We recently took in a dog that had been abandoned, and from the looks of it, abused. He followed my kids home a couple of days ago. We put up posters, but just as I figured, no one claimed him. We had someone cosidering taking him in for us, since we already have one dog, but after spending a couple of days with him, we can't let him go. I need to get him in to a vet to have him checked out though. He is (naturally) pretty scared of people, and any kind of commotion at all has him running to hide. He is a small toy dog, like my other, but is not at all "hyper" like many toy dogs are. He doesn't eat much, pretty much refusing all dog food we have tried to feed him. He did eat the bacon I gave him this morning without hesitation though. He walks with his back arched all the time, so I worry that he has some serious problems that are hurting him. Also, one of his eyes is badly scratched up. It looks like sandpaper was rubbed over it. I am very concerned about all that. He is very well behaved, which makes me believed that at some point, someone loved him enough to train him well. I don't know anything about his history though. I don't know how long he's been without a home. I don't know what, if any, shots he's had, how old he is, or even his exact breed (I do know that he is some kind of a poodle mix). I'm not going to hesitate having him taken care of, but don't know what kind of costs I will rack up with the vet. The dog I've had for a year now is really the only dog I've ever had for a long time, so I'm still pretty new overall to knowing what all dogs need. Mine has her shots and gets groomed regularly, which we will also do with the new dog. I'm not sure when I'll be able to get him into the vet, so I'm looking for any advice anyone can share with me until then. Also, anyone that might have an idea of what all may be wrong with him (the arched back is the most concerning to me right now), all thoughts will be very helpful. Ideas on costs when you first take an abandoned dog to a vet to be checked on, anything is very helpful to us right now. Thanks in advance for any advice!
We took him to the vet, and they found nothing wrong with him. Shortly after getting home from the vet with him, his owner's girlfriend came asking about him. She was looking for him, and some of our neighbors told her that my kids had found him. His owner is in Afghanistan right now, and his friends were keeping the dog and lost him. The dog came to our house from only a couple blocks away, the day after he went missing. My kiddos are heartbroken, and I'm pretty sad too. But we know at least he wasn't abused and dumped.
Hi:
First thank you for taking in an animal that was on the streets.
There is a great vet service out in Savannah, MO. It's a bit of a drive, but they have low cost vet care. They are with M'Shoogy's animal rescue, which is no skill rescue. http://www.mshoogys.com/angelsvetpdf.pdf
Good Morning Jenn, God Bless you a big ole bunch. Call your vet and explain what is going on. The dog my have a chip implant and they can find out where the dog belongs.
Some of the rescue shelters even Pet Smart may help you with the first vet bills if you explain how he came to your family. I watch animal plant on Cable alot, they show you how they can take a abandoned dog and get them ready for adoption. Under Dog to Wonder Dog, Even training each dog for the family they are going to.
I think the PetSmart in Wichita (I know your in MO)
has one day a week where pet owners get discount pet care and grooming.
You might try cooking a little rice,carrots *soft*a little cooked chicken diced, put a few table spoons in with a little bit of kibble and see if he will eat that. If he does that will get him started eating again.
God Bless you Jenn for helping one of our furry friends survive, and finding their new forever home.
K. Nana of 5
But do call your vet and let him/her know the situation, I betcha they will help you out.
The first thing that I thought was that maybe he was hit by a car, could explain the running when there is commotion, and the condition of the dog. If he's some kind of purebred he could have a microchip that identifies him. Small dogs don't eat much, my mother had two fairly good sized dogs and they only ate about 1/3 cup twice a day, this was what the vet told her to feed them after they got overweight, so it might be eating what it needs. Also if it did have a loving family it could be missing them. Good Luck with your new pet!
I used to work for a vet clinic so I can give you a little advice on initial cost. I'm not sure what actual costs are right now so any quote from me is going to be from about 5 years ago. Shots: rabies $8, distemper $18. Fecal test: $12, deworming $15. Heartworm test: $25. Plus the cost of your exam and any additional meds for the scratched eye. Ballpark figure is probably at least a couple hundred dollars. The hunched back could be an old injury, possible constipation, internal parasites and any number of problems. Also if he has heartworms your looking at a long and expensive treatment process. Some vets will give discounts to help people care for abandoned pets. Hope this helps. Good luck with your new furry friend.
For what it is worth, I have found that two dogs are easier than one. They tend to entertain each other. And I also have a dog who was abused when she was really little before we adopted her, I think having my other dog not react to things that scare her (like new people), helps reassure her that it's okay.
The vet should charge you probably around $30-$50 for a basic exam. A great vet might not charge you anything if it turns out the dog has a lot of issues that will need to be treated. The dog should also be scanned for a microchip. Good luck!
