Vinnie 12-382

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Sponsored by:

From Nikki F.
 "In honor of my RAGOM dogs Betty 12-101 and Bauer (Rusty) 08-514"

 


 

December 19, 2012

Vinnie, who will be 2 in January, is a gorgeous dark red PB Golden Retriever. He is 76 pounds, though his ideal is probably around 80 pounds. Vinnie was surrendered to RAGOM because his owner traveled for work and he wasn’t getting the attention he needed and because he needs medical attention for his hips and eyes. Vinnie was primarily an outdoor dog, but was allowed inside in the lower level of their home, so he does have some experience with being inside. All RAGOM dogs live indoors at their foster homes, so he is now enjoying being a spoiled, indoor dog!

So far, Vinnie has been introduced to my 8 year old daughter, our 18 month old resident Golden, foster brother, Rufus 12-342, and our two cats. He has done great with all of them! He does tend to pester the cats in an attempt to play, but he backs off a little when they swat him on the face. My cats are used to having fosters bother them, so they don’t get too upset by it. I was a little worried about having 2 intact male fosters, but there has been zero issues between them and I am keeping a close eye on them to make sure we don’t have any problems. Foster brother Rufus is on cage rest following heartworm treatment, so they haven’t been around each other without a cage separating them a lot yet. Vinnie is a very sweet boy that constantly wants to be with us. He needs some training, so I would recommend that his adoptive family take him to obedience training classes.

Vinnie has quite a few medical issues going on right now. We knew he was coming into RAGOM with hip dysplasia and possible eye entropion. While we haven’t gotten hip x-rays yet, it’s clear that he has some problems with them. His left eye has severe entropion, and his right eye has mild. We will be doing surgery on the left eye for sure when he is neutered, and we will monitor the right eye for signs of discomfort (excessive blinking, drainage) in the 2 weeks leading up to surgery to determine if his right eye needs corrected as well. Vinnie has ear infections in both ears which are being treated with a once daily ointment that he tolerates very well. Infections of the ear are pretty common in Golden Retrievers. Vinnie developed diarrhea in the first few days of being in his foster home, so he was switched to a bland chicken/rice food. Vinnie had several accidents in the first few days of being in our home. I was letting him out every few hours, but he was still peeing in his kennel. The urine appeared normal, so I just thought that maybe he wasn’t housebroken or crate trained. Two days after arriving, I brought him to work with me so we could go to the RAGOM vet in the afternoon. While kenneled at my work, he peed on the white blanket and it was very bloody. At the vet, a urinalysis confirmed that there was blood and infection in the urine. We will be doing 14 days of antibiotics to make sure the infection is cleared up before his neuter/eye entropion surgery. Vinnie was vaccinated at his vet appointment, his fecal sample showed no intestinal parasites, and his heartworm test was negative. We were happy to get some good news from the visit!

Vinnie is on an antibiotic for his uti, a probiotic for his diarrhea (which cleared up in a few days, and now he is back on his regular food), Mometamax for his ear infection, Rimadyl (an NSAID) for his hips, and tramadol for pain from his uti and hips. I am also giving him artificial tear drops to help soothe his eyes. Once his uti is cleared up and he’s had his neuter/eye surgery, we will take him off the tramadol pain med to see how he does on just the NSAID for his hips. We will be x-raying his hips when he is under for his neuter, and then we will send them off to the RAGOM surgeon to review to see if he needs surgery. Once we get his immediate medical needs taken care of, we will start Vinnie on a joint supplement. We will know more about the severity of his hip dysplasia and his long term need for an NSAID after the xrays are reviewed. He will benefit from being on a joint supplement for the rest of his life.

Vinnie won’t be available for adoption until after his neuter/eye entropion surgery and after we have the surgeon evaluate his x-rays to see if he needs surgery on his hips, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t have anyone interested in adopting him! We are still getting to know him and he isn’t feeling 100% himself with all his issues going on, but we think he’d be a fit with mostly any family. I don’t think he necessarily needs another dog in his adoptive family, and at this point, he might not need a fenced in yard once he knows his boundaries. This could change once he starts feeling better, but we’ll update on that if needed. If you are interested in learning more about Vinnie, please contact your placement advisor!

Vinnie’s vet bills are adding up fast, and he could really use a sponsor! RAGOM does a wonderful job taking in dogs with medical issues (both Vinnie and my other foster, Rufus 12-342, have medical needs and have had huge vet bills!). RAGOM is only able to help these dogs because of the many wonderful people who donate!

At a Glance #12-382

Golden Retriever Born: January 2011
Male 70 lbs

Status: Deceased

Profile

Sponsored by:

From Nikki F.
 "In honor of my RAGOM dogs Betty 12-101 and Bauer (Rusty) 08-514"

 


 

December 19, 2012

Vinnie, who will be 2 in January, is a gorgeous dark red PB Golden Retriever. He is 76 pounds, though his ideal is probably around 80 pounds. Vinnie was surrendered to RAGOM because his owner traveled for work and he wasn’t getting the attention he needed and because he needs medical attention for his hips and eyes. Vinnie was primarily an outdoor dog, but was allowed inside in the lower level of their home, so he does have some experience with being inside. All RAGOM dogs live indoors at their foster homes, so he is now enjoying being a spoiled, indoor dog!

So far, Vinnie has been introduced to my 8 year old daughter, our 18 month old resident Golden, foster brother, Rufus 12-342, and our two cats. He has done great with all of them! He does tend to pester the cats in an attempt to play, but he backs off a little when they swat him on the face. My cats are used to having fosters bother them, so they don’t get too upset by it. I was a little worried about having 2 intact male fosters, but there has been zero issues between them and I am keeping a close eye on them to make sure we don’t have any problems. Foster brother Rufus is on cage rest following heartworm treatment, so they haven’t been around each other without a cage separating them a lot yet. Vinnie is a very sweet boy that constantly wants to be with us. He needs some training, so I would recommend that his adoptive family take him to obedience training classes.

Vinnie has quite a few medical issues going on right now. We knew he was coming into RAGOM with hip dysplasia and possible eye entropion. While we haven’t gotten hip x-rays yet, it’s clear that he has some problems with them. His left eye has severe entropion, and his right eye has mild. We will be doing surgery on the left eye for sure when he is neutered, and we will monitor the right eye for signs of discomfort (excessive blinking, drainage) in the 2 weeks leading up to surgery to determine if his right eye needs corrected as well. Vinnie has ear infections in both ears which are being treated with a once daily ointment that he tolerates very well. Infections of the ear are pretty common in Golden Retrievers. Vinnie developed diarrhea in the first few days of being in his foster home, so he was switched to a bland chicken/rice food. Vinnie had several accidents in the first few days of being in our home. I was letting him out every few hours, but he was still peeing in his kennel. The urine appeared normal, so I just thought that maybe he wasn’t housebroken or crate trained. Two days after arriving, I brought him to work with me so we could go to the RAGOM vet in the afternoon. While kenneled at my work, he peed on the white blanket and it was very bloody. At the vet, a urinalysis confirmed that there was blood and infection in the urine. We will be doing 14 days of antibiotics to make sure the infection is cleared up before his neuter/eye entropion surgery. Vinnie was vaccinated at his vet appointment, his fecal sample showed no intestinal parasites, and his heartworm test was negative. We were happy to get some good news from the visit!

