Sierra - #9118
Sierra came into the WAAGR rescue family in August 2009 and she's approximately eight years old.  Since that time, wonderful things have happened for our darling girl, but some challenges remain. Let’s get “up to speed” on how she has done in the last nine months.

June 13, 2010
Well we kicked the last nasty bug Sierra had, but she is being treated again for another bladder infection with a new bug!  Sierra will also be scheduled to have a contrast study done to see if there are stones in her bladder causing these reoccurring bladder infections.  These kinds of stones don't show up on x-ray, so a contrast solution is injected into her bladder, and any displacement or contrast would indicate stones.

Big success for Sierra:  Sierra came in weighing 95 pounds and she is now at her goal weight of 64 lbs.  This means she's a 31 pound loser!  Because of the weight loss, she moves more easily up and down stairs, in and out of the van, and enjoys longer walks in the yard.  Sierra will need to remain on a premium diet along with glucosamine/chondroiten and added fish oil for the rest of her life.

Mar 16, 2010
One of the problems with Sierra's reoccurring bladder infections is an extremely tough antibiotic resistant form of enterococcus.  She most probably has had this for over five years.  This form of enterococcus can go symptom free for months, then reproduce in such numbers to again cause all the symptoms usually seen in UTIs.  Over the years Sierra has been treated with drugs that the enterococcus is completely resistant to.  Her medical history suggests that she has had at least 2-3 bladder infections a year over the last five years. She gets better for a time, then becomes ill all over again. We are going to be using a very special drug for her to help her kick this nasty bug.  Hopefully this will be the "silver bullet" for Sierra, and we can move onto more fun stuff, like finding her a permanent home!

Dec 14, 2009
Sierra continues to lose weight and has become very active compared to the lump she was when she came into WAAGR!  Sierra LOVES rolling in the snow, LOVES going on car rides, and LOVES sleeping on the bed. She is able to go up and down a few stairs without a problem.  Long before bedtime, Sierra gets on the bed and stakes out her spot before any others. She's very affectionate, has a great sense of humour and is exceptionally bright.

Sierra retrieves balls, has an excellent recall, although quite deaf, she needs to see you signalling to her to come.  Her coat was shaved before surrendered and is growing back quite nicely.  We will run one more urinalysis to make sure we have this chronic bladder problem kicked:  Stay tuned!  Sierra would be a special addition to any family. She LOVES children, other dogs, men and women, and car rides! Her favourite foods are:  Carrots, pears, apples, watermelon, squash, sweet potatoes and raw meaty bones.

Oct 28, 2009
Sierra - What a Goddess!  Our sweet girl has lost 15 pounds!  She runs, rolls on her back, stretches, and gets up on the futon to sleep!  Most Goldens love to roll on their backs, but this gal takes it to new heights!She grins from ear to ear, and talks up a storm while wriggling to her hearts content.  Too bad she has another bladder infection, but we did a cysto today and will culture it.  In the meantime, she has started some new antibiotics.  Sierra will remain in foster for quite sometime.

Oct 11, 2009
Sierra has lost 12 pounds! She got up on the futon by herself, and now is sleeping there every night with her favorite stuffed teddy bear.  It's amazing what weight loss, glucosamine & chondroiten, fish oil and exercise can do for a girl!  It appears that because of repeated untreated ear infections, Sierra’s right ear canal is completely closed with scar tissue.  Her left ear has suffered damage.  She can hear sounds in the higher register, as is demonstrated when she hears a bag of chips opening up!

Sept. 2, 2009
Great news!
The pathology report came back, and the growth in Sierra's mouth is benign!  Because it’s not impairing her ability to eat, or smile from ear to ear, we won't remove it.  The mass is very slow growing and has invaded the jawbone and would be very nasty to remove.  If you didn’t lift up her lip, you would never know it’s there. Before being surrendered, Sierra was completely shaved; it will be fun to see what she looks like when her Golden coat comes back!

Sierra's additional challenges:
Morbidly obese at 93 pounds.......fixable
Chronic bladder infection..........fixable
Hip Dysplasia........we can improve with weight loss and supplements
No ear canal in right ear...............talk into her left ear

Personal Profile:
7-year-old party girl
Stuffed woobie maniac
Gets along with all other dogs
Very affectionate, alert, engaged
Begs for food
Housetrained, walks well on leash
Difficulty with stairs

Back to the Special Needs main page.