Ginger was originally rescued when Young At Heart was looking for a dog that would fit the needs of a local assisted living facility; We were looking for a kind-hearted dog who was gentle with people of all ages, housebroken, obedient, and had that special "something" that just made your heart swell. Ginger had been a stray at a pound, and at 8-10 years old, once no one reclaimed her, her days were numbered. But the pound loved her demeanor and contacted us to see if Ginger fit what we were looking for... and boy, did she ever!

When Ginger arrived to Young At Heart, she got the full work up from the vet's office. The news was not great. Not only did she have a large mass that looked like a spleenic tumor, her kidney values were terrible. Spleenic tumors are often deadly to dogs, but dogs can live without their spleens, so we opted for surgery. When the surgery was over- good news! The mass wasn't attached to anything! It was a free-floating mass of scar tissue, for the most part, probably from way back when she was spayed. We breathed a sigh of relief- no cancer for this girl!
Now, to concentrate on her kidneys.

Ginger underwent some fluid therapy and was put on prescription food, but if she went more than a few days without fluids, she began to crash. We started her on fluids every other day, then every day. As long as Ginger was kept on the fluids, she did great- ate like a champ, was perky on walks, played and wagged her little tail as best she knew how. But the question was- how adoptable was Ginger? Would we find any huge hearted people who wanted the sweetest dog ever if she had to be given subcutaneous fluids every day? Would we find someone who would take care of a dog in kidney failure? Ginger could live another 2-3 years with the fluids, but that's still a lot to ask of someone. There was no way we were putting Ginger down- she was healthy as long as we helped flush her kidneys out, and happy and comfortable, too. It was decided that Ginger would become our second Sanctuary Dog.

Now Ginger lives happily with her Sanctuary Family, the Kratzs, and her four-legged foster sister, Goldie. She spends her days in the comfort of the home she's known since she was rescued, and thumps her tail no matter which position she's in- up, down, sleeping- it doesn't matter.
She is one happy girl! Welcome home, Ginger!

January 16, 2008

Ginger at AHAH, resting comfortably while receiving IV fluids

Update 1/16/08: Ginger has done wonderfully the last few months with prescription food and fluid therapy, but yesterday we had a set back. Ginger collapsed and couldn't walk, and we were worried she had a stroke or possibly a brain or spinal tumor. When we arrived at the vet with her, she was placed on a stretcher and taken in for some tests. The thing we love most about Ginger, is even though the poor girl couldn't walk, she still thumped her tail each time someone said hi to her in her traditional happy greeting. After some tests, it was discovered that Ginger has a Vestibular Disorder, or a disorder of the inner ear, causing her to feel severely imbalanced. The good news is that it's treatable, and she is currently on some IV fluids and antibiotics. She may always have a tilt of the head, a characteristic of the disorder, but we just think it makes her look sweeter than ever. We hope Ginger will be home this weekend, and will update everyone then.

1/22/08: Hi Everyone! Ginger here! I'm feeling much better, and have been able to go home. I still need some help getting around, as the world is still spinning a bit, but I'm regaining my strength and super happy to be home again. It turns out I'm not making my own red blood cells right now, so I'm on meds to help my body start making them again, which will help me tremendously. I really love my Sanctuary Family for being so attentive to me. Thanks for everyone's well-wishes!

2/4/08: It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to let you all know that our beautiful Ginger is no longer with us. Her kidney disease, which we have managed to keep stable for several months now, began rapidly progressing two days ago, and her kidneys began to shut down. Ginger could not keep food or water down, could not get up or down without help, and was very uncomfortable. We made the heart-wrenching decision to give her permanent relief from pain that was only going to get worse. It was the last kind thing we could do for her gentle soul. We told her we loved her and that she was a good dog, and though the rest of her felt pretty crummy, her tail still thumped in her normal way of trying to please her people. She went to The Bridge surrounded by the people who loved her, where we hope she is young and happy again.
God speed, Ginger. We will love you, miss you, and cherish you always.