Vinnie is on an antibiotic for his uti, a probiotic for his diarrhea (which cleared up in a few days, and now he is back on his regular food), Mometamax for his ear infection, Rimadyl (an NSAID) for his hips, and tramadol for pain from his uti and hips. I am also giving him artificial tear drops to help soothe his eyes. Once his uti is cleared up and he’s had his neuter/eye surgery, we will take him off the tramadol pain med to see how he does on just the NSAID for his hips. We will be x-raying his hips when he is under for his neuter, and then we will send them off to the RAGOM surgeon to review to see if he needs surgery. Once we get his immediate medical needs taken care of, we will start Vinnie on a joint supplement. We will know more about the severity of his hip dysplasia and his long term need for an NSAID after the xrays are reviewed. He will benefit from being on a joint supplement for the rest of his life.

Vinnie won’t be available for adoption until after his neuter/eye entropion surgery and after we have the surgeon evaluate his x-rays to see if he needs surgery on his hips, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t have anyone interested in adopting him! We are still getting to know him and he isn’t feeling 100% himself with all his issues going on, but we think he’d be a fit with mostly any family. I don’t think he necessarily needs another dog in his adoptive family, and at this point, he might not need a fenced in yard once he knows his boundaries. This could change once he starts feeling better, but we’ll update on that if needed. If you are interested in learning more about Vinnie, please contact your placement advisor!

Vinnie’s vet bills are adding up fast, and he could really use a sponsor! RAGOM does a wonderful job taking in dogs with medical issues (both Vinnie and my other foster, Rufus 12-342, have medical needs and have had huge vet bills!). RAGOM is only able to help these dogs because of the many wonderful people who donate!

Updates

Monday, March 24, 2014

 

Vincent “Vinnie” Linden


January 5, 2011 – March 18, 2014

For anyone who ever had the pleasure of meeting our sweet Vinnie, it was love at first sight. There was just something about him that was hard to resist! His ridiculously curly butt, the cowlick on his head that made him look like he had a mohawk, his huge block head that was always nudging me for more love and attention, his elephant sized feet that were always leaving bruises on my feet, the way he got so excited when it was time to eat that he would jump and dance around, the way he would run around once his hips were healed and no longer painful, the way he would place his head on my lap and look at me with those soulful eyes, the way he LOVED snow, the way he and Finn would snuggle or touch each other while they were sleeping, how he would flip another dog’s ear up so he could sniff it, his inability to walk anywhere in the house, instead he always ran and charged through like a bull in a china shop, the way the extra skin on his face would smoosh up when I squeezed his face, the squealing noises he would make when he yawned in the morning, how sometimes it looked like he had a little mustache, earning him the nickname “Mustache Man,” how much he loved being groomed, but hated having his nails trimmed, how much he loved car rides and going for walks… the list of all of the things we loved and will miss about Vinnie goes on and on.

Vinnie collapsed on Friday 3/14 and we rushed him to our vet, where it was found that he had an irregular heartbeat and a slightly enlarged heart.  He spent the night at the ER vet, hooked up to a heart monitor and so they could watch him in case he collapsed again, and then he spent Sat-Mon at ISU veterinary teaching hospital ICU getting tests done, having consults with the internal medicine specialist, cardiologist, and neurologist, and having his heart monitored. Unfortunately, they were unable to pinpoint the cause and since he was stable at that point, we brought him home on Monday evening, having ordered a Holter heart monitor that he would wear 24/7, to see if that would shed some light on what was going on with his heart. Vinnie was so happy to be home and to see his family and his brother, Finn.  Unfortunately, we ran out of time and he died peacefully at home on Tuesday evening, before we even got a chance to get the Holter monitor.  I had taken a short nap after work and found him curled up on his dog bed next to my bed when I woke up.

Four months ago, when we adopted him, we promised him that he was ours forever… and he always will be. We just never imagined that we would have to say goodbye to him so soon.  Although he was only officially ours for a painfully short amount of time, we loved him with all of our hearts for the 466 days that we knew him, since December 8, 2012, when he came into our lives and our home as our foster dog.  He knew he was home long before we did.

“As for me: I loyally remained right where I was, remembering the very first time I had ever seen my girl and then just now, the very last time, and all the times in between.  The deep aching grief I knew I would feel would come soon enough, but at that moment mostly what I felt was peace, secure in the knowledge that by living my life the way I had, everything had come down to this moment.  I had fulfilled my purpose.”  - A Dog's Purpose

We love you, Vinnie, and miss you more than words could ever describe. The pain of losing you is still so fresh and raw.  It's hard to even wrap my head around the fact that you won't ever come galloping through the back door again.  Finn misses his buddy, his best friend.  Our hearts have been shattered, but at least we know that we did everything that we could have to save you.  Sometimes it just isn't enough.  Our home is painfully empty and sad without you. But we wouldn't have changed it; we wouldn't have missed it for the world.  Vinnie, you were so incredibly special, and we are the luckiest family in the world to get to call you ours.

 

With love forever and ever,

Michelle (Mom), Cadence, Finn, and the kitties, Cattie and Fatty

 

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Christmas was very special this year. Although Cadence begged for Vinnie, she had no idea until Christmas eve that we had adopted him! I managed to keep the surprise for almost 2 months!! Here is a video of the big reveal: Cadence learns a BIG secret!

It's hard to believe that 4 months ago Vinnie was so painful he could barely walk. After having his bilateral FHO surgery, he quickly recovered and has never looked back! Vinnie will never win any awards for being fast or graceful, but he certainly has a great time running around and playing with Finn! We just love our big boy!

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Vinnie has quite a rescue story. I am honored and I will be forever thankful that I get to be a part of his story and happy ending. I never planned on having 2 dogs of my own. We had our resident dog and we would foster 1 dog at a time, and I thought that was about all I could handle at once! At the time Vinnie came on the plea, I was fostering Rufus 12-342 and helping him through his heartworm treatment. The holidays were coming up and the daily plea of dogs needing fosters was long, so I decided I would temp foster another dog for a few weeks over the holidays until another foster was able to take the dog as a permanent foster. Vinnie was on the plea for several days before I finally broke down and offered to temp foster him. It was the beginning of December, but I figured we would be able to handle having 3 dogs for a month or so. I just couldn’t stand the thought of this poor boy suffering while living outside in the cold for another night!

