that stopped by.  See how big her smile is with a belly rub?

Another outing was her check up at the vet.  We got good news and not so good news.  First the good news: She has lost 2 pounds with controlled portions (wouldn’t we all!).  She only has 4 more pounds to go.  Her stitches came out and incision looks great.  Her ears have cleared and are “perfect”.   Best of all her spleen looked normal on the x-ray!

The not so good news:  Her eyes are still red so we continue daily eye drops and will need to be rechecked.  The x-rays revealed some bad hip joints which explain why she isn’t very active.  She was started on two different pain medications.  Dr. K will take a few more x-rays and lab work then she will have a consultation with another wonderful RAGOM vet in the Cities see what the plan of care will be.

We are thankful that the pain meds have given her more energy and she is up and moving much more since starting those.  That means we resume our walks!  She is a magnificent creature and I’m so thankful that RAGOM is taking care of her while she waits for her forever family.  She could really use some sponsors, so if you’ve been thinking about that, please consider this face…