BHRR’s Bane

BHRR’s Bane, this post is so unbelievably difficult to make yet it must to be done. I will continue to do my best in doing right by you.

I am so sorry that so many failed you….I am so sorry that I could not save you in the end and I have been working so hard behind the scenes working to get what justice I can for you.

You touched a community BHRR’s Bane….and that community needs to know that your story continues, even after you were laid to rest at BHRR. Letting you go was positively horrible. Your life was hell before you came into Rescue and we wanted to give you a future full of promise, free of pain and one of health, happiness plus spoiling hands.

To update everyone – we have not one yet two cases that have taken much time to pull together for I cannot sleep at night, I cannot eat well, I have nightmares for what BHRR’s Bane went through, not just in the hands of those who severely neglected/abused him; yet in the hands of supposed medical professionals in TO. It was wrong on so many levels.

This is not a post to honour your incredible memory, dear sweet BHRR’s Bane….that will come for you deserve a post dedicated all to you and not to the things that this post shall be addressing. You deserve a post not of anger, pain, disappointment, frustration, etc…you deserve so much better/more. That will come….you will never be forgotten. I promise you that… 

To all of our supporters, friends plus family, thank you immensely for your understanding that even though we had not yet made a post re: this precious boy, that if one had not yet been made that there had to be very valid reasons why. Thank you also to all of our supporters, friends plus family that know us well and that since 1996 we have always made the tough posts that needed and should be made, believing 100% in transparency and full disclosure.

We have always made the good, the bad, the great and the ugly in updates as we believe that we are accountable not just to the animals in need of us, or to those that have asked us to assist these special animals yet to all those that have given of themselves in time, well wishes, donations be it financial and/or otherwise plus have been there for us/the dogs. We are nothing without our BHRR “CHAIN OF SUCCESS” links and you have proven to be so strong and kind many times over since our inception in 1996.

To those closest to BHRR’s Bane’s unbelievable fight for his life, they had also been kept regularly updated of all the ups, downs, heartaches, the amazing, the truly brutal and the reality of his story.

When we were asked to assist this boy, he had already been to a Vet and this should have been a ‘straight forward’ severe emaciation case. What none of his rescuers knew at the time was that he was far sicker and far more abused/neglected. He is literally one of the worst cases I have ever worked to help save in almost 30 years in rescue AND we focus on the truly broken/in need animals. With that one first Vet prior to us assisting him not properly vetting him, unfortunately, and unbelievably another Hospital in TO – one we never used before and never shall again – also did not do right by him. We are hoping for a ruling in our favour from the one case we have worked hard to pull together to submit. We will share more on this as we can.

To think that anyone would believe that we would never update re: BHRR’s Bane yet would ‘take money’ after he was crossed over, when we well knew how many came together to root and cheer and cry along with us, no longer shocks us.

AND to state very clearly there was only one donation accepted AFTER the decision was made with his wonderful Vet voicing what Sean/I had already discussed to humanely cross over BHRR’s Bane. That was from Maia who sent us an email for a Hospital Staff member had told her when she was at a Vet Hospital about BHRR’s Bane. This kind soul emailed us and insisted that we still accept this caring donation and we put it towards the still outstanding almost $4,000 in his Vet Bills. They had reached out to us saying they understood why we had not collected the donation and wanted us to still collect it.

We have NEVER taken one nickel, dime, quarter or otherwise since he was let go. Sean/I have been working to pay off his remaining almost $4,000 Vet bills out of our own pockets. Anyone who contacted us wishing to make a donation or did make a donation, was informed that we were no longer taking donations and the appropriate action taken.

We will NEVER see any dog suffer and when it became clear that an infection had spread to his lungs – one possible cause was that the bad infection from his spine – and it was believed that he had the infection in his spine from the horrible infection spreading from his bladder/kidneys etc. – was the reason why – and that his chances of survival became beyond a poor prognosis, he was humanely crossed over. To see him go downhill so fast was very hard and in looking into his eyes, I knew what his heart was telling me. Would he keep fighting, I know he would for me yet he could no longer breathe easily and it was getting worse so fast. In the space of less than 24 hours, this quick deterioration had occurred.

I have always given credit where credit is due. I have always thanked with all of my heart and with truest genuine thanks as that is how I feel and felt with each and every life saving gift that was sent to help us help this sweet poor Dane OR any animal.

