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| Thomas |
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We are so thankful to have Stevie in our program. Someone had apparently came home to find Stevie in their fenced yard with the gate still closed so she turned him into the pound...
 Tommy getting ready to enjoy the holidays! Thomas, formerly called Stevie, is eight years old and blind in both eyes- January 5, 2008 - Update from Adopter It is with great sadness that we inform you that our Thomas crossed over the Rainbow Bridge this past Wednesday. We all had a nice long holiday weekend and a Happy New Year together but the next day his body gave up. He was definitely a special boy and we are honored to have cared for him for almost 3 years.We thank the fine folks at GRIN for having the faith in our ability to care for such a special Golden; it’s been an experience we will never forget. Joe and Nancy and our three golden boys  March 2, 2006 - update from the foster family What can we say; he is just a sweet loving boy. He has been with us nearly a year now.In that time we have fattened him up, helping him gain about eight pounds. This is important because it tells us that he is fighting off the renal failure that looms in his future, as long as the weight stays on we consider him healthy. He is about 72 lbs. Tom's coat is much healthier looking than when he came to us. He is still blind and will always be blind. This is truly not a concern; he gets around famously with the occasional smacking into the wall or leg of a chair when he first wakes up. We all shake it off and keep going. Tom's bladder-He has his friend, Renee, coming over every afternoon to let him out. His bladder will only hold for around 6 hours and at night he can hold it for 6-8 hours. The good news is we've taught him to tell us when he has to go outside-a huge improvement over when we first brought him home. Tommy needs a forever home!! We love him to death but he needs a loving person or family that has someone home most of the time and runs their house in a quite and calm manner. He makes no demands except for the occasional paw he puts out to stop you for some loving. He cannot be caged or confined. He spends most of his time in his dog bed in the living room or next to the side of our bed when we're sleeping. He does not enjoy listening to the TV during the evening. He likes things nice and quite. His activity level is probably around 2 / 3. He enjoys walking the yard sniffing out squirrels and eating treats. He needs a fenced in yard, no tie outs or invisible fences!! His diet consists of one and a half cups, twice a day of Prescription Brand Kidney Diet kibbles (this is to help keep him healthy) and a few treats throughout the day. He is on some medications, which consist of a half tab of Enalapril Malelate, a half tab of Ascriptin and a gel cap. None of these are expensive drugs. If you are reading this and cannot adopt Tom, think if there is anyone in your life that could use some companionship. If not, please donate to TOM and GRIN so we can continue to care for him until we find him a forever home. November 1, 2005 - update from the foster family Tommy has been with us for just over six months. In that time he has gone from being a kennel dog to a family dog. Before he chose to spend his time alone in the front room. Now, he seeks out his brothers and sits among them. Nighttime is upstairs on on the floor next to daddy's side of the bed. Autumn appears to be a happy time for Tommy; he loves having leaves on the ground. Now no one can sneak up on him. September 29, 2005 - update from the foster family To help with Tommy's peanut sized bladder, his new friend, Renee S. (one of his Golden sponsors) is coming over during her lunch to let him out. He really enjoys the visit and the afternoon snack and we come home to a clean house. If you saw how well he can follow a flock of geese flying overhead, you'd swear he can see.August 31, 2005 - update from the foster family Tommy continues to do fine. In the past few weeks he has seen his friends at Animal Hospital Inc. (AHI) where he was tested for posible kidney problems.He has a disease called Glomerulonephritis; in short his kidneys have a hard time processing high amounts of protein. If left untreated, he would develop renal failure. He is now on a special dry food for kidney health, a medication to keep his blood pressure in check and a half of aspirin per day to keep his blood flowing well. We've also started taking him on daily walks around the neighborhood, with one of his seeing brothers--kind of a seeing eye dog's dog- it's improved his overall attitude and appetite. With these precautions Tommy should live a pretty normal life for years to come. August 10, 2005 - update What a heartbreak! During surgery it was determined that Tommy would not benefit from cataract removal surgery because both of his retinal nerves were unresponsive. He will remain blind. Thankfully, he never knew how close he came to regaining his sight, so he doesn't feel the loss - as we do.He remains the sweet boy he's always been, laying in a warm sunbeam in the backyard without a care in the world. We should all be so lucky. July 19, 2005 - update The new ERG machine has arrived from Germany. Tommy's surgery has been re-scheduled for Wednesday July 27.While waiting for his surgery date Tommy has been busy. He was interviewed by Jenny Mae of the News Herald. The article is to run today in the Community section. Tommy has also been practicing walking up and down a full flight of stairs. He's getting really good. June 30, 2005 - update First let’s say, he’s okay and he's home with us. But while he was in surgery, under anesthesia, one of the key pieces of equipment needed for the surgery, quit working. When it was determined it could not be fixed by the OR staff - they woke him up and called us to come and get him. Surgery will be rescheduled when the equipment is fixed or the new one (on order) comes in from Germany. No idea when. They promised to put him at the top of the list. To say we are disappointed is putting a positive spin on the situation. In the meantime, his life is as it was before.June 13, 2005 Tommy's great hearing allowed him to tree the squirrel that his sighted brothers missed. He was very proud and revisited the scene several times throughout the weekend. Of course, we made a fuss over him every time.Seventeen more days Tommy. Hang in there. It's going to be so great. On May 24, 2005 Thomas took a trip to the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine- Veterinary Comparative Ophthalmology Department. He met Dr. Ellen Belknap, DVM and Senior Student, Joanne Gonzalez. This visit was to determine if Tom's eyes were healthy enough for corrective surgery. He had his eyes dilated and twenty minutes later he was whisked away for testing. The testing involved shining a strong beam of light into the eyes and recording the reaction of the pupils. The test concluded that the right eye is a good candidate for cataract removal. His left eye did not react to the light, which means he may have permanently lost his vision in that eye. 
