Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and meeting Floyd Lovers…..

Marilyn has a new HoPper. His story is not the best, but everyone who stepped up to help him was. Especially our Marilyn…..Here is her post!

I got this email from a local mobile vet a couple days ago, trying to help a client rehome a senior basset that wasn’t living a very good life with him:

I have an owner who rescued a basset through a local group and would prefer not to return said dog to the rescue organization. The dog had been “rescued”, placed in a local veterinary hospital, neutered, and left in a run for a year with a caution sign hung (no one at the clinic bothered to discover the dog has little vision which is why he fear barks-no biting ever and he calms down if you go slowly and he loves attention once he relaxes). The first time I saw this dog it had just been adopted by this owner. Upon physical examination, I noted that the neuter sutures were still in place and it had been a YEAR since his neuter surgery! Needless to say the rescue group’s fostering ability was called into question.

So more than a year has passed and this poor dog is living in this owner’s home even though I have suggested numerous times that he needs to rehome the dog. The owner is afraid of the dog because he does a fear bark. This dog is not mean or vicious, just nervous because he has very limited sight. My technician and I are able to do everything necessary to help this dog, from routine physicals, blood draws and toenail trims to dry baths and ear cleanings. My technician spends about 20 minutes walking the dog outside at each visit because this is the only outdoor time the dog gets-the owner is too afraid to teach him to go outside through the screen door, even though I’ve brought a certified dog trainer with me to a visit and showed him how very trainable this dog actually is.

Currently the dog urinates and defecates in the house, gets fed regularly, has access to water at all times, and gets minimal (if any) other attention. The owner lives with his mother who is in senior dementia stages and cannot help to assist with the dog. In short, it is a very difficult living experience for both the owner and the poor basset.

I know that you are not in the habit of accepting senior bassets without having the owner first go through the rescue groups, but in this instance the sooner we get this dog out of this environment, the better. The owner has requested we rehome this dog or he’s going to have him put to sleep. I do not believe that this dog’s race is run yet and will refuse to perform the euthanasia, but am concerned of what will become of the dog otherwise-the reason he contacted me in the first place was because he is unable to get the dog into the car (surprising, I am able to lift the dog into my van at every visit.

Please let me know of any options or solutions you may have for this case. I am truly at my wits end with this owner and feeling very sorry for this poor, sweet senior basset.

Thanks & cheers,

Rachel Wander, DVM

Healthy Pet Mobile Vet Ltd.

PO Box 0628

New Market, MD 21774

HealthyPetMobileVet.com

Turns out the owner had actually called the woman from the other rescue he got Floyd from (not BROOD) about taking him back, since he had the contractual obligation to return him, but she refused, said she had no room and told him to contact me.

He’s very subdued right now, no tail wagging, no response to affection, even ducks when you reach out to pet him. Did not want to eat last night, slept in the house but did not want to come back in when I put him out this morning. He used to be a farm dog before he was “rescued”, so he’ll be fine outside for the day. Temp is in the mid 60’s and cloudy but no rain. The mobile vet said he also seems to have little seizures, where he just sits and stares, but she’s willing to keep treating him at cost since she’s grown attached to him. She also got the owner to make a $500 donation to HOP.

Floyd is a very handsome old dude, about 10 years old.