I wish to thank again each and every WOW angel that came together to help BHRR’s Bane for the right reasons. The angels that did not make this about them, wanted the pats on their back, felt they were more entitled or were important than all others who gave of their own selves to help.

To us, every person who shared a well wish, shared his story, cried with us, smiled with us, cheered/rooted for him, donated material items and/or made financial donations – ALL of you deserve our deepest thanks, our forever indebted gratitude, our appreciation, our humbled words of the biggest kind for all you did for him. To us $5 is huge and whether it was $5 or $500 that came his way, you made a BIG difference towards his over $12,000+ to give him all that he would need for this fight, to show him loving hands over hurting hands etc.

I remain so beyond filled with warmth over your hearts…..

BHRR’s Bane, please forgive me that you could not be saved….I wanted so much more for you….you deserved it.

PS: To anyone that has physical contact information for those responsible for his condition, as always, please do email it to contactbhrr@gmail.com First hand witness accounts also still being accepted.

BHRR’s Bane – Severely Neglected/Abused GD
Kanata Animal Hospital

After having his latest x-rays. Recovering from his sedation. 

He deserves to be our Cover Boy.

You are so dearly loved……….

I shall post an update shortly and thank you to all of his amazing supporters, his incredible army plus his beautiful KAH family for everything….

AND thank you to those closest to his story for allowing us to post as we can.

His Bills are over $12,000 & we still owe almost $4,100 on them.

BHRR’s Bane

We are watching him closely and most likely shall end up back in emerge shortly for I do not like the sounds of his ‘productive’ breathing. 

On Monday October 8th, Alta Vista felt that BHRR’s Bane was clinically medically ready to leave the ICU – he had been in the ICU for 8 days.

When I went to get him, I asked what his current weight was and I was told 45 kgs, which was down from the 45.2 kgs and that was down from the previous weight and so on….

I asked when was the last time he was weighed and I was told he was due to be weighed again and I weighed him and he was ONLY 43 kgs. I was incredibly alarmed.

The amazing team at Alta Vista felt that clinically he was doing better and that they were not in a position to give him the 24/7 TLC he now needed.

So, on Tuesday October 9th, he was transferred to the wonderful Kanata Animal Hospital where I put him in a coat – body score 1/9 – as he has zero fat and no cushion.

He spends his days at KAH on IV fluids and Burprenorphine was added IV as the Tramadol plus Gabapentin being given orally is not covering his back pain. He remains on antibiotics and metro, forti flora etc. too.

He spends his nights with me on fluids/meds(second photo) so I can continue his 24/7 round the clock care. We have the radiant floor heating on for him and he is toasty warm and does not need the coat at home.

His first reading of his CT scan – done on October 6th – had a re-reading with the results sent to KAH on the 11th.

One of the Vets on his team at KAH called to discuss the results and the Vet also reviewed in depth his x-rays taken during his time at VEC Toronto and stated that he can see Discospondylitis. Discospondylitis, also spelled as diskospondylitis, is an infection of the vertebrae and the surrounding cartilaginous discs. It is also referred to as vertebral osteomyelitis and the swelling created by this disease can cause severe pain as well as nerve damage in afflicted dogs if left untreated.

He had the CT Scan due to the crepitus and extreme pain he was in and suspected trauma. The CT Scan also revealed some compression and disc herniation.

We need to know if the organism found in his U&C testing for his severe UTI/Kidney/Bladder infection (he also has battled sepsis) is the same one that is in his spine. We were told that an infection can travel from the kidneys to the spine if it was bad enough. 🙁

If it is a different organism, he will require an additional antibiotic.

He will require antibiotics for up to 6 months to treat that infection from what both Alta Vista AH and KAH informed me.

We also need to know re: his back for possible surgery.

He is scheduled to see Dr. Jull, the Neurologist – the only one in Ottawa – to figure out the next steps based upon his CT results.

This dog was severely neglected and abused and it has been like pieces of a truly difficult puzzle working to fit them together to figure out how to best assist him. He does not have just one or two things that have been wrongly done to him.

He has a team of Vets/Specialists that span 4 Hospitals to date.

AND every single person that has met him has fallen so in love with him….

He certainly can tell you what he wants and is thinking without saying one word!

NO dog deserves to have been treated so badly and his bills to date are now over $10,500 and will continue to rise as we help him fight this good fight.

