CAPE Rescues in Rehab Page

Rescues in Rehab
Updated March 19, 2007

The animals listed on this page are currently rehabilitating in one of CAPE's foster homes. The reasons for rehab are described in each biography of each animal. These animals are not yet ready for adoption. However, once they are ready, they will be posted on the Adoptable Animals page. So, please keep checking back if you are interested in any of these wonderful companions.

Paloma is one of our latest Mexico rescues. She lost her right, rear leg due to an injury and infection back in October. She was nursed back to health by one of the wonderful volunteers in Juarez, and then made the trip to California with Compassion Without Borders. She has since been in a foster home, where she is just adored!

Unfortunately soon after Paloma's arrival we found out she tested positive for heartworm. She will now be going through heartworm treatment for the next several months. She will undergo her first injection today, March,13th and then have two more injections in a month. Paloma's activities will have to be restricted while she goes through this process for safety reasons, but should make a full recovery.

Paloma is a wonderful, silly, loving soul and is going to make some family very lucky. We will keep everyone posted as to her recovery and when she will be placed up for adoption.

Recent rescues that have gone to loving homes:

ANGEL - ADOPTED

Angel was originally adopted from the Santa Cruz SPCA about a year ago. The family who had adopted Angel returned her in June because they were moving.

Angel endeared herself to the staff and volunteers at the shelter because she was such an ANGEL. She is unusually sweet, friendly and playful with other dogs and extremely people oriented too. It was noticed that Angel would limp after playing with several dogs. An x-ray taken on June 28th confirmed that she had severe congenital hip dysplasia. She would need both hips operated on. CAPE offered to fund one operation and the SPCA offered to perform the first surgery. On July 3rd, Angel had her first operation and then went to a foster home. Since she progressed so well and is such a young dog, Dr. Freed at the SPCA elected to perform the second surgery on July 28th.

Angel came to my house on July 30. In order to recuperate from her surgery, she needs lots of exercise. We have been doing just that. Angel goes for an hour to two hour walks every day. As of today, only 8 days since her surgery, she is progressing amazingly quickly. She should be ready for adoption in about a month. The prognosis is extremely favorable. She should be able to have a full and long life as a companion animal.

Who are the people in the picture with Angel? Julia loves dogs and wanted to do something nice for a dog who needed assistance. When Anita, her mother called the SPCA, she was told about Angel. When I took the dog home last week, a beautiful care package made by Julia was given to me. Angel sleeps on a wonderful thick bed which has her name stitched on it. Julia also included home made biscuits, two balls, one with a bell inside and another with a rope, and a stuffed toy which she stitched. Julia sent a beautiful card telling me about her interest in dogs and how she wanted to help. Anita and her daughter Julia came over to visit Angel - hence the picture of Anita, Julia and Angel.

COWBOY
Fostered Feb. 16, 2001
ADOPTED

Cowboy is a young (2 years old approximately) shepherd mix. As you can see, an early, untreated injury left his right paw deformed and painful. After a visit to the veterinarian and lengthy discussions about Cowboy's best interest, CAPE staff and volunteers decided that amputating Cowboy's right leg would allow him to live the highest-quality life now and in the future. Cowboy will need a little while to recuperate from this surgery and will then be ready for adoption.

Cowboy was rescued from a local shelter after being passed over frequently because of his disability. He is an energetic, curious young boy with lots of love to give. He gets along very well with other dogs. At first, he lacked some social graces inside the house, so his foster family began training him. Because he is smart, and eager for love and attention, he is picking up his lessons quickly.

Keep checking this website for updates on Cowboy. As soon as he is fully recovered from his surgery, he will be ready to find a new permanent family who will give him all the love he deserves.

Update March 1: Through the generosity of Dr. Don Conkling and the wonderful staff at Masson Veterinary Hospital in San Bruno, Cowboy's front right leg was amputated in hopes of relieving current and future pain associated with an untreated trauma to his right front paw. According to the staff at Masson, Cowboy was doing very well after his surgery. Indeed, he's running and hopping around his foster home like nothing is different. Although Cowboy appears to be ready to tackle the world, his foster parents are encouraging him to relax and focus on healing.

