Oliver/Red 14-202

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Sponsored by:

Eunice, Pete and Gracie (07-443)
 "Best wishes!"

To Red from your old buddy Harley and his new sister Sandy

 

 Sponsored by Mark E.

 

Love you Big Red! Keep smiling!   Love you Big Red! Keep smiling! Frederick

 

Happy Valentine's Day gorgeous Red! You rock! - Love from Cindy G.   Happy Valentine's Day gorgeous Red! You rock! - Love from Cindy G.

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Entered Foster Care Fence Kid Friendly Another Dog Cat Friendly
7/15/2014 Not required Yes Optional Yes
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

Please welcome Oliver into the RAGOM family. We’ve taken some liberties with his name as no one knows what his real name is and he can’t tell us. From the minute we saw this big guy, he was “Red” to us. Red was found as a stray and lived for several weeks in a kennel at animal control. No one came to claim him and no one stepped up to adopt him. When his time was up, RAGOM was asked to come to his rescue. So, it took a while, but the big guy finally hit the jackpot.

Several vets have examined him and they believe him to be between twelve and thirteen years old. His time as a stray and the time he spent waiting in his kennel at animal control really played havoc with his joints and muscles. He had difficulty walking around the block and just getting up and down was a major chore. He was lovingly cared for by two temporary foster families until we could get back in town from our summer vacation. This is part of the “RAGOM Village” that often comes together to rescue these beautiful animals.

Now, after several weeks of a good diet, increased exercise, two vet visits, and a regular schedule, Red is starting to show the kind of dog he really is. We are up to walks of up to 3/4 of a mile at a time. Through a combination of glucosamine, fish oil, and some carefully prescribed pain medications, he is having less trouble moving around every day. He loves to have his stomach and chest scratched and can now roll over on his back to let us know what he’d like. 

Yesterday, he was able to sit down for the first time (previously, he could only flop down from a standing position).

Red does have a number of health issues that we are addressing. The good news is that the several tumors that were found were tested and found benign. He apparently has had long-term untreated allergies that have either caused or aggravated skin problems, eye issues, and a serious ear infection. Our priority over the next several months is going to be to continue to address these issues as well as his arthritis. He is a big boy (88 lbs. of which he could stand to lose at least 10 lbs.), but we’re going to start by working on the health issues and just address the weight with exercise at this point.

We have been thrilled to find that Red is just a wonderful, loving guy – a real gentleman. He gets along with other dogs, loves cats, and is very good with kids. His tail is nearly always wagging. Because he moves slowly and has arthritis, we think that older, dog-savvy kids who can move more slowly and are not likely to stumble over him would be preferred. He has had no accidents in the house, loves his car rides (once you give him an assist to get in), and sleeps through the night. At this point, he still can’t handle more than two stair steps, so a one-level house or apartment would be required.

We’re still learning more about Oliver/Red every day and we’ll keep you updated as to how things are going for this wonderful guy. Because our energies are focused on clearing up the medical issues, we won’t be actively looking for Red’s adoptive family just yet. Stay tuned, there’s a lot more to come!

At a Glance #14-202

Golden Retriever Born: November 2001
Male Weight not specified

Status: Deceased

Profile

Sponsored by:

Eunice, Pete and Gracie (07-443)
 "Best wishes!"

To Red from your old buddy Harley and his new sister Sandy

 

 Sponsored by Mark E.

 

Love you Big Red! Keep smiling!   Love you Big Red! Keep smiling! Frederick

 

Happy Valentine's Day gorgeous Red! You rock! - Love from Cindy G.   Happy Valentine's Day gorgeous Red! You rock! - Love from Cindy G.

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Entered Foster Care Fence Kid Friendly Another Dog Cat Friendly
7/15/2014 Not required Yes Optional Yes
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

Please welcome Oliver into the RAGOM family. We’ve taken some liberties with his name as no one knows what his real name is and he can’t tell us. From the minute we saw this big guy, he was “Red” to us. Red was found as a stray and lived for several weeks in a kennel at animal control. No one came to claim him and no one stepped up to adopt him. When his time was up, RAGOM was asked to come to his rescue. So, it took a while, but the big guy finally hit the jackpot.