We remain incredibly humbled plus forever indebted to everyone that has shared their best wishes and/or sent a donation.

At this time donations can be made direct to Kanata Animal Hospital – they will take donations in person or over the phone) 613-836-2848

OR via email transfer to gwen@birchhaven.org

OR via PayPal to gwen@birchhaven.org(please use the friend & family option so we do not pay fees).

We will be repeating his bloodwork on Tuesday too.

AND to those that think he is not worthy, I am sorry but he is…he did not ask for anything bad to happen to him….he did not ask to be treated so horribly and when I see his tail wag for me and I get a slobby kiss, I become that much more committed in doing what is in his best interest.

I value immensely what his Vet Team has been advising and no one feels that he should be given up on. NO one.

Today, was a good eating and drinking on his own day and we will take the small victories as they come our/his way.

AND we shall continue to fundraise for his cause and our rescue doors shall remain closed as he needs everything we can give him……

BHRR’s Bane UPDATE:

I aplogise to all that I have not had time for much more than giving updates as I can on this incredible fighter….

We wanted to have two amazing BHRR dogs make their own special announcements this weekend yet do forgive me as I need to give all that I am and have to BHRR’s Bane right now.

He 100% represents the mandate of our special needs Great Dane/Giant Breed organisation and we need to give him everything for him to have the best chance of surviving.

Last night when I went back to visit with him – Thanks Kinsley for coming and thanks Martina for offering to come! – the lovely staff at Alta Vista let me visit him in a room over ICU, so we could spend some truly private/quality uninterrupted time together.

The first thing he did when he saw me as he wobbled and bobbled his way in, was give me the best, and I mean the best of a small tail wag! As weak as he is, he knew who I was and yup, my heart fell in love all over again. 

We put down a nice big thick comfy blanket, he slowly lowered himself down and immediately put his head on my legs….then within moments, he shifted, layed out along my side and fell fast asleep…. If I moved even an inch, I got his small talkative ‘groan’ of protest! I had lots of tingling numbness when we left but so worth it! 

His latest update is that he continues to eat and drink on his own quite well and his overseeing Vet Team is working on weaning him off the high dose of IV pain meds – Hydro and switching to Gabapentin plus Tramadol as oral meds.

His urine C&S is back and his nasty UTI/Bladder bug has proven to be susceptible to the antibiotics being given and they are leaving him on just the one antibiotic and taking him off the IV Baytril.

He is urinating and having bowel movements and starting to wobble his way better outside to go to the bathroom and the Vet talked about de-worming him which was on our list from when he first arrived. I asked re: the fecal sample I brought in on Friday and the Vet had not been aware one was in the fridge and will collect a fresh sample to send to the lab.

The last weight I have is now up to 99.44 pounds (from two nights ago). Body score 1/9.

Our bills are now over $9,000 to date since October 1st for his ICU care.

Sean & I reached out to our bank and can skip two mortgage payments and we remain so beyond thankful to each and every person who has sent a donation for his care!  Please also keep the well wishes coming!! I share them all with him! I tell him he has an army standing so strongly by his side and he can lean on all of us….

We do desperately need to raise another $2,000 (his CT scan was $2,000 alone) over the next couple of days. Our coffers have been emptied with not one but two severely neglected Danes coming into BHRR over a 10 day period and we had no idea until they arrived, just how bad they were medically. Both are very extreme cases. 

Please please please with so much gratitude in my heart plus soul and tears in my eyes, if you have any change to spare, we would embrace your support with eternal gratitude. So so so indebted to so many to date for their kindness demonstrated. THANK YOU!

We do have a second pair of Hockey Tickets up for grabs in a flash auction that ends tomorrow – Tuesday night @ 9 PM EST, link below & then will have a $500 value gift basket available in another flash auction.

https://m.facebook.com/…/a.1941108173224…/1926622374071251/…

Please save your EMPTIES for us too!

I also want to shout out a thank you to my family who has without complaint, sacrificed our plans for this Thanksgiving long weekend to allow me to be where I am needed most. I love you all so very much!

Donations to BHRR’s Bane’s care – as Alta Vista will not take direct donations – can be made via email transfer to gwen@birchhaven.org

OR Via PayPal to gwen@birchhaven.org

My heart also goes out to the family plus to the 6 month old GSx HBC puppy last night for they reached out to us – they went to Alta Vista AH last night – to see if we could take on the $7,000+ plus surgery that puppy needs. Unfortunately, our doors remain closed and will remain closed for a long time to come……I made several recommendations to them. 

