Surviving the Parvovirus

Nell made it! She did not succumb to the deadly Parvovirus. After days of subcutaneous fluids administered by a needle and IV line attached to a bag of electrolytes and daily shots of pennicilan, she began to feel better. One morning, she woke up, headed downstairs to the dog dish, gobbled up food and drank water. Then, we went outside where she ran and played in the new fallen snow. Nell will be ready for adoption by the end of February. She's such a sweet, nice dog. She'll make a wonderful dog for a kind and caring family.

My daughter - She is an amazing young woman!

I love my daughter so much. She is a creative person full of love, loyalty and compassion. I am proud of her accomplishments and I am thankful that I am her mother. She is truly a gift!

Sick puppy

Nell is sick. Very, very sick. She has the Parvo virus. Survival rate of puppies with Parvo is not good. I am giving her injections of fluid and shots of antibiotics. I hope she lives. She is a wonderful animal. My other dogs, Gina and Casper, are vaccinated against Parvo, Distemper, Rabies and a host of other nasty doggy type diseases. So far, they are doing fine.

Nell is trying so hard to live and to be happy. She is full of affection and kisses and will make a loyal and loving family pet - if she survives this newest challege in her young life.

"Nell" Another foster dog

I have embarked upon another "foster dog" adventure. Early last week, I was dispatched on a report of a starving dog chained to a tree in front of a house. Sure enough, when I arrived, I saw an emaciated black and tan type dog chained to a tree in the front yard of a residence. Her chain was about 7 feet long. She had nowhere to go that was free from mud, slush and dog feces. The only water available to the sad little dog was snow mixed with mud that had melted a bit that day.

After knocking on the front door of the residence numerous times with no answer, I went back to my truck to get the starving dog some dog food. As I poured a bit of puppy chow into an old dish I had found, she ate in huge gulps. Watching her eat with her tail wagging back and forth in happy circles, I wondered how people could treat dogs this way. I was very interested in meeting her owner.

Noticing a movement in what I assumed was the living room window, I went back to the front door of the residence and knocked. This time, the door opened revealing a young, disheveled looking woman and her two small children. When she confirmed that the dog was hers, I began to explain that the dog was too thin and had no water or food available for it. The woman thought that her husband fed the dog daily and gave it water. I noticed a small bag of "Ol Roy" dog food inside the front door. Just so you know, "Ol Roy" dog food is just about the worse thing you can feed a dog...especially a young dog. There are little to no nutrients in "Ol Roy"dog food. Its main ingredient is a corn filler.

The woman went on to explain that the dog was given to her on Mother's Day, 2007. She said she had not wanted the dog. She had her hands full with the two small children. Apparently, the dog was never allowed in the house. Even in the coldest weather - in our case, the temperatures in January dipped into single digits on many nights - the dog stayed outside alone and cold with not even a blanket available.

Eventually, the woman surrendered the dog to me. Arriving back at the shelter, I wondered if the dog, named "Nell" would survive. Indeed, the next few days were a challenge for Nell. As she was provided with small amounts of food and water several times a day, her body began to react to better nutrition and hydration. She gained 7 lbs in 7 days. At the end of her 5 day "Stray Hold", Nell was given a temperment test which she passed. She was placed up for adoption.

However, a day or so later, she was again temperment tested. Temperment testing is done at the shelter where I work. Animals must pass the test before they can be placed in adoption. The testing allows us to assess the behavior and temperment of the dog in a variety of situations.. This time, Nell tensed up when her food was moved from her. She was then labeled as "Food Aggressive" and removed from the adoption process. It is my belief that dogs who have been starved will covet their food for however long it takes until they become certain that they will finally be provided with enough to eat on a consistent basis.

Hearing that Nell had failed a second testing and knowing that the next step would be euthanizing her, I said I would take her home and work on the food issues. Nell came home with me after my shift that evening. My two dogs are dogs that have been rescued from animal shelters. When Nell came to our house, she was greated by a cantankerous Heeler mix and an attention-hog Lab mix. Nell quickly learned where her food dish was and not to eat out of the other dog's dishes. She has never displayed food aggression during her stay with us.

Nell is currently at my house in foster care and will be looking for a forever home very soon. She is a typical hound dog - her world is mostly ruled by her powerful nose. Her scenting ability is wonderful. Nell is working on being house-trained. And, for a dog that spent the first 8 months of her life tied to a tree, she is doing a fine job. Nell is sweet and mild-mannered. She loves to run and play but also likes sleeping on the bed when everyone else is. I think Nell would love a home with children who will play with her and a family that includes her in their daily activities. She gets along well with other dogs. Nell is sociable and friendly. She wants to be part of a family - not ignored and left out in the cold.

Adventures in blogging

This is my first ever attempt at blogging. My beautiful and talented daughter created my blog page for me. I'm not sure if I'll catch on to this unique way of communicating but I am thankful to my child for trying to broaden my horizons. Mommy loves you!