# Need Advise! Adopting 7y/o sick and super skinny Golden Retriever



## tob (Nov 29, 2010)

By the way, we are currently living in Philippines. So, there is no rescue group that I can turn to. We were so surprised to see so many large breed dogs such as Labrador and Golden Retriever being mistreated here!


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Omg, bless you for considering taking this poor dog in and **** those other owners (I apologize for my language but their actions are reprehensible.)

My guess is she doesn't have cancer, and that she was just thoroughly neglected. I don't know the extent of her "damages" so to speak, but it sounds like with proper nutrition, love and maybe a few medicines she will be back to normal soon. That said, I'm not promising anything.

I know others will chime in. My best advice is to get this poor dog out of its awful situation and get her to a vet. I would actually be considering contacting animal control or something about these people, because to me it sounds like animal abuse.


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## booklady (Mar 3, 2009)

Bless you! My guess would be she just needs a bath, a vet visit for vaccines and possible worming, some groceries. Then just lots of love and attention.

Of course adopting an older dog means we will have them for a shorter time, but there are no guarantees with a younger dog either. My two were adopted at ages 8 and 10. They are now 10 and 12 and going strong. And somehow, the older rescues know. They know someone cared enough to take them into their life and save them - there is a special bond created.


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## tob (Nov 29, 2010)

Thanks for replying. I feel so lot better hearing that. But I am ready to take up the responsibility! God bless us please!


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## Summer's Mom (Oct 20, 2010)

All the best!! You are doing a wonderful thing  

Post pictures as soon as you pick up the princess!


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

Oh my goodness - what a poor baby and you are wonderful.
I've adopted four seniors in the last 8 years. They have all adapted wonderfully and loved having a proper home.

It sounds like she might have a skin infection and/or fleas. A trip to the vet should set you up with some medicated shampoo (Duovo is the one I used I think) and maybe antibiotics to help with her skin.

Good food and good loving will change her drastically and in a short time. I'll keep you both in my thoughts and prayers.


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## goldencontriever3 (Nov 7, 2008)

Bless you...you are a wonderful person for taking this poor pup in. Our last rescue was a 11-1/2 year old golden. She fit right in with our three other goldens. Like booklady said the older ones know and appreciate a loving home.

We would love to see picture of your new girl. Keeping you all in our prayers.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

If you are prepared for the vet bills and can provide the necessary medications that Toby may need if he picks up any of her illnesses....and if your heart is ready to fall in love again...then go for it.
Even if you find out that it doesnt work out for your family...getting her healthy and looking good will make it much easier to find a loving home.


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## jealous1 (Dec 7, 2007)

Bless you for taking this senior girl in. My husband and I have taken in several senior goldens and while they come with their own set of issues, they will provide you with lots and lots of love and are super special. 

Joey was probably around 6-7 years when he came to us last June (the shelter had him listed at 9). He was heartworm positive; his stomach, chest, and elbows were black, and he had similar itching issues you are referring to with a yeasty smell. He is now HW negative after treatment and through a lot of different attempts we are now on are way to getting his itching under control (fingers crossed :crossfing). Joey's allergies appear to be environmental rather than food related. The yeasty smell and black were indications of a secondary staph infection that had to be treated as well as his itching. His chest is now pink and growing hair back, his stomach is kind of a mottled black/pink (the vet didn't think it would change at all) with some fuzz, and we are having some improvement on his elbows.

I would recommend you talking to your vet about how to approach your girl's itching. If you search under allergies here on the forum you will get several different approaches which can get you started talking to your vet. 

A good food, probably one with limited ingredients, may also help with her itching as well as putting some much needed weight on her. Fish oil and glucosamine are a couple of supplements I would also recommend for her. 

All of this coupled with lots of TLC and I guarantee you will see wonderful changes in your new gal!

P.S. Please post some pictures of both of your babies when you get a chance!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

If you are ready to open your heart and home to this girl, she will thank you every day she is with you. She has many years of life ahead of her and love to give you.

Sounds like she needs a thorough vet exam, shots, worming, a good diet, and lots of love attention. You will see a totally different dog. 

How sad to think she was not being properly cared for but even worse to hear they were selling her because they were getting a new puppy.

Best of luck to you, hope to see pictures of your new girl.


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## tob (Nov 29, 2010)

Thank you guys for giving all these wonderful advises! We will picking up Kysha in a few hours time. We will bring her to the Vet first for all the check-ups. This is my first rescue. I was praying whole night that she would fine. I am just still a little worried about the 2 huge callous (dry but soft) at her buttocks. It has been there for quite some time as i was told and she has been thin all along too. I do hope it is not cancer.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

tob said:


> Thank you guys for giving all these wonderful advises! We will picking up Kysha in a few hours time. We will bring her to the Vet first for all the check-ups. This is my first rescue. I was praying whole night that she would fine. I am just still a little worried about the 2 huge callous (dry but soft) at her buttocks. It has been there for quite some time as i was told and she has been thin all along too. I do hope it is not cancer.