Vinnie came to us on December 8, 2012. Simply put, he was a mess. His eye entropion caused constant pain and irritation and they watered constantly. He had bilateral ear infections. Due to a bladder infection, he peed bloody urine in his crate, even if he had just been outside. He had severe hip dysplasia that had been diagnosed when he was a puppy, but he did not get surgery or any pain medication to keep him comfortable. He developed stress diarrhea from all the changes. Within 3 days of being in our house, I emailed the intake crew to let them know that we would not be needing a permanent foster for him… he was just too sweet that I wanted to foster him myself! I knew I would be able to help this boy and I was dedicated to doing whatever I needed to in order for him to feel better. I helped him through his neuter and entropion eye surgery in January. Just 2 weeks later, I helped transport him up to MN to his temp foster, Kris, for his hip denervation surgery. Kris loved him and took great care of him after surgery until he could be transported back to me the following weekend! Just last week, we helped him through his third surgery since coming into RAGOM, a bilateral FHO.

We’ve struggled at times through his anxiety, hip issues and with his allergies. Through all of the treatments, surgeries, and pills, Vinnie has remained a happy and loving boy. His trust has never waivered. We've had the pleasure of experiencing his love, his sweet and gentle demeanor, his snuggles and all that is wonderful about Vinnie! Vinnie bonded quickly with our resident dog, Finn. I see that bond grow with each passing week. We have met with several families that were interested in Vinnie, but each one didn’t work out for one reason or another. My daughter has wanted to adopt Vinnie for a while, begging for Vinnie for Christmas. I kept telling her that maybe we’d talk about it in December (after we’ve had him for a year), but that I wasn't sure we needed another dog. I’ve done a lot of thinking about it and I talked to other fosters who have fostered dogs long term ... both those that have adopted their long-term foster dog and those that were able to let them be adopted by another family. When it comes down to it, I don’t think I would be able to let him go. Vinnie is so special to us and we love him unconditionally. We have been searching for the perfect family and household for him, one that fit his needs and was dedicated to his medical issues. We have spent all of this time searching, only to realize that he's been in his forever home all along! So, for the second time as RAGOM volunteers, we are “foster failures!”

I want to send a huge THANK YOU to RAGOM for everything that has been done for Vinnie. He has been a very expensive foster, but that didn't stop RAGOM from bringing him into the rescue! Thank you to all of the RAGOM volunteers and fans who have helped, donated, offered words of encouragement, and loved our sweet boy since he became a member of the RAGOM family. I also want to say THANK YOU to the Fedos for all of their support and love for Vinnie. They started out as his sponsors, and ended up being some of his biggest supporters and fans. Words can never express how much their support has meant to us during this journey!

Vinnie has known that he’s been home for a long time. It just took me a while to figure it out! Welcome home, my big ol lug-bug. We are so lucky to have you as a member of our family!

 

Monday, November 4, 2013

On 10/30, Vinnie had a second surgery for his hips. This surgery was a bilateral FHO, which removes the head and neck of the femur (on both sides) so he no longer has any painful bone-on-bone contact. It is considered a salvage procedure, to be done when medical and pharmaceutical maintenance aren't enough to control the pain. His left hip (the one that bothered him most) had a piece of bone the size of a marble in his joint capsule, no doubt causing him excruciating pain. It's no wonder that the left hip caused him the most problems!

Vinnie woke up from surgery wagging his tail (he heard my voice) and he has done very well so far in his recovery. After 2 weeks, he will start physical therapy rehab with an underwater treadmill.

Vinnie's wonderful surgeon, Dr. Brent from the Des Moines, IA area, donated his portion of the surgery so that this sweet rescue boy could live pain-free! We cannot thank him enough for his huge donation!

Saturday, October 12, 2013

We took Vinnie to one of our favorite local state parks last week. While Finn splashed around in the water and looked for things to roll in, Vinnie enjoyed a leisurely walk on the dry sandy river bottom. We finally convinced Vinnie to get in the water, but he wasn’t too interested in swimming. Silly boy, guess he doesn’t know he’s a Golden Retriever! The only reason he got wet was from Finn coming up to play with him.

Also last week, a few days after our trip to the park, Vinnie started limping suddenly. To rule out a knee injury, we did X-rays. The good news is that his knees look great! The bad news is that his hips are hurting him and causing him to limp. Just like in August, Vinnie has been started on high doses of pain meds (NSAID and Tramadol) and cage rest. He is now able to stand up without whining, but it’s still difficult for him to walk too far, so I have been assisting him outside. Cage rest for Vinnie is pretty easy, as he usually does a good job of limiting himself. During the day he is crated while I am at work, but in the evening I just keep a leash on him and he snoozes between the couch and coffee table as long as I am sitting nearby.

Though he’s only 2 years old, Vinnie reminds me more of the seniors I’ve fostered than the younger dogs that we’ve had. He does act silly sometimes, but most of the time he is completely happy curled up near me or just sitting there getting a massage. When his hips aren’t bothering him, he’ll play fetch or wrestle with Finn for a bit, but those moments are pretty few and far between. Occasionally, Vinnie will pick up a toy to carry around, but he’s not toy crazy like our resident, Finn. However, Vinnie has developed an obsession for elk antlers and loves chewing on the one we got at Goldzilla!

Vinnie just wants to be loved, to feel safe, to have a comfy place to sleep, to feel good. He may seem high maintenance with his medical issues and his anxiety, but those who have spent time with him know what an amazing dog he is and that he is worth all the extra work!

Monday, September 23, 2013

Wow, I had a GReat time in Minnesota! I slept most of the car ride there and back. On Saturday, we had a dog play date and a RAGOM volunteer meeting. FM has been trying to get me used to the Gentle Leader, and I was not having any part of that during the volunteer meeting!

FM said that I did very well with my anxiety during our trip. She thinks that it really helped that we stayed with friends instead of at a hotel. I hate doing my business on a leash, so it was really nice that they had a fenced-in yard! We were lucky enough to stay with my very own sponsor! Thank you, Nikki, Sam, and pups Cooper, Bauer, Betty, and foster Shiloh for letting us stay with you! All of us dogs got along great (even if they sometimes had to tell me to back off, since sometimes I sniff dogs longer than they feel comfortable with).

