Keifer

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Update 12/22/08:

Keifer is doing well with one little bother, a persistent UTI. It causes him to drink a lot and then, of course, to pee a lot, so he visited his vet again. Because of his symptoms, Keifer was tested for diabetes and thankfully came up negative. He will be getting an antibiotic injection to help with the UTI – fingers crossed that this does the trick! He has also started on a new medicine for his arthritis – fingers crossed for this, too!! 

Keifer is such a good boy. He is very interested in the Christmas tree in the living room at his foster home. He has sniffed and at first, tried to pull some branches off, but now leaves it alone. Keifer apparently understands the wisdom of exemplary behavior before Christmas!

To be sure Santa knows where Keifer’s heart really lies, he has put together a letter and is sharing it with all……. 

Dear Santa,

What I Want for Christmas

What I want for Christmas is a place to call my home.
A place where I am happy and also free to roam.
A home is where the heart is, a place that’s safe and warm.
With a mom that loves me fully, a special bond we form.

I am writing a letter to Santa as many good doggies do,
And if it’s okay, this is what I want to do…..
I want to stay where I am; I know I’m welcomed here.
You can even ask my foster mom and she will make it clear.

My older sister, Meko, lets me have my favorite spot.
My middle sister, Nestle, watches over me and picks up food I drop.
My younger sister, Frosty, keeps me clean by washing up my face.
My only brother, Smoky, even lets me have my space.

So what I want for Christmas is to stay just where I’m at
And start a New Year with them, including the 2 cats.
So I’m asking please from Santa, to grant me this one wish.
And I will be one happy dog. P.S. I already have my own dish!

Love, Keifer

PSPS Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Keifer will get his wish and share Christmas with his foster family as will all the other good springers in MAESSR’s care. Please wish them and their families the best of this holiday season.

Update 11/16/08:

More good news for Keifer! His blood and urine infections are all cleared up. He did go back on antibiotics when he was at the vet to get his sutures out as one spot on his back was a little infected. It looks good now – no infection at all.

Keifer has learned (but doesn’t do it all the time) to go through a doggy door in his foster home. He had been going through if someone held it open and got his attention. The other day he was out and his foster mom was busy. She heard him crying to come in and was hurrying to go get him when, lo and behold, he came through on his own! He must have seen one of the many other dogs that he shares his home with come through and did it, too. He came through again in the evening on his own! He gets so excited when he does it, too. Bouncing up and down!

Keifer’s also great at a foot massage! His foster mom has the cleanest feet in town! 

Once you learn how he communicates, Keifer is a piece of cake or pie, whichever you prefer! He is one sweet dog! Very special!!!

Update 10/31/08:

Keifer has come through his neutering and tumor removal with flying colors! His tumors are benign! He was very happy to come back home after time at the vet’s. 

He went to the Little Buffalo picnic, traveling with two other dogs and did very well. He did let his foster mom know when it was time for a pit stop on the drive there and back! Keifer had a good time at the picnic, wearing his Halloween costume and proudly prancing in the parade. 

He is a very happy dog and loves all attention and going for daily walks. Good, quality food has helped his health as well as regular exercise. He has gone from 40 pounds upon first arriving at his foster home, up to 47 pounds. 

Keifer is a great senior and would love a home with a minimal number of stairs and lots of attention and love. He would make a great buddy whether going for his daily walks, some play time, cuddling and just to chill out with his doting companion! Could this companion be you?

Update 09/19/08:

This is the sweetest dog! Keifer is doing very well and is so happy in his foster home! His coat is starting to grow in on his bald spots and is becoming softer and shiny. He’s beginning to have more energy since he is feeling better too! His in-depth blood work shows no hypothyroidism. Before his neutering is done, he will have follow-up testing to make sure all his infections are cleared up. Keifer’s appetite is always on and he is filling out nicely. He thinks being in the kitchen means more food and loves to hang out there.

Keifer went to MAESSR’s Down’s Park picnic and did very well. He went to the dog beach and went into the water! He didn’t swim but he walked in the water and was up to his back deep! He liked trying to catch a toy in the water as the waves pushed it in and away from the beach. With all the other springers around, Keifer did fine and loved attention from everyone. He traveled well on the long drive down and back home and did let his foster mom know when it was time to stop for a break!

After a slight move to go into the baby pool at home, Keifer decided not to – that he’d rather just drink out of it! With learning hand signals, Keifer’s attention is on his foster mom. He will watch her intently to see what is expected of him and is so willing to please. Keifer loves getting the thumbs up sign as he has learned that means “Good boy!”

He loves being with his foster mom and will follow her everywhere. Keifer still would prefer no stairs but gives a long look and slowly makes his way down. When coming up many stairs, Keifer looks at his foster mom for help and at times may need an arm to help him along. Keifer is a great walking companion! He gets so excited about going that he forgets he has trouble going down the deck stairs and goes down them with ease! He does not pull on the leash despite his enthusiasm for an outing. 