Thank you for rescuing Kysha! I really don't think you are dealing with cancer, I think are you are dealing with a poor skinny girl who has been lying on hard surfaces for most of her life. She will be blessed to live with you.


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## tob (Nov 29, 2010)

And, Toby went to visit Kysha at her current home yesterday. He likes her too, though he didnt know she will be coming home with us tomorrow. But, I am sure he will welcome her coz Toby just has so many love to share! Anyway, taking in the advises you guys gave, Kysha will not be sleeping with us until she is better with her infection! 

Pray for Kysha!
Let God give her at least a few years of good life with lots of love before parting the cruel world she knows!

Praying for all sufferings, helpless Doggies in the world~


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Wise to take her to the vet before taking her home...not that I would be worried about the callouses...like FosterMom...I would wager they are from a lack of muscle to protect her bones...so her body developed the callouses...

The infectious diseases that could make Toby ill are the ones I would be concerned about...

She is very, very lucky to have found you...Cant wait to watch transformation!


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## Bogey's Mom (Dec 23, 2008)

What a kind heart you have! I will be following this story with interest. I hope that you find out she is a healthy girl who just needs a lot of love and a full belly.


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## crayola_sky (Jan 18, 2011)

You are quite an angel to step forward and give this dog a new lease on life. Thankyou for saving this little lady.
keep us posted with pictures


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Thank you for giving this girl a chance at the good life. Looking forward to pictures when you get her home.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Bless you!*

BLESS YOU for giving her a loving home!
I love her name!!


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## walexk (Nov 13, 2009)

Keep us posted on her progress!!


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Bless you for rescuing her. It sounds like the callous' on her butt may be caused due to her skin infections or the surfaces she has been living on. With good food, medicines, and love she should live for a long time. Dont count her out for the age, alot of people have dogs here that have been adopted at 7 or older and have had them for 5 or more years after adopting them. 
I cant wait to hear more about her live with you and her health. Please keep us updated. 

Welcome to the forum


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## tob (Nov 29, 2010)

So, Kysha is finally home. She seems ok but still could't stop scratching. She got a few open wounds on her face and body she got from her scratching. 

She tested Heartworm positive but we still do not know the damage. Toby has just had his year-round injection so I hope he would be fine. Other than her face, Kysha has lost all the beauty of a healthy golden. That just make me so sad...

When we picked her up this morning, she didn't hesitate or look back. Her last owner said her daughter cried about selling away Kysha, but God, she weren't even there to say good-bye this morning. Crocrodile tears...

They have another very handsome 2year-old golden locked in a cage. They have been feeding them table scrap mostly consist of fish and rice. I think he is only about 50+kg or so. He has such dazed look in his eyes and it just broke my heart. If Kysha is heartworm positive, the other golden might be infected too. 

I cant convince the owner that that's not the way to care for them. Golden retrievers are not Gold Fish!! You cant lock them in cages and feed them fish!

Kysha craves for human contacts. She hasnt left my side since she arrived. But she begged for food constantly and barked when I refused to give her more. Looks like she need some manners lessons. It is harder than I thought but I cant give up on her!


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## LDGrillo (Dec 20, 2010)

I applaud your effort to save Kysha! It is so sad the way you describe her loss of a healthy Golden's aura : (

But after this get-back-to-health process, she should be glowing again! 

I don't understand why the owners neglected her in the first place, and seems like they are neglecting their other two-year old, but yet they are getting ANOTHER puppy! ah! ridiculous. 

Is there possibly someone you could report them to? Also, I would think about writing them a letter describing the proper way to take care of a dog. That's just me though. Maybe a few pointers in the nicest way possible, with a concentration in the upkeep pf health through vet visits and proper feeding. Gosh, they just make me so mad!

For the time being I would just give her a ton of attention and lots of playtime!

Good luck! Are you able to post pics of dear Kysha?


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## mustluvgoldens (Feb 5, 2011)

The seniors appreciate you the most and what you've done is such a wonderful thing. Can't believe the owners would neglect a dog so badly and TRY TO SELL IT so they can get another one. Sounds like the 2 year old needs rescue as well. Thyroid problems can cause some of the skin issues you mentioned. You will be so blessed by rescuing a dog 90% of adopters would have passed on. I adopted one 3 months shy of her 10th B'day and no dog ever blessed me more. Had 3.5 wonderful years with her. Hope you have a long time with your new dog.


