Saving Neko

On Friday, September 27th, 2019 we had to say goodbye to our beloved Neko. Sylvester’s Haven rescued Neko from the Carson shelter in April 2016. Neko was dumped there by his owners of seven years. Unbelievable. He was sad and confused. Neko could barely move. He was dragging his hind legs and was erroneously diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy (DM) – a death sentence. This happened first at the shelter and subsequently at two regular veterinarians we took him too after we saved his life literally one day before it was too late.

With lots of love, care, special nutrition and supplements and physical therapy Neko got better and better, which was unusual for his condition. We decided to take him to a specialist and the Neuro- and orthopedic surgeons recommended an MRI as they did not believe Neko had DM given his improvements. The MRI showed Neko had intervertebral disc disease type 2; which is basically a degeneration of the discs.

Neko recently underwent surgery for this condition and is presently recovering. We need help covering his ongoing medical care, and upcoming physical therapy. Neko is strong and in good spirits. Please help if you can.

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Mar 18

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Long overdue. Here`s an update on Neko. I haven`t given up on him. His recovery is frustratingly slow but I still see some progress. So we`ll keep going. He`s in good spirits. He`s enjoying life. He loves Jolly balls and we`re churning along. 😊🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:
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http://bit.ly/SavingNeko
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#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Sep 24

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Neko is enjoying a bully stick 😊🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:
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http://bit.ly/SavingNeko
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#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jul 6

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Neko is working hard on his recovery 😊🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jul 1

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Neko LOVES his custom GSD raw food 😊🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jun 2

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A special someone is a little tired after his physical therapy session and acupuncture #NekoGSD ♥🐕😊 🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Feb 14

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Hello from Neko 😊🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jan 26

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See how much Neko enjoys his raw food! 😊🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jan 19

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Neko on his way to hydrotherapy 😊🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

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Dec 26

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See what Neko can do now! I`m so proud of my boy. It`s surely taking a long time but we`re getting there! 😊🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Nov 24

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Nov 24

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Nov 8

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Neko is enjoying his homemade raw food 😊🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Nov 7

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Watch the preparation of Neko`s food. The ingredients are 90% lean ground beef, organic spinach, organic carrots, organic kale, sardines in water, organic broccoli, organic pumpkin, a blend of chia seeds, garlic powder, kelp powder and other nutrients, liquid vitamin E, beef liver, chicken necks, beef heart and at time of serving I add a raw egg. 😊🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Nov 3

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Neko is ready for hydro therapy 😁🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

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Oct 28

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Neko is ready for hydrotherapy 😁🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Oct 27

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This is Neko`s first outing with his new wheels. These help him getting his neurology stimulated by dragging his knuckles over the ground. They are height adjustable. As you can see, Neko is having a good amount of fun running after balls and playing tug. Given all the progress we have seen over the last couple of months I`m estimating it will be another 9 months but then Neko should be back on his feet. 😊🐾🐕 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Oct 26

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Neko has been on a commercial raw diet since we rescued him. Now, I`m switching him to a custom German Shepherd raw diet. It has a better nutritional profile than off-the-shelf products and it`s cheaper. BUT, most importantly ! Neko loves it! 😊🐾🐕 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Oct 24

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Oct 2

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Neko continues to improve slowly but consistently. We`ll get him there. Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Aug 18

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Hydrotherapy day! 🐾🐕🌊 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jul 30

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Neko waiting for acupuncture and hydrotherapy 😊

Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jul 21

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Hydrotherapy day! 🐕🌊😊 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jul 21

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Jul 8

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Ready for hydrotherapy 🌊 and thanks to a generous donation 💱 also acupuncture📍 today. Thank you! 😊🐕🐾 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jun 30

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Hydrotherapy day! 🌊🐕😊 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jun 24

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Neko 🐕 just finished his hydrotherapy and is back in the car ready to go home 😊. Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jun 24

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Jun 24

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Neko 🐕 just finished hydrotherapy and is back in the car making funny faces 😊. Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jun 17

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Neko is waiting for his hydrotherapy session. Here he is in the waiting room hanging out with fellow patients🐕❤ Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jun 17