BHRR’s Bane – Severely Neglected Great Dane
October 6th, 2018Alta Vista Emergency Animal Hospital & Speciality Services 
Emaciated(Body Score 1/9), Severe Bladder/UTI & Sepsis plus skin issues 
Suspected trauma due to extreme pain & crepitus (on Fentanyl & Hydro) – CT Scan done yesterday & we are awaiting results

VIDEO OF BHRR’S BANE October 6th, 2018 @ Alta Vista Animal Hospital 

AND copy of his invoice as of last night at Alta Vista AH

BHRR’s Bane

On our way to be transferred Alta Vista Animal Hospital Emergency & Specialty Hospital yesterday.

Also attaching an estimate for his first two days in ICU there. He has a many multi thousand bill remaining at VEC Toronto also.

BHRR’s Bane – ~ 5 year old GD
VEC Toronto ICU 
*Under the care of the Internal Medicine Specialist

We are going to be transferring his care to one of the most trusted places we have ever felt privileged and blessed to have worked with – Alta Vista Animal Emergency Hospital & Specialty Services.

Alta Vista AH has been there for many of our dogs since 1996.

We have been working hard behind the scenes and for Lindsay and myself it has been a brutal week.

This emaciated 98.4 pound Great Dane is currently being treated for a severe UTI & Bladder infection along with Sepsis.

VEC Toronto has now done two u/s, a UA, a Urine Culture & Sensitivity, blood-work, X-rays of abdomen and hips, tested for Addison’s, ruled our ruptured spleen, tumours/masses and any FB or sliding obstruction etc.

Yesterday, a Neurologist ruled out any ataxia related to neuro issues and his neuro testing response is normal. Therefore, his weakness and current body plus medical condition/state are due to his severely neglected condition.

Cortisol was added to the antibiotic and fluid therapy he is on and a feeding tube was inserted.

The great news – his urine is not as bloody looking, he is back to eating his small meals every 2 hours and drinking water on his own. He does still have a feeding tube at this time though.

He is slowly being moved off the Fentanyl to Tramadol & Gabapentin etc for pain management.

Lindsay – I will have to rely on you a bit to make sure that I have missed nothing big for your updates from being there in person have been far easier to obtain than mine from home.

As of yesterday, his invoice said his bills were already $4,639.68

YOU have helped raise a beautiful tear welling up of $2,010 at this time.

We continue to beg for him and are putting on our thinking caps re: fundraising.

Per a previous post, I had called the VEC Toronto Hospital and they said they will not take donations over the phone.

Donations to this severely neglected Great Dane can be made direct to email transfer of gwen@birchhaven.org or via PayPal to gwen@birchhaven.org

We have been also collecting and holding into safekeeping all documentation sent our way re: those that have any factual prior knowledge of this Great Dane.

Once we get to Alta Vista AH, we hope to be in a much better position to pull aside the official veterinary documentation we shall also require to move forward in opening up a case with the OSPCA.

Just as BHRR’s Bowen did not deserve to be severely neglected, neither does BHRR’s Bane OR any dog….and we will do right by these Danes.

Please continue to keep this dear sweet boy in your best wishes AND know that even if you can spare $5, that to us and to BHRR’s Bane, it is helping us to save his life……

AND Lindsay, I am a broken record I know yet you are exceptional as his emerge temp foster Mama. You have put your own work and private life on hold to be with him throughout each day and night, you have also donated to his cause via financial contribution and equally important is you are ‘his person’ and he continues fighting strongly!

You are outstanding….simply an incredible person who I admire and am honoured to know. You are selflish, dedicated and caring! THANK YOU and in a matter of hours I can finally kiss this sweet boys’ face myself in person….I cannot wait….

From our home to all of our friends, family plus supporters, we are sending the best of good night wishes along with our tears of thanks for standing by this special Dane.

UPDATE: to date $1,706.80 has been raised for BHRR’s Bane including $510 from our recent flash auction. I rounded that up and as Gracie Honalulu – his emerge temp foster Mama who has been with him at the emerge Hospital of VEC Toronto – can confirm $1,200 was sent yesterday and just now another $510 has been sent towards his mounting Vet Bills.

