Dog rescue question--does this seem suspicious to you?

[Celista]

I (was) active in a local Golden Retriever rescue group. Recently there was an older female dog named Edna who was adopted out, that was euthanized less than 24 hours after her adoption. This is a quote from her foster mom: "Today I got an Edna update. The day Edna was adopted, she broke her leg getting out of the car. The vet discovered that along with the broken leg, Edna had a spinal break and bone cancer. With tears running down my face, I wanted you to know that Edna was euthanized to end her suffering."

How does this happen??? I understand that certain cancers are hard to diagnose, but the dog had obvious lumps on her that were being treated and was supposedly under veterinary care. How did this rescue group not know about her cancer before adopting her out?

In their closed Facebook group, I expressed my sympathies, and asked how a spinal break and bone cancer could have been overlooked by a veterinarian before the dog was adopted out. I asked this in the kindest and most polite way possible. I was told in a private message by an admin that I was being insensitive and that I should "let it go" (my *one* Facebook comment on this matter was, and I quote, "I'm so sorry that this happened. How was this not diagnosed by a veterinarian beforehand?"). I suppose it *could* have come across as insensitive, but honestly I was quite angry at hearing this story, and from the sounds of things the family who adopted her is quite upset. I apologized to the admin and told her that I hoped the rescue was looking into what had happened, because I was confused about how a dog under veterinary care was not diagnosed before being adopted out. She said, and I quote, "well, you're entitled to your opinion", and I was blocked from the group.

Does this seem suspicious to you? I am not sad about the Facebook group, but I am concerned about the welfare of their dogs, as well as the impact on potential adopters. I know there are many people who would still adopt dogs even with a cancer diagnosis, but I do think that adoptive families should be aware of whether a not a dog has a serious medical condition (like cancer) before being adopted out.

I'm not convinced anymore that this rescue organization is doing things by the book. But maybe I'm jumping to conclusions...

[Super Friendly Kitty Cat]

I'm not convinced anymore that this rescue organization is doing things by the book. But maybe I'm jumping to conclusions...

I don't know, are you a woman?

Infracted

[Celista]

I don't know, are you a woman?

what do you want me to say to this?

[apples]

considering that human bone cancer often goes undiagnosed until the autopsy, it really should come as no surprise that a dog, who's only symptom is lumps, has undiagnosed bone cancer.

so no, this isnt... big dog coffin? or whatever shadow organization you think is running this conspiracy, trying to get the proverbial you (since youre not actually involved here). this is just another case of massively overworked and underpaid vet (since i presume this is a random kennel and so is hiring moonlighting vets/doctors) missing a very easy to miss disease and then the owners not wanting to do a bone marrow transplant, which would cost $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, and so instead choosing to euthanize.

[Celista]

considering that human bone cancer often goes undiagnosed until the autopsy, it really should come as no surprise that a dog, who's only symptom is lumps, has undiagnosed bone cancer.

so no, this isnt... big dog coffin? or whatever shadow organization you think is running this conspiracy, trying to get the proverbial you (since youre not actually involved here). this is just another case of massively overworked and underpaid vet (since i presume this is a random kennel and so is hiring moonlighting vets/doctors) missing a very easy to miss disease and then the owners not wanting to do a bone marrow transplant, which would cost $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, and so instead choosing to euthanize.

I don't think it's a conspiracy per se, I am just confused about how a dog is put down less than 24 hours after adoption and, at the very least, how a spinal break was not diagnosed. I know some cancers are hard to diagnose.

[Kanadei]

The dog not being diagnosed isn't unduly surprising. People are idiots afterall. Although a spinal break should have been obvious.

You being banned from the group, if things transpired as you have described (two sides to every story and all that) sounds suss as fuck.

[apples]

bone cancer can cause brittle bones. jumping out of a car can very easily break bones as a result. so its safe to assume that when he was adopted he had nothing wrong with him besides bone cancer. so when he jumped out of the car and broke his legs and spine, rather than having a surgery that would cost tens of thousands of dollars and most likely not save the dog, the family chose to euthanize.

[Celista]

You being banned from the group, if things transpired as you have described (two sides to every story and all that) sounds suss as fuck.

Yeah. I swear I've always been polite in that group! And I agree...maybe it was a "wrong time, wrong place" thing for my question, but the reaction was very unexpectedly hostile.

