Anyone up for being a retirement home?

Postby gooeydog » June 1st, 2006, 2:54 am

Bad circumstances have landed a 13 yr old boy (pit bull) at the vet clinic that I work at, minus his owner, and he is likely to be sent to animal control to be put down soon (actually, they were supposed to call today, but I think no one's really eager to do it). He has some joint issues, and I don't know what sort of health he's in overall. Tomorrow I plan on having one of the doctors look him over, and we'll see if the joint problems are something he can be medicated for or if he'll be uncomfortable even with meds. If it's the latter, he'll be put down, but if it's the former and all other systems check out, I can't help but feel like he deserves at least a chance.

I've been taking him out for strolls around the clinic yard for the past week, and he's a gentleman from what I've seen, though I haven't pushed him to test his reactions much as until this evening I had no hope for him, but something has come up that might allow a bit of time to find him a home if he checks out ok tomorrow. He's probably around 50-60 lbs, brindle with white blaze and socks, natural ears. He definitely has a problem with stairs right now, but I don't know if meds would increase his mobility to where he could handle a few steps to go in and out or not. He loves his trips outside, and has come to expect it when he sees me coming with the lead, today he was headed out of the kennel as soon as I opened the door. I haven't tested him with cats or dogs, but he met a dog through a fence today and was calm, wagging his tail.

I'm honestly at complete odds with myself right now, as the logical side of me says it's a complete waste of resources to even try and place an old dog with possible health problems. On the other hand, I see how eagerly he plods out of his kennel for his walk, he's obviously still got a bit of spunk left, and I can't help but want to give him the chance. At the same time, I know he can't be kenneled long, and though my Mom said that he can come here for a short while if need be, our house is already packed to the gills and I don't know how long we can keep him with us, which is why I'm posting now, even with limited info. I don't know what we'll find tomorrow, but I want to at least know I did what I could for him. We are in Baltimore, MD, but if we could find someone commited to keeping him happy for the rest of his life, would probably be able to travel within a 5 hr radius, maybe further.
gooeydog
Just Whelped
 
Posts: 61
Location: MD

Postby Maryellen » June 1st, 2006, 8:23 am

i can donate a bottle of synflex for you to try for his joints . pm me your address and i will send it out right away.. it might help him..
maybe try out of the pits or animal farm foundation? they are rescues in upstate ny, maybe they can help?? if i didnt have 3 dogs i would have tried to help with doing a lifetime foster..
Maryellen
I live here
 
Posts: 5971

Postby Fear_the_Sheeple » June 1st, 2006, 11:55 am

Poor baby. :( Thanks for looking out for him.
User avatar
Fear_the_Sheeple
Enlightened Bully
 
Posts: 1558
Location: FL

Postby luvmyangels » June 1st, 2006, 3:13 pm

Thank you for doing everything you are for him. I wish you all the best with trying to find him a home.
I am "The Rat Queen".

Have a great day!! :)

Mary Ann & The Furry Bunch:
Cookie & Knuckles
Rabbit: Butterscotch
The Rattie Bunch: Girls: Noodle & Raisin Boys: Gus, Melvin, Oliver, & Toby
luvmyangels
I live here
 
Posts: 3449
Location: NY

Postby gooeydog » June 2nd, 2006, 12:39 am

Well, the owner of the dog actually had a third party acting on his behalf come to the clinic today to discuss the old boy with the owner (not to go into too much detail, but it's a pretty complicated matter in which the dog was pretty much abandoned several weeks ago, but the owner seems to have some issues of his own and it appears wants to try and get the dog back), so I don't know what the outcome of that was. He wasn't checked today, as if he's going to be returned to the owner, it's not our place to start testing this and checking that. I'm going to try and find out what's going on with him tomorrow and then I guess we'll either be back to waiting or moving on from there.

He was not happy this evening, normally I take him out after hours, right before we close, and we had some bad storms roll through which cancelled our little stroll. I had to settle for letting him out in the ward he was in while I straightened his kennel up, and he paced around, ocasionally stopping to look at me to see if I was going to take him out, but even I draw the line at going for a walk in the pouring rain and lighting! He's got the same 'I want to do this and I'm not doing it any other way but my way' attitude that Goo's gotten as she's gotten older, gotta love those stubborn old dogs :D

Maryellen, I appreciate the awesome offer for him, but he can't be put on any sort of supplements or meds til things are sorted out with his owner. I think even if he does turn out to be medicat-able, he'll need to be on one of the actual joint drugs at least initially, as he's in pretty bad shape right now. For now it's back to just waiting to see what happens.
gooeydog
Just Whelped
 
Posts: 61
Location: MD

Postby Romanwild » June 2nd, 2006, 7:09 am

I've got a thing for the old ones.

I hope this works out o.k. for the old guy.
User avatar
Romanwild
I live here
 
Posts: 2931
Location: Watertown NY

Postby Maryellen » June 2nd, 2006, 8:01 am

the offer still stands even for the owner, i can ship a bottle of the joint meds to him too, so that he can start him on it.. just let me know the outcome..
Maryellen
I live here
 
Posts: 5971


Return to Rescue

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users

cron