Thomas will have surgery on June 29, 2005. He will be the guest of OSUCVM for three days. Tom will have the most advanced and successful method of cataract removal in animals and humans, a phacofragmentation. It allows removal of the cataract through a very small incision, first fragmenting the cataract, then aspirating the pieces through the incision. Prior to surgery, Thomas will need two more tests, an ocular ultrasound and an electroretinogram (ERG) to ensure the eye is otherwise normal. The ocular ultrasound examines for abnormalities of the posterior portion of the eye, such as retinal detachment. The ERG tests the function of the retina. Once the cataract is successfully removed Thomas will see again! In addition to removing the cataract, an artificial intraocular lens is routinely implanted at the time of surgery. Implantation of the lens will provide Thomas with vision that is very similar to normal sight, without lens he will be considered farsighted. Thomas's left eye will also under go the ocular ultrasound and the ERG testing. This will determine without a doubt if his sight can be saved. If his sight cannot be saved, the test will also determine if a prosthesis (glass eye) should be implanted. A prosthesis is warranted if the eye is deteriorating in health, to prevent future complications. Thomas's rehabilitation will consist of two weeks reduced activity along with wearing an Elizabethan collar and eye drops four times a day. He will return to OSU several times over a two month period for follow-up examinations. The bilateral cataract surgery lens replacement, blood work, ERG, ultrasound and prosthesis implantation (if needed) will cost around $2,700.00 to $3,500.00. In closing, Tom's foster parents thank you for your interest in this sweet boy. They pledge their commitment to Tommy's care and hope you will pledge your support in a financial donation to help us cover the cost of this procedure. 5/23/05 - Update from the foster family
This Tuesday 5/24, we take him to Ohio State Veterinarian Teaching Hospital to get his eyes examined for possible surgery to give him back his sight. Please send him your good thoughts. We'll keep you posted on the outcome. 5/3/05 - Update from foster family We feel Stevie's blindness makes him 'special' but not a 'special needs dog'. In the 14 short days we've been fostering him, he's made much progress. For one thing, we've changed his name to "Thomas" and he responds with more interest. For another, using different scent paths, he's been able to confidently navigate through his environment. When he's in the backyard with our 3 Goldens, it's hard to tell them apart.During a recent storm, we found out that he's sensitive to loud noises. He shows no interest in our stairs but we believe they will not be a problem for him as long as they are marked with a scent path. He doesn't like to be crated in the house or the car. He's good on a lease and with other dogs. He has some confidence issues which is understandable given his history but he is responding well to love and kindness. He is very gentle and loves to cuddle. He's recently discovered toys and is showing his playful side. His perfect forever family would have someone home most of the time and a fenced yard to limit his wanderings. Posted 3/12/05 We are so thankful to have Stevie in our program. Someone had apparently came home to find Stevie in their fenced yard with the gate still closed so she turned him into the pound. No one went to the pound looking for him so now he's with us. Stevie got his name because he is blind. At about 5 years old, he was severely neglected or on the road for some time. He desperately needed a dental cleaning and a grooming - he had been skunked and full of matts and burrs. He's great in a crate - quiet, well behaved and didn't mess in it. He will do best in home where someone is home, has fenced yard and another dog to "show him the ropes" so to speak. He cannot be put in a home however, with any sensitive, intact males. Because he is blind, Stevie often bumps into other dogs which may cause another dog to get his feathers a bit ruffled. He also needs to be watched on steps since he falls easily. Before being transported to us, the