We had so much fun at Goldzilla! I did great with all of the new people and dogs that I met. During the foster showcase, I was so tired that I spent most of the time sleeping with my head under FM’s chair. I did meet a few special people, but I think I missed a lot of people because I was sleeping and they couldn’t see my handsome face! I also took a nap on the sidewalk while we were lined up for the foster parade. I’m still on anxiety meds and I have a short acting one that I take during really stressful events. These meds really help me relax and enjoy life instead of being so nervous all of the time! Sometimes these meds can make me a little sleepy, so I couldn’t help but nap when I got the chance at Goldzilla! FM bought an elk antler for Finn, but didn’t get one for me since I’ve never wanted to chew on the deer antler we have at home. So, to surprise FM, I have been chewing on the elk antler ever since we got home! Luckily, Finn doesn’t mind sharing. We got to see our most recent foster, Jack 13-207, who was helping his new mom at the RAGOM merchandise tent! Jack remembered all of us and it was so great to see him! We also met several other former fosters that have stayed at our house, including a few that have stayed at our house since I have been in foster care! FM was so happy to see all of her former fosters looking so happy and loved with their forever families! After all of the excitement of the day, Finn and I still managed to do a little wrestling before we went home.

After two very busy days, we finally were ready to go home! My hips were a little sore so FM had to help me into the car, but I didn’t limp at all this weekend. FM did give me full doses of pain meds as a precaution, but I felt great after all that playing and exercise that I got! I was so tired that I was sleeping before our car was even out of the park! Finn and I were so happy to get home! We really missed Cadence (foster sister), the kitties, and our beds!

Did you see the awesome drawing of me made by a RAGOM volunteer’s husband? Am I handsome or what?!

Bye for now, FM just asked if we want to go “outside!”

-Vinnie

Monday, September 9, 2013

Hi guys! It’s me, Vinnie! Things are still pretty busy around here, but I am getting more comfortable and less stressed out whenever our schedule changes. We have some major changes in our house. We now have more rooms upstairs and we have stairs to get up there. FM limits how much I use the stairs with baby gates. Since stairs bother my hips, we have a narrow ramp going up the stairs that I can use. (But I don’t always use it.) I was really freaked out when we first started going upstairs and when FM was painting, but now I’ve learned to relax and enjoy spending time up there. FM thinks that I might be able to go to a home with a small amount of stairs, but we will know more about how much my hips can handle as I use the stairs on a daily basis. Some days I am fine with using the stairs and some days my hips really bother me after using them.

My sore hip is doing much better. I am now able to walk without much pain and I don’t limp anymore. FM is keeping me from doing too many stairs and from running much, but I don’t always like to listen to her! Occasionally, I will run up the deck stairs if FM is sitting on the deck. Going down the stairs is a lot easier than going back up. FM says I’m like a bull in a china shop when I’m going up the stairs! If someone else is going up at the same time, I think I need to race them up and I usually end up bumping into them. Now that I'm feeling better, I have been playing again with Finn. He likes to wrestle and play tug of war, which I usually while I'm sitting down so Finn has to do all of the hard work!

FM, Finn, and I will be attending Goldzilla! We will be at the foster showcase tent from 10:30-11:30 and also in the foster showcase parade at 12:45. FM says we will be at Goldzilla all day, so if you aren’t able to meet me at the foster showcase, be sure to look for me as we check out all of the great things that Goldzilla has to offer!


Vinnie (front left) tugging with Finn, the resident dog


Left to right: Finn, Vinnie, Jack 13-207


Left to right: Finn, Vinnie, Jack 13-207


Finn and Vinnie (right)


Saturday, August 17, 2013

Vinnie here! FM has been really busy with some home improvements so I thought I would send an update!

We have a new foster, Jack 13-207! We hang out and Jack tries to convince me that storms and noises aren’t scary. Pssh, I’m not sure I believe him. He just sleeps through thunderstorms! I find it necessary to pace and try to get away from the loud noises. FM says that with both of us in the house her feet will be permanently bruised from us stepping on her feet!

My left rear leg has been hurting a lot lately so FM has been giving me more pain medication and making me rest. She even puts me in a crate when she leaves so I stay quiet. I couldn’t even put weight on my leg since it hurt so badly. She thought it might be my knee, but then I cried when she tried to move my hip. This hip is the one that bothers me occasionally, but right now it hurts to even stretch my back leg a little bit. FM thinks that I might have hurt it playing or running around, but I’m not telling her what really happened! The pain medication and rest seem to be helping as I can now walk without limping much. It seems to be getting a little better each day.

I want to personally thank my wonderful sponsor, Nikki, for the awesome JenE Designs dog bed! I just love curling up on my new red bed and snuggling with it!

Sunday, July 21, 2013

We are back from vacation and Vinnie was very good for his dog sitter! Thank you so much, Cheerie, for taking care of our big guy! He has been really tired since we got home, so I’ve gotten a lot of cute pictures of Vinnie curled up sleeping! Sometimes he sleeps in awkward positions and we can’t help laugh at how goofy he looks!

Vinnie also wants to thank his sponsor for the awesome JenE Designs dog bed! He absolutely loves it!

 

  

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Hi guys! FM (foster mom) has been so busy lately, so she said I could try writing my very own update!

We went to the RAGOM Iowa volunteer picnic and we got to play with a bunch of other Goldens and people! I even got to ride in the front seat of the car, since FM says I ride so well in the car and Finn is afraid to ride in the front seat. It's a good thing that I got to sit in the front seat, since foster brother Duke 13-105 got car sick in the back seat on the way to the picnic! I ran around with Finn a little at the picnic and even played fetch. Some of those dogs just have too much energy for me though, so most of the time I stayed close to FM so she didn't get lost. There were some kiddie pools, but I wasn't interested in going in the water. There were these boxes full of ice cubes, which I love, so I kept sneaking over to steal some. I didn't try to take any of the people food at all. Towards the end of the picnic, I was ready to go home! I kept nudging FM with my head, then running to the car. I would sit by the car, whine, and then if she didn't listen I would come back and nudge her again. It took a long time for her to figure out what I wanted! I curled up and slept the entire way home. Boy, was I tired! That night and the next day my hips were a little sore, so I took it pretty easy and napped a lot.

I started a new medication a few weeks ago. FM says I am too anxious sometimes. I can't help it, some noises and new things scare me a lot! FM said the medication can take 4-6 weeks to really kick in, so we don't know yet how helpful it is going to be. Even though I am scared and anxious at times, I am never destructive and just prefer to hide in my crate or near FM. I also pant and whine a lot when I'm nervous. I don't bark very often, usually only a few quick barks when someone comes to the door. I take a lot of different meds every day, but FM just puts them in with my food, adds a little water, and I gobble it all down! How easy is that!?