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Bathday for Neko! 🚿🐕😊 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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Jun 16

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Major health update on Neko! 😁🐕❤. We are now six months past surgery for his intervertebral disc disease. While in the beginning Neko`s recovery has been slower than expected since March it`s really sped up. 🐾

What you see in this video I saw for the first time about a week ago and today I was finally able to capture it. Neko 🐕 is consistently moving both of his hind legs trying to get traction and trying to get himself off the ground. He`s also trying to bend his paws to get the pads on the ground. His body and neurology want to do everything correctly and he simply doesn`t have the strength to do it YET. 🐾

This is huge. This is major progress. His physical rehabilitation will take the rest of the year probably into spring of next year but this video makes it clear we`re going to get him walking again. 😁😁😁👏🤹🎉 Neko 🐕 is having weekly hydrotherapy sessions which I`m covering myself for the rest of the year and monthly acupuncture right now as we have a donor for one session a month. He also has daily cold laser treatments because I have a cold laser in my home.🐾 We would love to give Neko 🐕 weekly acupuncture sessions as it truly helps with nerve stimulation and healing. There is also an additional electro stimulation that would help but more acupuncture is the first priority.🐾 We`re hoping to find three generous donors who can donate $100 a month through the rest of the year specifically for Neko`s 🐕 acupuncture treatments every week to get him back on his feet faster.🐾 Sidenote: I normally don`t let Neko 🐕 drag himself over concrete. But he kind of made a run for it because he wanted to go to hydrotherapy 🌊. And as he is getting stronger he`s getting faster. Inside the house he has comfortable rubber mats to move on :)🐾 The first part of the clip runs at regular speed the second part is a repeat at 1/4 the speed so you can see everything is legs are doing.🐾🐕🐶 Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog ...

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May 31

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Neko 🐕 at hydrotherapy 😁

Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

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May 31

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Neko 🐕 hanging out with fellow patients waiting for his hydrotherapy treatment 😁

Neko needs your support. Please donate and follow his story at:

http://bit.ly/SavingNeko

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko #SylvestersHaven #gsdsofinstagram #gsd #gsdlove #gsdstagram #gsdloverss #gsdsoftheworld #gsdnation #gsdlovers #gsdsofigworld #gsdpage #gsdofig #gsdworld #rescuedog #rescuedogs #rescuepet #rescue #rescues #rescuegsd #rescuegsds #germanshepherd #schäferhund #gsdears #mansbestfriend #instagsd #instadog #ilovemydog #ilovemygsd ...

Updates

Neko's Journey Completed on 09-27-2019

On Friday, September 27th, 2019 we had to say goodbye to our beloved Neko.

We had rescued him through Sylvester's Haven in April 2016. He was in pretty bad shape. He couldn't walk or stand. After we rescued him, he improved significantly over the next nine months. He was diagnosed with invertebrate disc disease type 2, which was the cause of his hindquarter weakness, but in every other aspect he enjoyed life. He was surrounded by love. First with his amazing foster in Las Vegas and for the last three years in my own home. Neko was an amazing dog with an incredible spirit. He enjoyed weekly sessions of hydrotherapy, acupuncture and cold laser treatments. He also enjoyed his raw food. Unless you saw him eat, you can't possibly imagine how much Neko truly loved his food!

While all of this made him better, he needed surgery to repair the damage to his spine. Thanks to the generosity of all of Neko friend, we were able to raise the money and get him the surgery we hoped would make him walk again.

The surgery went very well. However the recovery did not go as expected. Neko did improve very slowly but he continued to approve for about two years after surgery. So I never gave up hope after everybody else already had. We made the best of the situation. He enjoyed living with me and his German Shepherd pack. After about two years his progress plateaued and during the last six months he started to decline.

I was basically his doggy nurse, performing bladder expressions, keeping him clean and caring for him to the best of my abilities. Aside from that he obviously got lots of cuddles and was a happy dog.