Jenn,
First, it is wonderful that your family is willing to even consider taking this poor mistreated dog! It's sometimes enough to take care of the kids alone, not to mention pets! That said, I think that if you call your vet and explain what has happened, they might be willing to work with you for the costs. Maybe they would be willing to comp all or some of the initial visit, since you are doing such a good think by taking responsibility for this animal. I would definitely get him checked out soon, for the safety of your children and other pet. Many strays pick up parasites that can be easily transmitted to your family...you don't want that! Also, the sooner the treatment, the more likely they will be able to fix whatever is wrong with his eye. I'm sure it will take lots of TLC to get him back to normal, but if you are willing to give it, the abandoned dogs sometimes make the BEST pets! It's like they know that you are helping them, so they want to repay you with lots of love and devotion... My advice is to call your vet and just outright ask about the bill. If your vet won't help out, maybe another will. Some cities offer free vaccination clinics a couple of times per year, so check with your city hall, also. Good luck!!!
take the dog to a vet and let them know that you found him, ask them to scan for a microship and let them know you plan on caring for the dog until you find the owners. they will be very happy to answer your questions when they find that out. It happened to me once, the dog actually had a staph infection of the skin, after they found out we were going to keep her until we found the owner, they were very happy to give her a shot and a full bottle of antibiotics for free. you might give it a try. good luck
the first thing I would do is call the vet you use for your other dog. Ask all the questions you have. They should be more than cooperative on giving you the estimated costs (mine does) and advice. You could also call your local humane society or dog pound to ask questions because they deal with many dogs daily and have a lot of valuable experience. Best of luck. Its a lucky dog to have found you.
Hi Jenn, we are dog lovers, and have a hard time saying no to any stray. But dogs are expensive, if you are a responsible owner. As soon as you are sure no one is looking for your newly found dog, you should make an appointment to take the dog to the vet. Your first vet visit will probably be near $100. The vet will do blood work, check for worms, and heart disease. It sounds like this may be an older dog. If so, the back could have arthritis. Some breeds are more inclined than others toward this disease. A vet can tell you the approximate age, and give any necessary shots. If it is an older dog, the teeth may be bad, and require soft food. Wal-Mart sells soft food in various flavors. When my dog was sick last winter, that was all he would eat. My Mom even adds a small amount of Pedialite water to her dogs food for added nutrition. Good luck with your dog, it sounds like it found a much needed new home.
First, let me say good for you and THANK YOU! This dog needs love and attention and it sounds like you are the right person to get it for him. I wouldn't wait to take him to teh vet. Take him and let the vet explain the costs to you. Then, you can decide what to do next, but don't wait if you think he is in pain. I also adopted an abandoned dog, but I do not think he was abused. The vet bill will really depend on what is wrong with him, but please don't let that stop you from taking him in. In many instances, if you tell the vet it is an abandoned dog, they may try to work out something with you on costs. I've seen this happen as my sister helps animal control find homes for dogs. It doesn't hurt to ask, but if there is something hurting the dog, take him in and then decide what to do once you know all of the facts. Please don't let him suffer. GOOD FOR YOU for taking in this dog and thank you for helping him! I think he will eventually come out of his shell, but it is going to be a process. He may always be afraid of people. Just be patient with him and I bet he becomes one of the best dogs you've ever had. Good luck!
1st step: talk with your vet & see what they recommend. You could also contact the local shelter & see if they have any recommendations. Shopping around never hurts!
As for transportation: use a crate or wrap the dog in a blanket that he's slept on....this will provide a comfort zone.
Having two dogs: is great! You have a lot more personal freedom by having two dogs. We have found that they rely on each other instead of becoming dependent on us. We currently have 2 70+ lb dogs & they match each other in speed & agility. But my sis has a Great Dane & a mini dacshund...& they also do great together. (In fact, the mini weiner can actually sit in the Great Dane's mouth! It's a game they play.)
As for taking in a stray: thank you! Our youngest dog was adopted thru the Olde English Sheepdog Rescue Unit...his mother was abandoned when she was pregnant. Thru this organization, we learned that due to the economy - many, many pets are being abandoned because their owners cannot afford to feed them. I also know that our local shelter is over-full & can't take anymore animals. It's a very sad time in our world. Hope all goes well!
I don't know a whole lot about this, but I'm pretty sure that you can take the dog in to your vets and if you tell them the situation you are in, many times they will defer teh cost to you as a "good samaritan" type of deal. The humane society would be a good resource to go to as well for care. But I would do something ASAP and keep the new dog away from children and your other pets because he may have worms, etc. that will spread to other animals.
I'm guessing that the arched back is because the poor little thing is probably malnurished and has very little fat on him and this is the way they look. But also of course, because he is timid and scared still of his surroundings. It will get better, but get the dog into the vet, humane society, or somewhere for care as soon as you can. Good luck!!