Several vets have examined him and they believe him to be between twelve and thirteen years old. His time as a stray and the time he spent waiting in his kennel at animal control really played havoc with his joints and muscles. He had difficulty walking around the block and just getting up and down was a major chore. He was lovingly cared for by two temporary foster families until we could get back in town from our summer vacation. This is part of the “RAGOM Village” that often comes together to rescue these beautiful animals.

Now, after several weeks of a good diet, increased exercise, two vet visits, and a regular schedule, Red is starting to show the kind of dog he really is. We are up to walks of up to 3/4 of a mile at a time. Through a combination of glucosamine, fish oil, and some carefully prescribed pain medications, he is having less trouble moving around every day. He loves to have his stomach and chest scratched and can now roll over on his back to let us know what he’d like. 

Yesterday, he was able to sit down for the first time (previously, he could only flop down from a standing position).

Red does have a number of health issues that we are addressing. The good news is that the several tumors that were found were tested and found benign. He apparently has had long-term untreated allergies that have either caused or aggravated skin problems, eye issues, and a serious ear infection. Our priority over the next several months is going to be to continue to address these issues as well as his arthritis. He is a big boy (88 lbs. of which he could stand to lose at least 10 lbs.), but we’re going to start by working on the health issues and just address the weight with exercise at this point.

We have been thrilled to find that Red is just a wonderful, loving guy – a real gentleman. He gets along with other dogs, loves cats, and is very good with kids. His tail is nearly always wagging. Because he moves slowly and has arthritis, we think that older, dog-savvy kids who can move more slowly and are not likely to stumble over him would be preferred. He has had no accidents in the house, loves his car rides (once you give him an assist to get in), and sleeps through the night. At this point, he still can’t handle more than two stair steps, so a one-level house or apartment would be required.

We’re still learning more about Oliver/Red every day and we’ll keep you updated as to how things are going for this wonderful guy. Because our energies are focused on clearing up the medical issues, we won’t be actively looking for Red’s adoptive family just yet. Stay tuned, there’s a lot more to come!

Updates

Monday, March 9, 2015

 

We all have numerous memories of our dogs that we hold dear to our hearts, but there is often one that stands out more than any other. For me with Red, it was this past Tuesday. We had had a very difficult vet appointment on Monday, where we learned that his health was declining even further. At that time, we decided to do no further testing, as the outcome of the tests would have had no impact on how we decided to treat him.

But back to Tuesday, the day after the Monday appointment. It was a gorgeous day with a bright blue sky in Apple Valley, with light and fluffy snow flakes coming down. After I walked my other three dogs, I took Red out for a walk by himself. I let him roam at will in a park nearby, letting him choose how long and in what direction. We were in no hurry - it was time just for the two of us. Though he could not hear, I literally talked his ears off. I touched him as often as I possibly could. His tail never stopped wagging, and as usual, he had a smile on that beautiful face.

With deep regret and an extremely sad heart, my husband and I helped our boy across the Bridge this past Thursday. Thanks to the caring staff of VCA Richfield, it was peaceful and quiet, and we both held him tightly, letting him know how very loved he was. I wish he could have heard our actual voices...and maybe in that moment before he crossed, he did. I told him to find our parents and family members, who would gladly care for him in our stead. I told him to find our dogs and other RAGOM dogs that had passed before him, so that they could show him the ropes. We both then kissed that beautiful face one more time, and told him to run hard, run fast, run joyfully....and to once again be that young, glorious handful of a dog that he once must have been. And then he was gone...and a part of my heart went with him.

To meet Red was to love him. He loved to socialize above all else, and I smile thinking about the impact he had on so many people. He went to innumerable events, attended Goldzilla, was on TV, and was one of two canine representatives for RAGOM at the MOA volunteer event. I can't even begin to count how many hands must have touched him over the six months he was in my care, and he never once lost patience or stopped smiling...all he asked for was a treat in return.

