Sage's Hope Dog Soap - a fundraiser for my Service Dog's surgery

[Farmfresh]

Thanks so much for the offer! I will email you with some pics and more info.

I have a page for Sage on my website. http://www.ubuilderplans.com/node/74

I try to keep it updated as often as possible.

The MU vet school near us has quoted me a price of "around" $3,800 for the surgery. They will not know more specifics until he is there and they do all of the preliminary measurements.

My daughter works as an emergency vet tech and works for a number of veterinarians. They all are highly recommending Colorado Canine Orthopedics as THE place to go. I checked the prices there and they are similar. According to the doctors this place does this procedure almost daily as opposed to two or three a year from the college. The have far better results and far faster recovery times. For me the recovery time will be an important variable, since I will be requiring help from family and friends to care for Sage during his recovery. I don't think I will be able to lift and carry his back end when he goes to the bathroom for example.

A discount is possible at each place, but according to another friend, Saving Dogs, who rehabs dogs often. I should still try to save the full amount, because the costs for after care usually are not included in the original estimates. When we get close to the goal amount I will be able to start working out the fine details.

So far Sage is doing well, as long as I don't take him out shopping more than about once a week at most. Over Christmas we did more shopping than normal and when he works on the slick hard floors in a store he comes home limping. I usually can't stand a lot of shopping either, so normally that works out. Hopefully with Christmas over we can get back to a calmer schedule.

 

[EvoQ]

Might I offer a bit of advice ? Although I am new here this hits my heart because I have had Large Dogs my whole life and have gone thru many many times before. I have found that the Human Supplement for Glucosamine and Chondrontin with MSM all together in pill form to be a Life Saver. My last Pup to pass I kept him comfortable until the cancer took over as he had bad Hip Dysplasia and bad Arthritis too. Forget the Canine version of this Supplement as it is the same exact thing and is at least 100x more expensive. I bought my Supplements at Walgreen's as they often ran sales for the large quantity of this Supplement. I experimented with different doses and combinations and found this combo as stated. Chondrontin/Glucosamine/MSM, now it has to be all 3 of these together or it won't work nearly as good. I at WalGreens could buy a huge jar of these for $30.00 and it would last around 2 months. and man did it work wonderfully. I mean it was amazing the way it made my 14 year old great Pyrenees able to be Mobile and his Mood was what struck me the most. his Mood was so much improved it was if he was a different Dog al together. I also experimented with the dosage and found that you can Not give them too much as their systems as well as Humans will just expel what it can not absorb. So I kept giving him a Large dose of say 4 pils/day and it seemed to take effect within 3 days, so if it doesn't work then give him more and keep giving more until it works. Please consider doing this for your Buddy, if I can help let me know as I might can go purchase some and send them to you if you want.

 

[Farmfresh]

I consider that good advice. We have already used those supplements on several occasions with other dogs and for that matter my sister is using them as well.

So far Sage is not showing any arthritis pain, but more to the point in his case the supplement really won't be of much help. He is actually missing part of the hip socket.

The Glucosamine and Chondrontin with MSM is of great help if you have some cartilage there to build and protect. The supplement will not help me with my arthritis either since my particular condition is caused by an auto immune disorder instead of wear and tear like my sister's is.

I really wish that I had something like that that would help us both, but unfortunately nothing works for either of us so far ... other than rest and caution as we go about our day.

Thanks so much for taking the time to post though and .

 

[Farmfresh]

Just an update. Sage is still hanging in there. We are about half way there as far as fund raising is concerned. As he gets older he has only gotten better and added more and more tasks to his skill set. The thing that has been most helpful lately has been Opening the Coop. In the mornings when I am most stiff going out to open my coop up was very difficult. Now Sage takes care of business for me!

I have a video of him, but I need to talk to the Geek to get it posted for you.

I am currently out of stock for his Hope Soap, but we have a new batch coming soon!