In this photo, he is wearing a shirt to protect the wound. In no time at all, Cowboy will be ready to run and play with other dogs, and of course, find his new family. His stamina and inner-strength are amazing. He is an inspiration to all who are near him.

CAPE staff and volunteers are sincerely and eternally grateful to Dr. Conkling and the Masson Veterinary Hospital staff for their generosity and loving care of our dear Cowboy.

SUNSET - ADOPTED
Rescued on July 27th, 2001

Update, October 9:
It has been over two months since I wrote about Sunset. Although Sunset seemed cheerful and healthy, for a while his mange was getting worse. Dr. Mcconnell decided that we would have to go a more aggressive route than just waiting for the dog's own immune system to kick in. When daily doses of Ivromectin had no effect, we had Sunset dipped with Midoban every two weeks for four sessions. The dip kills the mites. We just completed our fourth and hopefully last dipping yesterday and my this young man is looking good. His skin is much smoother and his hair is growing back. If he continues making progress without the help of the dip, Sunset will be up for adoption in a few weeks.

Sunset continues to be a delightful pup. We actually believe him to be only about 10 months. He continues to grow in confidence. He is a happy fellow. He loves the other dogs in the family so much that if I reprimand them, he comes over and gives them kisses. He is a dog who is sensitive to people and to other dogs. If anyone is interested is more information or in meeting Sunset, please contact Rena at 831-425-0226.

July 27:
This marvelous young man was found on Sunset Beach spending time with two other dogs. A woman who works at the Santa Cruz SPCA saw him there for over a month. He was too scared for her to catch him so she contacted field services who brought him to the shelter on July 14th.

" Sunset" had a case of the mange. He has the kind called Demodex which is caused by an overgrowth of mites that almost all dogs have on their skin. A compromised immune system and stress will cause this kind of mange. It is not contagious.

One of our foster parents was immediately drawn to Sunset when she saw him at the shelter. He was so sweet, so wanting of love and so docile. CAPE decided to foster him so he would have the time he needed to heal.

Sunset went to his foster home and immediately kissed the three dogs and two cats living there. He settled in to the routine in about a half a day. He took less than a half hour to figure out the doggy door. He is totally house trained. His greatest vice is stealing door stoppers.

Sunset is on the mend after being in foster care for only 8 days. His daily routine consists of an hour or more of exercise, good food, vitamin supplements and lots of love and attention. With this regime his own immune system will be free to fight his mange. We will update you as he progresses.

For more information please feel free to contact Rena: ( 831 ) 425-0226.

NELL - ADOPTED

Nell is a sweet-natured, spayed, female, German Shepherd mix. She is about five years old and has been having some hard luck lately. When she was first brought to the SPCA as a stray, she was infested with ticks, particularly around her eyes, and soon came down with kennel cough. She also tested positive for heartworm. CAPE was able to place her in a foster home where she is beginning her rehabilitation and starting to feel much better.

Nell's face is healing and her kennel cough is just about gone. She's beginning to get playful with her foster dog sister, too, even if she's still a nervous Nelly when it comes to loud noises like New Year's fireworks and winter thunderstorms.

Her heartworm treatment will be starting soon. Fortunately, she appears to have a light infestation, so we're all hoping the treatment will proceed without complications. As soon as that's over with, she'll be ready for a new home with some lucky family.

She's a wonderful companion--beautifully behaved, affectionate, obedient, and quiet. She heels beautifully on or off a leash and is extremely attentive. In short, she's a darlin' doll of a dog!

RECENT RESCUES IN REHAB THAT HAVE GONE TO LOVING HOMES.

