Our Special Needs Dogs

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Or mail your donation to:
CTDR
7301 RR 620 N, Ste 155 #136
Austin, TX 78726

Cassandra

Cassandra is a black and tan mini girl who is between 1 and 2 years old at our best guess. You can see by her pictures that it has been a rough year or two for this little girl. She came to us when an animal control officer from one of our local communities got a call from someone that said they found a dog. When the officer picked her up, he took her directly to the Animal Emergency Hospital. She had almost no hair on the lower half of her body and her skin was infected. From the looks of her skin she has been in that condition for a long time. Her left eye had so much white material in it that she couldn't see out of it. It had to be very painful for her.

In spite of everything she wanted everyone in the hospital to pet her and hold her. We went and picked her up the next day and took her directly to a vet. She has a severe case of dry eye. It is improving with treatment and she is going to see an eye specialist. Her skin is also improving. She should make a full recovery from her neglect.

Cassie is an active young lady but she behaves well. She is very sweet and happy. She is heartworm negative, spayed and up to date on her shots. She is getting along well with the dogs in her foster home.

To make a donation to CTDR use the PayPal button below

Or mail your donation to:
CTDR
7301 RR 620 N, Ste 155 #136
Austin, TX 78726

Isabel

Isabel is 7 year old red mini. She was taken to a local shelter with an injury to her left rear leg. It was thought that her leg was most likely broken. We knew she had suffered some kind of trauma because she also had a large lump in her abdomen which turned out to be an inguinal hernia, probably caused by the same trauma that injured her leg. As soon as we got her she was taken to a surgeon. It was determined that she didn't have a broken leg, that the injury was to her ankle. She had torn ligaments and tendons. Her leg was splinted, and her hernia repaired. She will have to have her leg splinted for at least 8 weeks.

A week later she was spayed and a dental cleaning was attempted. Her teeth are so bad that she will be seeing the dentist and probably have almost all of her teeth extracted. On top of all of this she is highly heartworm positive. She has gone through so much for such a sweet little girl. She is a real love bug who likes to be held and cuddled. Her preference would be to be in a home with just a couple of other dogs, but she is also doing fine in her foster home with multiple dogs.

Isabel most likely won't be ready for adoption until the end of November.

To make a donation to CTDR use the PayPal button below

Or mail your donation to:
CTDR
7301 RR 620 N, Ste 155 #136
Austin, TX 78726

Neville

Neville is a 3-4 month old double dapple puppy who was picked up by animal control while he was running loose in a suburb north of Dallas. No one claimed him, so CTDR picked him up from the shelter. But as soon as he got to our vet, they recognized that he was very sick. They wanted to run a parvo test and we got the worst news of all for poor Neville — it was positive.

Parvo causes vomiting and diarrhea, and this can really take a toll on young puppies. There is no cure, and the dogs can only be treated for dehydration and secondary infections. Many puppies do not survive a bout with parvo. We knew, however, that Neville had just started showing symptoms on the day we picked him up. We were hopeful we caught it early, and that with aggressive treatment, he would make it. We checked him in to the North Texas Emergency Pet Clinic and all we could do was leave him in their capable hands and wait for good news.

Neville spent four nights at the clinic getting round-the-clock care. On his 5th day there, we got the best news of all - Neville was stable, off all IV fluids, eating and drinking normally, taking all his medicines orally, and ready to check out! He had made it!

In all his follow-up care, we did find out that, as is common in the double dapples, Neville is blind in one eye and is also deaf. He really has no idea that he has any sort of disability, though. His foster mom reports that he is a normal active puppy. He's learned the doggy door, gets along great with the other dogs in the house, and is even learning how to play ball! He weighs 9 pounds already so he will mature to be a tweenie or maybe even a standard. He is on heartworm prevention and will be neutered and have all his shots before going to a forever home.

To make a donation to CTDR use the PayPal button below

Or mail your donation to:
CTDR
7301 RR 620 N, Ste 155 #136
Austin, TX 78726

Odin

Look at Odin - what a little cutie he is! Our volunteer who picked him up from the Dallas shelter thought she had picked up a young and sweet little boy. Well, she did, but when she got him home, she also realized that he is totally blind. Our vets and an eye specialist confirmed that Odin has been blind for a while. It is likely a genetic defect or it could have been from an infection.

Regardless, like so many dogs that we call "special needs," Odin doesn't let it stop him, and he gets around really well. He could not be sweeter and loves to give affection and snuggle in your neck. Odin is a really quiet and easygoing red mini and gets along well with other dogs too. Unfortunately, he's also heartworm positive so he will have to be treated for that. He has been neutered and had a dental and is up to date on shots.

