I put a fanconis boy into a home

[sharronhurlbut]

Well, I just had my heart broken this evening. I placed a puppy 4 yrs ago and
now at 5 he is showing signs of fanconi. Course, this is a rescue dog.
Sigh.
This is a woman also adopted a rescue girl, and these 2 dogs are her "kids".
Darn it…she wrote to me and said her beloved dog was sick.
Now I am crying.
He was a rescue. No idea who he came from...was and is loved..and hopefully he will live a long life on the protocal.
Crap..when will this awful illness end!
It effects those who love these dog and those who thought they were
giving a dog to give joy to a family...just to find out they put a sick dog into their care.
Sorry, I am feeling so darn guilty.

[tanza]

You should not feel quilty… obviously before the Fanconi DNA test...and all you did was find this boy a great home.... but as you know Sharron.. that is why I am so vocal that BRAT should be DNA testing these dogs before placement now that we have a test...

[sharronhurlbut]

Yes, testing does tell you want to expect..but what happens to the pup's who show affected…who will adopt them then??
Its just such an awful illness and I pray we will be able to end it it our life time.
Pat, you know my feelings on this.

[irena]

@tanza:

You should not feel quilty… obviously before the Fanconi DNA test...

I agree with Tanza.
Just people, who don't care about healt testing and they produce affected dogs thus, should feel guilty.

[Basenjimamma]

Sharron, you should absolutely not feel guilty..

[Andrew]

Sharron, this is, of course, not your fault. You do a wonderful thing with rescue, such a heartbreaking and thankless job. You should be proud that you connected him to such a great home that is willing to care for him, rather than ignorantly keep him in a small cage and keep breeding him until he dies from it.

[khanis]

There shouldn't be guilt involved.
You didn't breed this dog nor knowingly place him as an affected without the adopters knowing his status.

Unfortunately,, it will not matter that there is a linkage test, or even a direct test when it arrives. PM and BYB are not going to spend their $$$ to test.. as it will cut into their profits. As long as basenjis are around, there will be fanconi. Just a fact we will all have to live with.. regardless of whether we test or not. SUcks, but it is a fact of life.

[thunderbird8588]

Sharron, please don't feel guilty, how could you have known. You didn't put a sick Dog in a home, he wasn't sick then. It is upsetting but he has a good loving home where he will recieve care.

[MarleyJo]

Sharron, please dont feel bad. Those of us who have gotten our rescues understand that we can never fully know what we are getting. Usually the full history is not available and there is a risk involved. And those of us who have gotten our dogs from you are just thrilled to be getting a dog from someone who is totally committed to doing the best that you can for these special little creatures. I for one just pray you are still involved when it comes time for our next rescue.
PS Sheba says Hi and thanks for helping her find us.

[Rivermoon]

Sharon…don't feel guilty, there was no way you could have known..you have no idea where the dog came from and the test wasn't available for anyone to do at that point.
Sitting here with a probably affected dog, I can say that as much heartache as I know this awful disease is going to cause me and the fear I already have of not knowing if Apache will or won't do well on the protocol..there is not one day I regret having him.
Along with the heartache comes all the years of joy the dogs have brought into ones life. As awful as the disease is and as terrible as the family..and you... are feeling right now, you placed a dog with a loving family that is going to stand by him and give him the care he needs.

[Patty]

Please don't feel guilty at least he is now in a loving home. Just remember all the healthy dogs you have helped who would probably otherwise be dead.

[nobarkus]

@tanza:

You should not feel quilty… obviously before the Fanconi DNA test...and all you did was find this boy a great home.... but as you know Sharron.. that is why I am so vocal that BRAT should be DNA testing these dogs before placement now that we have a test...

I see what you're saying Pat, but what happens if they do test, the dog is affected and then nobody wants it? Maybe BRAT does not want to find that out.

[lvoss]

So which is worse, testing when the dogs come into rescue and knowing their status and being honest with adopters or is it better for the adopters to go what this poor woman is going through now?

How many adopters stip test regularly so that they disease is caught early? Wouldn't it be better for them to know in advance so if they choose to take a dog that tests Probably Affected they are more likely to keep up their strip testing so they can catch the disease early?

[sharronhurlbut]

We do try remind owners to strip test, but I also tell them they need to get these dogs tested.
So they will know what is in the future for them.
Most have had good news on that front, finding the worst that the dogs are is a carrier.
Thanks everyone for these kind words. Life sure can be tough sometimes.

[tanza]

@nobarkus:

I see what you're saying Pat, but what happens if they do test, the dog is affected and then nobody wants it? Maybe BRAT does not want to find that out.

I think it is just wrong to not present the dog with all the information that is available. And yes, there will be ones, maybe many that would not be adopted because they test Affected… but IMO, what a way to ruin the public's opinion of a rescue group... and how would you feel if you got a rescue, found out that there was a test for Fanconi, but it was not done and then your beloved pet started spilling sugar?... Pretty much would make a dent in my faith....

[tanza]

@sharronhurlbut:

We do try remind owners to strip test, but I also tell them they need to get these dogs tested.
So they will know what is in the future for them.
Most have had good news on that front, finding the worst that the dogs are is a carrier.
Thanks everyone for these kind words. Life sure can be tough sometimes.

And worst is not finding a carrier… finding an affected is the worst...

But that said, Sharron, I know that you present people with all the options... without sugar coating them...

[sharronhurlbut]

Brat has last year rehomed over 300 b's. With the vet fees we spend and the other expenses they have, the extra expense of the fanconi test will not be doable.
Last year, even without the Fl dogs we are taking in this year, we ran into the red.
Calendars and donations for special needs dogs did help.
BUT we need to help all dogs, and we can't do that without $$.
*again, this is above my BRAT non paid paygrade, and that is my understanding
of this issue.
We do have a test, its not perfect, but I tell every adopter to spend the fund to find out
what they can for the health of the b's…

[sharronhurlbut]

I want you to know this is my take on this and I am working every hard not present BRAT in anything but a positive light.
I love this group. BRAT has saved so many more b's than I ever expected and next year it will be more…so if I am mistaken, then its on me.
Honestly, I don't think a non profit rescue group can to it all...
We do try very, very hard. But then we have to trust to God.

[nobarkus]

@tanza:

I think it is just wrong to not present the dog with all the information that is available. And yes, there will be ones, maybe many that would not be adopted because they test Affected… but IMO, what a way to ruin the public's opinion of a rescue group... and how would you feel if you got a rescue, found out that there was a test for Fanconi, but it was not done and then your beloved pet started spilling sugar?... Pretty much would make a dent in my faith....

I'm not in disagreement with you at all. When I got Buddy I asked several times by email if he was tested and she finally answered when I pressed it in person "we can't afford to do that, it's up to you". So I took my chances and luckily he was clear. I knew about Fanconi and even then had to push to get that answer. Now I don't know what they do if someone gives up a B and they tell the rescue that the dog is a affected. Have you seen a posting on BRAT that says "this dog is known Fanconi affected"?

[AJs Human]

You did the best you could for this boy with the information available at the time. He is in a loving home where he will be cared for and looked after. Fortunately, there is a test now that can give an indicator how likely a dog is to develop this horrid disease…now if we can convince everyone of its importance...