We've done it! Went to the SPCA and picked up Bailey two days ago. She's 7-8 month's old, rescued stray, bad condition - heart worm/tape worm/dehydrated/malnourished/congested/fever/very dirty/possibly shot in the chest with a pellet gun/etc. BUT we are told she should make a full recovery. She seems to be a great puppy. She's come around so much in 72 hours. Ths is hard to believe but she's picked up on going outside to do her business, which is at least three times a day with the condition she is in. An 8 month old housebroken boxer, go figure. Our other rescue, Grace (lab/grayhound mix) is dying to meet her and play - our backyard is about an acre, fenced, and Grace needs a friend to run with. Wish us luck - we want to keep her for good. Vet bills are a lot but you can't take it with you and Bailey is and will be a great dog. Any advice?
First rescue
- Thread starter Paul W
- Start date
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Chewy's Mom
Boxer Insane
That's fantastic! Congratulations on your new family member! Sounds like she's doing well, but just be very diligent in paying attention to her health over the next few weeks. She may break out with an illness or two any day now, and may even make your other dog sick too. Kennel cough is quite common for dogs who have been in a shelter.
If you need to fatten her up, you can add cottage cheese and eggs to her food. Two eggs per day total (we did 1 egg with each of 2 meals), and about 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with each meal. We put about 8 pounds on our foster boy, Henry, this way in just 2 weeks. He also was straight out of a shelter.
Also, just be sure that she has had an extremely thorough exam by a really good vet. Make sure they check deep in her ears for mites or infections. Henry had bad ear mites, and the first vet missed it by not being thorough. What have they told you about treating her heartworms? I've heart that heartworm treatment is difficult and/or expensive.
It sure sounds like Bailey is going to be a great dog for you and your family. Congrats again - oh and Welcome to Boxerworld!!
Monique
If you need to fatten her up, you can add cottage cheese and eggs to her food. Two eggs per day total (we did 1 egg with each of 2 meals), and about 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with each meal. We put about 8 pounds on our foster boy, Henry, this way in just 2 weeks. He also was straight out of a shelter.
Also, just be sure that she has had an extremely thorough exam by a really good vet. Make sure they check deep in her ears for mites or infections. Henry had bad ear mites, and the first vet missed it by not being thorough. What have they told you about treating her heartworms? I've heart that heartworm treatment is difficult and/or expensive.
It sure sounds like Bailey is going to be a great dog for you and your family. Congrats again - oh and Welcome to Boxerworld!!
Monique
Our other dog, Grace, was given a spray in her nose to become kennel cough resistant - the two were kept seperated for 72 hours while the medication took effect. Thanks for the food and ear mite information. The heart worm treatment is tough. It is expensive and the medication requires that the dog be kept as inactive as possible for 30 days. We took bailey to our vet last week and had a thourough exam. She's doing good on the Eukanuba puppy food and she and Grace are getting along swimmingly! Bailey is a little too interested in the cats so they have been kept seperated so far. Hope they can co-exist peacefully someday.
Paul, that is absouletly wonderful! Thank you for saving Bailey!! I rescued my boy Kaiser from a shelter at 6 1/2 years, and he was just getting over heartworms himself (the shelter put him thru the treatment.) My girl Roxy went thru heartworm treatment last year (DISPITE the fact she had always been on preventative-vet said it was a real fluke) so I know how expensive it is and the recovery process! Good news is, though, since Bailey is so young she should make a complete recovery! :D Roxy did herself, and she was 2 1/2 then. It sounds like you are doing a great job of taking care a Bailey.....she is very lucky to have you as a daddy!!
vasha
Boxer Pal
Paul -
Welcome to BW!!! We'd love to see pics of your babies!! Also, if you're in the dallas area - once Bailey gets to feeling better we have a bash once a month - hopefully we'll meet you and the crew in January or February!
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18394&highlight=dallas
VaSHa
Welcome to BW!!! We'd love to see pics of your babies!! Also, if you're in the dallas area - once Bailey gets to feeling better we have a bash once a month - hopefully we'll meet you and the crew in January or February!
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18394&highlight=dallas
VaSHa
Claudia807
Completely Boxer Crazy
Congratulations on your new addition! Are you sure you couldn't find a more forlorn Boxer needing help? 
One piece of information for you . . . when you put her through the heartworm treatment, it is going to be tough going for a while. It is imperative that she be kept deathly quiet for about six weeks. It sounds like your vet has already mentioned that. If she is too rambunctious, the worms can break up and end up in her lungs, etc. It will be no small feat to get this girl in top notch health, but it certainly sounds like you've got the will to do it!
