Okay I rescued a mastiff, now what?

[yvonnem]

I now have the pleasure of hosting "Sarge" a brindled mastiff of about 5 years who I took from Animal Control in Toronto.

He's a lovey but he needs a lot of TLC. Great manners so far......

[Goldenmom]

He is a beauty! A couple questions....

"Okay I rescued a mastiff, now what? "
What do you mean by this???

Also, what exactly does "I now have the pleasure of hosting " mean?
Do you mean fostering or do you mean "I now have the pleasure of loving this beauty for ever and ever?"

Heather and her 3 Golden Girls

[mastifflover]

I think this is the dog Yvonne emailed me about while I was on holiday and offline. I think she is fostering him he has a blown cruciate ligament. What do you need to know yvonne ask away

[Goldenmom]

Originally Posted by mastifflover

I think this is the dog Yvonne emailed me about while I was on holiday and offline. I think she is fostering him he has a blown cruciate ligament. What do you need to know yvonne ask away

LOL Ok, thanks for the explanation. I haven't been around alot lately and had me confused.

Heather

[mastifflover]

I know I have been offline since the Christmas eve and have no clue what has happened

[Bugsy]

Wooooo Hooooo.... I'm so happy for you. What a cutie, keep the pictures coming!

[jackieb]

ahh he is so cute how did you find out about him as im still looking to adopt in may/june i couldnt foster as the boys would get attatched.

All the best with him

[mastifflover]

Fostering is tough because you do get attached to them but you have to keep in mind that you are a pit stop on the road to a loving forever home. But every once in awhile you get one that is really hard to let go, those are the toughest. You just have to remember this is just temporary and try not to let them or you get too attached. Yvonne updates on Sarge.

[LL1]

Gorgeous dog! Which rescue are you fostering for? Congratulations!!

[jackieb]

good on you for fostering it would be a no for me with the boys i just wondered were you got the mastiff from as i will be seeking to adopt one in June

[yvonnem]

Lynda who is the rescue co-ordinator for Canadian Mastiff Club contacted me and asked me if I could get him out of animal control and into a foster situation. So I did.

He has been at the house for 3 days now and is looking better than he did. But I have never rescued an animal before and I really have no idea what happens next and I haven't gotten any response from Lynda yet. Should I be taking him to my vet? Should I be finding out if there is a vet that gives discounts for rescue? Should I ask my vet if she gives discounts for rescues? How much financial responsibility do I take for this animal?

Sarge is a lovely boy. He smells terrible. He has kennel cough and when he first came he had green snot running down his nose (sorry for those of you who have delicate stomachs). Now the snot is whitish/yellow, which if he was a kid I would say is better. He doesn't seem as congested but its hard to tell. He was going down the back porch steps until it snowed yesterday. Now he won't go down and he waits for me to open the back door, steps out on the porch and pees. He has trouble pooping because of the injury to his back leg. He waits until I close the back door then manoevres his bum into the corner of the porch and poos.

At first he went down the steps and couldn't get back up -- I would have to give him a boost. then on Wednesday he came back up on his own. Unfortunately on Thursday it snowed and he won't try the steps now -- they are slippery and he is nervous.

He likes men. And my daughter was over yesterday with her 12 year old boy and he loves boys. He kept following Steven around.

He gets along just fine with a bouncy mastiff puppy and a cat. The cat on the other hand is not so sure he wants to be friends with this new dog.

I have him on a bunch of herbal remedies - echinacea, goldenseal, glucosamine -- all in tablet form. He's very good about eating around the pill but I've started embedding the pill in honey on a tiny square of bread and he eats the whole thing. Then honey seems to help his throat as well but he still has a hacking cough. He's very considerate with the cough - if he feels one coming on, he will get up and go into a corner and cough.

His ears are filthy. His nails are nasty. He has trouble sleeping because when he drops his head, he can't breathe.

I just feel really isolated and support-less -- except for mastifflovers very kind email and suggestions! I realize that rescue is not an organized organization but I really wish it was!

Yvonne

[Goldenmom]

Mastifflover, I don't know about you, but I am feeling just HORRIBLE for this person! How could Rescue do this to her?

I would feel just like you. I am sure Mastifflover will be able to help you out. I don't know much about this breed, but I do know that he needs to see a vet ASAP and Rescue should be paying for this.

When I foster, I have access to 24 hour help. They are wonderful! You are doing an amazing thing for this Rescue and they shouldn't be treating you this way.

Please ask all the questions you need so we can try to help you out.

Heather and her 3 Golden Girls

[whinnie-boo]

Thanks you for helping save this gorgeous guy...He's adorable. I'd keep trying to get a hold of Lynda, before you make any decisions. She will probably be the only one entitled to any rescue discounts from a vet & can recommend you.
I do not personally work in rescue, I'd just cover all my bases before forking out a ton of cash. If he appears to be in pain then I'd take him to the vet myself. What did the shelter have to say about him when you picked him up?