Over the last several months we were battling multiple infections, all related to his immobility. Neko was on antibiotics for a long time but it became clear during the last week that this was a losing battle. He also I seemed to have lost his spark. After much contemplation I had to accept the inevitable and made the heartbreaking decisions to put him to sleep.

During this process I did not leave his side for one second. I cuddled him and held him. I talked to him and comforted him until he peacefully drifted away in my arms into his final sleep.

It's been rough and difficult but I know that he knew he was loved every day of his life since we rescued him.

I want to thank everyone who participated in Saving Neko from a horrible shelter death 3 1/2 years ago. You all played a part in giving this amazing animal the best life possible until the end.

Run free my friend, until we meet again.

Major Health Update 01-11-2017

Neko had spinal surgery just before Christmas to repair the degenerated discs in his back. Neko is recovering but presently can't feel his hind legs. This is normal and it will take up to six weeks past surgery to really know if the surgery was a success. Neko is happy to be home and recovering well. Today he got his staples removed and I continue to care for him as he recovers. Our special boy is doing as well as can be expected during this phase of his recovery. Many months of physical rehabilitation are ahead. We'll get him there. Check out all the Live videos we did during the last month. #SavingNeko #NekoGSD

Major Health Update 10-26-2016

We finally got the MRI results on Neko and they look very promising but require surgery.

The diagnosis is, Neko has Type II intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) in the cranial thoracic spine (T2T3, T3T4 and T4T5) with marked cord compression.

Intervertebral discs are cushioning pads of fibrocartilage that sit between most of the vertebra of the spinal column. The discs have an outer layer of tough fibrous tissue and a center that is more of a gel-like substance. They act as shock absorbers for the bones called vertebra in the spinal column. Unfortunately, intervertebral discs are subject to degeneration, bulging outward, and even bursting or rupturing. When something goes wrong with a disc, the material inside escapes into the spinal column, pressing against the spinal cord or nerve roots, which causes pain, nerve damage, and sometimes, paralysis. This is the condition known as intervertebral disc disease or IVDD. This is what happened to our Neko.

There are two forms of IVDD in dogs -- Hansen Type I and Hansen Type II. Hansen Type I is the acute, explosive herniation of a disc. Hansen Type II IVDD involves a gradual progressive protrusion of disc material that affects non-chondrodystrophic breeds who are older, usually between the ages of 8 and 10. This form of IVDD is most commonly seen in German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, and Dobermans. Neko has IVDD Hansen Type II.

The treatment is surgery, followed by physical therapy of acupuncture, cold laser treatments and hydrotherapy. The fact that we have been doing all of these things already is probably a major contributor for Neko's overall good condition given his disease.

We are waiting for the final cost estimate but the expected treatment costs are approximately $10,000, which includes the physical therapy required after surgery.

We are still waiting for the genetic test on degenerative myelopathy (DM) but we know at this point that Neko's present condition is not DM. The test will only show if Neko has the gene that could cause DM at some point. This has no baring on the treatment Neko needs to get him well. #SavingNeko #NekoGSD

Health Update 10-05-2016

Neko is super happy today because I just told him that we finally can get the MRI done to figure out how to help him. Thanks to your generous donations we will finally know what treatment Neko needs. This is of course just for diagnostics at this point and the surgery will have to follow later but we're moving forward. Neko's MRI is scheduled for next week Thursday. Neko will have to be at the vet hospital for that whole day. I will take him there early in the morning and bring him home in the evening to keep his time away from home to a minimum. I'm sure he will need to rest from what will probably be a pretty stressful day for our sweet boy. But it is necessary. We should be able to provide an update by end of next week. #SavingNeko #NekoGSD

Health Update 08-20-2016

Major health update. If you follow Neko's story regularly, I'm sure you have noticed in his videos that Neko's ability to walk has steadily improved since we rescued him. We have attributed his improvements to our care, his food, his nutritional supplements and therapy. And while all these things continue to benefit Neko greatly it is atypical for a dog with generative myelopathy (DM) to actually get better in the way Neko did. Now that Neko is in a new foster home in California we were able to consult with additional specialists to take another look at his diagnosis. As you know Neko had been diagnosed with DM twice by two different veterinarians. However, those veterinarians were not specialists; they were general practitioners. We believe they did the best they could to determine his condition but it looks like they were both wrong.