So many people were involved in helping Red while he was with us. His vet care was extraordinary, and I can't thank all of those professionals enough. He spent time at a doggy daycare facility by my home, either receiving his weekly medicated baths, or for boarding when we were out of town - they too loved Red, and are deeply saddened by his loss. I also want to thank all the wonderful RAGOM volunteers that helped with Red, as it so often takes a village to care for our dogs. My apologies if I forget anyone, but I specifically need to make mention of Karen H. (for her initial transport of him to me and for her help with his much needed first bath), Fred T. (for visiting him I think at literally every event, along with Linda), Sheila R. (for temp fostering during our transition between fosters for the summer), and to Mark C. and Rosemary B. for their tremendous care of him from July until he came back to me at the beginning of September. And to our Foster Help group and all the volunteers who have provided their support and friendship since his passing? I can't thank you all enough.

Last, but most certainly not least, I want to extend my gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the amazing people who sponsored Red or gave him holiday icons. It is because of your generosity and compassion that we are able to continue to provide the care that dogs like Red need, and you are all deeply appreciated.

So, on that note, it's farewell for now to beautiful Red. Our household, human and canine alike, needs time to heal from his loss, but when the time is right, I will honor his memory by continuing to foster the senior dogs that need us so very much. He would expect nothing less. In the meantime, I will continue to envision him running fast, running strong, making friends wherever he turns, and no doubt creating quite the stir across the Rainbow Bridge. I love you, my Red, and will never forget you.

 

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Hi, all! Red and I would love to thank Cindy G. for her wonderful Valentine icon, and we want her to know that we think she rocks too!! Red attended the awesome volunteer event at the Mall of America a few weeks ago, and was a terrific ambassador for RAGOM. He really adores children, and I'd have to estimate that he was touched and pet by at least 200+ kids. He truly is the master of events, my special old boy, and he patiently greeted every single person that came his way, and did his job to lure plenty of people to his side! He was absolutely exhausted by the time he came home, but he was congratulated by many volunteers for a job well done! Please enjoy a few pictures of him during (and after!) the event. 

 

 

Sadly, and with a heavy heart, I have also added the designation of "Hospice" to Red's thumbnail picture. It is not any one thing in particular (such as cancer), but over the past few weeks, I've started to notice a slow decline in his behavior. It's hard to point out specifically what it is, but it is definitely there. He spent the weekend at a doggy daycare facility we use when we are out of town - he has been there several times and they know him well, and love him to pieces - and they too noticed a distinct change. Really, all this designation means is that Red will no longer be up for adoption, but rather, will happily live out the rest of his days in our home. I just feel that it would be far too disruptive for him at this point to move elsewhere. We love this stubborn old pirate beyond words, and are honored to give him whatever he needs and wants in the days and hopefully months to come. We will keep him pain-free, and we will make sure he lives out the rest of his life with plenty of love and dignity. We are here for him, as is the rest of the RAGOM village...if you have a moment and are so inclined, please send a thought or a prayer in his direction. And please - continue to visit him at events, which he loves, and follow his stories, as I have no doubt he has many more to tell!

 

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Love from the Valgemae Goldens Love from the Valgemae Goldens

Merry Christmas from Santa to the Golden Seniors! Merry Christmas from Santa to the Golden Seniors!

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Hi, all!

First off, Red and I would like to extend our deepest thanks and gratitude to Mark & Lynelle E. for their generous sponsorship. Red wants to let them know that they are one of the nicest families that he has ever had the pleasure to meet, and their kindness will allow him to continue to get the care that he needs - thank you!

So, Red and I decided it was time to do a recap of where he is. He truly has had more medical treatment than any dog I have fostered, and I think there was something initially wrong with just about every body system. However, thanks to RAGOM and Red's sponsors, we've made a whole lot of progress.

