Indy 4

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Update 11/20/11:

Job left Indy’s side 2 weeks ago, promising to wait for him at the Bridge. Today, Indy woke up and decided he needed to see his brother, Job, again. 

Indy was in good shape up until the middle of last night when he uncharacteristically asked to go outside. He did not have to go to the bathroom but, instead, just wanted to lie on the cold deck in his favorite corner where he could oversee the backyard. He did not want to get up to come back in and his foster dad had to carry him indoors. Indy became very lethargic and refused to eat, not at all his usual behavior. He didn’t even want his usual piece of cheese during breakfast and his family knew at that point that he was ready to go! 

His vet affirmed what his foster parents already knew and enabled Indy to pass very peacefully in the arms of his foster mom. Indy is now running and playing with Job and all his other friends. He is without any pain or discomfort anymore!

Indy’s family will cherish their wonderful memories of him and his brother. God speed, Indy, and the deepest of gratitude to his foster family for making him comfortable and for loving him for the last 17 months. He was very blessed to be a MAESSR boy.

Update 10/19/11:

There is only good news to report for Indy! He is doing well and continues to be very food driven. He lets his parents know when it is time for breakfast or dinner with a vocal outburst. He especially enjoys having some ice cream at night! Since the vet informed his parents that they should have no worries until Indy loses his appetite, they are happy to indulge him. 

Indy just loves to bark when he wants something. Having succumbed to deafness, he doesn’t seem to mind if the barking gets very loud! He is a good boy who absolutely loves attention and especially loves to be petted and rubbed around his face and ears. He will moan as if he’s in heaven if his ears are rubbed, and the harder they are rubbed, the louder the moaning! Since his ears are in good shape with no infections, his parents believe that it’s just one of life’s little pleasures for Indy. 

Indy’s parents are spoiling him rotten and, since he appears to be thriving, they are happy to oblige. He seems to be as active as he was when he arrived in their care over 15 months ago, so the love and attention lavished upon him seems to be keeping him very happy and healthy! 

He loves to follow his mom all around the kitchen just in case she drops anything food-related on the floor for him. Sometimes the treat cabinet door is opened, so he feels compelled to be right there, just in case! He always lets his mom know that a treat would be most welcome! 

Ever the very sweet guy, Indy gets along with every dog he meets. He also loves to play and roughhouse, although he doesn’t last as long as most of his playmates. 

A favorite activity of Indy’s is to sniff all around the perimeter of the house to be sure there are no critters invading his space. And bunnies beware! Indy will still give a good chase if he catches a glimpse of them in the yard. 

It appears that Indy’s vision is declining some since he fails to catch many of the treats or pieces of cheese thrown to him. His lack of vision doesn’t appear to bother him since he is very familiar with his house and knows every room. He is beginning to have more trouble going up the stairs at night and his back legs are getting weaker, but at his age, who can blame him for slowing down some? 

Lots of love, a wonderful home, and unabashed indulgence have made this MAESSR boy experience heaven on earth! Indy still has a zest for life and is holding his own!

Update 08/01/11:

It’s always wonderful to share good news, as is the case with Indy. From all appearances, Indy is doing well. In fact, in true Springer fashion, Indy still eats like a horse! He is always around his foster mom when food is happening, and he especially covets his favorite – ice cream!

Fortunately, all is quiet on the health-front for Indy, with the exception of a stubborn left ear. While he doesn’t have an infection, his foster mom diligently cleans it almost daily. She reports that with each cleaning she removes enough gunk out of it to plant a flower! His vet thinks that regular ear infections could have been a part of Indy’s history and caused his total deafness. Without sound as a cue, it sometimes takes Indy well over 10 minutes to realize his parents have come home! On other occasions, his parents wake him just to make sure he is still with them because he sleeps so soundly!

As always, Indy and his brother Job are together almost all of the time. They play together and often give each other kisses. Indy likes to think he is the top dog and will try to display dominance occasionally. He and the young foster dog have gone a couple of rounds! While it was obvious that his foster brother just wanted to play, it appeared that Indy wanted to show him his place in the pecking order. 

Having a youngster around is keeping Indy on his toes, and his foster mom thinks he is enjoying the youthful exuberance. Just the other day, Indy and his foster brother were outside wrestling each other, actually rolling down a hill in a heap together! Having a younger canine sibling has other benefits, too. Indy and Job both rely on the young pup to be their ears! He helps them realize that their parents have arrived home and they count on him to alert them when rabbits are in the yard. They all love to chase the rabbits!