On Monday, August 22 we took Neko to a neurologist and it would appear that Neko does not have DM afterall, which is great news! There is a DNA marker test that can tell us if Neko has the gene that can cause DM at some point in his life but there is no test that can conclusively determine if a dog has DM at the present time. The test is worth doing but it was developed for breeders to eliminate defective DNA lines and not as a diagnostic tool. The neurologist stated that it is highly unlikely that Neko's condition is caused by DM.

The main thing the neurologist recommended is an MRI to conclusively determine what is actually going on with Neko's spine. He suspects the most likely causes are a disk or a lumbar issue, both of which can be corrected surgically.

According to the neurologist Neko will be able to walk normally after surgery in either case. If it is a disc issue he will benefit greatly from the surgery in his mobility. His life quality will be dramatically improved. If it is a lumbar issue Neko could actually make a full recovery 🙂 So, to be able to finally determine what ails Neko we need to embark on this diagnostic approach and for that we once again need your help. The immediate need for full diagnostics is $3,500. We can't do it without you. Please help us finding out what we need to do to get Neko healthy.

This post is going out to all our social network profiles. The version on Neko's Facebook page contains a copy of the hospital estimate for the diagnostics.

Facebook Page: Facebook.com/SavingNeko

Google+ Page: Neko's Collection

Donations: Neko's Fundraiser

Thank you for your continued support from Neko, Ralf and all of us at Sylvester's Haven!!!

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko

Rescue Update 08-15-2016

Neko went on a road trip! He has moved to a new foster home in California and is now closer to additional services for his needs. He has joint another nice German Shepherd pack that keeps him active. His next therapy session is on Friday. Next week Neko will meet with a neurologist to discuss additional treatment options including stem cell therapy 🙂 We'll keep you posted.

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko

Fundraising Update 08-03-2016

I hope you are enjoying all the pictures and videos of our wonderful boy Neko (here or at Facebook.com/SavingNeko). As you can see he is working hard on staying strong. His therapy sessions, food, supplements and of course the loving care of his wonderful foster mom are making all the difference.

Thank you also for your generous support so far. We are running low on funds for his ongoing expenses and are asking for your support to keep him going strong. It would be so sad to have to stop the therapies for lack of funding. So to all friends of Neko. Please help us keeping his health program going. If you all chip in as little as $20 per person it will be a huge help. Neko will be so grateful to continue his routines.

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko

Health Update 04-25-2016

I spend a good part of the week researching degenerative myelopathy. As you know there is no cure. However from everything I've read targeted nutrition makes a world of difference with this disease. This means giving Neko a quality life for several years is possible. The normal life expectancy for Neko in his current condition without proper nutrition and therapy would probably be around six months. However the program I'm going to outline below can turn these 6 months into 3 to 4 years. So this is what I would like to do for Neko:

Hydro therapy treatments for mobility every two weeks ($200 per month)
Acupuncture for inflammation every two weeks ($200 per month)
Barf diet (raw food) ($200 per month)
Sanus Biotex targeted supplements for degenerative myelopathy ($70 per month)*
Noni fruit leather for immune support and natural parasite protection ($30 per month)
Medicinal mushrooms for support of the immune and nervous system ($70 per month)

That's a total of $770 per month and at this point we received donations to cover two months of this program.

To sustain this we need to raise $9,240 per year or $36,960 for four years, Neko's life expectancy given his condition. We will set up a go fund me campaign for this amount.

I have seen a lot of people on the Facebook page alone. If 400 people contribute $23 a person a year for four years we got it covered. Let's do this together!

* On Sanus Biotex: There are definitely mixed opinions out there regarding this product. Given the nature of the internet I am personally not sure if this supplement will help to do nothing. But the ingredients look interesting enough to give it a shot. We are adding additional supplements I know work well so we are not betting the farm on this one, We will adjust after 45 days based on what we are seeing.

