Brady

Brady, Age 4

Weight: 93 pounds

#12-109 Brady, update 2/14/13

AVAILABLE

What does a miracle look like? You can see one right here, in these pictures: a big red Golden smiling, sitting up, rolling in the grass, playing a vigorous game of tug. Hard to believe this is the same dog we rescued not quite six months ago—near death, unresponsive, unable to move much at all, let alone stand or even sit up.

Since then, Brady has made incredible progress. He has phenomenal & devoted vets, a wonderful-beyond-words foster family, and the support of hundreds of GRR friends and fans… what else could a dog ask for? Just one  more thing: a forever family to call his very own. 

 In the past few weeks, he’s spent a week or so at home with one of his chief vets, so she could observe him in person and help us find the ideal adoptive home.

 Here’s what she has to say:

Great dog! Fine from the start with our small, medium & large dogs—plays well, respects the crabby one, no spats over toys. He’d be fine with other nice dogs or as an only dog getting plenty of attention from his owners. He’s wonderful with our teenage children, ages 12 & 14; we haven’t seen him with small kids.

 His thyroid is returning to normal, recovering from the complete lack of function we saw in August that led to all of his grave health problems.  He’s molting/shedding puppy fur in patches; this is a sign his thyroid is better! He’s also gained enough strength to run, though he does lumber instead of streaking along. He tires more quickly than other dogs, but this too will improve. It’ll take a full year for him to be 100%. 

 One lingering effect of his zero thyroid function is his bathroom issues—but there’s plenty of improvement there as well. Urination is still going well (no leakage). As far as pooping goes, he still sometimes leaves a “little present” when he has been lying down, or after he has been sleeping. He doesn’t need a diaper, as it is easy to pick up & dispose of. He’ll need an adoptive home who is available to potty him every 4 to 6 hours; who wants to hang out with him; and who’s comfortable cleaning up the occasional small piece of poop & then going on with their day. The adoptive family should babygate Brady in a laundry room, master bath, etc. when they are away from home & overnight, to make it easier to locate any “presents.” The poop issue should continue to improve with time; it may (or may not) totally resolve. (Note: he nicely respects latched babygates, but if they are leaning or not latched, he’ll open them or push them over. Smart boy.)

 Brady isn’t a high-intensity dog, and he won’t be one in the future. He has a really laidback personality, and that won’t change as he gets even healthier. He loves to be outdoors, and if the weather is nice, it takes some persuasion to get him to come in! Overall, he’s just a delightful, good dog with a relaxed personality and a sweet & loving nature.

 Brady’s long-time foster family has much more to add:

Brady has come such a long way in a relatively short time, especially in just the last couple of months! Now he is looking for someone who is willing to play with him, take him on walks and give him lots of unconditional love; who will devote time, energy and effort to help him reach his goal of complete wellness.

 Brady is a very loving, gentle dog who likes nothing more than to go on walks and car rides, chase the occasional squirrel or deer, play ball or tug, wrestle,  or just lie outside enjoying every minute of life.  He plays well with other dogs and people. too. When his family is near, expect him to approach often for petting and reassurance that all is well. He responds very well to praise and loves to get it! Brady readily adapts to change, but like all dogs, he also   likes a routine & continuity in his life. He sleeps with a stuffed toy, and every  night he cuddles and  “talks to” his toy before going to sleep.

 Brady was introduced to a wheelchair, walker, and cane and was unfazed—he sniffed each one, turned and went  about his daily activities.

 Brady runs now! his feet and legs churn as though he were swimming. And he knows lots of commands: SIT, DOWN, UP, HEEL, LEAVE IT, COME, STAY, HERE, SHAKE, EASY, STOP, LET’S GO, BRING, WALK, IN THE CAR, ON TOWEL, GO TO BED, and DIN-DIN! He probably knows even more; we just have not discovered them yet. He’s a very smart dog.

