Dog Receives Gender Reassignment Surgery!!

[John317]

See link for source and photograph of this cute Pomeranian, who may still be looking for a home.

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_ntransdog06.1e630b0.html

(San Bernardino is near Loma Linda, CA.)

A Pomeranian puppy found wandering San Bernardino streets and born with partially formed male and female reproductive organs has been saved from possible euthanasia after one woman's donation allowed for a $1,165 gender reassignment surgery.

Red, as the dog is being called until it is adopted, needed the surgery to prevent infection and reduce the risk of developing cancer.

Now -- thanks to the surgery performed by a veterinary specialist from Orange County -- Red is without any reproductive organs, healthy and ready for adoption.

The condition is so rare that published data do not include an estimated percentage of the pet population with the condition. Veterinarians see it once in a 30-year-old career, if at all, said San Bernardino veterinarian Marc DiCarlo. In humans, it occurs in three out of 100,000 people.

"I just felt he was a very adoptable dog," said Sharon Blechinger, director of the Helping Every Animal League, a nonprofit support group that helps pay for vaccinations at the San Bernardino shelter.

Blechinger paid for Red's surgery out of her own pocket, because the organization couldn't afford it and because the dog "is in this position through no fault of its own. I didn't want them to put the dog to sleep."

Red was brought to the San Bernardino City Animal Shelter about a month ago by someone who found him wandering the streets. No one has claimed him.

Ryan Long, a kennel supervisor at the shelter, described the dog as bright, alert and responsive when he first examined him. But he said upon examination, Red did not look anatomically correct.

Di Carlo diagnosed the dog as a pseudo-male hermaphrodite. Genetically male, the pooch was born with partially formed male and female parts.

Shelter workers then contacted Blechinger, who arranged for a foster home for Red and paid for his surgery.

Patti Harris, a scheduling coordinator whose own Pomeranian died in June, was contacted by Blechinger, and allowed Red to move in with her temporarily about a week and a half ago.

Last Friday, James Felts, a veterinary specialist from Orange County who was told about Red by DiCarlo, performed the 90-minute surgical procedure.

And now he's recovering in his temporary home.

Harris bought him an inflatable collar to keep him from chewing on his stitches, which come out a week from Monday.

"I think he sleeps most of the day while I'm away," she said.

When she comes home, she lets him out into a small backyard to play. They go on short walks together.

They sit side-by-side on a sofa in the evening watching television.

"He likes to watch 'Animal Planet,' " Harris said, giggling.

Red is less than a year old and Harris wants to get an older Pomeranian.

Meanwhile, "He's my transition dog. It will be hard to part with him, but I'm gone all day and him being so young, it doesn't seem fair to him to keep him."

To inquire about helping with the cost of his surgery or adopting Red, contact HEAL at 909-436-8065.

Reach Darrell R. Santschi at 951-368-9484 or dsantschi@PE.com

ABOUT HEAL

The Helping Every Animal League is a nonprofit support group for the San Bernardino City Animal Shelter. It raises money to pay for vaccinations of stray animals not funded by the city.

Web site: http://friendsofheal.org

Phone: 909-436-8065

Contact HEAL director: heal36@gmail.com

[Liz]

How cute is that dog!!!

[bonnie]

I have never heard of this in dogs but it is common in other animals with sexual abnormality occurring.

In goats a naturally polled(hornless) breeding will frequently produce off spring that is both male and female.

In cattle it shows in twins as

freemartinism. Twins are not that common to cattle.

If the twins are a male and a female,the female calf will always be sterile.I think it is a high ratio for male calves as well but not always as certain

[John317]

That's very interesting. I didn't know that.

[bonnie]

That's very interesting. I didn't know that.

The only abnormality I know of with dogs is breeding a blue merle to a blue merle many times will produce a white dog that is deaf.Some will gamble on a deaf dog as this type of breeding can produce a normal dog that is outstanding.

Nature does seem to have it's own rules

[John317]

On this link, you can see him on video:

http://friendsofheal.org/

They're taking applications from local people who want to adopt him, and will soon decide who can provide the best home for him.

[SivartM]

Is it "gender reassignment" if the dog is a hermaphrodite? That isn't too uncommon in humans either...

[bonnie]

Is it "gender reassignment" if the dog is a hermaphrodite? That isn't too uncommon in humans either...

The vet is the one that chooses the gender the animal will become. There are indications to help determine which would be the most likely sex the animal was meant to be

[Liz]

The artical said that the dog was genetically male. So obviously they did a test on him to figure it out.

[bonnie]

The artical said that the dog was genetically male. So obviously they did a test on him to figure it out.

No argument.The vet is the one to determine the results of any test. In other animals sometimes there is only a indication and not clear cut.Generally animals are not operated on to correct the abnormality.

[John317]

Is it "gender reassignment" if the dog is a hermaphrodite? That isn't too uncommon in humans either...

It is very rare among dogs. Among humans, though, "it occurs in three out of 100,000 people," according to this news article. It's the decision of doctors and the baby's parents as to which sex the child should be.

Gender reassignment surgery is not only performed on hermaphrodites but also on some people who have gender identity disorder, or gender dysphoria. Britain has about 6,000 transsexuals.