At his last weigh in, he was down to a beautiful 77 pounds. His weight loss is tapering off, as I think he is just about where he needs to be. His poor rear knees are in poor condition, and there is just nothing that can be done about those this late in his life. He will always struggle to get up if the floor is not carpeted, and requires assistance to do so. He needs help getting in and out of a car, as his hind legs can't support him to hop in. Ramps spook him, though I'll probably give them another try at some point. He is unable to do more than a few stairs. All that being said, please do not think for one minute that all is negative with Red-dog!! His weight loss together with high quality food, fish oil, glucosamine, and daily walks have helped him gain a great deal of mobility. He loves to walk and he loves to fetch and tug. He loves to follow us from room to room, and oh, does he love his treats! The other day, he attempted to play bow to one of the resident dogs of all things, and I seriously couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry...it was just that sweet. He is pain free, as he is maintained on Tramadol, two with his breakfast, and two with his dinner. At some point, this may need to be increased, but certainly not now.

His skin has been his biggest issue of late, and oh, how it has improved! He has been primarily receiving his care at a veterinary allergist/dermatologist, and they have absolutely worked wonders with him. He used to have two massive bacterial infections, one of which they finally determined was resistant to all forms of antibiotic previously tried. About a month and a half ago, he was switched to another antibiotic, and that has finally done the trick for him. He will finish up his lengthy dose of that in the next few days, and that chapter will finally be closed. He has also been treating daily with a topical spray and a topical "mousse", and we will continue to use those in the near term to help his skin heal and become healthy. He's also been having weekly medicated baths, and we will now be able to drop those to a few times per month. He's had a fair amount of hair loss on his back while going through his process, but that too seems to have stopped, and we'd like to thank Michelle L. for kindly sending Red a coat to wear while outside these past few months!

The dermatologist feels that allergies are at the base of all of his skin problems, but pursuing allergy testing in a dog this age does not make sense, especially as it can take months to get results. As a long term medication to control his allergies, he is currently on the steroid Triamcinolone. He has done very well on it, and his vets like it better than prednisone for him, as it has less side effects, and it is also a whole lot easier to tinker with the doses, as it comes in 1.5 mg pills. He was taking 5 every other day, then 4 every other day, and as of next week, we will try 3 every other day thereafter. The goal is to get to the smallest dose possible, and they are thinking it might be at around the 3 every other day range. The would not put a very young dog on steroids long term like this, but for Red, it is definitely working, and we will stick with it.

Red and I will continue to attend as many events as we can. He absolutely loves them, and if you've seen him at one or another (and he has developed quite a following!), you know that his mission is to greet every single person and animal that comes in the door. He truly has a personality like none other....loving, sweet, loyal, funny, and when he chooses, as stubborn as he possibly can be. Ah, he must have been a glorious handful in his prime, and I love every single inch of this beautiful boy!

Until the next update or event, here are some pictures of Red taken at the last Edina event - thanks so much to RAGOM volunteers Cindy, Bridget, and Fred for capturing these pictures of my boy!

 

 

  

 

Monday, December 29, 2014

Red and I would like to extend our thanks to Santa for so generously donating to our Golden Seniors. Your kindness and generosity allows RAGOM to continue to care for these beautiful creatures, and we are so appreciative!

We would also like to send our love and gratitude to Harley and his new sister, Sandy...they're pretty smart dogs, figuring out how to sponsor a dog!! Harley and Sandy's adoptive parents are some of the best in the book, and as fosters, they brought Red through some of his very toughest times. He wouldn't be the dog he is now without the love and care they provided, and I am incredibly touched that they chose to sponsor him on top of everything else that they did for him.

THANK YOU! Happy Almost New Year to all of those out in RAGOM-land, and we'll see you again soon!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

We would like to wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of those who touch our lives in so many ways.....RAGOM volunteers, volunteers from other rescues who get us to RAGOM, our truly wonderful adoptive families, and of course anyone else out there who loves watching us and reading our stories! With love and appreciation from adopted boy Nugget (12-279), adopted boy Bear (Red 09-492), foster sister extraordinaire, Belle, and beloved foster boy Red 14-202! See you next year!