FM and foster sister, Cadence, are going on vacation to Colorado next week, but unfortunately Finn and I can't go. FM said I get to stay with another RAGOM volunteer that lives nearby. I am nervous that Finn isn't going to be with me (he's staying with a friend of FM), but FM said that where I'm going has a Finnegan too! I hope he's as great as my buddy, Finn! FM is worried about leaving us, but I told her that we will be fine! I hope she brings me a souvenir from Colorado! Maybe a moose antler? Ha!

I'll share more of my adventures after I get home from staying with my doggie sitter!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

We have learned more about Vinnie and what he needs in his forever home in the past month! When we traveled to MN earlier this month, Vinnie did wonderful in the car! He shared the back seat with foster brother, Finn, and we never heard a peep from him. We stayed in a hotel for a few nights and, for the most part, Vinnie did pretty well. After the first day, it was clear that Vinnie was having trouble with the stairs. By the end of our trip, I had to help him up the stairs each time. Because of this, we are looking for a forever home with no stairs (or at most, just a few carpeted stairs.) Vinnie also does better with carpeted floors or rugs put down on slick floors, especially when he’s sore or tired. Vinnie isn’t a big fan of going potty on a leash, but he did not have any accidents in the hotel or other places we visited! Vinnie was also anxious during our trip and he really relied on Finn for reassurance. He is not destructive, but pants, paces, and whines when he’s scared or nervous. We were not able to leave him alone in the hotel room because of his whining. Poor Vinnie didn’t sleep well, even though I brought his bed from our house, so I ended up putting him in my bed in the hotel room and he curled up next to me. After that, he was always on the hotel bed! It was low enough that he could climb up, but my bed at home is too high so he doesn’t try to get up on it.

Vinnie’s allergies have been flaring up again and we are again treating for an ear infection and skin infection. He is very good at letting me clean and medicate his ears. During the work day, Vinnie has to wear an inflatable cone so he won’t scratch at his ears or chew on his body. When we are home, a simple “no” will stop him from chewing and scratching, so he doesn’t have to wear the dreaded “cone of shame.” He is currently taking an allergy medication twice daily with his other meds. Vinnie is so great about taking pills, as long as it’s not Tramadol (pain med). I just put all of his meds on his food, add some warm water, and stir it up. Vinnie gobbles it all down! Vinnie gets so excited when he knows it’s time to eat! He does this goofy backwards flying hop as I’m walking to put his food bowl down. He then sits very nicely and waits for me to tell him “okay” so he can eat.

Our incredibly sweet boy has really bonded with us and I know he’ll bond with his forever family as well. He always wants to be wherever his people are at. He will get up from a nap just to follow me to the kitchen or laundry room. He also curls up on the floor in the bathroom in the morning when I’m getting ready for work. During the day, Vinnie is baby gated in my bedroom with Finn. He likes to curl up in his crate with the door open. This is his “safe place” whenever he gets scared. Vinnie absolutely hates the vacuum and other loud noises and he zooms to his kennel whenever he sees me getting the vacuum out! Finn is also afraid of the vacuum so they often both squeeze into the kennel until I’m finished.

Vinnie will never be a running partner, but he does enjoy slow, leisurely walks and a relaxing game of fetch in the back yard. He would do great with any age family and he loves kids! Vinnie also does great with our cats (they occasionally curl up to nap with him) and I think he’d do fine with small “pocket pets” too. We have another foster, Duke 13-105, and Vinnie lets Finn do most of the playing with Duke. Occasionally Vinnie will join in, but he isn’t up for the high contact wrestling with the two other dogs. Finn and Vinnie will wrestle and play tug inside sometimes, but it usually doesn’t last long. Vinnie is happy to curl up at my feet or on the couch next to me while the other two are playing. Vinnie absolutely loves to cuddle with me and will even nudge my hand if I stop petting him too soon!

Vinnie needs the following in his forever home:

  • Physical fenced in yard
  • Another large, friendly, confident dog
  • Minimal or no stairs
  • Family dedicated to his medical needs and vet bills, including daily medication and medicated baths every few weeks
  • High quality, grain free food and treats to help with his allergies
  • Patience and understanding for his anxiety

If you think your home and family would be a great fit for Vinnie, please contact your placement advisor!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Have you wanted to meet this awesome boy, but haven't been able to come to any of the Iowa meet and greets? Now's your chance! Vinnie, his foster family, and Finn will be traveling to Minnesota this weekend! We will be attending the meet and greet at Chuck and Don's in Blaine on Saturday from 1-3. Come meet Vinnie and all the other RAGOM fosters that will be there, rain or shine!



Saturday, April 20, 2013

Vinnie has become more confident in the last few weeks. He still gets nervous in certain situations, but he has improved a lot from where he was a few months ago! He is doing great with his training. Right now he will sit/stay for about 2 minutes before he will forget that he’s supposed to be staying. More good news! We’ve had thunderstorms every day for the last week (some lasting all day) and Vinnie didn’t care at all! Loud noises still startle him occasionally, but he didn’t mind the thunder and lightning this week. When Vinnie does get scared, he tries to hide or wants to be close to me instead of being destructive. Even when left alone, he hasn’t gotten too scared or anxious as long as his foster brother, Finn, is with him. Vinnie does need another confident large dog in his forever home. One day I had to take Finn to the vet, so I left Vinnie home alone, gated in the bedroom like every other day (though he usually has Finn with him). We were only gone a few hours, but when we returned Vinnie was soaking from drooling the whole time we were gone. I do leave the dogs home each day when I go to work, so Vinnie is fine being left home without his people, as long as he has another dog friend to keep him company.

The hair on Vinnie’s hips is growing back a lot faster now, except for the bald patch on the top of his hips. Vinnie is in the process of blowing his winter coat, so his coat is significantly thinner than it was this winter. He has been shedding a ton, but hopefully that will stop soon! We have been struggling with ear infections and skin infections with Vinnie, but currently we have it under control. Vinnie doesn’t mind having his ears cleaned, nails trimmed, or being brushed. He just loves attention and lets me do whatever I need to do. Vinnie has a favorite sleeping spot… crammed between the coffee table and couch. Usually he curls up in a ball with his face smashed into the coffee table, but lately he’s been lying on his back with his feet in the air!

Vinnie wants to thank his wonderful sponsors, Nikki , Sam, and their pups, for the box of delicious dog treats! Vinnie wanted to show off his “sit/stay” training by sitting by their gift for a picture without eating a single treat!

Monday, April 1, 2013

Vinnie’s hips are building muscle and he seems to be more comfortable on a daily basis. Last night he even sprawled out on the floor on his belly with his legs behind him! He has never been able to do that before, so it just goes to show how much better he feels. His hair is s-l-o-w-l-y growing back, except for one bald patch on the top of his hips. It will take some time to grow in completely, but it’s making progress.