Keifer mingles well among the resident dogs but has not shown any inclination to play with them. He has shown absolutely no aggression at all. After a bath, Keifer gets excited and bounces up and down with his new-found energy and is just plain happy! At bedtime, Keifer settles down, has learned the routine and will find his spot on his blanket. If he is really tired from a busy day, there will be a bit of snoring going on!

More updates coming post-surgery…

Original:

Keifer came into MAESSR’s care from a Pennsylvania shelter. A good Samaritan witnessed Keifer being dumped from a car on the side of a busy highway at night. This kind rescuer took him to the shelter.

This beautiful old boy is very friendly and loving. On his way to his foster home, he initially cried and barked in the car, but then settled down onto the seat. Keifer gave his foster mom plenty of kisses for taking him into her home and leaving his past behind. 

Keifer was very inquisitive checking out the yard and foster home. He was fine meeting the resident dogs, sniffing them but not showing much interest in them. Keifer almost did not know what to do with himself in his foster home, initially. He continued to walk around and pace, making an occasional stop by his foster mom for reassurance. This behavior is diminishing and it is apparent that Keifer likes to be inside. He even signals to his foster family that he is done outside by barking at the door to be let in. His adjustment from being an unwanted pet to a beloved MAESSR Springer shows as his tail is wagging more and more each day. Keifer has met the resident cats. The very curious cat and Keifer sniffed nose-to-nose, but he has decided he can do without the other cat since she swatted him on the nose!

When Keifer first arrived in his foster home, he was in dire need of a bath – dirty and smelly. He was very good in the tub, lying down so as not to lose his footing. His foster mom suspects he is ailing from arthritis in his hind quarters. He enjoyed the calming towel rub down and massage following his bath. Without fussing at all, Keifer allowed his foster mom to remove the mats from behind his ears and then to clean his ears. He did very well with getting groomed and had no problems with his paws being touched. He loved the attention!

Keifer did very well on his visit to the vet. He has had a complete senior workup done. The testing showed a blood infection and urine infection which are now being treated with antibiotics. The vet feels the blood infection may be due to a skin infection so a culture will be run to determine specifically what type of skin infection he has. To ease his itchiness, the vet recommended he be given an over-the-counter antihistamine. Keifer will have further testing in regards to having suspected hypothyroidism. Once his infections are cleared up, he will be neutered and some lumps and bumps will be removed. The vet also prescribed medication for Keifer’s arthritis. 

It was apparent to both the vet and his foster mom that Keifer has hearing loss. This is not stopping him from learning to communicate, though. He is slowly learning hand signals. He understands the signal for come and his foster mom is teaching him the hand signals for sit, down and stay. He seems to be understanding that thumbs up means “good boy!”

Keifer loves to eat. When he first arrived in his foster home, he was very anxious for his bowl at suppertime. However, he has shown no food aggression to his foster mom or to the resident dogs. While he is eating, his foster mom can pet him, take his bowl, and take the food out of the bowl with no issues at all. Keifer gently takes the food out of his foster mom’s hand. Weighing only 41 pounds, Keifer is a bit skinny, but with proper nutrition he will fill out nicely. Keifer is very good when getting a treat with the resident dogs around. He even allowed one of them to take the pieces that had fallen from his mouth as he was breaking up his biscuit. Keifer does not try to take anyone else’s treats, either. He does not countersurf, but likes to be by his foster mom’s side at suppertime looking for some more food.

His foster mom quickly discovered that Keifer loves toys. When she picks up a toy, Keifer gets very excited and takes it very gently from her, happily carrying it around for a while. He is a very happy, mellow dog who really wants to be by his foster mom’s side. Keifer’s eyes absolutely light up when he sees the leash! He loves going for his walks and has a peppy, bouncy stride. When he meets other dogs on his walks, he sniffs and looks, but pays them no attention otherwise.

When Keifer’s foster mom had to go out for a little while, she left him in the living room with the gate closed. His foster grandmother said he was a good boy and did not bark at all. Upon returning home, his foster mom found him taking a snooze inside the open crate. He is not being crated as he is trustworthy in the house, obviously completely housetrained. Keifer takes his time going up and the deck stairs and he does have trouble on stairs with no carpeting. On carpeted stairs he slowly calculates his way down and up. Keifer would prefer no stairs at all in his forever home! At night he sleeps on his blanket next to his foster mom’s bed.

Keifer has found that going on outings with his foster mom is really fun. Keifer attended the Furry Friends Fest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania along with another resident dog. Keifer did very well! He loved the attention he received and did quite well with meeting other dogs and people. He was alert and checking people out to see if they had a treat or two on them! Keifer also received a manicure/pedicure and did very well having his nails done! At the Fest, Keifer had met a seven-month-old baby and a two-year-old toddler. He did not pay much attention to them but did allow them to pet him. He would probably do better in a forever home that did not have any high-energy, young children.

Keifer is a wonderful senior boy and would make someone a great companion. Watch for more to come on Keifer as his health issues improve and he undergoes his surgeries.