Dog Community

Junior update

Posted : 5/25/2013 7:34:45 PM

Here's a couple of shots of Junior's vet visit. [URL=http://s257.photobucket.com/user/MarlaniaLarousse/media/JuniorMay222013A.jpg.html][IMG]http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh229/MarlaniaLarousse/JuniorMay222013A.jpg[/IMG][/URL] He loves sinks. I thought he just liked counter surfing at home. Apparently he's an equal opportunity sink digger. [URL=http://s257.photobucket.com/user/MarlaniaLarousse/media/JuniorMay222013D.jpg.html][IMG]http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh229/MarlaniaLarousse/JuniorMay222013D.jpg[/IMG][/URL] So Junior's vet trip this week resulted in vaccinations, a microchip, a heartworm test, and a fecal. As I suspected, he's about 3, and he has heartworms. Pretty much any dog not on preventative in my area will get it. The mosquitoes here are horrific. We had to bring him back two days later for a blood panel and chest x-ray. He won't start treatment for two months. He needs to gain about 10 pounds, and he also will be on antibiotics for a month. His heart is slightly enlarged on one side. Right now he's on a course of prednisone because one of his lungs is swollen, although he's not coughing. Aside from being testing strongly positive for HW, he's in good shape. When we adopted Brown many years ago, his case of HW was pretty similar. The vet had to break down his treatments because his heart was enlarged, his lungs were swollen, and he'd been coughing because of it. Thankfully, Brown made it through treatment just fine so I'm assuming Junior will do the same. The vet doesn't want to neuter him until after treatment, which I understand, but ugh, I hate how unsightly an intact male is. ;p Here was Junior's Facebook message to his former owner. Excuse the final comment. lol [URL=http://s257.photobucket.com/user/MarlaniaLarousse/media/JuniorMay202013.jpg.html][IMG]http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh229/MarlaniaLarousse/JuniorMay202013.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

bluelighting

Posted : 5/25/2013 7:44:49 PM

Welcome to the good life Junior you going to live like a Prince from here on out you handsome boy. Sorry to hear the health issues, but you will have him healthy in no time.

nymaureen

Posted : 5/25/2013 9:07:07 PM

Ah sweet hound doggie. Sorry about you having to deal with the positive heartworm but he'll be as good as new once the treatment is able to be done.

JackieG

Posted : 5/25/2013 9:58:03 PM

I like your note to whoever dumped him especially the last sentence. He is a lucky hound.

Freedom

Posted : 5/26/2013 8:30:16 AM

Junior, you are one very handsome doggy! A sink 'digger?" I thought he was looking for water from the tap, ha haaa.

Paws crossed for the HW treatment to go well (once it starts). I bet he'll have NO trouble putting on weight, now that he will have a steady diet.

marlania

Posted : 5/26/2013 1:11:22 PM

I'm sure he'll gain weight in no time. I have a case of canned food left over from Brown, so I'll give that to him with his meds as an extra treat. It took zero effort to housebreak this dog. He comes in and goes to bed regardless of what we're doing (unless what we're doing involves food). He spends a lot of time comatose. I was gone for a few hours this morning, and my husband was still sleeping because he's working nights. I opened the door to the room to see if any dogs were inside, and to my surprise, Junior was still inside curled up on his bed. When I woke him up, his lips were stuck to the side of his face lol.

calliecritturs

Posted : 5/26/2013 2:36:47 PM

He's sleeping because of the heartworm -- his heart can't pump enough blood for energy. Ask the vet to do a LUNG x-ray. It's likely the parasites have moved into the lungs (that's what happened with Ms. Socks). We had to do her treatment the "slow" way with ivermectin liquid. At the time NONE of the vets would do the immiticide on Socks because she was so positive and b/c of the invasion into the lungs. But I got a completely clear occult on her in a year!! The parasites, in her case, had enlarged her heart and trashed her lungs. But no matter -- she was 10 when she came to us ("just give her a place in your kitchen for now -- she'll only live a month or so";) -- and she STAYED for SIX and A HALF years!! "Let's go, let's go, let's go, LET'S GO .... down to Junior's Farm ...."