Vinnie has been a great foster brother to all of the RAGOM dogs we’ve fostered since he arrived in December. He has been on a few transports of foster dogs and he really enjoys riding in the car. Vinnie loves to sprawl out in the backseat and enjoy the ride, occasionally sitting up to look out the window for a few miles.

He has started playing with toys more (instead of just carrying them around) and has even been chewing on a few nylabones the last few days! He loves nosing through the toy box for the perfect toy to carry around.

We have been using a Thundershirt for Vinnie for his anxiety and it has made a little bit of a difference. Vinnie will sit and pant/drool now instead of pace/pant/drool when he’s nervous or something scares him. I only put it on if I know something is scaring him or if we are getting a storm, as I don’t want him to wear it constantly and cause any more skin issues with him. He does much better when our resident dog is near him, so we want to make sure that Vinnie has a confident dog in his forever home.

His allergies are flaring up, so I have been giving him otc allergy medication twice daily and weekly baths with a medicated shampoo. Vinnie is still itchy and we are battling skin sores and infections. I feel like we get them all cleared up, only to notice that he has sores/scabs on another part of his body. After several discussions with the vet, we decided to try an elimination food trial to see if that helps him. He is now on a limited ingredient, novel protein food. It can take 6 weeks or more to see results, so we aren’t able to give him any treats or other food other than the limited ingredient food. I made some treats from the limited ingredient canned food, so he is still able to get a treat every now and then. He loves the food, so we hope it helps!

I have been working on training with Vinnie. He is a smart boy and quickly catches on to what I am asking him to do! He now knows sit, come, down, stay, wait, off, out, and okay. He now sits and waits for his dinner with Finn until I tell them both “okay,” which lets them both know it is okay to eat now. He also knows that “out” means that he can’t be in the kitchen (or other specified room). It’s definitely a necessity at our house to make sure the dogs aren’t under our feet when we’re in the kitchen preparing meals, so it’s nice that Vinnie has caught on to this command pretty quickly. I’ve also been working a lot with him with the Gentle Leader on walks. He gets scared of some things on walks, but he does better if Finn is next to him. I can easily walk both dogs (at a heel) at the same time. His recall isn’t 100%, so I would not trust him to be off-leash in an area that isn’t fenced. He can be a little stubborn when I call him inside sometimes, and he takes off in the other direction across the yard! I usually just close the door and give him a few more minutes before I call him back inside, and that usually is all it takes to have him whining at the door to come in.

Despite his medical and anxiety issues, Vinnie is an incredible dog! He always has us laughing at his goofy antics, the noises he makes when he is dreaming, how he walks backwards down the hall instead of turning around, and even the snores and snorts he makes when he sleeps wedged between the couch and coffee table.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Hi guys! It’s me, Vinnie! Foster Mom has been busy so I thought I would help her out by writing my own update.

Now that I am not hurting as much from my eyes and hips, I can focus on other things in my life. I am very afraid of loud noises! When I’m inside and I hear a noise, I run around the house until I can find a safe place to hide. I really like my crate when things scare me. I pant and drool a lot when I hear loud noises. When I am outside, I try to get away from the noise, so FM has had to put a lock on the gate so I can’t get out. FM is working with me and we are going to try a thundershirt to see if that helps me. Having Finn around helps me calm down too, so FM thinks I need to have another dog in my forever home. I also need to have a fenced in yard to keep me safe. I don’t always think clearly when I’m afraid and I might not stay in my yard if I decide to run from a scary noise. FM is helping me to feel more comfortable and it’s making me feel like I don’t need to be as afraid all of the time.

My hips don’t hurt much anymore and I can run and play now! I still take a lot of medications, but they make me feel better so I don’t complain about taking them. The only medication I refuse to take is yucky Tramadol. FM says she has never met a dog that hates that medication as much as I do! I will be starting a new NSAID soon that is a LOT cheaper… like $50 less per month! We are hopeful that it will work as well as the Rimadyl. FM has been giving me allergy medicine to make me less itchy and I think it is helping. I currently have a skin infection on my hips and neck that I am getting antibiotics for. I scratched my neck so much that I have a large patch of hair missing. An e-collar won’t help since it’s on my neck, but FM is doing a good job of making sure I don’t scratch at it anymore. I’m so happy I don’t have to wear the dreaded cone of shame!

For the last few weeks, FM left us gated in her bedroom when she went to work. Finn and I slept and wrestled all day, but weren’t destructive! FM is now letting us have free roam of the house when she is gone for short periods of time. My crate is still up, since I love to sleep in it and I like to hide in it if I get scared, but the door is always open.

FM took us to two meet and greet events in one weekend! I was nervous for the first one, but luckily my buddy, Finn, was with me and helped me to get over my fear of the store. I met a lot of people and everyone wanted to touch my shaved rear end! For the second meet and greet, we had to drive 2 hours to Des Moines! Finn and I were very good boys! I got to meet a lot of volunteers and admirers. Though I loved the attention from everyone, I still wanted to curl up with FM and get some snuggle time from her. Finn and I were exhausted on the ride home and we took turns sleeping on each other in the back seat of the car.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Rufus 12-342 and the Remerowski Family  From Rufus 12-342 and the Remerowski Family-Hope you find your Furever family soon!

With love from your temp foster family  With love from your temp foster family...we miss you!

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Vinnie is four weeks out from his hip surgery and is doing well. We continue to do his physical therapy and we are taking slow, steady walks to help build up the muscle mass in his hips. On our walks, we are trying to go up as many hills as we can, which helps build up his strength. We have gotten to where Vinnie needs 75mg of the NSAID per day instead of the max dose of 150mg per day that he was getting prior to surgery. Some days, he does great, but other days he is painful so we have to give him more. We are hoping to keep reducing the amount of pain medication he needs as he continues to heal and build muscle mass, but we also want to keep him comfortable. He has been on his joint supplement long enough that he's now on the maintenance dose, so one bottle will last twice as long.

Vinnie is one of the sweetest fosters I've ever had. He always wants attention, but doesn't demand it. The skin on his hips has been really dry (from being exposed) so I have been rubbing lotion on it. He loves his nightly massages! Vinnie is starting to play with toys more. We have also learned that he has a fetish for pencils! He won't destroy them, but carries them around in his mouth until we notice that he has it! He is doing a great job at making sure my daughter keeps all of her stuff picked up!

We have a very busy weekend! Vinnie will be at the Cedar Rapids, IA Petco from 9-11am on Saturday, March 2 and the Des Moines, IA Petco from 11-3pm on Sunday, March 3!