Best of luck to you!
Claudia
Green Acres Boxer Rescue of WI
One piece of information for you . . . when you put her through the heartworm treatment, it is going to be tough going for a while. It is imperative that she be kept deathly quiet for about six weeks. It sounds like your vet has already mentioned that. If she is too rambunctious, the worms can break up and end up in her lungs, etc. It will be no small feat to get this girl in top notch health, but it certainly sounds like you've got the will to do it!
Best of luck to you!
Claudia
Green Acres Boxer Rescue of WI
Heart worm treatment
Thanks for the info - the vet is keeping Bailey for the first three days of treatment. The parasites can end up as emboli anywhere in the body, with the lungs being one of the most dangerous locations. May have to get a crate or restrict her to a guest bedroom. A month is so long but it's gotta be done. Thanks again, wish us luck. Unfortunately we have ot do this with both dogs as we found out, despite a negative test 9 month ago, Grace is in the early stage of heart worms too. 2003 is going to start slowly for the dogs in our home. It'll be worth it to have them healthy.
Thanks for the info - the vet is keeping Bailey for the first three days of treatment. The parasites can end up as emboli anywhere in the body, with the lungs being one of the most dangerous locations. May have to get a crate or restrict her to a guest bedroom. A month is so long but it's gotta be done. Thanks again, wish us luck. Unfortunately we have ot do this with both dogs as we found out, despite a negative test 9 month ago, Grace is in the early stage of heart worms too. 2003 is going to start slowly for the dogs in our home. It'll be worth it to have them healthy.
VTbxrFan
Boxer Insane
I feel for you Paul -- I had a foster who was treated for heartworms and I was always worrying about her until her restricted period went by. The risk of complications is generally greater for a more severe infestation -- I don't know how bad your new dogs case is, but Grace should have less risk if she was treated early. I recommend lots of chew toys to help get through the quiet period. Fortunately I was able to get my foster girl to lie quietly on the floor and snuggle to watch TV with me so she didn't have to always be in her crate. (She didn't like my dog much, so I didn't have to worry about they getting rowdy trying to play.) Good luck and you are awesome for going the extra mile to help a dog in need!
Claudia807
Completely Boxer Crazy
Re: Heart worm treatment
Oh no! Boy, if it weren't for bad luck, you'd have none at all, huh? I'm sure both dogs will pull through. We're up here in WI but we've treated a number of dogs for heartworm. Down south the problem is much, much worse. The treatment is a lot better now than it used to be, from what I've heard (less toxic to the dog, I guess).
Claudia
Green Acres Boxer Rescue of WI
Oh no! Boy, if it weren't for bad luck, you'd have none at all, huh? I'm sure both dogs will pull through. We're up here in WI but we've treated a number of dogs for heartworm. Down south the problem is much, much worse. The treatment is a lot better now than it used to be, from what I've heard (less toxic to the dog, I guess).
Claudia
Green Acres Boxer Rescue of WI
adeinert
Boxer Insane
Congratulations on the new addition to your family!
My first rescue was given his last heartworm treatment the day I picked him up. Wow, looking back once I knew him, he was one weak little guy. He was my only boxer back then so I kept him on a leash and keeping him quite was easy. About a week later he ran a high fever and was quite dehydrated. A side effect of being so wiped out.
When we get in a foster with heartworm it is usually kept in a crate to restrict activity. It is hard for you to restrict them, but so necessary. (-;
Good advice given about the ears and kennel cough. Very common when dogs visit the shelter. You'll be in touch with your vet a lot over the next weeks and that is good.
Best of luck,
Ashlie
mommy to Jillian and Tulley
foster mommy to Thor
My first rescue was given his last heartworm treatment the day I picked him up. Wow, looking back once I knew him, he was one weak little guy. He was my only boxer back then so I kept him on a leash and keeping him quite was easy. About a week later he ran a high fever and was quite dehydrated. A side effect of being so wiped out.
When we get in a foster with heartworm it is usually kept in a crate to restrict activity. It is hard for you to restrict them, but so necessary. (-;
Good advice given about the ears and kennel cough. Very common when dogs visit the shelter. You'll be in touch with your vet a lot over the next weeks and that is good.
Best of luck,
Ashlie
mommy to Jillian and Tulley
foster mommy to Thor
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