# Abandoned GSD family help please.



## Jelpy (Nov 8, 2009)

Well, yesterday one of my clients mentioned her neighbor had been evicted and left behind a GSD family of Mama, Daddy and two puppies. I drove over last night, and with the help of the lady and her granddaughter I got the Mama dog and the two puppies into my car and home. Don't know if they are purebred but the puppies are gorgeously colored a with reddish brown markings.....I believe I've heard it described as 'liver" colored. They are still babies, maybe two months? and cute as all get out. I'm taking them all in for shots ASAP as anyone who would abandon his dogs to starvation probably didn't do any preventive care. 
Client will call when/if she sees Daddy Dog, as will the current tenant. (We had thought the place was empty and were crawling around his porch when he pulled into the driveway and asked -with remarkable politeness under the circumstances- what we were doing on his property. When he discovered I was there to get the dogs he crawled under the porch to help find the puppies.)
Trying to keep them separate as much as possible from my dogs but there is some through the fence sniffing going on. Offered Mama some raw chicken and she gave me an utterly blank look; the pups on the other hand, promptly started mauling it. Poor guys are skin and bones. Here's hoping I can get the daddy dog....I've heard he's a big luv. 

So, shots, food, keeping apart from my dogs as much as possible. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Jelpy


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I suggest pictures!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I would suggest calling the GSD rescues. There are quite a few in Texas.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

jelpy Thanks for stepping into rescue this family.I hope a rescue can help you find homes and the Daddy dog shows up.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Fecal tests and HW tests should be part of the initial vetting. 

The emaciated ones nearly always have some intestinal worms and come up heartworm positive, in my experience. On the expectation they have worms, I would make sure they poop away from where your own dogs go, and scoop _immediately_ (if they can poop on concrete while you are waiting for fecal results, even better). Some worms (hooks, whips) will live in the soil for up to a year once a dog poops on that soil, and they infect other mammals (dogs, or even people in the case of hooks) walking over that soil by burrowing into the skin of the feet. I take the "poop isolation" very serious because of the zoonotic potential. Worms are easy to treat though -- a 3-day round of Panacur often does these dogs a world of good (your vet can help with that -- it's cheap).

I'd go easy on food (and raw) with dogs who may have some other stuff going on. I don't have any opposition to raw with healthy dogs, but in rescue, if the immune systems are likely to be trashed, I cook the meat because they may have diminished capacity to fight off meat-borne pathogens. Lots of tiny meals are better than big meals when they are coming out of starvation. 

If they are truly emaciated, I also want a vet involved early in guiding and supervising the recovery -- it can be touch-and-go with them sometimes crashing unexpectedly.

If GSRs in Dallas can't help, try Texas Star Rescue in Longview. They are all-breed, but they love GSDs and have GSD-experienced fosters.


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## Jelpy (Nov 8, 2009)

Many Thanks for the advice, Magwart. Wish I hadn't fed the pups raw chicken. Oh Well, done is done. Hopefully We can get it covered with vacinnations and worms. My big worry right now is that they'll catch parvo/distemper from a sick dog when we go to the vet for shots. Maybe they'll let us wait in the car. Will post pictures soonest. 

Jelpy


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