Hello, thank you for your interest in donating to help our Golden Retriever, Dexter. Dexter needs some expensive surgeries on his shoulder and hip.

Having these surgeries will give Dexter the chance to live a long, healthy, active life. Without the surgeries, likely, he will live to be between 3-4 years old, having to take pain medication for the rest of his life, and not be able to be active. Have you ever known a Golden to not be active?

Let me tell you a little about this sweet boy. Dexter is an AKC registered Golden Retriever. He was the fifth puppy born in a litter of 9 Golden Retrievers. He celebrated his first birthday on 7/6/2025. Dexter's mama is our dog Gypsy, and she is my husband's mobility Service Dog.

Dexter went to a very wonderful family who noticed something in his stride was off and had him x-rayed. The x-rays showed his shoulder to have Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD). This is a developmental orthopedic condition in dogs where cartilage in the shoulder joint doesn't develop properly, leading to pain, lameness, and potential osteoarthritis. Further, the x-ray showed that his back hip was subluxed. He will need what is called a Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO) surgery. He will have to have shoulder surgery before fixing the hip. The doctors agree this is congenital, not inherited.

There is more about the surgeries towards the end under “About The Surgeries” with explanations and the potential outcome.

The family did not have pet insurance, nor could they afford the surgeries, after-surgery therapy, or medications needed to move forward. They made the very difficult decision to return him to me. Even with surgery, have decided moving forward it would be better for him to stay with me. The decision was not made lightly, and this woman’s heart as well as her family are grieving the loss of this pup.

I am the breeder and never want one of my puppies to go to a shelter. I will take them back, no matter what the cause, situation, or age. It is a responsibility I believe to be the right thing to do. I never want one of our puppies to end up in a shelter or passed from one home to another.

They were refunded for his purchase and medical bills they incurred, and now he is in a foster home while waiting for his surgery. We live on the second story of our home, and he cannot go up and down the stairs several times a day.

His foster family has small children, other dogs, cats, chickens, and goats. He is a happy boy, always ready to go for a (limited) walk or a ride in the car. He lives for belly rubs, destroying a stuffy where his prize is the squeaker, and will hurry to the kitchen when he hears you getting ice. He’s very intelligent and learns quickly as long as his stubbornness doesn’t get him in trouble. He loves meeting new people, which tells me he will make an excellent Therapy Dog, bringing joy to many others, not just his family. His obedience has improved dramatically from when he first came to us, and he has even learned several “tricks” that make people laugh and children want him to do over and over. He is a snuggle bug, and if he is not lying next to you, he is sleeping at your feet, whether it be with adults or “littles.” He is a very faithful companion.

I have thought long and hard and spoken to many veterinarians and dog sports people about the surgeries and outcomes. My choices are these: Have him euthanized because he will not live a healthy, whole life if nothing is done. Let him live in pain, on medication, with very little movement. He may last up to 4 years before having to euthanize him. Ask for help with funding his surgeries, so he has the chance of living a full and active life and not being on medication. I have chosen to ask for help.

Your donation (I like to call it a gift, for you will be giving this sweet boy the gift of a good life) will pay for the surgery on his shoulder, and when he is healed from that, for the surgery for his hip as well as physical therapy and medications throughout the process. It is never easy to ask for money, but this is the only way Dexter can have his surgery. I need to raise the money before the appointment for the surgeries can be made.

Thank you in advance for your kindness and help. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions. I want you to know that all help, whether it be with a gift or a share, is much appreciated. I appreciate YOU.

THANK YOU!

ABOUT THE SURGERIES:

The doctors are confident that Dexter will have a long, full, quality-filled life if he has these surgeries. If not, he may live up to 4 years before he would have to be put down. All of those years on drugs and not much activity.

The shoulder surgery needs to be done first. He has been seen by an Orthopedic Specialist who confirmed his diagnosis.

His condition is called Osteochondrosis Dissecans, and he also has Coxofemoral (hip joint) Subluxation all on his right side. Osteochondrosis Dissecans (OCD) is a joint disorder that affects young, growing dogs, typically large and giant breeds. It occurs when a piece of cartilage separates from the underlying bone, creating a loose flap that can damage the joint. It is in his right shoulder and will require surgery that an Orthopedic surgeon will have to perform. Osteochondrosis is most commonly seen in large and giant breeds of dogs. The condition affects bone formation in early stages of life (4-8 months of age), when a dog is growing at its fastest and the stress to the immature skeleton is greatest. In Osteochondrosis, the immature joint cartilage may separate from the bone. This detached cartilage is left to float loosely in the joint cavity, where it can cause inflammation, cartilage debris, and further interference with proper bone formation. It most often affects the shoulder, elbow, knee, and tarsal (ankle) joints, in decreasing order of frequency.

In addition, he has Coxofemoral (hip joint) Subluxation. His right hip doesn’t just have poor confirmation, it is partially formed out of the socket. It can be managed for a while with Rimadyl (an NSAID) however, he will eventually need surgery. A total hip replacement is best, but a more economical surgery would be to have a Femoral Head Osteotomy (FHO). Femoral head osteotomy is a surgical procedure that involves removing the head and neck of the femur (thigh bone). The surgeon makes an incision in the hip area and removes the head and neck of the femur. The remaining bone is then smoothed and closed.

Having these surgeries will enable him to have a full, healthy, active life for many years.