 Brady tolerates a bath and loves to be brushed. From the start, even when he was very ill, he loved to have his ears and chin scratched, and he still does! He also enjoys total body petting and massage. Brady “sleeps hot” and  needs a ceiling fan or floor fan to keep him cool. He isn’t fearful of loud noises but  will bark at thunder, though he calms when some lights are turned on and he  is reassured that all is OK.

 Brady eats slowly and occasionally takes a few bites to another area to eat.

 Anyone who brings this boy into their home must be willing to administer his medicines and take him for his regular check-ups; to be understanding and patient, and overlook his few minor  issues and treasure his goodness, gentleness and total devotion to  his humans. There are so many, many positive things to say about this great dog we could fill many pages! Suffice it to say that Brady the Miracle Dog will make someone very, very, very  happy when he is chosen as their forever companion.

Update 11/20/12:

Who’s going to have the happiest Thanksgiving in Austin? We think it’s obvious: Brady the dog! Just three short months ago, he was motionless in a hot, dark backyard, close to death. Look at him now! He gets up, walks, and even trots with the greatest of ease. He can wag his tail a bit, lift it up, and lie on his back & “bicycle” his legs—in fact, that’s just about his favorite exercise! His bathroom control still isn’t 100%, but with the aid of his fantastic foster family, he is making progress. 

And speaking of Thanksgiving: where Brady is concerned, GRR has so much to be thankful for! It’s been a thrill for all of Brady’s fans, friends, and vets to see this guy come back from the brink and show such zest for life. We are so grateful to everyone who has visited, donated, called, e-mailed, sent prayers and good wishes… and we’re blessed more than we can say by Brady’s truly heaven-sent foster family. And we’re thankful to Brady himself, a Golden with a great attitude who just won’t give up!

Brady’s foster family sends this Sunday afternoon update:

Good afternoon! Brady is such a clown! We are trying to teach him "no bark" when he is outside at 2 AM for his bathroom break. We have a soda can with metal washers in it so when he barks, we rattle the can and say “Brady, no bark!” He looks at us, is quiet for a minute, then when we turn our back to put the can down, he barks once as if to say, “OK, but  I'm getting the last word.” Maybe we need to try this maneuver at a different time of day?

Brady is becoming a cuddler and wants to snuggle more and more often. A little difficult because he cannot get on the furniture so we get on the floor. He wins again! When we tuck him at night we give him one of the stuffed toys he received at CTVSH, he whines and coos at the toy and pulls it in under his chin until he has it just right and settles in to sleep.

Brady has begun to chase and retrieve a tennis ball. We have not found the secret word that only he knows for him to release and drop the ball. For now he will let you reach into his mouth and get it; he is very gentle and does not try to bite or harm you in any way, nor does he slobber. Good boy! However, he absolutely refuses to chase or retrieve a stick. He looks at you as if to say: “If you want it, you go get it, because I prefer tennis balls.” 

We are currently enjoying a squirrel-free yard as Brady is constantly patrolling and chasing them. He is trotting faster and faster every day. Thank you squirrels! The other day Brady stepped up on a ledge that was 24 inches high with no effort. He is getting stonger every day, his gait is getting smoother and as you can see by the photo his tail is lifting and curling higher. Way to go Brady! 

Brady is a gentle giant, we can stand over him to pet him and he does not get antsy. When we give him meds he is very calm. He plays well with our dogs and with us. You could not ask for a better companion.  

Thanks for the opportunity and joy of having Brady in our home!

Update 9/27:

Two weeks since our last update, just five weeks since he was rescued, and Brady’s improvement is frankly miraculous. His vets say: “His progress is remarkable! He is much better and continually stronger. His overall strength and muscular control are hugely improved.” 

He is now getting up and down on his own, just with verbal encouragement (or via his own motivation)—he no longer has to be hoisted! He’s walking for 15 minutes at a time on the water treadmill, and he no longer requires a ramp—he can now go up & down four stairs at a time with less wobbling.  