Indy is the barker of the family. He barks at everything and whenever he wants something! Of course, being deaf, he doesn’t mind all of the noise he makes! This vocal guy even lets his parents know when it’s bedtime!

Indy is not a fan of the hot weather we’ve all been experiencing, especially the humidity. He doesn’t seem to understand why the air conditioning can’t follow him outside! When the temperature is really high, he goes out and does his business in a big hurry so he can come back quickly into the cool comfort. His breathing even becomes slightly labored on the really hot days. Those cooler, fall days will be a relief!

What could be more satisfying on a hot summer day than Indy’s all-time favorite treat? Whenever his parents are eating ice cream, Indy patiently waits for them to finish their bowls. He then kindly helps them clean the bowls spotless! This sweetie even shares with the other boys, although he would prefer to have it all to himself!

Indy is really loving his life right now; he seems to be very happy and content. A loving family; his best bud, Job; a playful foster pal; air conditioning and ice cream! It doesn’t get any better than this! Continued happiness, Indy!

Update 05/29/11:

Indy is enjoying his status as the old man of the foster dogs. He is content to spend most of his time relaxing but, as soon as his foster mom or dad give attention to any of his brothers, he is right there to get his share of whatever they are getting! He is still eating well, although he is most appreciative when there is a little extra something added to the usual dog food! His favorites are cheese and eggs, but he also loves beans of any kind, any flavor of gravy, liverwurst, etc. His all-time favorite, however, is ice cream! He has learned how to time each person eating ice cream and is always right at the foot of the person who is just finishing theirs! He loves to lick the bowls and spoons and, of course, his foster parents are happy to spoil him as much as they can.

Due to arthritis, Indy seems to be having more trouble with the stairs, but he is still right there whenever his foster mom is going up or down. Fortunately, his arthritis doesn’t keep him from jumping onto the bed for some cuddle time, so he is doing very well for his age! His foster parents haven’t seen any signs of pain and he seems to be holding his own. 

Indy is becoming a little grayer around the face as he ages. However, if he catches a glimpse of the rabbit in the yard, he will take off running as if he was a puppy! Of course, he cannot keep running for a long time and he is not fast enough to threaten the rabbits! He loves to wander the perimeter of the yard as if he is patrolling and keeping his family all safe and sound! His favorite activity is to lie outside on the deck and watch over the yard, although he always keeps an eye on his foster family and will run back inside to see what’s happening if they move. He hates to miss any of the action! 

Keep Indy in your thoughts and pray that he continues feeling good and enjoying life!

Update 01/25/11:

A few more months in his foster home and Indy continues to be going great! He still eats his food so quickly that using a brake bowl for him is a necessity – he can finish his dinner before his family stands back up and walks 5 feet away! Understandably, he has gained some weight. Since being with his family, his mom has not found anything he doesn’t like to eat! He does get jealous if she adds anything to the other boys’ dinner, such as gravy, so she is occasionally spicing up his food as well. He especially loves baked beans added to his meals! 

Indy has a sixth sense (OK, probably his nose) and can tell when his foster mom is working with cheese or peanut butter; he will not leave her side while she has those two foods near her! He absolutely goes bonkers over cheese and he knows that whenever she takes out eggs in the morning, he will get cheese! He has developed his routine and doesn’t seem to realize that sometimes things don’t happen on his timeline! The result – he will bark up a storm to get what he wants! 

Thankfully, Indy does not appear to be having any pain or discomfort although he will occasionally lie down next to the door and sigh or make loud grunting noises. He does not seem to realize he is verbalizing! He does love to bark! When he first arrived at his foster home, he was rather quiet and reserved. No more! He will definitely talk to his parents and let them know when he wants something or when he feels he needs attention. 

While Indy absolutely loves his foster brother, Job, and is constantly with him, he does get a little jealous if his mom is giving Job attention and she ignores Indy. Of course, Job does the same thing and, while they do not fight, they will nudge each other away from her hand to grab all the attention for themselves. It often reminds her of the behavior of her two children when they were pre-schoolers! Both always needed Mom’s attention whenever the other was getting some. Indy is not as keen on playing in the snow as Lester, his other foster brother, but he does love the outdoors and loves to eat the snow! 

Indy has been in MAESSR’s care for 6 months already! His foster family is so glad to have so much time with him as he is such a sweet and lovable boy! May their days ahead be many and filled with all the culinary delights that Indy so enjoys!

