Thursday, April 16, 2015

Adventures with Heartworms,or Our Experiences with Adopting Doggies

This journey started about a year ago, when we decided to adopt a dog, Maple Jane, from Greenemore Farm Animal Rescue. Maple had been found scavenging and led her rescuers to six fat puppies.  Her personality and health was such that we guessed her age at under two when we got her.  She's been a joy.  She's a friendly, happy girl with a waggling tail and loves walks, toys and spending time at the food bowl.  We had her spayed about a week into her life with us.  Complications arose after the surgery, with our vet noting that her system was depleted, probably from whelping and nursing.  She came home to us a day later, still her happy self, and still enjoying her food bowl.  In the year we've had her, she has graduated from Basic Obedience, stayed for ten days at a Canine Country Club (yes, that's the actual name of the business), spent a week at the beach and travelled with us to Charlotte, NC, finishing off that trip with a visit to Monticello, where she pottied in a place that Thomas Jefferson probably walked.  A big year for a girl found scavenging to keep her puppies fed.

Things we've learned from Maple Jane:

  • Trust your gut when it comes to veterinary care and the health of your dog.  If something doesn't seem right, it probably isn't and you need to either ask some questions or look up some information.  Don't expect your vet or vet techs to tell you every possible outcome or to always have the optimal solution.

  • The love your pet is capable of grows exponentially with how much care and attention you give them.  
  • Poop and pee are important!  We keep track, in general, of Maple's "business".  We know her baseline and what is normal for her and what isn't and act accordingly
  • Maple Jane in her place on our bed.
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