Lulu

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Update 06/20/08:

Though treatment for heartworm disease has become quite routine in recent years and less risky for the dogs, it’s always a bit of a load off to have a course of treatment complete. You could almost hear the relief when reading the news from Lulu’s foster mom: “I’m proud to say that Lulu has gotten through her 5 weeks of recovering from heartworm treatment and is doing great.” Yeah for both Lulu and her family!!

Lulu is housebroken, has a great appetite and even chases birds now. She can do steps although she still balks if there are too many. Six seems to be the magic number and she loves to go for walks. Her hearing is part “old deaf dog” and part deference. It seems she can hear when she wants to, especially if there is food involved. 

Lulu’s a super easy dog. She loves to be with people and gets along with the other dogs in her foster home. The only request she has from a forever family is that if they have another dog, it not be one that is tooooooo active. This sweetheart likes her quiet time to be quiet. Don’t we all..:)).

Update 05/15/08:

Lulu may be a senior version of the Eveready bunny. After each medical treatment to restore her health, she steadies herself and just keeps going and going and going. Of course, having a very savvy and attentive foster family and excellent veterinary care helps immensely.

When first in her foster home, Lulu was treated for Lyme Disease. With that done, she had a mammary tumor and 4 others removed. She had a rough recovery from this but, with a little time, she managed to bounce back nicely. All her masses were benign. What a relief! The mammary tumor seemed to grow the first couple weeks in her foster home and there was a big one on her back. One on the back of her neck, the least worrisome, was not done because of the anesthesia time. With a typical and invaluable sense of humor, her foster mom thinks of Lulu as a chubby, lumpy girl who has now turned into a swan…..almost.

With the surgery done, heartworm treatment began. Sophie received both of her initial injections in 24 hours, a bit painful, but now she is on her way to recovery. She’ll need 4 more weeks of rest before she can be put on preventative and find her forever home.

As for so many, many seniors with treatable health issues, when treated they make awesome comebacks. Lulu has already found 2nd gear. She does steps, although not more than 6 at a time now, and loves to walk on a leash, especially in the mornings. She can hear although she sleeps like a bump on a log. She loves to hang out in the kitchen and her foster mom suspects Lulu is very fond of table food. With a commitment to dog food only, though, Lulu has lost 4 pounds already and it shows in her mobility. 

Lulu will now let you know when she has to go out, so she has had very few accidents in the house of late. Since she is doing so much better with housetraining, she no longer is crated when alone. A lot of her “bad” habits are behavioral so, with time and patience, they can be worked through. She will bark when someone comes to the door and has gotten a bit more vocal with settling in. Lulu is really as easy senior dog. She loves to hang by her person, be loved, and fed. Just a little exercise to tire her out is all it takes to make her a happy gal who will curl up on her bed and take a nap.

More on Lulu as she “keeps on going” in a homestretch run to good health and a new beginning.

Original:

Lulu was pulled from an over-crowded shelter in eastern Pennsylvania just a day before she was to be euthanized. She was listed as a stray but it is obvious that she was a pet. This poor old gal was in rough shape physically but is beginning a new road to a healthier and happier, loving future with MAESSR’s help.

A quiet girl, Lulu spends most of her time in her bed resting or sleeping. She is mostly housebroken, and her foster family has learned her subtle signs that she needs to go out. Lulu needs to go out frequently, but when she is crated for the work day, she holds her urine until she gets outside. Her foster family has gotten her a little bed with a curved back and she has claimed it for her, own sleeping in it on the floor all night next to her foster mom. She will also climb in one of the open crates and sleep there once in a while. She will be happy with any bed given to her as her own! 

Lulu is an absolute sweetheart with all people and though her foster family has not had really young children around her, her foster mom has no worries with her nieces or nephews being around her. Her foster family only allows good touch for their pets! Lulu loves to be around people especially in the kitchen. Watch that trash! Actually, Lulu is a bit overweight so she is being fed a restricted calorie diet. She’s not burning off too many calories when she is out on her walks. She walks well on a leash, but is very slow and does not pull nor react to other dogs. Lulu is really quite an easy keeper. She is great for grooming and will allow you to touch every part of her, nails and ears included. She likes to ride in the car and is a good passenger, also.

Although Lulu gets along well with other dogs generally, the young resident male dog doesn’t understand personal space and always invades Lulu’s. He just doesn’t seem to know she’s older and is not feeling strong enough to play now. The only time she barks is at this annoying youngster! 

Her foster family is not sure about the extent of Lulu’s hearing since she will bark at the door once in a while when the other dogs get riled up, but she doesn’t listen when she is being corrected – especially when it comes to food. She does watch everything her foster mom does so she assumes that Lulu’s hearing is not great.

Lulu’s treatment for Lyme disease is now completed and her foster mom already sees progress in her use of her rear legs which were clearly affected. Her lameness has improved and she is climbing stairs although she still walks with a limp. She has a bum knee which the vet guesses is probably a cruciate tear, but since she is resting the vet does not recommend surgery on the knee. She is taking an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory and seems to be feeling better and getting up more often. 

Her foster mom took Lulu to be examined by a cardiologist who said her heart looks good. So, she’s been cleared for surgery to have her lumps taken off. When she has recovered, she will begin her heartworm treatment. She was low positive for HW so her treatment should be pretty mild on her, but it still will take weeks to complete. 

Please follow her updates to see how Lulu is progressing.