volunteer was able to bathe him, cut out all his matts and burrs, brush him, trim his nails and check out his ears. He was perfectly behaved throughout the entire process which took hours. He does have dewclaws removed so perhaps there was a decent breeder back there somewhere. This poor guy has went from the home he knew, to a stranger's yard, to the shelter, to GRIN, to the vet, and now to a foster home. That's a lot for a handicapped guy to go through! Won't you be his forever home? Vet update 3/12/05 Stevie was neutered today and received his dental cleaning. We also had complete bloodwork performed. His bloodwork was beautiful except his creatinine level is high at 2.0 (anything over 1.8 is high), which COULD mean very early renal failure. We will retest in two weeks. We will also seek an opinion from a board certified ophthalmolist about his eyesight.G.R.I.N. is a non-profit organization, we rely solely on the generosity of kind and giving people like you! We're registered with a 501(c)(3) status, so all your donations, including sponsorships, are tax-deductible. Over 6,000 companies encourage their employees' philanthropy through a matching gift program whereby your employer will match your individual donations. This generous program doubles - and sometimes triples - your donation. Ask your human resources department if your employer has this program. If so, you will be given a matching gift form to send to us with your donation, and we'll do the rest! To make a donation to the Arnold Fund, which is only used for our goldens available for sponsorship, donate through Paypal's secure link to the left or by check or money order. Thank you for your donations. Golden Retrievers In Need P.O. Box 24365 Cleveland, OH 44124 The members of Golden Retrievers In Need wish to thank you for your generous support of our organization and specifically your support of Thomas. For more information on Thomas, please read his status: (PDF format) If a sponsor hasn't received a call or this letter about their donation, please call us at 216.556.4746.
Thank you! Susan Sanvido Bruce & Sally Kading and Goldens Sam & Taffy - Golden Sponsors Deborah Busta Judy Welday Tom & Tracie Tsai - Golden Sponsors Ginny & Bill Post - Golden Sponsors Renee Sittley, Golden Sponsor Linda Hauser Andrew and Erica Eckel Carol and Jerry Chenoweth Christopher Walton Larry and Maria Zoul and the Tara Marie Fund - Golden Sponsors Kathy Disien Bryan Asp Marion Helfand Joe and Nancy Vencl - Golden Sponsors Lin and Dan Maloney Jacqueline Evans Marge Vencl Randy and Deborah Wetzel Hollie O'Toole William and Debra Melaragno Brenda and Larry Moore Mary Kaim Judy Praskavich Burt and Patricia Bork Sharon Carver Helen and Myron Bilynsky Bill and Ginny Post (twice!) Golden Sponsors Gary and Anita Marie Nowac Tony and Beth Debevc Mark Kasunic, Jr. Dominic and Juanita Catania Robert and Eve Strong Ronald and Nancy Mazurek Johanna Colonie Kenneth and Jennifer Hoffacker Valerie Rose Fales Eleanor Dick John and Norma Ducsay Timothy and Patricia McCreary Robert Riggin - Golden Sponsor Georgene Ruf Alice Bauckman Doris and Michael Palgut Ruth Spencer - Golden Sponsor Michael Iosue Abby and Ray Delamotte Norbert and Nancy Boyk David and Patricia Honsaker Tammi Priggins Betty Compton Julianne and James Sebek George and Gail Whalley Katherine and Tracy Tausch Charles and Judith Thornton The Paw Wash LLC Paul and Pamel Perretta Mary Newell Kim Houser Sally and Richard Westholm Nancy Guy Cheryl and Harry Smith Mary and John Cirino Marge and Bill Cronemeyer Joanne Trgo Barbara Klein Marilyn Razek Dennis and Cheryl Nash Robyn Seifrick Amy Schlueter - Golden Sponsor Dawn Munaretto Cherie Bluhm And a very special thanks to Jenny May and the Lake County News Herald for featuring Tommy's story. |
Thomas continues to delight. Recently, we stopped confining him at night and during our work day, he has total run of the house now. Still no interest in the stairs. After work and in the morning we find him surrounded by his new toys asleep in the middle of the kitchen or in the foyer.
His nose is scarred and raw from rubbing it on the ground to find his way. His paws are also raw from persistent licking which will need time to heal.