Neko is now in is permanent foster home in Las Vegas and we are getting a second vet opinion as I don't trust the first vet's work.

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko

Rescue Update 04-20-2016

Neko is definitely happy to be in good hands. He is following his temporary foster mom everywhere and he is mobile, which is a good sign. He also got a full bath and grooming session yesterday. But he does have Degenerative Myelopathy which is incurable. From what I've read we can improve his mobility through nutrition. I included some reference links below in case you want to read more. Based on his symptoms he seems to be in the intermediate stage of this disease. Without any treatment life expectancy is only 3 to 6 months. However, with proper nutritional support it seems to be possible to significantly increase life quality, improve mobility and increase life expectancy to several years which is what we're going to try to do. I have already ordered several things for him which will arrive this week. While ultimately we have to try to get custom food cooked for him (I found targeted recipes for his disease). I also found some recommendations for commercial food that seem to be a good start in the meantime. For now he will be eating a breed specific German Shepherd food from Eukanuba, start taking noni fruit leather to combat the inflammation in his joints that DM comes with and start on a targeted nutritional supplement protocol called Santus Biotex. We also have a wheelchair for him which we hope he won't need to use as much but it is important to utilize it when he shows symptoms on his hind legs to not make it worse. He has to be on the new food and supplements for several days before we know if it makes a difference for him so we should have a better idea by middle of next week if we are on the right track with this approach. I will keep everybody posted.

References:

Sanus Biotex:

http://www.degenerative-myelopathy.com

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko

Health Update 04-18-2016

We took Neko to the vet today and it looks like he has Degenerative Myelopathy. This is a degenerative, neurological disease of the spinal cord and generally considered incurable. In my preliminary research I found some promising, newer treatment protocols that are worth exploring and we will do so. In the meantime Neko will need a wheelchair, diapers, and healthy food in addition to pain medication and nutritional support. Neko will stay with his temporary foster for about one week to get some rest and most definitely a bath. He has a hard time getting up and the shelter clearly let him sit in his own filth. Neko is currently resting. He is great with people and great with dogs. Very easy going and fun to have around. We will do what we can to make him as comfortable as possible. Even if we cannot improve his condition (and I have not resigned to that) he will be able to get around with his wheelchair and have as much of a good life as possible.

In about a week we will arrange transport to his permanent foster home in Las Vegas. We got really lucky with this new home. This foster has extensive experience with fostering special needs dogs with immobility.

You can expect the next update in three to four days but we will post more pictures in the meantime.

Thank you to everyone for honoring your pledges! It helps a lot.

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko

Rescue Update 04-17-2016

Today we rescued Neko from the Carson Animal Shelter. He is a about seven year old, unaltered, male German Shepherd. His former owners of five years abandoned this beautiful animal because they were moving. WTF. Absolutely disgusting!

We got him just in time as they would have killed him today. Neko is happy to be out but will need lots of medical help. The poor boy can't even walk. Our awesome foster had to make him a diaper and he is getting lots of love tonight. We will take him to a local vet tomorrow to begin the diagnosis of his leg/hip problems. We will keep you posted!

Thank you for honoring all your pledges at SylvestersHaven.org!!!

#NekoGSD #SavingNeko

Ongoing Expenses

Neko's Nutrition

Raw food from Barf World (4 patties twice a day) at $566 per month.
MUSH Medicinal Mushroom Blend from Fungi Perfecti (1 tsp per day) at $50 per month.
Noni Fruit Leather by Hawaiian Organic Noni (1 2-inch square twice a day) at $60 per month.
Omega-3 Pet by Nordic Naturals (1 tsp twice a day) at $38 per month.
Lion's Mane by Host Defense (2 capsules twice a day) ar $45 per month.
B-Complex "100" by Solgar (1 capsule once a day) at $4 per month.
Organic Curcumin by NatureWise (1 capsule twice a day) at $13 per month.
Selenium 200 mcg by NOW Foods at $8 per month.
Vitamin E 1000 IU by Solgar at $19 per month.
Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar by Bragg (2 tblsp twice a day) at $15 per month.