He still doesn’t have bowel and bladder control, but he is squatting to pee and poop, which is an encouraging sign – it means he knows he needs to go, so he feels something! Over all, the vets think there are slight improvements with Brady’s urination & defecation (for instance, he used to lose urine if his bladder area was touched, but now he only drips if his bladder is already full), and they do expect his bladder and bowel function will come back. Note that he can’t wag his tail yet, either… so he’s definitely still on the mend as regards the nerve impairment from his rock-bottom thyroid levels.

Brady knows some commands; in fact, he has quite the repertoire. He will perform SIT, SHAKE, STAY, and LIE DOWN. (He takes a while to lie down – they say “Brady doooowwwwnnnn.”)

His personality is coming out more, and it’s delightful—he’s calm and happy, with a pleasant interest in other dogs. He’ll even get up and out of bed to say hello to other dogs walking past. He didn’t take the bait when another dog growled at him, telling Brady, “Don’t stand so close to me!” Brady’s reaction was calm & appropriate, as if to say, “whatever.” 

Brady has lost twenty pounds in the past month, and his fur is growing back in fast!

And one more great piece of news: this Wonder Dog is almost ready to start weekend visits at a real foster home! The vets will let us know when the time comes.

Update 9/9:

Update from Dr. Angel, Friday morning 09/07/12:  Using all four legs today, with less dragging (while on the sling).  Having a good day.

Update from Dr. Angel, Saturday morning 09/08/12: He is able to stand upright without assistance for a bit longer; an entire minute.

… that’s the short form of Brady’s amazing recovery! But here are a few eye-witness accounts:

From Friday: “Greg and I went to visit Brady this evening. He continues to look better and better each time we see him! He walked (!) into a visitation room with the assistance of 2 techs, and his sores are looking so much better. I believe there is even some hair starting to grow in on his back. His demeanor was more playful than we had both seen in the past, and he still can't seem to get enough scratches behind his ears. He is so resilient! We (humans) have a lot to learn from dogs!”

From Saturday morning: “I stopped by and visited with him this morning.  He'd come in from outside and was happily reclining on his blanket bed.  He's definitely more animated and alert. Loved having his neck rubbed.  Wounds look so much better.  The vet tech commented on his sweet personality, and he is a love.  Made my day to see the progress he's made.  Thank you, CTVSH!!”

… and THANK YOU, too, to Brady’s ever-growing Texas fan club! It’s hard to believe it was barely three weeks ago that GRR brought a dying dog to the ER, wondering if there was any hope for him. We can never thank you enough for all your ongoing support! If it weren’t for you, Brady wouldn’t be turning into a typical loving, perky, friendly Golden on the road to good health today. Remember, he loves visitors! (:

Update 9/6:

Tra la la, break out the margaritas! HUGE NEWS!!

Dr. Angel & other CTVSH staff members were near Brady in the anesthesia prep area, when BRADY STOOD UP ON HIS OWN & WALKED OVER TO HIS MAT!!!!! (Of course, when they all looked directly at Brady, he declined to repeat the performance.)

In just a little over two weeks, he’s gone from being completely immobile, with a terrible infected wound, to actually taking a few steps – and his bad wound is looking great. We can’t wait to see what the NEXT two weeks will bring!

(And one other great piece of news: He’s heartworm negative!)

Update 9/5:

The Brady Report for the past few days:

Brady contracted an infection through his urinary catheter and is on antibiotics for that – so the vets got rid of the catheter, and the techs just bathe the big guy daily to prevent urine scald on his skin.

As far as his forelegs go, he’s using them more and more to maneuver himself around. The big hurdle, of course, is to get that hind end working properly again. Starting this past weekend, the vets have begun to let Brady off the slings on his cart, to make him support more of his weight on his own.  He’ll hold himself up for a few seconds; then his back legs cross and he tips over. He’ll gradually build muscle. He’s been in a “plateau” period the past several days on this front, not able to stand any longer than the day before, but the vets aren’t worried. Such plateaus are normal. Besides, in other areas, the improvements are notable! The big wound over his hip looks fabulous, drying out and healing over; just two areas are still oozing. His visitors have really noticed the difference over the past week! 