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Hi, everyone, Red here! Once again, I have to do the update, because FM now is too busy running around, shopping and wrapping presents! It's just plain lucky that I'm a smart guy and know how to communicate; otherwise, nobody would even know I existed. But here's the good news about all that busy stuff - I can tell that there are a couple of gifts under that tree just for me, and I also have my very own stocking and ornament! Life is going to be great this Christmas!

Anyway, we left off at Halloween, and I have to say I have a couple of complaints. First off, I had to put up with wearing that silly hat on my head - what's with that? And then...it was time for the main event, and I was all excited thinking about kissing all those kids, and maybe snitching a piece of two of candy, and what did she do? She locked us all behind a gate for the whole evening! The resident dogs sure didn't seem to have a problem with it, but of course they don't seem to have a problem with much of anything.

Next up was Thanksgiving, and that was a whole lot better! We had a whopping 41 family members (lots of them little kids with sticky fingers and faces - num) and 1 extra dog come to our house to our house to eat, and wow, was that fun! I'm sharing a couple of my favorite pictures from the event - of course they're of me! In the first one, I just about got a nip of turkey (but believe me, some scraps "fell" my way later), and in the second one, I was getting a pat from the youngest little gal - she sure did love me, and I loved her right back! FM thinks that somewhere in my past I must have spent a lot of time with little children, because I was as sweet and gentle as could be with the little tot.

Besides celebrating the holidays in happy happy Apple Valley, I've been going to some really nice new specialty vets for my itchy skin, and they think they are finally getting to the bottom of things. They've isolated two types of bacteria, one of which was resistant to the antibiotic I was on, and they think these are causing most of my problems. I have just started a brand new medication that should take care of it, and will recheck in a month. FM said it's expensive, but the good news is that RAGOM never seems to hesitate to take care of even an old guy like me. I also am continuing with Prednisone and Tramadol, and am really a good boy about taking my meds - probably because they are usually wrapped up in something nummy, which drives the resident dogs nuts! Anyway, I also have weekly medicated baths for my skin, and they really aren't so bad, because FM takes me to a nearby doggy daycare/self dog wash place, and they all just LOVE me there! It's also fun because we often run into other RAGOM folks and their dogs, and FM wants me to thank Cindy G. for the great picture below!

Last but not least, FM and I want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the "Valgemae Goldens" for giving me a beautiful, sparking Christmas icon. You should've seen FM cry when she saw that, but don't worry, I was right there to give her kisses to make those tears stop! My care has not been inexpensive, and their generosity is appreciated more than they know! FM also told me another really special thing about that gift - one of the "Valgemae Goldens" dogs was her very own special prior foster, beautiful Jade 14-069. Jade is thriving in her forever home with her wonderful family and her fur brother, RAGOM boy Rufus 09-439, and just thinking about that made FM cry all over again!

Maybe next time FM will write, but for now, please know that I am very loved and very well cared for, so please do not worry about me. Though I am definitely getting on in years, I am still looking for my forever home, but FM said not to worry, that I can stay right here until that happens. I'm not really sure what happened in my past to bring me to this home, but I'm very grateful to all the wonderful RAGOM folks that made that happen. Thanks for reading about me, and for caring about me, and from my foster home to yours, have a wonderful holiday season!

With love,

Red

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Hi, everyone, Red here!! Since there's nothing I love more than the attention (and treats!) that I get at events, foster mom said we could attend the event at Petco in Rochester on November 1. She thinks we should be there between 12 - 2 pm (the event runs from 10 - 2), so please come out to see us!

Since I've been called the "Old Pirate" more times than I care to count, I figured it would be great if I came in costume, so you should too! See you there!