marlania

Posted : 5/26/2013 6:30:48 PM

I'm kind of hoping that he sleeps a lot because he's just a lazy hound. If he becomes more active, I keep imagining the Bumpus hounds from A Christmas Story running across my kitchen. lol The vet did an x-ray of his lungs on Friday, along with a CBC. That's how she knew about the swelling. She said that one of his liver enzymes was slightly elevated but that was to be expected (I have no idea why). She said it'd go down. He's on a course of pred for the time being to help his lungs. Despite all of this, he's still in a much better condition than Brown was when he went through treatment. He had been living at a boat launch (marina, to non-south Louisiana folks) "down da bayou" and eventually jumped onto his foster mom's shrimp boat. lol She didn't have him long enough to see him through treatment herself, so we took care of that when we adopted him. His treatments also had to be broken down because his lungs were swollen, his heart was enlarged, he was coughing, etc. I remember having to keep him on aspirin and prednisone for quite some time. He used that time to bark like a lunatic, forcing us to bring him inside, which must have been his evil plan all along because prior to that, he spent his free time demolishing the back yard, playing fetch with a rose bush, eating the sprinkler system, etc.

tacran

Posted : 5/26/2013 9:48:54 PM

I think your note is great! Junior had no idea when he was dumped that what started out as his worst day ever was about to turn into his best day ever.

I'm sorry to hear about the heartworm diagnosis, but it sounds like you've got him on a solid path to complete wellness. Thank you for taking him into your home and for being willing to take on a rather complex medical situation that will take time (and money) to take care of. You are truly Junior's angel!

I love the contrast of the white, brown, and black of his markings. He's a handsome hound!

calliecritturs

Posted : 5/26/2013 10:24:05 PM

marlania
I'm kind of hoping that he sleeps a lot because he's just a lazy hound.

*looking at Luna and wondering WHEN she will be one??* Good luck with that lazy hound thing! LOL -- even at 9 Luna's the one instigating play and "running the back yard". heartworm can take a huge toll on them BUT BUT BUT if you know what the damage is and you work with it, he'll be FINE. Like I said -- Socks had some massive heart/lung damage but we coped with it and she did FINE. And even when I lost her at 17 1/2 (and she had gotten her CGC and became a MARVELOUS therapy dog -- completely certified!) it wasn't from heart issues. A lifetime of crappy food caught up with her -- she had a malignant tumor in her urinary tract -- but she dealt with that for 3-4 years (I homecook and she was on a no-carb cancer diet for her whole 6 1/2 years she was with us). He will be fine -- however as you can see from the vet visit -- he's doing Luna's "counter-surfing 101" thing -- LOL

yanke

Posted : 5/26/2013 11:04:30 PM

Enjoy him! It's funny - I was just thinking about you the other day. It's been a long time!

Mydogs

Posted : 5/27/2013 7:29:19 AM

Marlania, Congrats on your Lazy Hound. You have done a good thing, but I think you know that. We took in a rescue 2 months ago, and she is a joy (although I wish I would have researched the process more and possible issues more).

I think Junior has himself a good home now, and can live out his life as a dog should - spoiled and cared for - for as long as he has. Enjoy him.

janobonano

Posted : 5/27/2013 10:56:00 AM

You're one lucky dog, Junior! Keep on healing up.

Your neuter comment reminds me of that funny Katherine Heigl hates dangly disgusting balls video she did. lol!

Jewlieee

Posted : 5/27/2013 7:56:04 PM

Love the note to his former owners. What a lucky dog :)

marlania

Posted : 5/27/2013 9:31:51 PM

Yankee, what's your yard looking like these days? I remember your landscaping.