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## Ruby'smom (Feb 4, 2008)

you are a star for rescuing and taking on this poor, poor girl 
I hope you can turn her health around and make her into the beautiful dog she is meant to be 
it would be lovely to see photos of her
and I love her name Kysha 
does it have a meaning ?
I shall add her name to my list of names for our future puppy


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## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Thank You!!!! You are an angel in disguise for this sweet soul

:thanks: 
and . . . . . . . .:worthless


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Since she has been so starved, you woul probably be best to feed her small meals about every 4 hours and feed her puppy food. I had a foster dog that was just skin and bones that had to be feed like that. It was hard but it was so much easier on his system. 

Bless you for saving her. You can already see the love since she is following you everywhere.


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## tob (Nov 29, 2010)

You're right, BeauShel, maybe I should try feeding her puppy dog food. 

I am feeding her 3 times a day. Her diet now consists of cheese, rice, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Fish Oil, and 1 tablespoon of raw honey and 1 egg. She would eat anything! That's really a good sign. It is nice to have a dog that eats everything on her own. Hmmm.... because Toby has to be fed by hand every meal.... it's my fault....

I just gave her a spot-on frontline yesterday, so I can't bath her with medicated shampoo for her skin allergies just yet. I have a huge bottle of raw honey at home, I am thinking if I could bath her in Raw Honey? I mean like applying a layer of raw honey on her entire body after her bath and wash it off after 15 minutes? I knew that raw honey is very nourishing and has natural anti-bacterial properties. 

Kysha feels very comfortable napping in my bedroom, thank god she didn't seem to know *YET* that dogs are allowed on bed and sofa in our house. So she slept on the wooden floor which was actually good considering her skin infections and other flea issues. But I have to leave her to sleep in the living room at night because Toby sleeps in my bedroom and I still dont feel safe for them to have too much contacts. She didn't like to be alone but i have to because Toby was already feeling a little upset and neglected.

Toby will be coming along with us to work this entire week just to be safe.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Kysha is so fortunate that you came along. I hate to think of the fate of those horrible people's current and future dogs. But you saved Kysha, and that makes you an angel in all of our eyes.


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## tob (Nov 29, 2010)

Oh God... I just found out from Kysha medical record that she was hit by a car back in 2004 when she was only 5 months old. She had a "bone-pinning" surgery back then. From the way she walks, I can tell she didnt recover well.

Oh poor Kysha!!!! But I know where she had her surgery. I will bring her to the same vet to ask for her previous record.

Kysha was sold 3 times since birth. She must have that accident back when she was sold to the 1st family. Looking at her medical records, they had spent a whole lot of money on her. She had all her vaccinations done only untill she was sold to her last owner when she 1 1/2 year old. Oh God, Kysha..

*Could the callus developed at her buttock be due to the broken bone she had before?? *


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## lucysmum (Sep 2, 2010)

It breaks my heart to hear about this poor pup. Thank goodness you came along. Thank you thank you so much for taking her in. 

I am sure she will come along beautifully with the love and care you will give her. 

YOU ARE AN ANGEL. Bless your heart


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Tob*

Tob

I'm sure the vet might be able to shed some light on Kysha's callous.
I am sure with all of the love and care you give her, she will be on the road to recovery. You are AN ANGEL!!


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## Huggenkiss (Nov 3, 2009)

Thank you so much for giving this girl the care and love she deserves! The skin, fur, and weight issues will hopefully clear up with time and care and she will appreicate everything you've done for her. I adopted a golden from the rescue who was underweight and had awful black smelly skin, stinky ears, and almost no fur. After some major TLC, medication, medicated baths, and finding a food that didn't make him itchy he has turned into the most amazing companion. He's bonded with me like I didn't think was possible. His fur is coming back and I think he's going to look like a lion! Rescuing is a great thing to do and hopefully you will give this golden a great home for many years!


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## tob (Nov 29, 2010)

I shall try to post Kysha's picture so you guys could make some judgements on her condition too. 

We just moved to Philippines less than 4 years ago. I don't really trust the Vets here. The Vet in our neighbourhood didnt think Kysha was malnourished or underweight. C'mon, she is so thin she barely has muscles on her legs, she shivers when she pees! Seems like the ideal health for a dog here is way off the chart...

Kysha looks really like an old skinny granny..... Her skin on her neck and tummy are really loose and shaggy. I am starting to think maybe she is older than what her certificate shows. But the important thing is she is really really happy here.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Tob*

Tob

I bet Kysha is happy with you!


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