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Hi, everyone, Red here! Did you see the awesome news?? I have my very own sponsor! I am truly the luckiest old boy in the whole wide world!! Thanks so very much to Eunice, Pete, and RAGOM girl Gracie 07-443 for their generosity and warm thoughts. I am honored that my story touched their hearts, and I bet that Gracie is one lucky girl, because she's been in her forever home for seven whole years!! Isn't it awesome that not only did her mom and dad adopt her, but that they continue to read the stories of all the current RAGOM dogs? Foster mom is all mushy and teary-eyed now, so it's a good thing that I get to write this update!

So, since I've been feeling a whole lot better, I've had a very active social schedule lately. I've gone to two RAGOM events, in Roseville and Edina, and have just had the time of my life! Do you know how many pets, hugs, and TREATS you get when you go to these events? It's absolutely amazing, and I can hardly wait for the next one. Since I'm such a good boy, and get along with absolutely everyone and everything, I got to wear the special yellow vest, and wow, was I proud!

Next, did you see me on Kare 11's morning show on October 11th? I'm an honest-to-goodness TV star! If you missed me, foster mom said I could add the link to the show here - she and I have watched it several times together, and I just have to say that I really am a handsome dude. As fun as it was, the bright lights and all the talk, talk, talk, got to me after a while, so I did have to take a little bit of a break, but that's ok, because I made everyone laugh! A star is born!

Finally, Belle, Bear, Nugget, and I are pretty lucky, because foster mom does most of her work from home. I decided that if she was going to work so hard that I better help her out a bit - it's just what we guys should do, especially for the person that brings the food bowls. Aren't I just the greatest helper?

As fun as I am having here, I am still looking for a forever home to call my own. Foster mom loves me like crazy, but she and I both think that I might enjoy a home without so many dogs vying for attention. I also need someone who will continue to give me my medications and supplements, but don't worry, it's not very hard, because I just gobble them up out of my food bowl. I'd really like someone who would give me a little more food, but foster mom says that it's important that I continue to lose weight. She's such a killjoy sometimes. I really can't do more than a few stairs, but I'm just fine sleeping on the main floor, as long as there's plenty of other activity going around me during the daytime hours. I also need someone who will continue to walk me (even if I'm not in the mood), and who will play fetch with me (I'm always in the mood for that!). Wouldn't you love to have a dog just like me?

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Oliver/Red had an absolutely wonderful time at Goldzilla and would like to thank Kathy and Hailie Wellcome and Kathy and Jay Donlin for the very special paw prints! Thanks to the generosity and kindness of wonderful people like you, we are able to continue to care for our fabulous dogs! Foster mom also was lucky enough to introduce Red to some of her very special prior fosters and their families: Annabelle Jean, Sadie, Fuzzy (now Roy Boy!), and Jade! There is truly nothing we love better than seeing our beloved fosters and their very special families - thanks for taking the time to come out and see us!

Red has to be about the easiest dog that I've ever had the pleasure to bring to Goldzilla. He spent the early part of the day while I was doing set-up sprawled on the ground nearby, chomping on some chew bones with his new buddy, Grizz. The boys were tethered together on a long lead, but Red somehow managed to get around to the front of the table at one point and selected his very own bag of treats....so if you ended up with a bag with some chew marks in it, you know where it came from! He truly enjoyed the day and all the attention he received, and also did an absolutely awesome job during the foster parade!

Red has settled seamlessly into his foster home, and I feel as if we have had him forever. He is a stunning boy and has a personality truly like none other. He is funny, opinionated, stubborn, sweet, and beyond loving, all rolled into one beautiful package. He has lost 4 pounds and is becoming much stronger on his walks. He has some days where he still flatly refuses to go on them (that's our boy!), but on other days, he literally pops up when he sees the leash, absolutely raring to go. He still struggles with getting up from the floor, but there's many a time that I'll turn around, and there he is, wagging his tail and demanding his share of the attention!

He is getting along beautifully with the other members of the pack, especially our two RAGOM adopted seniors, Bear and Nugget. Nug is 13 and we estimate Bear to be around 12, so we have a lot of dog years at our house! The resident alpha princess, Belle, has finally made her peace with him as well, after making absolutely sure that he knew who was boss.