Saturday, February 16, 2013

Vinnie has been back in Iowa for 2 weeks now! We missed him so much, but his temp foster family took really good care of him. I was really worried about him and I missed him a lot, and I was fortunate enough that his temp foster mom, Kris, sent me updates at least once a day! Kris also took Vinnie to a Meet & Greet event, where he met a lot of volunteers, supporters, and admirers! Vinnie even got to meet his sponsor, Nikki! Words cannot express how thankful we are to everyone who helped take care of him and who gave him love while he was in Minnesota.

Vinnie had surgery on his hips almost 3 weeks ago and is almost completely healed. He developed a seroma (fluid filled pocket under the skin) under his right incision almost immediately after surgery, so we have been dealing with that. The right incision took longer to heal, but is now healed. There is still a small seroma under the incision, but we expect it to heal without any complications. Dr. R said that we should be able to tell how well the surgery worked by the 2 week mark. At this point, we still have to give Vinnie daily NSAIDS to make him comfortable. I tried taking him off of his pain medication for several days and he was very reluctant to move around and whined a lot. When he does take the Rimadyl, he is able to move around fairly normally. It’s quite possible that he will need to be on an NSAID daily for the rest of his life, though hopefully it will be at a lower dose than he would have needed before he had the surgery. Approximately 2/3 of dogs receiving the denervation surgery will have a reduction of pain, with around 1/3 being able to go off of NSAIDS completely. The surgery did not change his hip structure or the fact that his hips are still bad, but it will hopefully reduce the amount of pain that he feels. Vinnie has about 7 weeks left of physical therapy, which includes walks, repetitive sitting to build muscle mass, and range of motion exercises. He does not need to stay in foster care for those 7 weeks, as these are definitely things that his adoptive family would be able to do.

Vinnie is currently on Rimadyl (NSAID) every day. Depending on the NSAID, the dose, and his daily amount, the monthly cost is anywhere from $60-100 per month. If we are able to cut him back more, it would be less. He is also on Dasaquin, a joint supplement, which is currently $75 a month for the next 2 months, then it will be around half that once he is on the maintenance dose. He is also on 8g of fish oil each day (8 1000mg capsules). I get a 400ct bottle of fish oil at Costco for around $7. Vinnie will need to be kept thin so his hips aren’t stressed with any extra weight. He currently weighs 83 pounds, and he should stay in the 85-87 pound range. He will need daily exercise in order to keep his hips muscular, which helps to stabilize the joints. He will not be a running partner, but walking and swimming are great! At his temp foster home, Vinnie used the stairs. We don’t have many here, so it makes it easier for him to get around. I do think his ideal home would have minimal stairs, as it will be harder for him to get up and down them as he gets older and arthritis in his hips sets in. Flooring in his forever home should also be considered. He will probably need rugs on slippery tile or wood floors, or a home with primarily carpeting.

Vinnie has had some trouble with ear infections and has been a little itchy lately, so I think it's possible he may have some allergies. He has been licking at his feet a lot the last few days. He is currently being fed Taste of the Wild, but we were supplementing with a canned food with chicken and grains in it, so he may be reacting to that. I cut out the canned food to see if his itchiness and ear problems improve.

As long as he is on pain meds, Vinnie is feeling great! He just got off exercise restriction and he is happy that he gets to go out in the backyard off leash and without me watching him like a hawk. Vinnie has a wonderful personality and has been so good through all of his medical treatments! His eye surgery was a success and the fur is really filling in where they shaved around his eyes. There is already some fuzzy hair growing on his hips, but I think it will take a while until it’s long enough to blend in with the rest of his beautiful coat.

We will be at Leash On Life in Iowa City this Saturday if you would like to meet this sweet boy! Everyone who has met Vinnie has said what an amazing boy he is! The store is one of my favorites and I’m sure Vinnie will find a new toy or two to bring home to his buddies!

Thursday, January 31, 2013

We have had the distinct pleasure of hosting sweet Vinnie in Apple Valley the past several days, as we live much closer to Dr. R. than Vinnie's wonderful foster mom does! I tell you, we are the lucky ones!

Vinnie came to us a few nights before surgery, and immediately settled on in. We have totally fallen in love with this spectacular dog - he is a combination of sweet, gentle, playful, and goofy, alll rolled up in one! He gets along great with the 3 resident dogs, and has greeted everyone that has come to our house like they are his long lost best friends. He loves toys (and has been completely non-destructive), has had zero accidents in a brand new environment, and sleeps like a trooper all through the night in his crate. His foster mom has done one incredible job with him, as this was a dog that did not live inside the house prior to coming into RAGOM's care!


Vinnie came through his surgery on Monday with flying colors, and also had the stitches removed from his entropian surgery at the same time - his eyes look great! I will leave it to his foster mom to describe the procedure, his rehab, and the expected outcome, but wanted to share a few pictures of our sweetheart prior to, and after his surgery. Needless to say, he won over the hearts of everyone at the clinic!


I am thrilled to announce that since he is doing so well, Vinnie will be making his premier appearance in MN at the Burnsville event this upcoming Saturday 2/2! We will be there from approximately 12-1:30, then will be returning him to his foster mom in Iowa, who misses him so very much! Please come out to meet Vinnie while he's in MN, and seriously - be prepared to fall in love!

Friday, January 25, 2013

Merry Christmas from Ginger (07-404), Jackson (08-442), and Benji (07-664) just up the road from you in Waverly, IA! Merry Christmas from Ginger (07-404), Jackson (08-442) and Benji (07-664), just up the road from you in Waverly, Iowa!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The past few weeks have been very eventful for Vinnie! He played non-stop with his foster brother, Finn, and enjoyed cuddling with us whenever he had the chance. I knew he’d have to be quiet after his first surgery, so I let them wrestle and play fight until they fell asleep together. Vinnie’s hips bother him too much to do a lot of running around, so he has learned that he can just sit on Finn in order to keep him in one place! They are best buds and I often find them curled up on a dog bed together, with Vinnie snoring softly.

On Monday 1/14, Vinnie had his neuter and eye entropion surgery. X-rays were also taken of his hips. The first few days were a little rough, but he has recovered nicely and his incisions look great. We go to the vet tomorrow to get the stitches taken out of his eye incisions. I have included “day 2” and “day 7” pictures of his eyes after the entropion surgery.


I have also included Vinnie’s hip x-ray. His x-rays show that he has moderate to severe hip dysplasia. His right hip is dislocated, but the vet was unable to put it back in socket while he was under anesthesia.