Update 10/16/10:

Indy is doing great and so far has shown no signs of any pain or discomfort. What terrific news!

This talented boy is a stellar hunter who has a nose for the rabbits in the yard! Every time he goes outside, he sniffs around to see where they have been and will track their movements. There are several rabbits living in or near his family’s property and they are under the bridge in the yard most mornings. Almost totally deaf, Indy will sit at the door and wait until he smells his furry quarry. As soon as he picks up the scent, he shoots out the door, quickly followed by his brother, Job. They seem to have some sort of communication that helps them double-team the rabbits. Although they haven’t yet successfully snagged one, they have come close! 

Indy is his mom’s shadow and he will always follow her wherever she goes in the house. If she sits down, he will come up and lay his head on her lap to get some attention. He absolutely loves his ears rubbed! 

Even though Indy’s ears no longer work very well, his nose is spot on! He smells everything and knows when there might be some food to be had. His favorite treat is cheese and he knows his family’s daily routine for cheese distribution, and he is always first in line! His appetite is wonderful and he will eat almost anything. The only problem his family has with this chow hound is that he eats way too fast! Despite the use of a special bowl to slow him down, there is concern that his speed eating will cause him to choke or get bloat!

When Indy first arrived, his parents were told that he and Job were quiet, but they have really opened up and now they are very vocal. Indy, especially, will begin to bark at his mom and dad if they are late to get out the dinner, and he will bark the entire time it’s being prepared. 

A quick learner, Indy knows the morning routine and will go outside and roam the yard with his mom while she’s on poop patrol. Very aware of the schedule, he knows how to tell when it is almost time for his mom to leave for work because that’s when he receives a Milkbone. If his mom loses track of time, Indy will run circles around her, barking to let her know it’s Milkbone time! 

Indy is an absolute sweetheart who has a wonderfully peaceful soul and a loving heart. This special boy is enjoying being spoiled by his mom and dad!

Update 07/28/10:

Following routine blood work which showed a markedly elevated liver function test, Indy underwent a complete abdominal ultrasound, trying to see if there was a reason for this abnormal result. Unfortunately this revealed a shrunken, nodular liver, likely due to hepatitis and cirrhosis. Although not worrisome on its own, there was also a very large mass seen in Indy’s spleen. This tumor is very likely malignant. A follow up chest x-ray, fortunately, did not show any spread of the tumor to his lungs.

For his part, Indy feels great. He caught a groundhog last week and gave it a good shaking like a true hunter. It survived and walked off dazed, although Indy’s foster mom was terrified and screaming loudly the whole time. Indy was so proud of his feat and is clearly still very energetic and peppy. His foster family notices no changes in his behavior and he continues to eat with vigor and bounce after balls. 

Surgery is not an option for this senior, not because of his age but because of his liver damage. Thus, after careful consideration by the foster home coordinators and his foster family, it was decided that Indy will remain in MAESSR’s care as a permanent foster dog. This means he will continue to live his days in the comfort of a loving home – he can also dissuade encroaching wildlife to his heart’s content.

Original:

Indy and his brother, Job, were brought to a shelter in New Jersey and the owner requested that the dogs be put to sleep. Luckily, the shelter recognized that these beautiful boys were great dogs in perfect health. So, they took the dogs in and contacted MAESSR. Job and Indy are thriving in foster care with two resident Springers. It is clear that they have spent a lifetime together as they are often curled up together or kissing each other on the face.

A tall, leggy boy with a beautiful face and soulful eyes, Indy is housetrained and does not trash pick or counter-surf. Like Job, he is very interested in people food but he cooperates with his foster mom who sends the boys out of the kitchen at dinner time to cut down on the crowd around the table. He is learning to sit on command and to wait for his dinner. Indy is a great car rider and he walks perfectly on the leash. At night he prefers to sleep by Job on a dog bed downstairs and does not need a crate.

Indy loves hard chew bones and sometimes will hold two of them in his mouth at a time! He is great at giving them up when asked, too. He also will play fetch with a tennis ball, dropping it for his foster mom to throw again. Great at the groomer, Indy even dozed while his nails were trimmed! 

As is not uncommon in older Springers, Indy has several fatty tumors including a large one on his abdomen which swings while he walks but it does not bother him in the least. 

Indy is a sweet, loving, velcro Springer who will be a great addition to any home.