Medically, he is doing very well. He remains on Tramadol to help with pain and stiffness, and continues on a tapering dose of Prednisone to help control the allergies that seem to be bothering him. We are in the process of switching his food to one of limited ingredients and are hoping to see some improvement after he has totally converted to that. He had a bacterial infection on his skin that is FINALLY cleared up, thanks to numerous rounds of antibiotics. We are on the last drops of his ear meds, and at his last vet check-up last week, the vet finally said there was so sign of infection - whew, that was a months-long process to get that painful-looking ear under control! We unfortunately did have a brief scare last week, when the vet felt we better look a little further into the lump on his cheek. With fears of suspected hemagiosarcoma, Red went in for an ultrasound of his abdomen, and miracle of all miracles - all looked absolutely great! This old goofball isn't done yet!

I love this beautiful boy and would be honored to provide him with his forever home. However, there are so many other dogs that need our help, and if I ended up with four permanent dogs, there is no way I could take in any more. He is so loving and so easy to have around. I will be looking for a family that will continue to feed him high-quality, grain-free food and will provide him with his meds (along with fish oil and glucosamine) as needed. He will need a family that will continue to work with him on exercise and weight loss, as that is absolutely the best thing for his joints. He could use a place without a lot of steps, as he can't negotiate the steep flight of steps up to our bedroom, however he sleeps contentedly on our main floor with no issues. He has no difficulty handling the few steps leading outside or into our garage. He has never had an accident and can go through the whole night without any visits outside. He is fine with other dogs - large and small - as he has pretty much met and welcomed dogs of every variety on our walks through the neighborhood. He has peacefully lived with a cat in his prior foster home. He really loves children and is know to give some pretty slobbery kisses, and would be fine with kids of all ages. Care would just need to be taken that a child didn't land on top of him, due to the pain in his joints. He also can't see or hear very well (unless a treat is involved), and though I've seen absolutely no aggression in him, care will always need to be taken not to startle him.

I feel as if I have so much more to write about this sweetheart of a gentleman, but will save it for future updates. I would, however, like to make one final plea on his behalf. A great deal of money has been spent on making our boy healthy. RAGOM never hesitates to bring in these seniors, with all of their needs, and this poor boy was frankly one big medical mess when he came in. But he is thriving now and wouldn't be in that spot without RAGOM's willingness to provide him with whatever he needs. If you are considering sponsoring a dog either now or in the future, Red and I would be completely honored if you looked in his direction.

Thank you for reading about Red, and we will let you know when he makes his next public appearance!

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Hi, Oliver/Red fans! This is just a quick update to let you know that Red has moved to his new foster home in Apple Valley, and is doing great! We actually had Red for about a week when he first came into RAGOM back in July, but due to busy summer plans, he needed to go to another foster in the interim. I'd like to thank Mark C. and Rosemary B. for taking such awesome care of him these past few months - you can tell he was well loved (and well vetted!), as the change in him is absolutely startling!

Red has a very busy social schedule this upcoming weekend, and would love it if you'd come out to see him at the Edina event on Saturday 9/13, as well as at Goldzilla on Sunday 9/14!! As I'm helping in the foster showcase tent, he will be there almost the entire time, so please stop by to give him a pat - he is one of the most social dogs you'll ever have the pleasure to meet and I know he'd love to see you!

For all of you Goldzilla fans, I'm sure you've seen this posting on the webpages of other dogs, but Red wanted to make sure that he was remembered as well! Thanks so much and see you this weekend!

Goldzilla is almost here, September 14th, and we just want to let you know about something very special happening the day of the event. There will be a large board (near the baseball backstop) with all the pictures of available dogs. You can help by purchasing a foster paw print sticker at the merchandising tent in increments of $10, $25, $50, and $100. Once purchased, you will place the paw print sticker next to the picture of the dog you’d like to support. You will also have the opportunity to write that particular dog a note, which will be posted the dog’s page after the event. This is a great way to show support for RAGOM and a particular dog that may be pulling at your heartstrings. Please consider stopping by the merchandise tent to purchase a Foster Fan Board paw print while at Goldzilla.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Oliver (Red) has had a busy couple of weeks. He has been hard at work on his program to get his body working better. Between pain meds and joint supplements, he has been able to move much better and has even had regular playtimes most days. His ear infection and skin infection are both improved, but there is more work to be done. Thursday, he had surgery to remove an old tumor and to flush his ear canal to help to put an end to his troublesome right ear infection.

