SUNNY

Description

**MEDICAL FINAL. Sunny Was placed on NR Final on 08/26/2026**Review: 9/16/26Sunny is a presumed young adult female German Shepherd Dog who has been in the shelter's care since March. She has had **persistent hind-limb ataxia/incoordination since intake** and urgently needs rescue placement for advanced neurologic evaluation that the shelter is unable to provide.Sunny's abnormal hind-limb gait has remained **persistent but relatively static for approximately 5 months**.* Spinal and limb radiographs were performed on **4/17 and repeated 5/21**. No overt orthopedic disease, spinal fracture, or obvious evidence of vertebral infection was identified.* CBC/chemistry/SDMA/T4 performed **5/21/26 were largely unremarkable**.* Earlier examinations documented no obvious pain with limb palpation and normal range of motion.* More recently, on **8/3 and 8/20**, Sunny became increasingly reactive when her hind limbs or lumbosacral spine were manipulated. She turned her head quickly, lip curled, snapped, and whined during attempts at neurologic/orthopedic examination at the hind end.* She does **not** display this reactivity when her legs or spine are not being touched, raising concern that the behavior may be associated with **pain or discomfort**.* Her underlying ataxia remains static from March and has an incoordinated gait in her back legsPOSSIBLE CAUSESThe cause for her gait and possible pain has not yet been determined. Differentials include **intervertebral disc disease, previous spinal trauma/injury, degenerative myelopathy, inflammatory/infectious spinal disease, or neoplasia**. Degenerative myelopathy is highly considered, but is not typically/always painful - it will typically progresses/worsens over 6-12 months from 1s onset of signs. Infectious/inflammatory or neoplastic spinal disease are considered less likely given the lack of significant neurologic progression over the past 5 months.An orthopedic condition that is not apparent on routine radiographs is also possible.Sunny needs **advanced imaging (MRI/CT) and consultation with a veterinary neurologist**, with possible orthopedic consultation depending on the findings. She may ultimately require **long-term pain management**.Sunny needs a rescue who can find placement in a home without children under 16.06/22/26 15:17 Sunny is back in shelter and in need of URGENT rescue - if rescue has foster-based placement, recommend home without children 16 or under. History of jumping/mouthiness towards 4 year old child-in-home when feeling playful/stimulated, foster noted Sunny was showing improvements with this behavior - however, Sunny should be placed into home without children. As outlined below, Sunny has a history of intermittent lameness in the hind limbs without abnormalities on x-ray, which could be a congenital issue from birth or early degenerative neurologic disease.06/16/26 12:05NOTES from Sunny's previous foster:Temperament: Bright, curious, engaged, affectionate, and people-oriented. Happy snoozing on the couch for cuddles or springing into action for tug or a training session. She’s expressive, communicating with whines, grumbles, and the occasional little howl.Training & intelligence: Exceptionally quick. Picks up new skills in one or two sessions. She genuinely wants to focus and work – one of the most trainable dogs we've had.What she knows: Sit, down, stay, wait, leave it, drop it, come, come touch (nose to hand), find it, foot (shake), beginning stages of bed (place). Potty trained — no accidents with regular outside breaks.Walks: Loves walks and sniffing! Great on leash, no pulling. She may stop to observe dogs, cars, and interesting things — redirects with yes marker. Interested in squirrels. Sensitive to sudden loud noises but responds well to counter conditioning. Loves the car and car rides.Dogs: Wants to play and is social with dogs. Still learning appropriate greetings and social vocabulary. Respectful of our resident dog's signals. Communicates her own space preferences without escalation. Reacts if directly charged or barked at, but recovers well with space and redirection.Cats: Friendly body language, but with quick movements has some chase instinct. Recommend cat-free home.People: Loves everyone. May jump when excited and can be a little mouthy during play — both improving. Best without young children.Alone time: Comfortable in a room alone, not destructive. Whines initially with some pacing but eventually settles. Enrichment helps her calm down — pupsicle, chews, frozen Kongs.Energy: Medium, easy to satisfy. A sniff walk and chew — then she's happily napping the rest of the day.Treats: Loves cheese, peanut butter, and hot dogs.Physical: Hind legs have strengthened with daily exercise. Will slip occasionally, taking a tumble in the grass during play. Does not affect her happiness. Regular walks and muscle maintenance important.Vet: Has had difficult vet experiences and can be fearful and wiggly. Recommend muzzle training and discussing anti-anxiety medication for visits with her vet.06/02/26 16:07Sunny has a history of hindlimb (PL) ataxia first documented when she was a puppy, she now has intermittent PL ataxia and occasionally slips on slick surfaces. No orthopedic abnormalities have been documented during her exams and radiographs, she may have a congenital issue but cannot rule out early onset degenerative myelopathy which is a progressive, non curable disease. Seeking rescue placement as shelter environment and prolonged LOS not beneficial to her ambulation.About SunnySunny is a sweet, sensitive, intelligent dog who bonds deeply with her people. She's affectionate and seeks physical contact — she'll lean into you for pets, settle beside you on the couch, and melt onto the floor for belly rubs once she feels safe. She's curious about the world but cautious, and she looks to her handler for reassurance in uncertain moments. She learned sit, name recognition, and the beginnings of a reliable recall within her first week with us. She picks up new concepts quickly and is eager to engage in training when she understands what's being asked. With the right person, she has enormous potential. She loves to play tug, gets the zoomies sometimes, and has fun bursts of energy. She also sleeps most of the day and is calm and relaxed in the house once she's settled in. She enjoys watching you cook, hanging out in the evening, and just being near her people.