Foo - My new houseguest

This boy appeared on my doorstep about a week ago, and attempts to find his home have been unsuccessful. He's on the big side, but a real sweetie. While he's staying with me, I've dubbed him "Rocky."

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff289/bluebottle1/007.jpg

Oh, he's so cute!

He is fortunate indeed that he went to your doorstep, eh? I take it that he's not microchipped, tattoed, no collar?

East Hill

how long have you lived at your place? maybe he was the owners before you and tried to go home? When I moved, my dog used to do the same thing. We got on a first name basis with the new owners because of it.

He had a collar--a rather old and weathered one--but no tags and no chip. Also, when I say that he showed up on my doorstep, he was one house down from me, crossing the street when I first saw him. I've lived here for almost eight years now. I know he doesn't belong to any of the neighbors in the immediate area.

Anyway, even if the owner were to come along at this point, I'd be reluctant to give him back. He's clearly been neglected. He's at least about 10 lbs. underweight, heartworm positive, and had a pretty good case of fleas when I first found him. The heartworms are sufficiently advanced that he's had them for at least five or six months. I think it very unlikely this boy has been out on the street for that long. (His temperament is too good, and he showed absolutely no fear of me.) Anyway, that likely shows that whomever he lived with before didn't bother to spend the lousy six bucks a month it would have taken to get him heartworm preventative or to feed him properly. Just doing the former would have prevented what this boy's going to have to go through to get fully healthy again.

He's a good looking boy, and you will have to get us some more photos when he's shed his current coat and looks better :) .


It sounds as if he has escaped to a better life.

East Hill

If you can afford it, I'd recommend taking the dog to the vet for a checkup, shots, and an oil change.

The reason I say this is because I try to take all stray cats near me to the vet for shots and checkups every six months or so, and I've ended up with cats with advanced stages of FIV and feline leukemia that had to be put down before they would infect other cats. Yes, its $1000-$2000 a year, but there are stray cats over a decade old still prowling around.

If you can afford it, I'd recommend taking the dog to the vet for a checkup, shots, and an oil change.

The reason I say this is because I try to take all stray cats near me to the vet for shots and checkups every six months or so, and I've ended up with cats with advanced stages of FIV and feline leukemia that had to be put down before they would infect other cats. Yes, its $1000-$2000 a year, but there are stray cats over a decade old still prowling around.


It sounds as if bluebottle1 has already had Rocky to the vet if he knows that Rocky isn't microchipped, and that he has advanced heartworms.

But, that's still good advice.

You are kind to take the stray cats in to the vet...I've done that before too, and with the same result of having to have them put down due to FIV and Feline leukemia :( .

East Hill

If he's in that bad a shape, I doubt his owners want him back. I hope if you keep him long term that you become good friends.

Looks like he has bad breath

It sounds as if bluebottle1 has already had Rocky to the vet if he knows that Rocky isn't microchipped, and that he has advanced heartworms.

But, that's still good advice.

You are kind to take the stray cats in to the vet...I've done that before too, and with the same result of having to have them put down due to FIV and Feline leukemia :( .

East Hill

He has been to the vet, and I got him the regular battery of vaccinations--rabies, distemper, parvo, bordatella, etc. I have three dogs already, and since I figured they'd inevitably be in contact with him, I wasn't willing to take the risk of his giving them something.

I'll likely be keeping him through his heartworm treatment. I'm in touch with a local rescue group for his breed (Great Pyrenees), and they'll subsidize some of the veterinary treatment. In the meantime, he and I have bonded well, so it'll be nice to have him around. We'll worry about finding his forever home once he's healthy.

Right now, he could use a bath and a good grooming, but his coat's not in too bad a shape. That big nasty collar he has in the picture is gone. I actually had to cut it off of him with a pair of metal shears, it was so weathered and stiff. And his breath really isn't bad. Well, it's dog breath, but whatcha gonna do?

He had a collar--a rather old and weathered one--but no tags and no chip. Also, when I say that he showed up on my doorstep, he was one house down from me, crossing the street when I first saw him. I've lived here for almost eight years now. I know he doesn't belong to any of the neighbors in the immediate area.

