Eddie 3

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Update 12/07/11:

When his foster dad noticed that Eddie was experiencing severe urination problems, he quickly made an appointment with the vet for a diagnosis. It was determined that poor Eddie had a UTI and struvites, commonly known as bladder stones. A stone was blocking his urinary canal and could not be dislodged with a catheter, so Eddie underwent surgery to remove the offending stone as well as some other stones in his bladder. Apparently a symptomless, long running bladder infection produced the stones. 

Eddie came through the operation with flying biscuits aka flying colors. Although he was a bit groggy at first, by the next morning he was feeling much better! He is now receiving very special TLC and recovering nicely. It didn’t take long for Eddie to be up and about, eating, taking his meds, and going for short walks in his yard. Hooray for Eddie!

A special lab in Minnesota will be analyzing the composition of Eddie’s stones. This will help determine if he will need to follow a particular regimen to keep future stones at bay. His foster dad thinks that Eddie is one terrific Springer who deserves a special home. Keep posted for Eddie’s continued recovery!

Update 11/27/11:

Eddie is making great strides in his foster home. He has completely recovered from his surgery to remove a perianal adenoma. His foster family noticed that he appeared to experience discomfort when getting up in the morning, so a trip to the vet was in order. X-rays revealed apparent swelling in a vertebra close to Eddie’s hip, and he was placed on an anti-inflammatory supplement to reduce the swelling. Two weeks later, the supplements appear to be helping Eddie.

This Thanksgiving, Eddie is thankful to be a MAESSR boy, benefitting from the attention and love from his foster family. Look for Eddie to be ready soon – he’d love to sit under your Christmas tree with a big bow around his neck!

Original:

This very handsome and gentle fieldie boy joined the MAESSR family after being found as a stray in Virginia and taken to a shelter.

Eddie is housetrained, but is not completely crate-trained yet. His house manners are very good, as he understands his role in his foster home. He is a room-Velcro Springer, in that he doesn’t have to be right next to you, but he is satisfied to be in the same room with you. When his foster parents are away, he spends time in the kitchen with the four resident male Springers. At night, he sleeps on the floor in the master bedroom along with the resident canines. Eddie is not allowed on the furniture nor does he try to get on the furniture. He does counter-surf, but gets down when he is reprimanded for checking out the countertops.

When it is time for a walk, Eddie is fairly good on a leash, but pulls gently. However, with a quiet voice command, he slows down as requested. His foster parents have been giving Eddie some refresher training with the basic commands sit and stay and he is proving to be a good student. At his foster home, he is allowed outside with the four resident canines without being constrained, and he makes no effort to run away. He rides well in a car or van, generally making himself comfortable on the seat. With an average energy level for a six year old Springer, Eddie runs, but doesn’t race around the yard. He and one of the resident males especially enjoy playing ball with one another, and Eddie willingly shares his toys with the other dogs. Eddie also plays gently with people, softly mouthing the person he is playing with. This mouthing does not hurt in any way, though.

When meal time comes, Eddie eats his food with the resident Springers and he does not get upset if one shares some of his kibble. Since Eddie is a slow eater, the residents watch him finish and get very close to him, but he ignores them all while he finishes his meal.

Eddie gets along well with people of all ages from three month old babies to three year old toddlers to older children and adults. He fits into the canine pack and gets along well with two family cats. In fact, he generally ignores them. He greets strangers with his tail wagging, does not jump on them, and just says, Welcome in a friendly way. During his first few days in foster care, Eddie was very anxious when left alone so he has been given some anti-anxiety medication. Now, as long as he is with other dogs when his foster parents are away, he is fine. A good, patient boy for his health exams, Eddie allowed the vet to check him over thoroughly. He had a little pain at one of his visits, but only winced a little and made no attempt to bite. The vet found Eddie had a small perianal adenoma and this was then removed. He is recovering well from his operation.

Eddie was equally good when he was groomed. Once he was pulled from the shelter, Eddie had a bath and he seemed to enjoy the attention. He had no problems while he was being soaped up, scrubbed, and rinsed off. Now his coat is silky and clean!

All this handsome Springer boy needs now is a forever family who will love him!