How do I begin to organize a possible transfer? (Callie)

puppies are nothing...if not resilent, right? Is she thinking of flying her alone? AA won't fly over 80-85 degrees...which is the nighttime temp here now...the daytime is more like 90's. Continental will fly regardless of temps from what I understand. Do we need to do a whip round for airfare yet?

GRAPHIC PICTURE AGAIN -- not as bad as the other one tho.  Go ahead --scroll down and look, but then come back to see what I've said pretty please?? *grin* 

At this point, we're backed to the wall enough that David and I may go to Austin and pick her up.  I'm probably not able to do that alone easily and frankly it will likely take an overnight (and David would rather I didn't go alone). 

 We're still looking into small plane transport if we can get folks to get back to us.  We're still checking things out -- but it's likely air will be the only realistic way. I'd rather get her on a small plane -- it would be not only cheaper but it would be better for me to have to take off less time from work

 She's hopefully gone into foster care today, so I won't get an answer on the housetraining thing for a few days.  The vet's office was no help at all there.

 I got this pic from Rita this morning -- now she still looks pretty awful and it's a bad cell phone picture (sorry so blurry) -- but it's a vast improvement.  The swelling has gone down in the face a lot and you can see EYES!!!  (Rita says they are almond-shaped which is most un-pug-like but there's no illusion that this baby is 'well bred' *sigh*)

Rita got to see her last night -- she is SO happy and playful, cone doesn't bother her much and she's eating like a little piglet.  I can't wait to get her here onto a home-cooked diet, NO wheat and some common sense and see how it goes. 

My lawn isn't great but we ripped all the St. Augustine sod out two years ago -- so Floritam is not nearly as bad and what you see on her chest (and belly -- look in my photos) has already become less red just because she's off grass.

I'm sure she's been just left outside.  The woman made this huge deal out of how 'nauseated' the dog made her because she was so 'ugly' and sick.  So why did she have her on Craigslist for a month trying to SELL her (looking like this??).  As it is, she dumped her with rescue, gave them NO vet history (so she has to go thru all shots again because there are no records of ANY vax at all *sigh*). 

I hope I never meet this woman -- you can't have pets in prison and I'd be there for a long time!

Still not pretty but you can tell it's BETTER.  She's got a long long road ahead. 

Now, if she's completely not housetrained -- then either it's a dealkiller, or perhaps the current foster mom will be able to help in that area.  I just can't risk her lying in her own waste with me not able to get home ... it's an hour and a half trip for me to come home at 'lunch' (and I never take a lunch normally).  I could do that for a WHILE but it's not feasible if she's completely not trained.

It's not what *I* want -- this has to be about what's safe and good for Lulu.  (Altho I'm leaning towards "Lou Lou" like it was in the original pics sent to me -- altho DFWpugrescue.org calls her "Lulu Bear" and I do like that.  I can see all sorts of WONDERFUL nicknames come out of that!!)

But just imagine folks -- if we can get HER healthy, then we can document this all the way along, just imagine how many more folks we can help deal with demodex dogs?  Just imagine how many folks & dogs this will ultimately help.  that's one of the driving things for me -- not just helping this one poor little sweetie -- but all the other dogs we'll ultimately help.

Sorry, that IS what drives me.  It's not about me wanting a puppy -- it's about us helping this one dog, and thru that helping countless others thru our experience.  It's about possible pet therapy -- and how encouraging it is to others to see an animal this sick (and who will always have health issues) move forward despite the odds. 

Probably if she has been left outside, I know it doesn't make sense, but outside dogs are much easier to housetrain than those raised in the house (I mean, not responsibly), or worse, those raised on wire.  You'd be starting with a blank slate and she would very much prefer not to pee her den area.  That's because outside dogs can pick areas far from their lounging/eating areas, as they would naturally. 

I wish you luck! 

Exactly Becca -- they don't want to screw up!  When we had Polly she was only 5 months old and I don't think she'd ever BEEN in a house and she never had an accident. 

Lulu is in a foster home now (and a darned good one from what I'm told by Rita).  I've also posted on pilots-n-paws.org and Skyark -- we'll see where that gets us!!

Not a perfect solution by any means, but what about a pen that has the elevated floor for puppies.  I know it really doesnt address the housetraining issue but it might be way to manage the contamination issue.  One of the woven mats often used on the ground at dog shows might be able to be used for the "bedding area" with the other area for elimination... Just a thought.

Been trying to think my way around that too -- she's so darned little (10 pounds) that anything open enough for waste to fall thru is also hard for little feets (and very very sore ones) to walk on. 

IF housetraining becomes this much of an issue, we'll have to just wait for it to be trained -- I'm just grateful we have a super good foster mom who will help.  And the vet DID document that they were taking her out, so that is an encouragement for them *to* wait. 

When she's here, she'll have a huge crate -- for this exact reason. 

There's an inate intelligence that tends to kick in -- they KNOW getting poop and pee on their sore skin HURTS.  It's an inate encouragement to hold it until they can get elsewhere.  It's amazing how the body can 'cope'.

Pollyanna was only 5 months old when she came and had never lived inside (not sure if I said that before) and I don't think she ever had an accident.  She KNEW because she couldn't walk that if she went in her kennel or crate that she couldn't get away from it.  (She was handicapped and couldn't walk -- she'd poop/pee lying on her side and then 'push' herself away from it.)  But she didn't need much 'training' -- for HER it was a no brainer to wait so she didn't have to lie in it.  I'm praying it's the same with Lulu.

They've also gotten her a different e-collar -- a very soft foam one that will discourage licking but provide more air-flow/circulation to the head wounds.  That should hopefully discourage her from licking herself to 'clean' accidents too.   

Callie If you can get her to Alabama or Mississippi I will drive her several legs.   We do it for RR rescue all the time.  I 10 cuts straight across the country and being a retired RN I can follow any directions you give.  Let me know how we can help .

Hugs Bonita of Bwana

She's a dear

On the housetraining issue, could you use an ex-pen? It would give her an area to use papers if she had to, but also not be walking in her waste. 

Callie, this WILL work.If anyone can bring this baby around, it will be YOU and David. Good luck getting her on her feet.  She looks sooo much better already.

I will stand in line with a baseball bat to deal with the former owner. Scum.

Bonita -- if you have folks that would help give me a call.  I could probably get her to Dallas but up thru Tx/La/Al I'm not hearing anything.  If I could get her to Pensacola WE'd go pick her up there. 

There is a big show the weekend of July 13th in San Antone...and July 19th in Houston. MANY times out of town folks will come from east to attend then head home. Some of those folks may be in AL or MS. Is this time frame okay...if so I will ask on my Beagle list if anyone coming from that direction..would consider taking the puppy back with them then? To MS or AL?

 Oh, wow. She looks SO much better! She's going to be such a gorgeous girl!!!

Waiting until mid-July is gonna be super tough for us -- first off, she may go into heat by then (they suspect she's older than 4 months and impending heat could be one reason for the severity of this), but mostly because David's work is cyclical and that will kick him into a part of the month he can*not* miss work.  Even the July 4th weekend is going to be tough but after that won't be. 

He's investigating other airlines now -- but I can't make any solid plans until I hear on the other issues from Rita.  (I don't think I"m 'waiting' well! *sigh*)

argh.... this sucks! i wish i could help!!!

go callie, go!!! you can do it!!!