ALICE - ADOPTED

Alice, named by one of the volunteers at the Santa Cruz SPCA, because this adorable little lady reminded the volunteer of her "Aunt Alice". Alice, the canine, is now quietly laying in the home and at the feet of Mary Lou her new foster mom. Because Mary Lou can provide a calm, quiet, loving environment, it is a perfect setting for Alice to survive and recuperate from her heartworm treatment. Her treatment will start this week and we will keep you posted regarding her progress. Wer'e guessing in approximately 4 wks, this soft, shy, sweet little girl will be ready for adoption. As you can see, Alice is part Blue Tick Hound. We don't know exactly which parts, but wer'e thinking all of the good parts. She may also have some Labrador Retriever, which is a really nice mix, with a lot of nice character traits. Alice is a young spayed female, weighing approx. 58 lbs. She seems smaller since her presence is calm and quiet and as gentle as a fox. She is wonderful with other dogs, cats and people and has absolutely no aggression .............Stay Posted on this one, She's a cutie.

Update January 30th - Alice was examined by a veterinarian and found to be in excellent health. Although the second blood test verified that she does indeed have heartworm, the blood panel also clearly showed that she has had no damage to her organs. She is clearly what they call a Stage 1 heartworm patient ( the least serious ) and she is an excellent candidate for the treatment which will be administered in two weeks. Alice is expected to make a full recovery.

(Alice with her foster mom)

Update Feb. 22: Alice had two injections back to back yesterday and Tuesday. Our wonderful vet, Dr. Ty McConnell, came out to our foster mom's house and, as far as we know, everything went well. In three weeks, he will again test her and give another shot, then she is good to go until her 4 month check up, which is just to make sure that they got everything! Alice will likely be available in about 3 weeks so stay tuned!

ELSIE - ADOPTED
Rescued Jan. 13, 2001

Week 1:

Elsie came into the Santa Cruz SPCA as a stray on December 23, 2000. She had a bad limp. It was thought that perhaps she had a fractured rear leg. The SPCA had her taken to a veterinary clinic where Elsie was x-rayed. It turned out that her last four vertabrae were fused and that one of the ligaments in her left knee was torn. After consulting two other veterinarians, including a radiologist, it was determined that this young dog (approximately 1 1/2 years old) would be able to have a normal life with just her ligament being reconstructed. It turns out that the spine will be fine since once the vertebrae are fused the back is stable.

Elsie was taken out by CAPE on January 12 so that she could be fostered through the period of her knee operation and rehabilitation. Her operation will occur on the 15th of January. She will have to be very quiet for about two weeks and then be on a 90 day gradual exercise program to regain the use of her leg.

Elsie is an unusally sweet young lady and an absolute joy to have in her new home. She shows no aggression towards other dogs or towards cats. She actually wants to lick and play with them all. She is also very people oriented and eager to please. Elsie is fully house trained but is still a bit scared since we are guessing that her former life was rather limited. Now she gets to stay in the house, go on walks , rides in the car and visit with other animals. Even after a few days in her new foster home, the stability is starting to allow her to really settle in and she is doing marvelously. Elsie will be available when it is determined that she is on her way to full use of her leg. She will be a wonderful companion animal. Her sweet nature will make her an ideal family member.

We will keep you updated on her progress.

Update (Jan. 18):

Elsie has come through her surgery with flying colors! Her ACL joint was not torn, so the reconstructive surgery was less of an ordeal, than anticipated. Her ligament was tightened and an internal splint was put in. The doctor was very pleased with the results. She has to stay quiet for the next 2 weeks. Then she will get her stitches out and be on the way to rehabilitation.

Elsie is settling in to her foster home very easily. She gets along with the cats and other dogs and seems to be so grateful to have some consistency and love. Elsie is a real sweetheart that will definitely steal someone's heart.

Update (Jan. 29): Elsie gets her stitches removed on the 30th, and will start on the road to rehabilitating her leg. Everything looks great and she is expected to heal very nicely. We are moving her into the Adoptable Animals page now as we feel she is ready to find her new home. She will do very well, this little girl, as she is has been so sweet and loving and a real joyful soul.