Go Brady!

Update 8/31:

 Newsflash! Brady actually played ball!! That’s right… after an exhausting Wednesday (his physical therapy REALLY tires him out), Brady took a nap after breakfast on Thursday. When he woke up, one of the doctors gently bounced a ball toward him and, as he lay on his mat, he'd lunge to catch it. (This may have been the biggest surprise today!)   Brady is still not willing to use his hind limbs, but his vets are still firmly optimistic. They’ve told us that when the thyroid levels get as low as Brady’s were, “It can take 3 to 5 weeks for a dog to be up & walking. Muscle wasting takes a long time to happen, and it takes a long time to improve. And Brady already shows definite advances: his head is up, he is eating, and he pushes up on his front legs now.” One of his daily visitors was really delighted to see Brady “attentive, aware and much more lively. When I walked into the back room of the hospital tonight, Brady was affectionately resting his head on Allison's hand. It put a smile on my face to see him interested in a visitor and wanting to be touched. When we had our hands on him he would lean into them. And we even got a nudge with his nose when we took our hands away.”   His wounds still look “gross,” admits his medical team—but they’re improving rapidly, and it looks like they’ll heal fully on their own.   What about his personality? As far as anyone can tell, this is one nice, nice dog! But we won’t know Brady’s true personality or energy level until 6 months from now—it really will take that long for him to feel good again. He may end up being high energy and wild (hard to believe now!) or mellow and sedate. He’s definitely a big guy – ideal weight is probably around 85 or 90 lbs (right now, he weighs in at 109).   The current plan is to keep him at CTVSH until he’s moving under his own steam, and in the next day or two the vets will also check him for heartworms (he was a yard dog with no vet care all his life until now).              

update 8/29/12: one week in rescue

Many, many thanks to all of you for your concern, good wishes, donations, and offers of a weekend haven for Brady. We know that everyone is anxious to know how he’s doing, so we’ll start with a happy update from yesterday afternoon, from one of his many visitors. Brady still isn’t walking (more on that in a minute), but he’s definitely more mobile; for one thing, the vet staff had to employ an E-collar to keep him from investigating his slowly healing hip wound. That’s good to hear! At the start, he was just too far gone to care. Here are Allison’s notes from Tuesday, August 28:

I wanted to update you all with what I think is optimistic news. Brady was moved to a visitation room where we spent about 30 minutes together. (Yesterday, the staff didn't even attempt to move him during Greg's visit.) The vet tech explained that they moved him with 2 cloth slings under his back end to support his hind legs, and allowed him to use his front legs to maneuver himself. The tech also gave me a chunk of chicken breast chopped into pieces, and Brady enjoyed every last ounce of it. He was gentle while taking the pieces first from my open palm, and then from my fingers. He definitely had a good appetite! Brady also held his head up the entire visit and tried to move the front half of his body around to (I assume) look for more goodies. He did not attempt to move the back half of his body. He allowed me to gently hold and pet his front paws, scratch behind his ears (this was a big hit), rub under his muzzle, check his teeth, and softly massage his neck and shoulders. He seemed to enjoy the attention and touch. About 15 minutes into the visit, the vet tech came back to administer a few tablets hidden inside hot dog slices and topped off with Cheese Whiz. Brady couldn't get enough! (Who could resist?) After each pill he looked up at the tech and sniffed around for more.  At the end of the visit, the tech told me that they would be getting him up more tomorrow to try and maintain what muscle tone he does have and so that his legs don't atrophy. Overall, he seemed to be doing better than the day before. What a gentle soul!

… and what a night-and-day change from the motionless, almost lifeless Golden who arrived in the emergency room just one week ago.

