Golden Bond Rescue of Oregon

Crossed the Rainbow Bridge July, 2011

Sadly we had to say goodbye to our Permanent Foster, Wallace #1997. He will be greatly missed.

Permanent Foster July 17, 2010

Wallace (#1997) was found by someone on an empty back porch and taken to the local animal shelter. The shelter took one look at the poor old dog and knew they wouldn't be able to find an adoptive home for him, so they called Golden Bond Rescue.  Wallace’s coat was completely matted and he needed help with lifting his backside, for he wasn't able to stand up on his own,.

When Wallace came into his first foster home on February 5, 2010, he was in quite a bit of pain from his arthritis. He also had ear infections in both ears, problems digesting his food, and muscle atrophy in his back legs and hips.

In March of 2010 his foster parents took him to a couple of specialists to help with his arthritis and digestive issues: Patrice Kortekaas at South Hills P.T. Clinic for physical therapy and Dr. Fricke at McKenzie Animal Hospital for his expertise in Chinese herbal medicines.

By July of 2010, it was pretty clear that Wallace wasn't going to be healthy enough to be adopted out. Wallace was made a permanent foster dog and moved to his forever home. Unexpectedly, in August 2010, a tumor had developed near his tail, and Dr. Fricke provided treatment that resulted in a significant reduction of the tumor.  Wallace continues to enjoy as comfortable a life as possible with a great foster family.

From Wallace’s Mom:

Wally has three fused disks and weakness in his hind-end, which make it difficult or painful for him to get up to a standing position, so he is either standing up or lying down. I think I've only seen him sit once. No walking up or down stairs.

In spite of all this, Wally seems to be doing great. He's the happiest guy and always hauls himself up to follow me from room to room. He occasionally gets stuck in the pet door when I guess it hurts to lift a hind leg to get through, but his Tramadol and Rimadyl seem to be keeping his pain at a tolerable level.

Wallace's Available Story

Hello! My name is Wallace (#1997). I am a friendly senior guy who is currently mystifying everyone. I might be 8 years old, I might be 12. They don't even know if there might be some Collie mixed in with my Golden. Who knows? Well, me, but I'm not telling.

I am a very laid-back sort of fella. I'm a larger (but still very gentle) guy at 74 pounds. I'm not much interested in toys. I'm not food-possessive either. In fact, I'm such a slow eater that if you have other dogs, you might have to watch out for me and make sure I get to eat all of my food. I look quite slim; that 74 pounds doesn't include much fat, so making sure I get my meals is quite important.

My only real problems with life are centered around my health. I have extreme weakness in my hips, which means I have difficulty getting up and an unsteady walk. I can't climb very many stairs, no more than three to five at a time. A whole flight is right out. I also need assistance getting in and out of cars.

I also have had some belly issues. My long history of mild to moderate diarrhea is now under control with a gluten-free diet of high-grade kibble mixed with meat and several other supplements. Not only must my new owners keep up my new diet, but also my kibble must be soaked several hours or I will regurgitate it. Stress adds to my belly problems and also makes me pant a lot.

In spite of these problems, I am a happy and social guy. I'm fine with other dogs. I'm interested in cats, but not aggressively so. It just seems like a lot of work to chase them. I have never lived with one in my home.

As for children, well, I wouldn't be good with them. No, I'm not aggressive at all. It's just that, with my bad hips, it would be easy for energetic children to knock me over. And I would make a poor playtime or running companion with my low energy level.

If you have experience with special needs senior dogs, I might be a good fit for you. I could sure use a helpful someone to spend my "Golden Years" with.