Hi Jenn,
I didn't read what everyone else wrote you but two things popped into my mind with your little stray dog. He may be an older dog...the sandpaper scratched eye sounds a little bit like maybe what a cateract would look like? Also, sometimes when dogs don't eat it's because they have dental problems. That may be costly....seems like vet care is costly anymore. Usually have to put them on antibiotics for a week or 2 before they do the dental and then another 2 weeks after to prevent infection. They have to use anesthesia to put your dog out to clean and / or pull any teeth. At least that is what we did when I worked as a vet tech 8 years ago. Since the stray dog is smaller the cost should be less than a large dog. The other thing that makes me think he's older is his energy level. Good luck with the little guy. We recently took in a stray rat terrier type dog. He is full of energy and my daughter loves him because he's her size.
Get him to the vet fast. If your vet doesn't have any openings then try PetSmart or PetCo and their vet inside the store. He needs to be checked out. If everything works out and he is okay and the back problem is just his quirk then after a few months he'll be fine with your love. I have taken in strays before and after love they are like everyother dog. Just need to be loved and know they are loved. Oh and try canned dog food...may not be able to chew the hard stuff right now if he's been on his own for a while. Then eventually you can incorporate the hard food with the soft and then slowly lower the canned food and he'll be eating hard food with no problems. Hope this helps...Good luck and God Bless.
I have taken in stray kittens and the mama cat and other cats over the years. My husband says if there is a stray within a five mile radius of our house that it will find me.
I have had my strays initially treated at the Humaine Society (Kansas City, Kansas) because they don't cost as much money. They can give you an idea of how old the dog is and what breed. I'm sure they could tell you what if anything is wrong with the dogs back. It's nice to know that there are other animal lovers out there. I paid for the vet bills for the cats and kittens and then found them good homes. I wish you luck!
Hi Jenn, Have you tried a canned food? My first thought is that he'll eat when he gets hungrey enough and just feed him what you feed your dog. But then again, if he's been without food you need to get something in him. So maybe a canned food would get hime to eat and if he eats that then you could mix in the dry food and wean him off the canned. You may also try giving him a quite area to eat. My grandma's dog will not eat if there is too much noise and too many people in the kitchen. So if were at her house and it's time for this dog to eat my Grandpa makes us leave the kitchen and be quite for about 1/2 an hour (he has Alzheimers so we do it).
As for the back, he could have injured it. We had a do that had a back injury (my then 2 year old tried to ride our Pom - didn't go over well). He just needed anti-imflamatories to fix him up. I would tri to get him to a vet ASAP. If you are worried about what the cost may be you could take him the Human Socitey vet, their cost are normally less than what private vets would be. If you are in the Washington, MO area I know great vet who does not charge an arm and a leg.
The back may also be from being abused, he may just be hunched over and creeping around. He may not be comfortable yet and not relaxed enough to walk normally. This of the stero-type abused women/children who walk with their shoulders hunched over, like they are trying to hide almost.
I think love, good food and a safe envrioment will go a long way for him. And if it doesn't and the dog does have something that he has to be put to sleep, take comfort in knowing that you and your family showed him what it is to be loved. We had one like that, only had her a week. The person sold us a sick puppy (worms and parvo), we had her a week. But she had a good week and we took her to the vet when we realized she was sick, he made her as comfortable as possible during her last 2 days. I just know that if we would have left her with that horrible breeder she would have spent her last week in a crate and her last couple of days would have been really horrible.
Good luck, show that little dog kindness and love - and I'm sure he'll come around!
Our dogs loved home cooked meals. We boil up ground turkey, rice, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and almost any vegetable. We mix up the veggies and never add onions. But we do add garlic which supposedly helps in many ways.
One thing I would do is get some pink eye relief that is herbal and over the counter for the eye. Poor guy. It's hard to say how painful that is. It should help until you can find out what else he might need for that.
If I were you, I would call around and find out what initial discounts various vets might give you for taking in a stray. Seems like they might at least be able to waive a few fees to help.
I don't know on the arched back. Obviously, surgeries would be hugely expensive. I know I couldn't afford to do surgeries of any kinds these days with my pets. If the pain was great I would opt to euthanasia. But hopefully, this guy isn't in too much pain.
Suzi
Why not take him to your local animal protection location to see if they might be cheaper than your vet would be. I know your feeling sorry for the little fellow, as I am sure I would be if I were in your shoes. Try a little hamburger an rice to see if that goes well with his tummy, when you cook hamburger drain off grease an add instant cooked rice to it.
I know you have a lot of responses and have already scheduled with the vet but thought I would share my story, it may help. Several years ago we had a similar situation with a pommeranian. I called our local humane society(I live near Kansas City) and they did all the shots an exam and neutered him for less than $200. They said since he was an animal I was rescuing I could get a reduction in their normal fees. Good luck.
I remember when I took in an abandoned cat. Called the animal shelters, police department to report the cat. A week later no one claimed her. By this time me and the neighbor (naval officer) were in love with the cat. If I couldn't take the cat, he would...but then i found out he had a big dog back home, so it was a no brainer.
Made an appointment for her to get checked out. Turned out her teeth were kicked in...grrrrr and of course she was skinny. I told the story to the vet on how i got her. He didn't charge me for the visit.. :)
PS...it takes a special kind of person to take in a special needs animal....bravo to you and your family
