[nagdu] Bad News for me

[lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com]

Hi Mardi,
Sorry to hear about Wanagi and her hip problems.  You've made the right 
decision for her.  Sometimes we've had to retire school-trained guide dogs 
because of this same problem.

Many of the guide dog schools screen for hip health.  Hip Dysplasia has 
become very rare among Seeing Eye bred dogs because of their careful 
breeding practices.  Wanagi had unknown health problems and she didn't pan 
out as a guide, but I'm glad you get to keep her.  Getting rescue dogs is a 
good thing but you don't know about their hidden health problems - like hip 
or joint health.  You kinda get what you see and don't see.

I hope you find another good candidate for guiding.

Happy New Year and good luck.

Regards,

Linda and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mardi Hadfield" <wolfsinger.lakota at gmail.com>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 12:11 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Bad News for me


> Hi everyone,   I have some bad news to share. It appears that Wanagi is 
> not
> going to make it as a guide dog. When I first got her, I new I was taking 
> a
> chance on her as she was a rescue from a shelter. When I had her checked 
> by
> my vet ,he said she was fine and he did not see any reason to xray her as
> she seemed to move just fine. Since I was pressed for money at the time,I
> did not persue it. I should have listened to my inner voice telling me to
> check it out more thouroughly. It was summer and out side of the accident
> with my wheelchair, and her diagnosis of Vally Fever,which she is 
> recovering
> from ,I just did not think any thing else was wrong. I have discovered 
> that
> she  has a hip problem.It is not noticeable when she is walking, which, 
> the
> first part of her training was spent walking next to her trainer. Now that
> she is being worked next to the wheelchair and she isn't walking ,but
> trotting,It is noticeable. I took her to the grocery store on Christmas
> Eve,  to get  some last minite things for dinner and it was raining and
> cold. She started out ok, but as the trip progressed, she started to lag
> behind me.It seemed that she was having trouble keeping up with me. Since 
> a
> guide needs to be some what out in front of me, I was pulling her. I had 
> to
> use my cane ,the rest of the trip.Even when I slowed the chair down , she
> still could not lead me. When we got home, I had my neighbor watch her 
> move
> and he agreed that something was wrong.I think ,because it was rainy and
> cold, that it was  hurting her to trot next to the wheelchair. When it was
> summer and good weather ,it did not show.I am very dissapointed as I love
> this dog and she loves me. I will make an appointment to get the xray,but 
> I
> know what it will tell me. Now I must find another dog and start all over
> again.I will not make this mistake again.I will keep Wanagi as I could 
> never
> part with her, and I know it would make her unhappy as well, if I were to
> place her in another home. At least she was saved from death row at the
> shelter and can live a good life as a much loved pet.Hope every one had a
> great Christmas , Chanuka ,or whatever holiday you celebrated, and I hope
> you all have a happy new year.      Mardi
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lindagwizdak%40peoplepc.com
>