Update on Clarabelle:

Clarabelle was one of several dogs NGRR rescued from the horrible conditions of a puppy mill in Yolo county back in September 2007. This sweet 1 year old girl needed surgery for an ectopic ureter, which is a birth defect. The tubes that go from the kidneys to the bladder are not attached properly so she cannot control her urine. This is treatable with surgery and possibly lifetime medication.

Clarabelle recently had her surgery and it was a success. We thank Dr. Bonnie Coin and Dr. Jeff Schmidt for doing such a great job. Both of these fine veterinarians provided excellent care and a generous discount to help rescue in their efforts to save Clarabelle and give her a better life.

Although the surgery itself was successful, Clarabelle is still faced with challenges for the remainder of her life. Because of this birth defect she will never be able to function fully without medication. The kidneys are our biggest challenge going forward. They are deformed and although functioning, it will be necessary to monitor her closely by doing annual blood work. She will also be prone to urinary infections.

We are working with University of Davis Veterinary Services to reduce the amount of medication she has to take daily. These medications put a strain on her kidneys so it is imperative that we get the dosage as low as possible. Clarabelle is also on a very special diet that is low in protein, which will also reduce the strain on her kidneys.
Today, Clarabelle is getting excellent care and is doing very well. Her blood work showed her kidney levels were in the good range, down from being just at the edge of kidney failure. She also had a clear urinary test with no bacterial infection. She is happy, playful and living the good life. Clarabelle is in a foster to adopt situation that will be finalized when we have reached a stable level with her medications.

We will continue to work with UC Davis and Dr. Jeff Schmidt to monitor and manage Clarabelle’s care. Your donations and participation in our fund raising events allows us to keep on top of what could be a life threatening situation.
All of us at Norcal Golden Retriever Rescue thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It just couldn’t be done without your compassion and support for these amazing dogs.