CAESAR - ADOPTED

Week One:
Caesar, a quiet, gentle, incredibly stoic Great Dane mix, was just taken to his new Foster home to get the extra special TLC that he will depend on for his complete recuperation. Caesar, who is now with Foster Mom Jen, had one hell of a weekend and, through a stroke of good luck and the assistance of many Angels, this soft muzzled little cutie survived a very close call.

When you look at Caesar, it is evident that this little buddy is malnourished. His sad face, his sad story and his scrawny little body was too much for the CAPE volunteers to take so they sought out a foster home and made plans for his release.

Before his release, a volunteer noticed Caesar foaming at the mouth and in severe pain. He was rushed to the local emergency vet and there it was discovered that his stomach had turned and that they would need to do emergency surgery or he wouldn't make it.

The vet called the SPCA and informed them of the situation, also letting them know that the surgery could cost as much as $1,500. The SPCA could not authorize such a costly surgery and this boy was scheduled to be euthanized. At the same time, one of our CAPE volunteers was made aware of the situation, to see if we could help. She immediately rallied to contact other members of the organization, but to no avail. Knowing that she could not make that financial decision herself, she was left with having to have to go along with the decision to euthanize. Luckily, our director of CAPE had gone home and heard the frantic messages. She immediately called the Vet and was able to not only ask that he not be euthanized but to offer financial assistance so the surgery could take place.

Caesar's team of Angels had rallied around him and he was given another chance. The vet was able to turn his stomach by using tubes going in behind the rib cage, so the surgery was not as severe and less costly. The drama of the scenario was more than a heart can handle, but the outcome has been amazing. Caesar is doing exceptionally well and has been very grateful with many kisses and lots of love. He is a joy to be around and we expect great things from this beautiful young boy. Stay posted and we will bring you current updates on his progress. It's not over yet, but how can a guy go wrong with the friends he's got!!!

Week Three:

Caesar has been at his new foster home for about three weeks, now, and is doing well. He's gained 4 pounds in the last week!

We are still awaiting test results to determine whether to do surgery to solve the stomach torsion problem. Everyone wants to be sure that his weight problem is just a weight problem, and not a medical disorder. So, he's been put on a good diet, eating about 4 cups of food a day, getting daily exercise and just getting lots of love and a stable home. In fact, he's quite taken with one of the dog beds in the house and has deemed it his. He sleeps there religiously.

His temperment if very sweet, gentle and calm. He's adjusting well to the cats and fallen right into the routine of Jen's home.

We'll keep you updated as soon as we know more about his condition.

Update, Week 3:

Caesar got the "all clear" from our wonderful vet, Dr. Frandle. His tests are normal, but he is malnourished and needs to put on another 10 pounds before he can undergo the stomach torsion surgery.

Caesar sporting his new duds to keep his little body warm.

Caesar with foster mom, Jen
.

Week 5:

Well, Caesar now has the loving attention of a new foster mom, Sue. Jen, his last foster mom, had a medical emergency with her own doggy companion and had to move Caesar during the traumatic time. But, Caesar is still happy as ever getting so much loving from Sue. She's even managed to get another 5 pounds on him. She's feeding him 4 times a day. What dedication. Yea Sue! Looks like Caesar will be ready for surgery probably by next week. We'll keep you posted. The band of CAPE angels has done it again!

Week 10:

Caesar has come through his surgery and recovered in great form. He is now up for adoption! What a story this guy has had. He came to us at 60 lbs and with the help of his current foster mom, Sue, he's up to a whopping 75 lbs! Way to go Sue! Just what the doctor ordered. We are pleased to have him have come through so well. This is a great story. Please check out our Adoptable Animals Page for the information on his availability. Following are some closing photos with his new foster mom, Sue, and other precious photos.

Week 12:

Caesar has been adopted! Thanks to the stellar effort of Terre and Sue, our little buddy has an amazing new home with wonderful guardians. Please see our Happy Endings page for more details.

(See you Ceasar....)

CAPE
PO BOX 67176
SCOTTS VALLEY, CA 95067-7176
831.426.2214