Entered: 11/07/2013
Status: Adopted
Age: 4
Color: Black/White
Weight: 52 lbs.
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Goochland, VA
Health: HW+ and receiving long-term treatment, treatment for Lyme disease and Ehrlichia complete
Temperament: Good with people as young as 12 (younger unknown), good with other dogs, cats unknown
Original: “MJ loves to cuddle and snuggle. He went to the groomer a couple of days after arriving in his foster home and did really well. He now looks so HANDSOME!”
After MJ was adopted from a Virginia shelter in March 2013, his family kept him in an outdoor pen and did not provide him with heartworm preventative. Eight months later, they returned him to the shelter and he was heartworm positive and flea infested. The shelter reached out to MAESSR to see if we could bring him into our program.
MJ arrived at his foster home, grateful to be living inside again. A true cuddle bug and snuggler, MJ loves being with his people. This houseguest has been perfectly well-behaved, too: no accidents, no chewing anything inappropriate…just being a sweet Springer boy. MJ is crate trained, but it has not been necessary to crate him since he is trustworthy and is totally housetrained.
As soon as he arrived in his foster home, MJ was treated to get rid of his fleas and he seems much more comfortable now. Then, he went to the groomer and did really well. He now looks so HANDSOME! He has a long beautiful tail that waves so beautifully when he runs. He walks well on the leash and loves to ride in the car.
Blood work at the vet’s office showed that MJ was heartworm positive and also positive for Lyme disease and Ehrlichia. Although he is not symptomatic for the tick borne diseases, he will receive treatment for them over the next month. Since his load of heartworms is light, MAESSR and the treating vet have decided to use the slow-kill heartworm treatment. This means that he will receive one Heartgard preventative on the 1st and the 15th of each month for one year. He also will take doxycycline on alternating months, taking it for six months in total. MAESSR will supply the medication to MJ’s adoptive family. At the end of the year, he will need to be heartworm tested again. MAESSR will pay for the vet visit and that heartworm test. Although most dogs are heartworm-free after one year, MAESSR will pay for another year of treatment if MJ is still positive. Good luck with your treatments, MJ!
His foster mom knows that MJ is going to be a wonderful addition to some lucky family.