Entered: 06/20/2015
Status: Rainbow Bridge
Age: 11
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 48 lbs.
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Girard, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, continuing treatment for skin infections, benefiting from medication and laser treatment for arthritis, soft tissue sarcoma successfully removed, treatment for UTI, Lyme disease and ear infections complete
Temperament: Increasingly willing to be touched by adults as pain decreases, unknown with children, appears fine with other dogs and cats
Update 01/16/2018: “Her foster mom awoke to find that Gidgett had quietly passed.”
It is with great sadness that Gidgett’s foster mom reports that this sweet girl has crossed the Bridge. She became restless and started panting in the wee hours of the morning. She was taken outside to go potty, came in and drank some water, and then settled back down. Her foster mom awoke to find that Gidgett had quietly passed.
Gidgett was doing so very well with her arthritis and mobility, which is why her foster mom was so shocked and upset by her passing. Gidgett was given such wonderful care for the golden years of her life and totally loved.
Run free and with no more pain, Gidgett.
Update 01/25/2017: “Also a testament to how much the treatments help…during the past few weeks her foster mom has come home to Gidgett up on the recliner…something that has NEVER happened before! Who knows, maybe the bed is next?”
Other than her mobility and arthritis issues, Gidgett is going strong. Thanks to continued laser treatments Gidgett is staying quite mobile. She will always have some weakness and a lack of coordination in her back legs but the laser helps tremendously with the arthritis she has in her shoulders and elbows. She actually enjoys going for her treatments, whining in the car when she realizes where she’s headed. Her P.T./laser therapist always gives her lots of treats during these sessions and is very pleased that Gidgett is maintaining her muscle mass and staying slim and trim. Also a testament to how much the treatments help…during the past few weeks her foster mom has come home to Gidgett up on the recliner…something that has NEVER happened before! Who knows, maybe the bed is next?
Her skin is a work in progress. Frequent baths and over-the-counter allergy medications got her through the warm weather. The cold weather has now provided her relief.
Last summer Gidgett did have surgery to remove a tumor on her withers. The lump started out as nothing much but had slowly become the size of a softball. Even though it didn’t bother her, it was starting to interfere with the harness she wears for her cart, and the vet recommended removing it before it became an issue. The biopsy results were good news/bad news…it was a soft tissue sarcoma but it was removed completely and not likely to have spread. However any lumps that reappear in the same area will need to be closely monitored.
Gidgett is considered the “town crier” in the neighborhood. She will bark an alert for anyone or anything that passes by…a delivery person, a kitty, a bag blowing in the wind. Luckily her bark is not very loud or annoying.
While the weather was nice, Gidgett did enjoy several trips to the beach. She did seem to know her limits, going into the water only deep enough to get her belly wet. Her foster mom has a little information about her past and knows that she enjoyed swimming when she was younger. She hopes these trips to the beach brought back happy memories for Gidgett. May she make many more happy memories with her foster family!
Update 04/11/2016: “The cart that Gidgett has been fitted with gives her just enough support to be able to walk moderate distances.“
Her foster mom jokingly allows that Miss G’s video (just posted; be sure to click the link above) could be captioned “Who is that hairy dog…?!” It’s wonderful to see how much Gidgett’s coat has filled in. She does have two spots in her back legs that are still bald but they are SLOWLY improving with continued application of a special cream. She has a couple of possibly permanent bald spots, on her backside and about half of her tail….no sign of any hair growth there. Her skin will always need extra maintenance; she gets itchy and flaky if she goes too long between baths.
Gidgett has been going to therapy periodically through the winter to help strengthen and stabilize her wobbly rear end. Laser, exercises, and underwater treadmill are part of her regimen. At home her foster mom encourages her do as much as she can…especially doing the couple steps up to the porch…some days she can do them, but most days she waits for help, even if it’s just a little bit! Gidgett is able to get around the house, inside and out, to take care of business…sniffing, eating, and going potty on her own. Most time though is spent sitting or lying down.
Now with the weather improving, her foster mom wants her to be able to get out and go for walks! The cart that Gidgett has been fitted with gives her just enough support to be able to walk moderate distances. She still has to take it easy because of arthritis in her front joints; you can hear the creaking and popping…! As one might imagine, walking around the neighborhood always attracts attention, and Gidgett quietly allows “strangers” to check her out. For a gal that has finally gotten comfortable with the people she sees on a regular basis, this is a big step. She still gets “wide-eyed” when someone is near her rear end. As Gidgett builds her stamina and the weather warms, there are plans for trips to the beach, the woods, picnics. What a highlight it would be to meet her at a Springerfest!!
Update 09/27/2015: “But, the dog that started out so quiet in her foster home now certainly has a lot to say! Nothing escapes her attention, and she lets the whole neighborhood know about it!!”
Gidgett’s skin is still a work in progress. This patient lady continues to receive medicated baths and will get itchy and flaky if she goes too long without one. She is almost done with this course of medications for her skin and will be going for a recheck. There’s improvement. Her coat is beginning to grow, although there are bald spots, and, the skin on her legs is still lumpy and somewhat red.
Gidgett’s back legs are weak and make it hard for her to navigate smooth floors and even the couple of steps off the deck. Her foster family is looking into the possibility of some kind of therapy to help give her back legs some strength and stability.
