Buddy has been adopted!
Sponsored by Debbie S., in honour of her dear friend Eleanor K.
Buddy has been patiently waiting for his very own family for sometime now and he is wondering where they are. Don’t let his age stop you from reading on, he is an absolute sweetheart. He is originally from Tennessee. He is a loving, loyal, and a tad opinionated guy who just wants his person with him all the time nor will he share you with another dog. Could you be his person, please read on to discover more about this little guy.
Buddy’s bucket list is that he is the only dog to be spoiled through his senior years. Less stairs would be ideal, otherwise he will need help getting up and down them at times. Someone home to dote over him is a must, or at the very least, someone visiting during the day to get him out for bathroom breaks and to have some company. He loves short walks and opportunities to go on road trips, no crates or small enclosed places for him. Children do make him nervous, so an adult-only home please. A fenced backyard to play in and explore, or a tie out works well too. A bed or 2 or more to sleep on, a spot to catch a sun ray, a comfy sofa, a blanket to roll in or on, and lots of squeaky toys to play with.
Buddy has not shown an interest in being a lap dog but will cuddle in beside you if he wants or will find that spot where he can stretch out, whether a sofa, if he is permitted or will choose to sleep on a soft dog bed on the floor close by. It just depends on his mood and how he is feeling. Bedtime, he sleeps in a dog bed in our room as he likes to get up, switch beds or get a drink so we feel better if he is on the floor.
Buddy will need time and patience to be comfortable with his new family, and likewise his family will need to be patient in getting to know what he likes and doesn’t like. He will let us know if we have done something he doesn’t like. Intros to other pets, like birds or rabbits should be supervised as he can be quite excited about meeting them. Outside, it’s fun to chase the neighbourhood Chipmunk or Squirrel. Buddy’s bark is loud for a little guy but most times it is very easy to settle him down. Play time is short and naps are long. He loves food and treats and he will always need to have his diet managed for his weight, low sodium for his heart and joint health is important, supplementing with Tri Acta in his food, pain management along with his other medications are important. He looks forward to his meds as they are in a meatball which he loves. Though Buddy loves his walks, arthritis is slowing him down and shorter walks (10 to 15 mins) more often are best.
Buddy understands, “Leave It, Sit, Stay, Lay Down, Walk On” but as he is an older boy, he can be selective about following directions; he is not an ideal candidate for off leash activities or leash free parks. Buddy does need to get out frequently for bathroom breaks, and can be left alone for at most 4 hrs; when we have had to go out, he wears a belly band to avoid messes should he have an accidents, which does happen from time to time. Buddy is a very well behaved boy who just wants to be with his person as much as possible, living his best life and once he has settled in, you can expect excited zoomies when he comes in from outside, greetings at the door when his family comes home, comical moments at his silly antics and a faithful companion to spend time with whether watching tv, working on your computer or reading a book with a cup of coffee. Buddy is the perfect shadow, always a step or 2 behind us, sleeping with one eye open it seems.
Buddy was neutered and had a dental as well as being brought up to date with his vaccines. We were happy to see that his 4dx test was negative. His pre-op blood work did show some elevation of his liver enzymes. Buddy has been on medication for this, and we were very pleased with how well he has responded. While not yet perfectly normal, his enzyme levels have come down. When we see this kind of response to the supplement he is on, the most likely reason for the elevated enzymes is nodular hyperplasia. This is a benign condition that happens very often in dogs as they get older. Buddy will benefit from remaining on this medication throughout his life.
Buddy did start coughing a few weeks after his arrival so he had another vet visit where our veterinarian heard a heart murmur and chest X-rays followed. Buddy did have some fluid in his lungs and he was started on medication. He has responded beautifully and a recent ultrasound showed that the fluid had resolved and he was no longer in congestive heart failure. The cause of Buddy’s murmur is mitral valve insufficiency due to a partial prolapse of the valve. This is a very common cause of CHF in dogs. Buddy will need to be on medication for this as well, and he is currently on vetmedin and lasix. The specialist who saw Buddy for his echocardiogram has recommended that he have a repeat echo in 12-18 months. Buddy is currently on a weight loss regime and losing a few pounds will be beneficial to his health. He should not be given any foods that are high in sodium. Buddy’s future family will need to be on the lookout for any signs that he may need his medication adjusted. Checking on his respirations per minute while in a deep sleep is a good way to monitor Buddy. We are all so pleased to see how well he is doing! Buddy’s vet records will be available to his new clinic.
Buddy was lovingly fostered by Debbie