Eight-month-old, Dogue de Bordeaux, Noah is thriving thanks to dedicated individuals, complex surgery and a nutritious diet, after coming into a breed-specific rescue centre at just eight hours old with a cleft palate.
Noah was brought into Bronson’s Angels Rescue, a non-profit organisation specifically helping Dogues de Bordeaux and Mastiffs in times of trouble, to ensure Noah had the best opportunity to survive after being born with a cleft palate.
In many cases, cleft palate puppies are euthanised at birth as the surgery to correct this issue can be costly, coupled with the anaesthetic risk being incredibly high. Not only that, but due to the nature of the abnormality, puppies with this issue often struggle to suckle correctly – with any milk ingested coming back out of their nose and so can require around-the-clock care. As a result of not being able to feed properly, cleft palate puppies that are left untreated, sadly, often die of malnourishment.
Noah’s cleft palate caused the same issues; feeding was a significant problem as the dedicated volunteers at the rescue centre hand reared him, feeding Noah through a syringe, day and night.
At 10 weeks old, Bronson’s Angels Rescue introduced Noah to one of their close friends, Kerri, where an instant connection was formed. Noah had found his forever home. Bronsons Angels funded the surgery for Noah where the veterinary surgeons, Kerri and her rescue work were confident they could undertake the surgery. Noah had a chance at life despite the unknowns of surgery.
Kerri worked closely with the skilled vets at the rescue centre to make sure she knew everything she needed to about Noah’s condition. Committed to turning Noah’s life around, Kerri patiently supported Noah as he underwent two successful, complex operations to repair both his hard and soft palate.
Choosing the right food for Noah was a vital part of his journey, so he could be as strong as possible and prepared for surgery and his recovery. To support her with this, Kerri called on the expert knowledge of Veterinary Nurse Melanie Sainsbury from Natures Menu for guidance on the correct nutrition and consistency of food that would work in tandem with his treatment.
Melanie said, “I worked closely with Kerri to ensure we supported Noah throughout his treatment and recovery, sharing over 40 years of dietary knowledge to help make the process as smooth as possible for everyone.
“After careful consideration about exactly what to feed Noah, we chose a nutritious, natural diet of Natures Menu Complete & Balanced 80/20 Frozen Raw Puppy Food until he was old enough, and strong enough, for his repair at 16 weeks, followed by Natures Menu Puppy Wet Dog Food which was perfectly suited post his surgery. The results speak for themselves, what a transformation – he’s thriving!”
Kerri, Noah’s pet-parent, gushed about the journey, “When I met Noah, I knew he’d be the perfect addition to our family. Given our busy family setup, we rarely have the opportunity to adopt puppies, but we had our three-legged Dogue de Bordeaux and we just love this breed. In truth, I think Noah chose us. All my dogs are a little unique and he was no different – he just needed extra support to get on the right path.”
“Our rural lifestyle meant we were the right fit to adopt Noah – we’ve got a lot of experience with the medical and emotional conditions of dogs over the years. Now, Noah is part of a fur family of 12 dogs, ranging from Chihuahuas, Cocker Spaniels, a French Bulldog and Shih Tzus. He is always cuddling up to the Chihuahuas – we think he truly believes he is one!”
“Noah has grown (and grown) into a clumsy, oversized goof- ball who loves to please. Despite his troubled start, he brightens everyone’s day. He has grown in confidence so much since we first took him in; we’ve been going to trick training and obedience classes and he’s now even learned to play cards!”
As well as Noah’s new love of card games, Noah’s enthusiasm at mealtimes is also restored as he now tucks into natural, nutritious Natures Menu meals and hasn’t looked back since.
Kerri added, “It hasn’t been easy, but I wouldn’t change it. I cannot thank the rescue centres, dedicated vets and particularly the support from Melanie at Natures Menu enough; all of whom have offered unwavering friendly advice and guidance throughout. Feeding Noah on a natural, complete diet has had a huge impact on his vigour and energy. We’re thrilled to see Noah’s restoration to health and happiness. He really is a true warrior, in the gentlest sense of the word!”
To find out more about Natures Menu, visit: www.naturesmenu.co.uk