Anyway, even if the owner were to come along at this point, I'd be reluctant to give him back. He's clearly been neglected. He's at least about 10 lbs. underweight, heartworm positive, and had a pretty good case of fleas when I first found him. The heartworms are sufficiently advanced that he's had them for at least five or six months. I think it very unlikely this boy has been out on the street for that long. (His temperament is too good, and he showed absolutely no fear of me.) Anyway, that likely shows that whomever he lived with before didn't bother to spend the lousy six bucks a month it would have taken to get him heartworm preventative or to feed him properly. Just doing the former would have prevented what this boy's going to have to go through to get fully healthy again.

Oh man, fleas in a great Pyrenees coat, I feel your pain. I've been there twice. My girlfriend would be headed over right now to pick up Rocky if she had a larger apartment next year (her fav breed).

He seems like a happy guy, bluebottle. He's lucky you found him. :)

He seems like a happy guy, bluebottle. He's lucky you found him. :)

Funny thing. Until the last couple of days, he's seemed really unsure of himself--kind of tentative around the other dogs--and really only playful with me, and only that in brief moments when I first came walking up to the gate in the backyard. This morning, I let him and my other three out in the yard and walked out a little later to have coffee in the outdoors, as is my habit in comfortable weather. There were all four dogs chasing each other like puppies around the yard, with Rocky as the ringleader. Have you ever seen an eighty pound (should be closer to ninety or ninety-five) dog bounce like he has springs in his feet? That's what I saw this morning. It was good to see him acting like a dog.

Gorgeous - very lucky! Look forward to updates!

What a beautiful dog he is! Enjoy!

bluebttle1...that's so great of you to do that
...instead of getting you some greenies, I put a little something in your MS150 basket instead :)

AWwww he's VERY lucky. And it seems like he's taking well to being part of your family. This is an awesome story. :)

That is great to know you are doing your part to help just one dog. That is exciting indeed. Nice Looking Dog for sure ... Definitely Good News.

A quick update.

Despite being initially unwilling and then nervous about coming into the house, Rocky has now quite taken to it. The initial shyness he had seems to be pretty much gone, and he is learning to appreciate a good tummy rub with new friends in attendance.

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff289/bluebottle1/IMG_0022.jpg

Yep. He's part of the family now.

Thanks for the update. I somehow think Rocky may have already found is forever home.

I need to hug him!

I'm glad he's found a great family.

I would just like to commend you for taking in a stray into your home and spending some hard earned money him to make him well.

I am just glad to read that you came upon this dog and not the original owner who probably didn't give a rats ass about the dog.

So nice of you to take him in! Poor guy!

http://www.bendigobank.com.au/public/community/images/clapping.jpg

Is he just a puppy? Pretty small for a Pyrenees

Is he just a puppy? Pretty small for a Pyrenees

He's not a puppy, but he's on the small end for a male Great Pyr. He's also underweight at the moment. In truth, you can't get a very good idea of his size from that second photo, but he's about 28 inches at the shoulder.

He's still a lucky boy, no matter what happens.

East Hill

He's so sweet, bluebottle. :)

my aunt and uncle have two great pyrenes working their farm. They are great dogs.

good to save one dog from Lethal Injection and even better that he is doing well.

Rocky says:

"Heartworm treatment sucks! No barking at the dogs next door! No going for long walks! And I've felt like crap the last two days. Fortunately, I'm getting pampered, so I'll milk it for what it's worth....."

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff289/bluebottle1/Dogs/001.jpg


The boy's doing okay under the circumstances. Putting on some much-needed weight and looking pretty healthy overall. Looks like he'll pull through.

Ohh thanks for the update!

You know years ago - it was thought of that only heartworm prevention was just for down south, then I guess it migrated up north. And I never paid much attention to it as even when I had my little indoor doggy - it was stated that because she was a little indoor dog it wasn't necessary to innoculate - until she was in her later years and then - yes it was a must.

I looked into it and dam those little effin worms are nasty - they just fill the heart - and to kill them - can kill the dog. I'm glad you all are getting thru the treatment - because years ago it was prevention period - and treatment was basically not hopeful. (btw - I'm a faithful watcher of animal ER, etc) - so glad things are better now!!

Beautiful animal and thank you for being a cool person and helping!!!

Yeah.. heartworm sucks. My neighbors dog had it as well long time ago, and it seems like back then they gave them arsenic drugs which can kill a dog if he's not strong enough? I don't know if the treatment is different now as my dogs never had heartworms. I always fed them the little prevention piece every month.