The flash auction was going to be split between both severely neglected Danes yet we need to direct all funds to BHRR’s Bane as he is currently in ICU and has been there since he was admitted via emerge yesterday.

UPDATE: we are going to do an ultrasound and should know even more in a couple of hours. 

He is running a fever and per the VEC Toronto ER Vet is very sick…which all of us know. 

We will know more in a couple of hours based upon the ultrasound and the repeat plus additional detailed blood panels etc., what we are looking at so we can make the best decision for him. 

They do not have a critical care specialist at their Hospital any longer so we would have to transfer him. 

They are going to converse with their internal medicine team also.

My heart is so heavy….

We have had him at the Vet three times in four days trying to figure things out and help him. 

UPDATE: he has been transferred to emergency in TO and we will update more as we can. 

If I have to drive through the night to pick him up and bring him to Alta Vista Animal Emergency & Speciality Hospital I will. They have worked with me on many a severe case over the years. 

We are now awaiting the results of repeat diagnostics and further testing….

Please keep him in your hearts and thought…

My heart hurts so much and please keep his emerge temp foster Mama also in your best wishes. She has stepped up to the plate in such a difficult situation without hesitation when asked. 

BHRR’s Bane

When you are nothing but a skeleton, it is painful to lay down so couches make for a great resting place for your head…..

Also, he was to be back at the Vet today for a recheck, re-weigh, re-visit that hind end/left back leg plus toe and further diagnostics including possible anitibiotics, a better de-wormer etc…yet this is his urine. Per his emerge temp foster home when I asked when she picked him up and for updates since then, his urine has been concentrated yet not like this.

He has also stopped eating….

This boy has so many medical concerns and his strength is not there as we would wish it to be…while he is no longer falling down and over, his poor neglected body has faced so much adversity to date…..

We will update as we can and please keep him in your thoughts.

We are still very much collecting donations for his and BHRR’s Bowen’s ever mounting vet bills.

Email transfer to gwen@birchhaven.org

OR via PayPal to gwen@birchhaven.org (please use the friends & Family option) so we do not pay fees….

We will not see him or any dog suffer and we keep his best interest in mind at all times…..

Victim of a separation & passed around.

Surrendered to the amazing rescue group of Just Paws on Sunday September 23rd.

They were not made aware upon intake of just how bad his shape was. Pictures sent their way were of a supposed ‘160 pound Dane’. So, imagine their shock when he arrived in an emaciated neglected state. 

This is ‘Bane’
~5 year old Great Dane
Severely Emaciated, Rashes

We were asked by a truly wonderful Rescue group to step up to assist him.

Just Paws Animal Rescue saved his life by taking him into their group on Sunday and then reached out to us last night to see if we could help him.

We have stepped up without hesitation and thanks to Lindsay for being so willing to emerge temp foster him – she picked him up today – and thanks again to Just Paws Animal Rescue for saving his life!

He is barely 102 pounds and he is the victim of a relationship breakup and was passed around. Apparently, he once weighed 160 pounds and I do not know if that was a healthy weight for him yet I do know that his current emaciated weight is horrific.

She is going to be feeding him 8 small meals a day to help get his body used to food and to jump start his gut again.

BHRR specialises in emaciation cases, especially with the giants and we remain forever grateful to Jane Smith & Tamee Osher-Diamonds of Just Paws plus their incredible support system by taking him in last Sunday.

I am also deeply indebted to Lindsay for stepping up….again in our time of need to emerge temp foster for BHRR.

Lindsay has said that no picture shall truly capture how terrible this sweet boy’s body condition is.

With the enormous needs of *Bowen* and now with this sweet boy, BHRR is having to shut our doors to others in need as the bills shall be enormous by the time these two are properly and successfully rehabilitated.

Bane, like Bowen has an account set up at Kanata Animal Hospital 613-836-2848 for any consideration to their bills.

OR donations can be made via email transfer to contactbhrr@gmail.com

OR via PayPal to gwen@birchhaven.org

We shall post more re: dear Bowen tomorrow and to keep you updated on Bane.

Thank you as always to everyone that may consider our efforts to support for BHRR focuses strongly and almost exclusively on the special needs as that is our mandate since our inception in 1996.

Please know how much your kindness means to not just us but to all the animals in desperate need of help.

We have some long roads to help these dear boys travel and cannot do it alone….

*First picture is what he used to look like, second two pictures were taken today by Lindsay*