Posts by Foster Dog

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Introducing Penny...

Randall and I were able to bring in our new foster dog on Friday, for which I am very grateful to the kind folks at ATDR for allowing.

We had to move the pickup to Friday after we lost on permanent foster dog, Elvis, on Thursday. I normally would need time to heal, but Elvis and I were so attached in our routines, that losing him left a great big gaping hole that threatened to overwhelm me.

So we picked up Penny. The lovely little mini-long dachshund girl from the vet on Friday. 

Right now, I don't have a decent set of photos to update the right margin with because Penny is very sick. (What's up there right now is just temporary.) She has an oranasal fistula (envision a big hole in her gum a little smaller than a pencil eraser). Randall and I had to run her into a clinic this morning for an emergency visit. She's now on Clindamycin/Antitrobe for the raging infection, and she has some antibiotic eye drops to help her eyes feel more comfortable.

Right now, she's got green goop in her eyes, coming out her nose and a hacking cough. There's a lot of congestion, and she's obviously feeling awful. She'll eventually need dental surgery to flap over skin to cover that hole. Nothing can be done, though, until her infection is cleared up.

And, she has no teeth. Zip. None. A vet that had her before she wound up at the Temple shelter, pulled them all. I have no idea what the reasoning was, but with Penny being HW +, I would think it must have been that her mouth was in such bad shape. She's Stage 2 positive, and we're going to get her on Heartguard next week. No decision can be made on treatment until the infection is gone.

Now for the goodies.

Penny is a BEAUTIFUL little girl. I stress little, because right now she's about  7.5 pounds. She's extremely thin, though and doesn't want to eat because of this infection. I'm content right now that she's drinking water, but if by tomorrow afternoon she isn't showing some interest in food, Penny will have a date with me, a syringe and chicken stock.

As you can see from the photo, she's a gorgeous mahogany. Her coat is in pretty poor condition right now, and she needs her feet cleaned up and toenails clipped. She's also got a beautiful headpiece on her. She's got the spectacles of an older girl, but I'd estimate she's 8 or maybe 9 at the oldest.

She is absolutely well socialized. Loves men and women. And even as bad as she feels, if you talk to her, her tail wags. She's going to be a very happy girl once she's feeling better. She gets along fine with smaller dogs, and isn't terrifically interested in cats. What she IS interested in is comfort. I've caught her on the sofa (which isn't allowed without an invitation), and if she's put up on the bed, she heads for the pillows. On the floor, she's looking for a soft spot. 

She appears to be housebroken. Or, if not, she knows what outside is for and prefers that to the floor in the house. Of course, part of the attraction to outside may also be the sunlight she can lay in. :)

Last night she slept in her crate with no problem, but it's obvious she doesn't know to go in on command. That will change eventually. So will her helping her self to the sofa. 

But for now, Penny is going to be catered to and slobbered over. There's time to get things squared away once she's well. But I'll say now she will make an absolutely lovely pet...if she isn't my first foster failure. *g*