We're not out of the woods, yet, but things have come a long way from where they were some years ago. Years ago, the treatment for heartworms was arsenic-based. Basically, you'd poison the whole body and hope the dog survives. It's better now. Now, the biggest concern is throwing a clump of the little *******s that lodge in the heart or the lung and cause a blockage. It means keeping him very relaxed for the duration of treatment (about two months). No long walks, no vigorous exercise. Fortunately, he's got a pretty laconic personality in the first place. Classic Great Pyr. Anyway, the outlook is good, overall. I'm hopeful.

A handsome looking fellow for sure. Congrats!

Thanks for the update, glad to see he's doing well. He sure is lucky to have found you!:)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. :) I had a high school biology teacher who kept the pickled, heartworm-infested heart of a Golden Retriever where everyone in class could see it. I never missed the heartworm dose on my 2, thanks to him.

Cute mighty dog! :) You have your home security system there! The latest addition to our menagerie is what appears to be a purebred Bloodhound that one of my wife's co-workers found stray. No secret why she was probably dumped; we call her Roo. She told us her name, ROOOOOOOOOOOOO! It shakes plaster loose from the ceiling! Sorry, no pics; translating digital images from camera to laptop to this forum totally eludes my understanding.

Heartworms? Nowadays, depending on the progression, is almost a non-issue. The advances have resulted in treatments that have little effect on the pooches "well-being" and should live a normal life during the treatment. Rocky has a great prognosis.

Way to go!!

Good luck, Rocky! He looks like a great dog to have with the others, sounds like he'll get along just fine. You kick *** for taking him in and giving him treatment, bluebottle!



Cute mighty dog! :) You have your home security system there! The latest addition to our menagerie is what appears to be a purebred Bloodhound that one of my wife's co-workers found stray. No secret why she was probably dumped; we call her Roo. She told us her name, ROOOOOOOOOOOOO! It shakes plaster loose from the ceiling! Sorry, no pics; translating digital images from camera to laptop to this forum totally eludes my understanding.

Oh man, brings back SO many memories. When I was growing up, my aunt, her bloodhound and chihuahua would keep watch of me. That bloodhound was so very awesome, but they do have a howl. He eventually died, which was sad, then they got another who wasn't so well-trained. He redefined bloodhound howl to me, but was a sweet boy.

good to know the dog is doing well, hard to say where it would be otherwise.

Some shots of the pets here can be found:
rlmi-petsandpictures.blogspot.com (http://rlmi-petsandpictures.blogspot.com/)

Keep up the good work there.

I'm thinking that Rocky isn't going to be a house guest for much longer and it would almost be wrong to ship him off to another home after he has bonded with his new pack.

:D

And such a gorgeous dog...

Some folks I know raise goats and sheep and have a massive Pyrenees that also used to babysit their son...

The little guy would sit on the porch with the dog and take to going for strolls and when he hit a certain line the dog would walk out, pick him up by the back of his coveralls and return him to the porch.

When the dog was not watching the little boy he slept with the herd and wreaked havok on the local coyote population that thought the sheep and goats were easy pickings.

I've only seen two pictures of that dog and I love him already. I'm such a sucker.

they are good dogs, and to hear more good experiences is a good thing.

Looking at post #1 and comparing it to post #31, it looks like you have two different dogs. Fantastic job! Thanks for getting another one off of the street and into a good home, even if its only temporary.

And such a gorgeous dog...

Some folks I know raise goats and sheep and have a massive Pyrenees that also used to babysit their son...

The little guy would sit on the porch with the dog and take to going for strolls and when he hit a certain line the dog would walk out, pick him up by the back of his coveralls and return him to the porch.

When the dog was not watching the little boy he slept with the herd and wreaked havok on the local coyote population that thought the sheep and goats were easy pickings.

that's going to change my definition from man's best friend to mom's best friend.

Two plus weeks into heartworm treatment, and it seems we're doing well. Rocky doesn't get much unsupervised time outdoors. When he's out there, he has a good roll in the grass. He loves it when it's newly cut. Didn't have the camera with me while he was having his daily roll, but here's a shot for his fans.

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff289/bluebottle1/Dogs/2009.jpg

:love:

Awww he's so cute. I still want to kiss that face.