[BMDLuver]

and Lynda does not come forward, please advise me and I will hook you up with a wonderful organization Toronto Based, that will be able to help you with his medical needs. They are breed specific but not this breed. They have an excellent vet who does wonders with Rotties and Pugs that are special needs. I'm sorry you are having such a difficult time being a new foster. Keep up the good work, I know he appreciates it!

[mastifflover]

Yvonne I emailed you my cell number and I am pm'ing you my work number

[whinnie-boo]

Mastifflover, its great of you to help........

Just wondering, should this Lynda person not be responsible for this dog??

Also,

Yvonne, is there a possibility of your keeping Sarge, or is this strictly a temporary thing? I hope everything works out, because he is stunning.

[BMDLuver]

Has the puppy he is in contact with received Bordetella vaccination? Kennel cough is highly contagious and from the sounds of it he has a full blown case which may need antibiotics as it does settle into pneumonia particuliarly in dogs that are young or in poor condition...

[LL1]

Lynda is not in Ontario is she? Which animal control did he come from?

You could try calling Ontario Mastiff rescues and see if they can help as well:

Bullmastiff Rescue of Canada: Amy Lewis at 905-336-9268; alewis@sympatico.ca

Mastiff Club Rescue is a rescue & placement service for Old English Mastiffs across Canada. Bob Johnston: 613-477-1977 or Bev Malloy: 905-473-5919

[LL1]

She is wonderful! Her vet tho would be quite far for Yvonne tho.

Originally Posted by BMDLuver

They have an excellent vet who does wonders with Rotties and Pugs that are special needs.

[mastifflover]

Funny BMD I just came back on because I was concerned about the kennel cough

[mastifflover]

LL1 do you know Bev because if you do it would be better having someone she know contact her at least until Lynda can get back to Yvonne lets get the cough taken care of. Yvonne please call maybe I can give you hand in some way

[LL1]

I actually don't know the Mastiff folks unfortunately, I'm sure they would try and help tho as the dog is in Ontario. What type of Mastiff is he, I am not familiar with the variations or the breed.

[mastifflover]

He looks to be english but I think he is a mix which is where the problem will come I am sure because from his pic he does not look purebred. Not that I care but sometimes it is an issue for rescues. I hope not, he looks like a sweetie. I don't want to call anyone till I hear from Yvonne to know if she has arranged anything yet. But I would love to get him on some antibiotics because obviously the North York Shelter was not helping this guy they had him on concrete floors and they knew he was coming down with kennel cough and sent this dog with no antibiotics to a home with a new puppy that is just ignorance on the part of the shelter were they waiting till he developed Pneumonia first before they took care of him.
If anyone has yvonnes number could you pm me thanks

[Lucky Rescue]

He looks mixed to me too - from his face I would guess pit bull. How big is he?

He is just stunning!!

Lynda who is the rescue co-ordinator for Canadian Mastiff Club contacted me and asked me if I could get him out of animal control and into a foster situation. So I did.

I didn't read all the posts in detail and maybe this has been resolved, but the rescue should be scheduling and paying for ALL his vet care, not YOU and they are responsible for finding him a home too.

In fact he should have been taken to the vet before going home with you. I'm sorry you seem to have been left in the lurch.

[Goldenmom]

Originally Posted by LuckyRescue

He looks mixed to me too - from his face I would guess pit bull. How big is he?

He is just stunning!!



I didn't read all the posts in detail and maybe this has been resolved, but the rescue should be scheduling and paying for ALL his vet care, not YOU and they are responsible for finding him a home too.

In fact he should have been taken to the vet before going home with you. I'm sorry you seem to have been left in the lurch.

Exactly! That is what concerns me. They just left him in her lap with no guidance. Thats terrible!

Heather

[LL1]

What kind of fostering arrangement do you have with them? Do they have a website?

[jackieb]

I have spoken with Bev before and i know she said she doesnt deal with the rescue side no more. Im sorry you have been put through all this i have no suggestions really in England they had vets which you could seek free if you had no money.

Please let us know how the dog it is a gorgeous dog i would have thought they would have given you details and information on what to do etc!

[Goldenmom]

Originally Posted by LL1

What kind of fostering arrangement do you have with them? Do they have a website?

It was quite easy to find...

http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/~wedgewoo/Rescue.htm

[LL1]

Thanks! I was wondering if they had info on fostering or other contacts that could help Yvonne if Lynda is tied up right now.

[mastifflover]

I have emailed Lynda and asked her to give us some direction at least a vet to get this kennel cough taken care of. If it weren't just after Christmas I would pay for it myself but I am really short right now my vet would do it and I could pay later if yvonne wants to bring him to Toronto I would have my vet deal with it and I will pay him later it is not the money I just dont want him to get sicker.