After sending the x-rays off to RAGOM’s orthopedic surgeon (the same Dr that did surgery on Jewel 12-415 and Ruby 12-416), it was decided that Vinnie will have a denervation procedure done. Nerves around each hip socket will be severed. This surgery will not physically change how his hips fit together and won’t prevent arthritis down the road, but it will allow Vinnie to move around pain free. Vinnie will travel to Minnesota on 1/27 and will have surgery on Monday 1/28. He will be staying with another RAGOM volunteer until Thursday, when we will help transport him back to our home. Thank you, Kris, for temp fostering our sweet boy while he is in Minnesota! He will also get to meet his sponsor, Nikki!

Vinnie is such a lucky boy to have so many wonderful people who love him as much as we do! We are not sure of the recovery time yet, but it will be much less than other hip surgeries since there will be no bone cutting involved. While there may be some pain associated with the surgery, it will likely be much less than living with painful hips (and eyes) on a day to day basis. I can’t wait for him to be completely pain free!

Vinnie will be at the RAGOM Meet & Greet at Petco in Cedar Rapids, IA on Saturday, 1/26 from 2-4pm! Please stop by if you’d like to meet this sweet boy!

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Happy 2nd Birthday Vinnie!

Vinnie spent the day playing with new toys and wrestling with our resident, Finn. He's such a sweet and happy boy!

Monday, December 31, 2012

Judging by the amount of presents he got, Vinnie must have been a really good boy! He was very excited and made sure that he was the center of attention while we were opening presents. I was trying to get a good picture of my daughter and our resident RAGOM dog, Finn, in front of the tree, and Vinnie sat by Finn and did such an adorable pose that I had to take pictures with him too! Vinnie has enjoyed all the new toys and treats.

Vinnie’s urine was rechecked and there is still an infection present, so he is on 2 more weeks of the antibiotics. The infection has significantly improved, which is why we were no longer seeing any symptoms, but is not completely cleared up. Due to this, it was decided that we would postpone Vinnie’s surgery until the infection is gone. I have had several days off of work this week and I had planned on using my time off to take care of Vinnie after his surgery, but instead we are using this time to get more play time in and to work on some training.

Vinnie is so sweet and loves attention! He has a very goofy personality and he always seems to be a happy boy. Vinnie loves balls, stuffed toys, nylabones, and rope toys. He seems to be pretty well socialized and though he barks when someone is at the door, he quickly switches to being happy and excited to meet the new person. I have neglected to talk about how absolutely gorgeous Vinnie is! His coat is very thick and curly. It will require regular brushing (every few days) to prevent mats. Luckily, Vinnie loves to be groomed! He is also good for ear cleaning and nail trims. Since his coat is so thick, he takes a lot longer to dry after a bath. His grooming needs may be a little more extensive than some other dogs, but his coat is so gorgeous that it’s worth the extra work!

Vinnie is certainly getting more comfortable in our home. Our resident, Finn, tries to play with Vinnie constantly, and although Vinnie doesn’t always want to play, he puts up with Finn’s playfulness. The excitement and newness of our cats has worn off, and he rarely even notices them anymore. Vinnie is crated while I am gone or at work, but he has free roam of the house whenever we are home. He discovered his reflection today in the full length mirror in my bedroom, and he just stood and stared for about 10 minutes! Every day he is learning about what it’s like living inside and he is loving every minute of it!


Vinnie and foster brother, Rufus 12-342, with their new blankets that FM made!

Friday, December 28, 2012

"First, I became a RAGOM dog and now I will never have to live outside again. Then, my FM took me to the vet and they made me feel better. Then, my foster family gave me a ton of new toys to destroy for Christmas. And last, but certainly not least, I GOT MY VERY OWN SPONSOR!!! THANK YOU, Nikki F, YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!" - Vinnie

Words cannot express how thankful we are to fellow RAGOM volunteers Nikki and Sam, and their pack of beautiful Goldens for sponsoring Vinnie!! Thank you for helping to pay for his mounting medical bills and for seeing how amazing he is even though he may have some medical issues right now.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Vinnie and his foster family want to thank the family who put the holiday icon on his page! It’s great to know that there are RAGOM adopters/supporters so close to where we live! Thank you for thinking of both Vinnie and our other foster, Rufus 12-342!

Vinnie continues to do great in our home! His uti is getting cleared up, and he has not had another accident inside. He is crated while I’m at work, but has free roam when we are home. He has never tried to mark in the house. Vinnie is feeling much better and he has started to show us his true personality. He is almost 2 years old, but he acts like a big puppy most of the time. Vinnie loves to empty the basket of dog toys and chew on the toys. He has destroyed a few toys, but I don’t mind replacing dog toys if it means he leaves everything else in the house alone! Vinnie would greatly benefit from obedience training in his forever home, though he does have pretty good manners. He does not jump up on us, though he does do a goofy hop when he gets excited! He also knows “sit,” and we are working on “stay” and “down.” Vinnie walks very well on a leash without a Gentle Leader!

He is definitely a “Velcro” dog. He wants to be wherever we are. He continues to pester our two cats, but he just wants to play with them. It doesn’t bother our cats and they are good at telling him to back off. Vinnie and our resident Golden, Finn, have fun playing with each other. They wrestle and run around in the backyard, although Vinnie’s painful hips limits how much he is able to do. If Vinnie plays too hard, he will be very sore later in the day and the next day. The first week here Vinnie was on pain meds so he did pretty well. I didn’t give him any pain meds last week to see how he did, and I noticed an obvious difference. He has certainly spent a lot more time laying down when he wasn’t on any pain meds, and he struggled to comfortably get up or down. Vinnie does not attempt to do stairs, but luckily we just have 1 step to go outside. He will have x-rays of his hips this week when he gets neutered. We will then send the x-rays to RAGOM’s orthopedic surgeon to see what his treatment options are.

The first few weeks here Vinnie would lick Finn’s face constantly, but he now only does it occasionally. Finn would never tell him to stop, so I don’t know how Vinnie would have reacted to another dog telling him off. Vinnie does seem submissive, so I don’t think he would have any issues with other dogs in his forever home. Vinnie would love to have a dog playmate in his forever home, but it’s not required. He would do great with a family with kids, though he is a big, solid dog and he might knock little kids over. He gets excited and bumps into my 8 year old daughter sometimes, but he doesn’t mean any harm by it and my daughter is definitely used to it! He loves to follow her around.

Vinnie will go to the vet on 12/27 for his neuter/eye entropion surgery. Entropion is a painful condition where animal’s eyelids roll inward, allowing the eyelashes (or other hair) to rub against the eye and irritate it. Vinnie’s left eye involves the upper and lower lid. The right eye is not affected nearly as much and it is just the lower lid on the outside. I have been giving Vinnie artificial tear drops in his eyes, and I think this is helping to make him more comfortable. He doesn’t rub his face as much and there is a significant decrease in the amount of eye discharge. Here is a link that explains more about eye entropion.