Doberman Assistance Network's2014 Flower Power Fundraiser

It's that time again! From now until April 25, you can buy a number of things to grow on the Flower Power Fundraising website in order to benefit the Doberman Assistance Network. Why "a number of things", rather than flowers?

(Persian Buttercups, from Flower Power Fundraiser site.)

Well, they have flowers, yes. But they also have strawberries, and herbs, and a vegetable garden package. And a cookbook! So if you're inclined to grow your own veggies and/or have the yard for it, check them out. The prices seem fairly reasonable, and 50% of each purchase goes back to DAN.

I wrote about a number of the Doberman Assistance Network's cases this past year. Sweetheart was one of them, and Nola with her puppies, and Roscoe, a puppy who had Parvo. That's only a few of my posts, and my posts are very few of DAN's cases. They keep going on fundraisers and donations, and it's the only way some of these dogs get any kind of help.

Doberman puppy lost the fight to Parvo at the Florida University Veterinary School

In Florida, a "breeder" had a litter of 8 Doberman puppies under his or her care. More than a week ago, all of the puppies got sick. And then five of them died. That breeder then got tired of it and took the three who were left to the Florida University Veterinary School and instructed for them to be euthanized.

The puppies all had parvo. Of the three, a little fawn girl died yesterday, and one of her red sisters died this afternoon. Only one is left, named Scorcha by those taking care of her. The Doberman Assistance Network has stepped in to help. If you'd like, you can donate to her care on the Doberman Assistance Network sponsorship page.

Sorcha has been sick for long enough that the deck is really stacked against her. She's under constant care in puppy ICU, on IVs for fluids and food. The best I can say about this is that she's under loving care, and if she pulls through, DAN will get her foster care with a rescue, and that rescue will find her a loving home.

I cannot countenance watching puppies grow that sick, for that long, and watching five of them die. I cannot. The details I've related to you are the only ones I know; I don't know the breeder's history of care otherwise, what vaccines the puppies did (or did not) receive, the condition in which they were kept. I can only make assumptions, and none of them are good. At least those poor little ones knew some love before they left us.

Edited to add:  As of 10 p.m., little Sorcha has died as well. I truly hope that the person who produced these puppies will take a hard look at how they do things in the future, or no longer keep dogs altogether. The Florida University Veterinary School tried their hardest, but sometimes it just isn't to be. So rest in peace, little ones. I'm sorry your stay here turned out the way it did.

Roscoe update and DAN fundraisers

You'll be happy to know that Roscoe, the parvo affected Doberman, has been released from hospital care to one of the Doberman Assistance Network's foster mamas! This is great news; let's hope that the poor dude continues to improve, so that he might go on to rescue, and to a great forever home.

Donations for Dobies!

There is a fundraising drive for the Doberman Assistance Network on Razoo.com

Their funding goal is $2500, and it will run for two months.

Current DAN cases include Roscoe, who is being treated for Parvo. 

And here is a current picture of Blaise, who is now out of DAN's hands an in a foster home, waiting for his forever home. He's come such a long way, appearance and health wise, in a little more than a month!

Doberman Assistance Network has a new case: Roscoe, who has Parvo

From the Doberman Assistance Network Facebook page:

D.A.N. has taken in a new boy who is in dire straits. Emaciated and sickly, test results have shown that poor Roscoe is Parvo-stricken. The next few days will be critical to Roscoe's recovery. You can directly help him by becoming a Gold, Silver or Bronze sponsor, helping pay for his veterinary care or food or making a general donation. No amount donated is too small. We also need to spread his story as the more people who know about his plight the bigger his support network will be. We are pulling for you sweet boy, hang in there and keep fighting.

To help Roscoe, and other Dobermans in need, please visit the sponsorship page on the DAN website.

Doberman Health: Parvo

Back in November, the Doberman Assistance Network took in three puppies that they suspected had parvo. This may or may not have been the case (I guess there was some shady vetting going on down there), but it occurred to me that I haven't really talked about the bogeyman Parvo here. It's not a Doberman problem, specifically, so much as a dog problem. A puppy problem. I have heard it said that Dobermans and Rottweilers might be more sensitive to the parvovirus, though, and suffer more severe symptoms.

So, what is Parvo?

(little Bluebell, who pulled through just fine, from the Doberman Assistance Network Facebook page.)

Urgent: Doberman puppies need help! (updated 11-16)

The Doberman Assistance Network rescued four 10 week old puppies from a breeder in South Carolina yesterday. Sadly, they all have parvo. There were in fact five puppies, but one has died.

If you can help them in any way, please visit the sponsorship page on the Doberman Assistance Network website.

Parvo is an infectious disease that is almost always fatal in puppies. They vomit, they get diarrhea, they become lethargic and dehydrated very quickly.

Parvo is something that is vaccinated for by responsible owners, but at 10 weeks, these puppies would not have received adequate immunization against it. 

The puppies are receiving emergency care at non discount prices. No amount that you can give is too small; if you can donate at all, it could mean a big difference for these puppies' lives. 

Please, if you can spare it, donate to the care of these puppies. They didn't ask for this.

Edited to add on November 16: Unfortunately, the little red girl (who the Doberman Assistance Network christened Rose), did not make it. Her sisters, Violet and Bluebell, are scheduled to come off of IV's today. Their brother, Dodger, has remained full of beans. When Violet and Bluebell were moved to a different vet, their Parvo tests actually came back negative, but they were full of parasites (hookworms and whipworms), so it would seem their prognosis is better than anticipated! It's unclear whether the first vet was incorrect, ran an incorrect test, etc. Thank you everybody who has donated, and anybody who will consider donating. It saves lives!

Dodger (don't you love his face? He's trouble, clearly!)