I'm trying not to jump to conclusions, hence my post.

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bone cancer can cause brittle bones. jumping out of a car can very easily break bones as a result. so its safe to assume that when he was adopted he had nothing wrong with him besides bone cancer. so when he jumped out of the car and broke his legs and spine, rather than having a surgery that would cost tens of thousands of dollars and most likely not save the dog, the family chose to euthanize.

Yeah, the decision to euthanize makes sense to me given the situation. The spinal break was described to the group as something that might have existed before the leg break, but perhaps that might be inaccurate, because I thought a spinal break would render an animal unable to walk.

[Ayla]

Yeah. I swear I've always been polite in that group! And I agree...maybe it was a "wrong time, wrong place" thing for my question, but the reaction was very unexpectedly hostile.

I'm trying not to jump to conclusions, hence my post.

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Yeah, the decision to euthanize makes sense to me given the situation. The spinal break was described to the group as something that might have existed before the leg break, but perhaps that might be inaccurate, because I thought a spinal break would render an animal unable to walk.

Spines protect the spinal chord. If the cord gets severed then you wouldnt be able to walk.

[Venant]

It is pretty odd that they were so hostile when you asked some basic questions. Lots of people have taken up defrauding people through running not-for-profits nowadays, maybe you should investigate who is running the operation.

[Kanadei]

Yeah. I swear I've always been polite in that group! And I agree...maybe it was a "wrong time, wrong place" thing for my question, but the reaction was very unexpectedly hostile.

I'm trying not to jump to conclusions, hence my post.

"Omg how did that happen?" is not a strange response to an unexpected death. It definitely wasn't the wrong place or the wrong time.

Could just be some facebook admin with a superiority complex though, I often find that more likely than anything nefarious.

I was banned from a religious groups facebook page (which was VERY vocal in the anti-gaming movement) because they ended up changing their policy on polite debate. I specifically made sure I was never offensive, just presented the opposite side to their argument, for about 2 months then was banned.

Spoke to the admin and she said they had decided that the facebook page was solely for people who "agreed with our views" and while I had never been offensive or breached any of their conduct rules, because I wasn't a supporter "it was no longer the right place" for me.

TL;DR people in closed groups usually have closed minds.

[crazymack]

A dog that breaks it one of its legs getting out of a car, I would expect to see signs of the issue. My family has had a lot of dogs while I was growing up and 3 of them got really sick towards the end. This is just my opinion though.

Bad public relationship and mismanagement seem to be likely situation but it is quite a long step to go from that to criminal activity. Does the rescue shelter charge for adoptions? If not how do they get their funding? Charging money doesn't necessary mean there is a scandal here, it could just mean the recuse get properly funded. No adoption charge can also mean the dogs are not getting the care they need or other money sources (grants, donations, etc) is enough for operation. My point is that even though you know a point or two, you won't know for sure what the actual situation is unless you really dig.

[breadisfunny]

I (was) active in a local Golden Retriever rescue group. Recently there was an older female dog named Edna who was adopted out, that was euthanized less than 24 hours after her adoption. This is a quote from her foster mom: "Today I got an Edna update. The day Edna was adopted, she broke her leg getting out of the car. The vet discovered that along with the broken leg, Edna had a spinal break and bone cancer. With tears running down my face, I wanted you to know that Edna was euthanized to end her suffering."

How does this happen??? I understand that certain cancers are hard to diagnose, but the dog had obvious lumps on her that were being treated and was supposedly under veterinary care. How did this rescue group not know about her cancer before adopting her out?

In their closed Facebook group, I expressed my sympathies, and asked how a spinal break and bone cancer could have been overlooked by a veterinarian before the dog was adopted out. I asked this in the kindest and most polite way possible. I was told in a private message by an admin that I was being insensitive and that I should "let it go" (my *one* Facebook comment on this matter was, and I quote, "I'm so sorry that this happened. How was this not diagnosed by a veterinarian beforehand?"). I suppose it *could* have come across as insensitive, but honestly I was quite angry at hearing this story, and from the sounds of things the family who adopted her is quite upset. I apologized to the admin and told her that I hoped the rescue was looking into what had happened, because I was confused about how a dog under veterinary care was not diagnosed before being adopted out. She said, and I quote, "well, you're entitled to your opinion", and I was blocked from the group.