In that time, Brady’s vets have learned a lot more. We mentioned he’d been tested for Addison’s disease and low thyroid. NO Addison’s (hooray!), but  the bloodwork revealed that his thyroid function is severely low; one doc commented that “in their entire careers, a lot of vets aren’t ever going to see levels this low.” With minimal thyroid function, the animal feels utterly exhausted all the time, and of course we don’t know how long Brady’s thyroid has been pretty much non-functional. What we DO know is that starting thyroid supplementation had some pretty instant effects! A day later, he was actually moving his legs and lifting his bottom an inch off the ground. By Sunday morning, he could move his front legs well and sit up on his own.

His hips and spine look wonderful on X-ray, so his medical team is still puzzling over just why he can’t walk yet. But since he can now flex his thighs & lift his hind limbs up a bit,  we’re hopeful that in time he will begin to put weight on them and start to put one paw in front of the other at BOTH ends. For now, he gets his “walking” done in a special cart with wheels at both ends and a sling in the middle, supporting his trunk; he has the option of dangling his legs or putting weight on them to help propel himself. So far he uses his forelimbs but not his hind ones. He has let the staff know that “hey, I don’t like this cart! It’s kind of scary!” (He’s “weirded out” by it, say the vets.) But it’s important to get him up and about often, to prevent more atrophy, and his friends keep on assuring him that in time, he won’t have to use that darn cart any longer.

Brady still has a urinary catheter in place, since he cannot stand up to relieve himself, and we want to prevent any urine scald on his skin. He’s taking his thyroid meds (that will be a lifelong regimen), pain meds, and two different antibiotics. And as you read above, his appetite is super now! No need to put food in his mouth for him; he’s actively polishing off his meals and sniffing around for more. He’s getting lots of good-quality protein to help with wound healing.

And about that wound: “It appears to be one of neglect; there is no obvious cut or injury which might have started it,” say his vets. They are leaning towards the thought that he may have been lying in one position for closer to several weeks than several days. The wound still looks pretty scary, very red and raw, but the redness is actually not a bad sign: it means there’s a good blood supply to the area. And it’s scabbing over a bit and beginning to granulate now, though the vets caution that we will just have to wait and see. It might heal entirely on its own, or ultimately Brady might need a skin graft.

To sum it all up: we think it’s great news! He’s not a well dog yet by any means, but the folks who carried him out of that dark backyard know better than anyone how far this dog has already come. He’s stronger! He can sit up! He loves treats! He can move his front legs to maneuver! He leans into any hand that scratches him behind his ears! His bloodwork looks much better! For now, the plan is to continue supportive care: working him in the cart, getting him up and down, feeding him top-quality food, doing wound care. Oh, and by the way, visiting hours are between 3:30 and 5:30 on weekdays, and Brady is staying at the Central Texas Veterinary Specialty Hospital, 4434 Frontier Trail, 78745; phone is 512-892-9038.

Thank you again for helping save Brady!

Update 8/24/12:

“I wish I had gotten a photo  of his face & eyes. They say everything. But pictures were not my priority at the time; just trying to keep the flies off the poor boy and get him out of the mud and heat.  He deserves so much better! I hope & pray he pulls through.”

Every year we take in our share of dogs from risky situations: scorching hot unshaded yards, unfenced properties near busy roads, abandoned homes. We take in strays who’ve been roaming a neighborhood for weeks, living off scraps & sheltering under cars. We pull dogs from shelters just a day or even a few hours before their put-to-sleep cut-off. But it’s not often that we bring in a dog who literally has just a few hours of life left without immediate emergency medical care.

Brady is one of those cases: a true rescue if ever there was one, with only four hours or so elapsing between that first frantic Hotline call and an after-dark arrival at the emergency clinic.