We’ve had lots of visiting humans and dogs in August and Red handled them all with his usual good humor. He loves people and gets along just fine with other cats and dogs. Here is Red with foster brother Harley and two of our former foster girls, Dakota and Aliza.

Red has let us know that his recreation of choice is not walking, but rather playing fetch and tug-o-war with a rope toy. He is ready and willing to go outside to the driveway where the traction is better for a play session three or four times a day.

We’ve started to call Red “the old pirate.” He walks with a rolling gait like an old sailor home from the sea. He is very opinionated and likes to do what he wants and only when he wants to do it. When he has had enough playing, he takes his rope toy and heads to the house, telling us to “follow me and make sure you have that treat ready when I get back inside!”

Once inside, treat eaten, he will settle in for his nap – dreaming about past adventures.

It’s been a wonderful experience to help this great dog to regain his health. He has such a unique personality. If you’ve been wanting to meet him, Red will be making his first public appearance at Goldzilla on Sunday, September 14, at Long Lake Regional Park in New Brighton, MN. He will be at the Foster Showcase Tent from 10:30 to 11:30 and he would love to see you! You can get more information on Goldzilla at http://goldzilla.ragom.org.

RAGOM always does a wonderful job helping senior dogs like Red to live the Golden Life during their senior years. To do this requires a lot of volunteers, generous veterinarians, and money. If you can help sponsor Red, you will help us help more seniors.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Oliver (we call him Red) has had a very good week. When we asked to foster Red, we knew that among his many challenges was the fact that he appeared to have some pretty severe arthritis. Because he was picked up as a stray, we had no way of knowing whether this had ever been treated. We certainly knew that, if it had been, he had been off of medications for a long time. Red laid down most of the time, needed help to stand up, and was pretty unsteady on his feet (especially on wood floors). The question in our minds was how much, if any, would a good diet, a roof over his head, and a course of pain medications help this guy live a happier life.

The answer, as of this point, is – a lot! He is moving much better. 90% of the time, he gets up off the floor on his own and when he needs help, he can do most of the work himself with some steadying help from us. He is much steadier on his feet when walking as well. He has discovered a rope toy that he likes to fetch and then play a short game of tug-o-war. The time after his morning and evening meals has become playtime. He has started to explore the house and we can even see the wheels turning in his mind as to how to get at those yummy smells coming from our kitchen counters. He has never had an accident in the house and has been fine with free roam for up to 8 hours when we’ve been gone.

We gave Red a bath the other day. The neighbors lent us their kiddie swimming pool so that Red could step right in. He didn’t like the idea much at first.

He figured out quickly though that the water, soap, and massage felt pretty good.

The best thing was getting dried off on the deck and then having a good comb out. Red was one happy dog.

Red loves laying out on our deck and feeling the wind in his hair. He and his foster brother, Harley, spend a couple of hours out there every day. They move from one end to the other to check on the comings and goings of the neighbor dogs. It’s interesting that Red has never barked yet, in spite of Harley’s woofing at whatever moves.

Red is scheduled for another vet visit in about 10 days when we’ll find out how he is progressing on some skin, eye, and ear issues. We have our fingers crossed that he is doing well. Until we get a better handle on these issues, we are not actively looking for potential adopters. We are totally in love with this big guy and know that he will be a great friend and companion in the future for some lucky family.

It is so gratifying to see the quality of Red’s life improving almost every day. Being able to move more easily, to play, explore, and just to be a dog again has put a glint in his eye. We are hoping to see continued improvement in his quality of life. He is certainly off to a good start to living the Golden Life. More to come!