Does this seem suspicious to you? I am not sad about the Facebook group, but I am concerned about the welfare of their dogs, as well as the impact on potential adopters. I know there are many people who would still adopt dogs even with a cancer diagnosis, but I do think that adoptive families should be aware of whether a not a dog has a serious medical condition (like cancer) before being adopted out.

I'm not convinced anymore that this rescue organization is doing things by the book. But maybe I'm jumping to conclusions...

sounds like the administrators are trying to silence people who ask too many questions. is there anyone to file a report about this or have them investigated cause it seems like they are being given very substandard care.

[Celista]

Thanks guys for your feedback.

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Does the rescue shelter charge for adoptions? If not how do they get their funding? Charging money doesn't necessary mean there is a scandal here, it could just mean the recuse get properly funded.

The rescue charges $250-400 for rescues and has annual fundraisers. Almost all of their rescues are purebred Goldens, they have some mixes but not very often.

[Kanadei]

Thanks guys for your feedback.

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The rescue charges $250-400 for rescues and has annual fundraisers. Almost all of their rescues are purebred Goldens, they have some mixes but not very often.

Sounds pretty suspicious right there, only purebreeds?

If you want to discuss further with someone who knows her shit (unlike me), my girlfriend is a pretty active animal activist/vet in training and would be able to spot if something was odd here in a heartbeat.

PM if that would help.

[Lysah]

The failure to diagnose isn't that suspicious. The banning you from the group for mentioning it is pretty damn suspicious.

Let's not forget that testing for any and every sickness costs money, and a pretty decent amount (I just spent over $500 getting my Papillon checked this past month for a breathing issue, and they still have no idea what's wrong with him). It's not surprising that shelters might cut corners to keep costs down, most of them struggle to stay afloat as is. If she wasn't obviously ill I could believe that they might have skipped a thorough examination in the interest of getting her adopted out as soon as possible.

But, if you really phrased your question the way you did, it seemed pretty innocent enough. They could have just said "mistakes happen" and that would have been the end of it, but they got reactionary instead.

[Graeham]

The failure to diagnose isn't that suspicious. The banning you from the group for mentioning it is pretty damn suspicious.

This.

In my experience, though, a lot of 'for the greater good' groups on Facebook are pretty questionable when you begin digging beneath the surface. I've seen people driven away from support and mental health groups due to bullying in what is meant to be a safe place for vulnerable individuals. It's a shame that critical questions - which are a necessity in life - end up being countered with a ban.

[Deleted]

Don't know how this might go in dogs (i.e. how fast things might typically progress compared to a human on average or in extreme cases). But it is possible the lumps you mentioned were a bunch of infections occurring because the dog already had cancer in its bone marrow. Metastasis throughout bone would also account for breaks happening easily. Maybe it isn't typical a vet would start thinking the infections were due to this as there are maybe other numerous and frequent causes that are treatable whereas this pathology is a rare one that little can be done about.

[Wildtree]

I would have asked that question too...
This is just mind boggling.

Don't know how this might go in dogs (i.e. how fast things might typically progress compared to a human on average or in extreme cases). But it is possible the lumps you mentioned were a bunch of infections occurring because the dog already had cancer in its bone marrow. Metastasis throughout bone would also account for breaks happening easily. Maybe it isn't typical a vet would start thinking the infections were due to this as there are maybe other numerous and frequent causes that are treatable whereas this pathology is a rare one that little can be done about.

Dogs, as they get older 10yrs age range getting lumps under the skin, and often plenty of them. Some can be very big. Yet they're considered harmless.
Now for further investigations, contrary to humans where it's pretty cheap, x-ray on dogs is rather expensive. It's possible that the rescue group simply lacks the funds and/or voluntary assistance from vets to make it possible to properly examine every dog. No idea without knowing the group.

[Deleted]

Now for further investigations, contrary to humans where it's pretty cheap, x-ray on dogs is rather expensive. It's possible that the rescue group simply lacks the funds and/or voluntary assistance from vets to make it possible to properly examine every dog. No idea without knowing the group.

I can imagine animal xrays might be expensive as to get a good image of the area and type of tissue you wanted you would either need to expose a few films and get lucky and/or keep going 'til you got a good one or anaesthetise the dog.