As we try to piece together Brady’s story, we’ve learned that his owner acquired him as a pup and never had the funds to take him to the vet. Recently, severe financial difficulties and other strains had thrown the family into turmoil, with frequent trips & stays away from home, and Brady just slipped into the background. At some point in the days or weeks before she called our Hotline, the owner noticed the big red dog wasn’t moving much & that he had a sore place on his haunches, but distractedly put his immobility down to the heat and Brady’s hefty size. How long had he been down – two days? Four days? Over a week? We can’t get a clear answer… but on Tuesday, August 21, she finally took a close look at him and discovered the sore had turned into an enormous open wound, the size of a dinner plate, festering and crawling with maggots. In obvious pain, yet unable to move, Brady was moaning and crying.

That’s when the owner called GRR. “We need to get the ball rolling on this one ASAP,” reported our Hotline volunteer. “Owner is very upset and sobbing. She doesn't have the money to take him to a vet or to take care of him. She can’t lift him. All she’s been able to do is hose off the worst of the maggots from his wounds. We need to get a team out there pronto.”

The three volunteers who rushed out to the home found a handsome red Golden with sunken, half-closed eyes, crouched motionless on a concrete patio in the dark backyard, soaking wet  and completely unable to move. Flies buzzed around him, alighting on the raw, infected skin on his back. Using a plastic crate lid as an improvised stretcher, the GRR team hoisted Brady into their van—and at  8:37 PM, he arrived at the emergency room.

The vet quickly administered a hefty dose of morphine. As it took effect, Brady slipped into a comfortable doze for the first time in ages, and the staff could take a good look at the their critically ill patient. They   shaved him from the neck down to remove dirt and matted fur, and flushed his wounds over and over until they were clean. “Dog very weak, very dirty, makes no attempt to stand  even if lifted to a standing position. Suspect he has been down for several days at least, and the skin wounds are complications of pressure ulcers,” read the notes. “Multiple open wounds, with a large open wound over left hip, infestation of large maggots. Dermatitis extends down tail but skin there is intact.”

As he approaches his third day in the hospital, Brady’s condition remains guarded. He’s drinking water & can urinate fine, but really isn’t eating unless the clinic staff puts canned food directly in his mouth. He’s more alert & responsive, and he has made some attempt to arise; but what’s worrisome is that he still cannot stand on his own, and he seems slow overall. He needs to be moved & to change positions regularly to keep more sores from forming. Spinal X-rays and bloodwork all look normal, so the vets are not sure what’s causing his difficulty in moving.

But nobody is willing to give up on this guy! He’s only four years old, and should have years of life ahead of him. And despite his condition now, it’s not at all hard to see the beautiful, healthy red Golden we hope he’ll become.

The plan: We need to take swift action, to have any hope of helping Brady become mobile again. The vets are approaching Brady’s issues on two fronts. First, since the X-rays really don’t show anything suspicious, the doctors are wondering if Brady’s weakness and very low energy are metabolic in nature; they’ve drawn more blood and sent it off to the lab. Addison’s disease and low thyroid are two conditions that could cause the symptoms we’re seeing—and both are treatable with medication. Second, it’s possible that physical therapy may help—so Brady has moved to Central Texas Specialty Vet Hospital, where he’ll staying Monday through Friday for a daily PT regimen designed especially for him. 

For now, he is continuing on IV fluids and antibiotics, and he’s getting thyroid supplementation, too, just in case. We should definitely know more by Monday, August 27.

How can you help Brady?

Send positive thoughts his way! A legion of well-wishers is bound to do any dog good.

Contribute to our Extraordinary Golden Fund, to help defray Brady’s medical expenses (already in excess of $1,000).

And if you’re an approved GRR home already, and you’re located in the South Austin area, please consider providing this fella with a place to stay on the weekends. If his physical therapy does proceed as planned, we’ll need a “stash home” who can get him to and from the clinic and cheer him on.

As volunteer Scott said after transporting Brady to the ER: “I can't wait to see him up & with his pilot lit. He is one dang handsome man. GOOD LUCK BRADY!  Hang in there dude!”

As always, thanks to all our supporters for all you do!

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