To make a donation to CTDR use the PayPal button below

Or mail your donation to:
CTDR
7301 RR 620 N, Ste 155 #136
Austin, TX 78726

Rocky

I had already made one run to the shelter that day, and was busy working around the house. Then I got an urgent call - someone had just brought in a very sick puppy that they claimed to have found on the street, and he needed out ASAP and taken to an Emergency Clinic. The shelter vet could feel an obstruction in his abdomen, and he would need emergency surgery if he was going to live. I raced down to the shelter, and there was this beautiful black and tan puppy, with such sad eyes, and obviously not feeling well. He was terribly dehydrated and very lethargic. He tried to give me kisses with his sandpaper nose.

The doctors at the EC gave him fluids and got him stabilized. Then, in the middle of the night, he had his surgery. We are pleased to announce that Rocky - we thought that was an appropriate name - was the proud father of a bouncing, healthy ... peach pit! Certainly not appropriate puppy food! But in true dachshund fashion, after a few days of fluids, antibiotics, and pain medication, he started bounding around like a real puppy should.

Rocky is about 5 months old, has already been neutered, and we have started him on his shots. He weighs 9 lbs. He is crate trained and races in and out of the doggie door, but we are still working on potty training. He is FULL of energy, and LOVES to play with other dogs. His favorite playmate in the whole wide world is his foster sister Suzie - see below - and they have become best buds. At any time during the day you will find them racing around the yard, wrestling on the couch, or tumbling on the dog beds. They will stop for short naps, then it's up again for round 2. He feels that it is very important to take ALL of the toys OUT of the toy basket. Too bad he hasn't learned how to put them back in yet! He does well with children but hasn't been tested with cats. Rocky will do best in a home with another playful dog. Why not take Rocky and Suzie?

Rocky's surgery and care were very expensive. If you can help cover our costs, please make a tax deductible donation using the PayPal button to the left, or mail a check to our office. Thank you for caring for Rocky.

To make a donation to CTDR use the PayPal button below

Or mail your donation to:
CTDR
7301 RR 620 N, Ste 155 #136
Austin, TX 78726

Scooter

Scooter is a petite 9.5 lb, 4 year old girl. Her family gave her up because they did not have the money to pay for back surgery and requested the Emergency Clinic euthanize her. The clinic felt that little Scooter would have a good chance at recovery if she had surgery right away, so they asked Scooter's owners to sign her over to them. One of the vet techs at the clinic follows our website and called to see if we could help with Scooter. As soon as I saw her precious face I just knew that she deserved another chance. She still had deep pain sensation in her back legs so she was a good candidate for surgery.

When I brought Scooter home Sunday she was overwhelmed by all of the changes and scared by what was happening. Her eyes were big, her head rigid, and her body shaking. She had, afterall, lost her family and the use of her legs, and she was understandably terrified. But, after gentle words of encouragement and caresses, the kisses started coming. Once she knew that someone was on her side and would make the pain stop, her body relaxed and she settled into her crate. She ate a large dinner and slept well.

Unfortunately, by Monday morning when the back surgery was scheduled, most of the sensation in her legs was gone, but Dr. Caplan felt that she might have success because the injury was so new. Again Scooter had big eyes and was afraid, but I gave her lots of encouragement and she in turn gave me lots of kisses. We went ahead with the surgery with all fingers and paws crossed. Late in the day Dr. Caplan called to say that there was indeed alot of swelling and bruising of the spinal cord which is why Scooter had lost her deep pain sensation. It wasn't the best news we could have received, but Scooter made it through the surgery fine and the docter cleaned the disk material around 3 disks. So now, we need to wait and see how she does. We need everyone to send healing rays and prayers for Scooter.

And we also need your financial support. We weren't prepared for yet another back surgery this year, but we had faith Scooter would benefit from the surgery and she deserved our help, and now we need yours. If you can donate even a small amount for her surgery, please use the PayPal button to the left or send a check to the address beneath it. All donations are tax deductable.

UPDATE: 06/01/05
It has now been more than a month since Scooter's surgery. Although she still can't walk and can't go potty on her own, we see progress every week. She has acupuncture each week and we have now started water therapy, which, in true doxie form, she HATES! How could I possibly put her in water??? A couple of weeks ago, during her weekly checkup, when Dr. Caplan pinched her tail she whipped around and tried to bite her! She has feeling back in her tail. This week she started wagging her tail. She does make the walking motion with her legs, but she can't support herself yet. Dr. Caplan already feels that she has come farther than she ever anticipated, and that because of the extent of her damage she will need at least 3 months for her full response. She is full of energy and desperately wants to play ball! And she is definitely one heck of a vocal gal - just ask her foster mom - she is called Her Royal Highness, Queen of All Things Demanding, The Screaming Screeching Scooter Pooter!

UPDATE: 07/12/05
Physical therapy, and especially water therapy and the underwater treadmill, has made a world of difference in Scooter's recovery. She now "walks" most of the time. It is very jerky and it isn't pretty, but it is walking. This girl is always on the go - busy, busy, busy. She just moves all over her foster home now. Not bad for a girl who was only given 25% chance of ever walking again! Patience and hard work have definitely paid off.

