For the love of Jordan 
A few months ago, I was given Jordan’s Prize Panda to foster.
Here’s his short story:
He was a very sick dog who was starved, almost to death.
Jordan is a 5 year old Australian Shepherd. They are supposed to be between 35 and 40 pounds. Jordan was 17 pounds when I picked him up. He came with 2 very large pill bottles, a large container of de-worming medicine, lots of instructions and a leash.
At first glance, he looked like a skeleton with some hair. Most of his coat had fallen out. What remained was matted and dead and this dog smelled like death. Literally. He would not look me in the eye but when I moved his head to look at his, they were cloudy and the whites were yellow.
I brought him to my house, fixed up his crate with some soft bedding, a big beefy bone and a toy and took him outside to try to get him to relax. The first thing I noticed was that Spike (my dog) would not play with him. To this day, Spike has never met a dog he didn’t play with, except Jordan. The next thing I noticed was VERY lose stool…. every hour or so.
I followed all of the instructions with the medication and I tried to feed him….. first a bowl of kibble. It didn’t matter where I tried to feed him or what was going on or not going on around him…. he wouldn’t touch it. The medication said “Take with a bowl of food.” So, fasting was not an option. I added 1/2 can of pedigree moist. He ate some. He vomited. This went on for 2 days. Medicines, food, vomit, repeat. I called Gisele, The Dog Liberator….. Crying. After an hour long talk, we decide that 1. I am Italian and trying to feed him too hard….lol. To love them is to feed them….. What can I say? 2. If you didn’t eat for 4 + weeks and was starving, then given a Big Mac what do you supposed would happen? 3. Let’s add a little pumpkin to his food to settle his stomach.
Medicines, food, vomit, repeat.
The dog is now 16 pounds. I start giving him pedialite instead of water.
The next day, I get an email…. one that literally changed my life. Kip had been surfing the Dog Liberator website, interested in adopting a dog (not Jordan) and came across Jordan’s story. He emailed Holly, who then forwarded it to me. He explained that his mother had a dog that was the same breed, with the same symptoms, which turned out to be a gluten allergy and that it was fairly common. Easy fix = Organic food.
I stopped at the pet store on my way home from work to look for organic food and had a heart attack. That stuff is expensive!!! I picked up a small bag, went home and fed Jordan. He ate it (with reluctance, as always); he gagged a bit but no vomit. Interesting……
The next day was a Friday. I fed the organic food in the morning…… He did not eat. AT ALL. Scared me to death. That night, I saw Spike lying against Jordan’s crate, trying to groom him through the door. The door was always open but Jordan never came out.
Since it was a weekend, I had time to Google and Google and Google some more. I had quite a few “ah ha” moments and on Saturday, I started both Spike and Jordan on a raw food diet. After what I learned over that weekend, my dog will NEVER eat commercial dog food again.
I started slow…. raw chicken. I only had boneless breasts in the house. Chicken cutlet night for us 🙂 I trimmed all the cutlets for the human dinner and then took 1 breast, diced it and added it to the trimmings. I then divided it into 2 dog bowls and gave it a try. Spike’s an easy dog for the most part – I had never seen him so happy 🙂 I played outside with him for a while and when I came back in, found an empty dish in Jordan’s crate. That was a first… he looked happy as well – also a first! I got him out of the crate and took him outside. If you hit the link above and watched the video, it’s the first time you see him without the leash on…. He had more energy. Spike started playing with him. I guess that meant he was feeling better.
Sunday, I found the recipe for satin balls. It was a good day at my house. I only allowed Spike to have them as treats, since they put weight on fast… I was already considering getting him a tee shirt that said “Butter Ball”. Satin Balls did not “cure” my problems with Jordan but I was quickly on the right path. What I found was that Satin Balls is too rich for a malnourished dog. So, He would get 1 serving of satin balls, divided into 2 small meals. I added a third and fourth meal (all small) which would consist of either chicken or tuna with brown rice. The rice worked out wonderfully for Jordan, but not for Spike…. it gave him “the runs”. More research…. healthy dogs just don’t need that much fiber. The answer – I made white rice instead of brown and then added chicken broth until it looked like soup. I stored it in a Tupperware container and Jordan would get a spoon of this with his meat (to help gain weight and bind him) and Spike just got double meat and sometimes veggies.
By Monday, Jordan’s eyes were crystal clear and sparkling. My God, they were beautiful….I could see forever in his eyes……… I think that was when I fell in love . I could already see new hair growth in his bald spots and he was learning how to play with Spike. In just 3 days, Jordan made a complete turnaround. When I got to work, I emailed Kip to thank him and to let him know he was right. We chatted back and forth for a few weeks about it and a month later, Kip adopted Jordan 🙂 How lucky is he…?
The day Jordan was adopted, he was 22 pounds. He had a full coat and he was smiling.
Every day was a new challenge for Jordan and every day was an achievement. He was by far the hardest case I have had but he was also my favorite. Jordan was a very picky eater which feeds right into my Italian side, so I got to learn lots of dog food recipes….I am obsessive, so I didn’t stop until I found a recipe that Jordan could not possibly say no too. It was also a mistake because once I started cooking for them, Jordan didn’t turn back. He refused all food, unless it was cooked ….
Here’s one of his favorites:
Tuna Roll
1 can of Tuna in water (or prefererably fresh Tuna – 5 oz.)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 celery stick
1 large carrot
1 tsp. lemon juice
4 tbsp. cottage cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 celery stick
1 large carrot
1 tsp. lemon juice
4 tbsp. cottage cheese
Blend all ingredients together in a food processor – add the lemon juice last. Mold and shape into a roll and cut into portions when chilled.
Kip sends me regular updates on Jordan and he is still thriving on organic based foods. I cannot wait to see him at the reunion or for a play date…. that little Aussie Boy has a piece of my heart! His is still the only adoption that has made me cry and I think about him all the time. “What I can give you; no one can ever take away.”
For all those who ask me how I do it….. Fostering dogs and then letting them go. I ask you, how do you read this story and NOT?
http://thedogliberator.com/jordans-prize-panda/
http://thedogliberator.com/jordans-prize-panda/
3 Responses
Maria, You’re an angel. It’s such a beautiful story and Jordan was so lucky to have found someone who understands that REAL, wholesome, healthy food is the foundation of life for everyone. Your triumphant story only proves that we can change the diet of even the most ailing pet and help to make them well. I just love what you do at The Dog Liberator! xox Andi
Jordan was put on this earth for a reason. He inspired me to write his story, which in turn inspired other to foster and also to try real food for their pets.
He inspired me to start the recipe exchange, which provided a vehicle for Andi and I, together, to help hundreds of people.
R.I.P. my friend; you will live on through the recipe exchange, through the dogs you have helped and continue to help. Your life will never have been in vain. Your portrait will hang on my wall for the rest of my life to remind me how much power an animal can hold. I am forever greatful to have known you <3
And Maria DeRosa… I am so grateful to know you.. Your helpful thoughts, suggestions and wisdom have helped enlighten many, many pet lovers.. Thank you for all you do! I wish that I could have known beautiful Jordan! xoxoxo