Despite compromised health, the dog that started out so quiet in her foster home now certainly has a lot to say! Nothing escapes her attention, and she lets the whole neighborhood know about it!! Go Gidgett!!
Clearly Miss Gidgett still needs a good bit of attention, care, and maintenance. But, she’s a sweetheart, loves her people, loves the other dogs in her foster family and will be looking for a furever home in due season. She’s a wonderful girl who is just beginning to express herself and would love to be part of your home. Check back for further news of progress by this special senior…
Update 08/17/2015: “I seized the moment and raided the toy box! I bagged at least three bones and was happily chewing them in the living room when everyone returned.“
Hi all!! Gidgett here…
I have so much good news to share and much of it is about my improving health. I’m still a work in progress but have put some bothersome problems to rest and continue to make progress on others. For openers, my UTI has cleared up; we all know how discomforting that kind of problem can be. And, I’m losing extra pounds…woohoo! That, plus the meds for my arthritis are making me feel almost frisky!
I’m done with the meds for Lyme disease; thank heavens…they didn’t taste very good. I’m still trying to whip stubborn yeast infections in my ears and on my skin and continue to get regular baths to help with that. That part I don’t mind at all; my foster mom is so good at making that a great part of my days! Let me tell you about this lady…she doesn’t miss much. She noticed that I seemed to startle easily and began thinking I may have some hearing loss. I don’t know about that; it’s sort of like my skin tags and lipomas; they just don’t bother me. She’s also noticed that one of my back feet will knuckle over when I stand. Admittedly, my whole back end is still weak and wobbly but each day I’m strengthening and am elated to feel better!!!
Not to brag but passing along what others are saying about me…”her personality is blossoming!” Yes, that’s what folks are saying about me! For the longest time after arriving at my foster home, I would only lie around. The only sound I made was a sad, quiet howl. Even my tail seemed to just hang. How bad is that for a Springer? Any time my foster mom would walk anywhere near me, I would try to get out of her way as fast as I could (which really wasn’t very fast). But NOW, I bark…at the dog across the street, at the neighbor next door, and, yesterday I put forth my best effort to run at the fence, barking at the yappy little dogs next door! My mom hollered in joy “You go girl!” And though my tail is still chubby and hairless, it does wag when she comes home from work, when she scratches my back or anytime I’m feeling happy now. And when I’m barking an alert, I hold it up high now!
I’ve gotten to go to agility class with my foster sister and really enjoy meeting the other people and dogs. I’ve even nudged an arm when treats were being given out there, as if to say, “Hey, I’m here!” I watch with interest when the dogs are running the course, maybe wishing I could give it a try!
One other little “tidbit”…I had been recouping in an ex-pen when my family went to work and at night. I appreciated the “privacy” and not being bothered by the other dogs or cats. I was quite OK with this arrangement and slept quietly through the nights. Then recently, just as everyone settled down for the night, I felt different and let out my very sad, quiet howl. I kept this up for about 10 minutes and finally got my foster mom out of bed. She came and let me out of the ex-pen and I happily settled on a dog bed next to her bed. Not long after that, I was given free run of the house one evening when the rest of the crew was out for an hour long walk. I seized the moment and raided the toy box! I bagged at least three bones and was happily chewing them in the living room when everyone returned. Couldn’t resist putting on my “back so soon?” look! Needless to say, no more ex-pen for this girl. I’m completely trust worthy in the house and don’t mind the rest of the crew snuggling up with me.
In short, I’m beginning to realize I’m in a very good place and am allowing myself to enjoy it! I’m lucky to have landed with one of MAESSR’s foster families and, when I’m ready, will look forward to landing with one of you!!
Original: “During her first days in her new home, Gidgett did not want to be touched; her eyes got wide and her skin flinched upon touch.”
Gidgett’s owner in Delaware, financially unable to care for her for some time, asked MAESSR to help provide for her many medical needs.
During her transport, poor Gidgett could barely walk, her sparse hair was flea infested and falling out in clumps, and her urine contained blood. She was immediately taken to the vet where she spent a day in their care. Gidgett had to be sedated so that she could be thoroughly evaluated without causing her any more pain or stress. It was determined that she had severe skin, ear, and urinary tract infections. Additionally, she was anemic and arthritic. Fortunately, Gidgett’s heart, kidneys, and thyroid were all found to be normal. After receiving a medicated bath, her ears were thoroughly cleaned and her very long nails trimmed. Vaccines were all updated and Gidgett was sent to her foster home with medications.
During her first days in her new home, Gidgett did not want to be touched; her eyes got wide and her skin flinched upon touch. Getting her up to go outside was an effort, since she simply did not want to move. Thanks to antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and peanut butter, her foster family has already noticed an improvement! Gidgett’s skin does not look so “angry,” there’s no longer blood in her urine, and she willingly gets up to go outside. While her back end is still very weak and wobbly and her legs don’t quite move right, there’s a spark in Gidgett’s eyes that wasn’t there just a few days ago…she must be feeling so much better! She has no problems with the dogs and cats in her foster home and despite feeling miserable, Gidgett’s temperament appears to be good. With her condition improving, her outlook on life will undoubtedly improve as well.
Gidgett is a bit overweight and, as she begins to heal, her family will work to help her lose a few unnecessary pounds. This will be beneficial for her joints as well as for her overall health.
Please keep Gidgett in your thoughts during her journey to good health and a much happier life.