To make a donation to CTDR use the PayPal button below

Or mail your donation to:
CTDR
7301 RR 620 N, Ste 155 #136
Austin, TX 78726

Brogan

On Saturday, October 30 we got that dreaded phone call - the shelter had just received a paralyzed doxie from his family, and they were requesting euthanization. Could we help? Unfortunately, right now we have an extremely large outstanding vet bill, so paying for surgery wasn't an option. But this guy is only 3, and it seemed like such a waste to let him go. So, we contacted the wonderful people at the Disabled Dachshund Society (http://www.ourdds.org/) and they immediately agreed to fund his surgery. The shelter put him on steroids and pain medication to get him through the next few days.

On Sunday I picked him up and reviewed his paperwork. It seems his family took him to the EC after his injury, and when they found out he needed surgery they decided to euthanize instead. But, they were unable to pay to have him euthanized, so instead took him to the shelter. That decision saved his life. You see, this shelter doesn't kill dachshunds - instead they call CTDR. When we took him in, not only was he paralyzed, but he had no bladder or bowel control. But he sure was sweet and we hoped that surgery would help him live a normal doxie life again.

Monday morning we got him in right away to our wonderful surgeon of choice, Elaine Caplan (Capital Area Veterinary Specialists). He had his surgery that day. They found that he had 2 ruptured disks at T11/12 and T12/13, his spinal cord had pulled through and he had significant bruising. The doctor didn't expect him to walk for a couple of weeks, but his prognosis was good. By the next day he was already walking! They were so pleased and shocked with his progress. He had also already regained his bladder and bowel control. He was doing so well that he could be released on Thursday. By then he just wanted to run, run, run, but of course crate rest is the order of the day.

Brogan's stiches from back surgery.

Since his surgery, one of the first things we felt obligated to do was to give this little guy a more suitable name — his family had named him 'Mouse' but we felt it didn't fit with his fighter personality so we re-named him 'Brogan', which means strong and sturdy. We have confidence that Brogan will live up to his name.

This little boy is an extremely loving dog and shows his affection with abundant kisses. He also gets along well with other dogs. He is going to make a wonderful companion for some very lucky family once he is fully recovered.

Please show your appreciation to the Disabled Dachshund Society by visiting their website (http://www.ourdds.org/) and making a tax-free donation, sending them an item on their wish list, or checking out their eBay auctions. Without them we would not have been able to give Brogan the surgery that he needed.

UPDATE: 01/18/05
Over the past month Brogan has been drinking a significant amount of water so we have been running several tests. Urinalysis and blood tests were all normal, so finally last week he had an ultrasound. We were shocked to find that his liver is half the size that it should be. A major shunt wasn't found but minor shunts were suspected. Bile acid tests were run and we got those tests back today. While they were high, they weren't super high, so tomorrow he will have a biopsy. He's been through so much, this is such a blow. Please send positive thoughts.

UPDATE: 01/31/05
The biopsy came back, and it has ruled out cirrhosis and colangiohepatits, but it hasn't totally ruled out the micro shunts. It could also be a psychogenic polydipsia or diabetes insipidis (which is not the "normal" diabetes we think of). Psychogenic polydipsia is more behavioral, where the dog drinks excessive water as a nervous type reaction, which is a very simple explanation. We have a plan to narrow the problemt down even further over the next couple of weeks. This sure is taking a long time and I wish that it was much easier! Please keep sending him positive rays because he is such a sweet boy.

UPDATE: 03/29/05
After undergoing further testing and a more complete biopsy, Brogan finally has a diagnosis - microvascular displasia. This is basically microshunting of the liver. It is managed with a low protein diet. Since he has gone on this diet we have already seen a new Brogan. While we thought that he wasn't affected by whatever was going on, we were wrong - we now have a very active, very playful dog - almost like a puppy! He and Pete are like 2 whirling dervishes from the minute they get up in the morning. And he just loves to race around the yard with the other dogs. He truly is a super happy boy, completely oblivious to the fact that he has gone through some major medical procedures over the past few months.

UPDATE: 01/04/06
Brogan has been diagnosed with hepatic microvascular dysplasia, commonly called microshunts of the liver. This condition cannot be cured, but is managed using a low-protein diet and medication to reduce and absorb the ammonia in the digestive tract that is normally processed by the liver. One of the outward signs of his condition is that he thinks he needs to drink alot of water, which can be managed by controlling his access to water bowls so that he doesn't throw off his electrolytes, which can then cause seizures. Brogan is such a good boy and willingly takes his medication. He is so happy and loving, and just loves to run around the yard with his foster brothers and sisters. He has no idea that he is any different from them!

Brogan's new medical expenses have come as a big surprise for us. We thought he was well on his way to a new life. If you can help us with the cost of the medical tests, please the PayPal button on the left.