09/05/2026
8:00 PM UPDATE: MAMA CLARA ❤️
First, the good news: Mama Clara is not considered an emergency at this time.
After being evaluated this evening, one possibility is that Clara may have experienced an FCE, or fibrocartilaginous embolism, sometimes referred to as a “spinal stroke.” This occurs when a small piece of fibrocartilage blocks blood flow to an area of the spinal cord and can cause the sudden weakness, unsteadiness and neurological changes we saw in Clara today.
There is also the possibility that we are dealing with another neurological issue, so right now, we simply don’t have a definitive answer.
Mama Clara turns 14 years old this year, and because of her age and what we are seeing, we are going to take this one step at a time.
Over the coming days, we will get her in for a full blood panel and X-rays and continue evaluating her based on those results and how she is doing.
For now, Clara is home and comfortable. She has been started on pain medication, and we will be watching her very closely.
Thank you to everyone who donated, shared our post, reached out and kept our old girl in your thoughts today. When that phone call came this morning and we knew something wasn’t right, we didn’t know what we were walking into. Having all of you behind us means more than you know.
We will continue to update everyone as her follow-up appointments approach and we learn more.
Thank you for loving our sanctuary girl right alongside us. ❤️
5:45 PM update ~ we are awaiting the doctor and will update following that between 6:30-7. Gabapentin has helped with walking but there is more going on with our girl.
‼️WE’RE HEADED TO GET MAMA CLARA. ‼️
Candi called us this morning very concerned about our girl, and Brad and I are on our way to scoop her up and get her to the emergency vet.
Mama Clara is extremely anxious and unable to settle, and she is unsteady on her feet.
Right now, we don’t know what is happening.
Earlier this week she had one day where she refused food, which she has done before, and then seemed okay. This came on fast, and today something is very clearly not right.
So we are going.
For those who have followed MSGBR for a long time, you know Mama Clara is one of our sanctuary dogs with Ray & Candi.
And sometimes we think people forget that part of rescue.
There are dogs here no one is coming to adopt.
Dogs whose stories didn’t end with an adoption picture and a happy-tail post.
They stayed.
And we love them.
God, we love them SO MUCH.
They are still fed every day. They still need medications, preventatives and veterinary care. They still grow older. They still get sick. And when one of them needs us, we make the same promise to them that we make to every dog who comes through this rescue:
You are ours. We are coming.
Today, Mama Clara needs us.
And we need you.
If you can help toward her emergency veterinary care today, please help us help Mama Clara. I’ll attach our donation links below.
We don’t know what we are facing yet or what today is going to bring. We will update everyone as soon as we know more.
For right now, please keep our sweet old girl in your thoughts and send every bit of good you’ve got her way.
⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
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