Moose 2

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Update 08/23/10:

There’s bad news and good news for this love. The bad news is that Moose hit a snag along the way to recovery from his recent dental surgery. Unfortunately, when his foster mom observed that none of his sutures were intact, it was back to the veterinarian immediately. For a time Moose was to the vet on a weekly basis to see if his extraction site could heal on its own. However, after being closely monitored, it was decided that he needed an additional procedure to close the original surgery. Now for the good news: the follow-up procedure is complete, and, so far so good. Moose appears to be healing well!

Moose wears a cone and continues to be monitored closely. His foster mom likes to say he is on 24 hour surveillance! This will insure that he does not get anything into his mouth that could again compromise his extraction site. He will continue to be on pureed food for quite some time, until his vet and foster family are sure that everything has healed properly. Once his healing is complete, Moose’s vet states that there is no reason he could not eat dry food again! That’s wonderful news indeed!

Moose’s personality and temperament throughout all of this have been absolutely outstanding! He has been so compliant and is a sweet, gentle boy who has been the best patient. Stay tuned! Moose is on the right track. He should be all healed up and as good as new in no time!

Update 07/26/10:

Moose’s time in foster care has shown what a sweet, Velcro Springer this boy is. Always near his foster mom, he loves to be available for affection or his favorite belly rubdown. His “inner puppy” comes out when it’s time to play. He enjoys chasing toys, batting tennis balls around, and prancing with his favorite toy, a stuffed chicken. He’s always hoping his foster mom will take it from him and throw it across the yard for him to trot after and retrieve! It is very endearing to see him play along!

Moose is trusted off leash. When taken to a remote dirt road that runs along a small stream, he is a very good boy and well behaved when left off for a stroll with the resident dogs. He comes when called and, with a little help, gets into the back of his foster family’s vehicle when it is time to leave.

As he became more comfortable in his foster home, Moose decided he did not want to be in the crate as much and does require some extra coaxing now to go in. He is trusted with free rein in the home and does not have accidents but, if there is a tissue box or roll of paper towels within his reach, he does think it is great fun to tear it into little pieces. His savvy foster mom just makes sure these sorts of things are out of sight to avoid tempting him.

Moose recently had 12 teeth extracted and will need to be on soft food for one to four months. A follow up visit with the vet will ensure that he is healing properly.

With his sweet disposition and affectionate nature, Moose will surely make a wonderful family dog in his new furever home! He enjoys the company of the resident dogs but still really favors his longtime companion, Chip. MAESSR would consider re-homing these boys together if the right family committed to them both. If they need to be separated for adoption, his foster mom feels Moose may be able to make the adjustment without too much difficulty. That said, his foster mom likes to say the only thing better than a Springer Spaniel…… is two!

Original:

Moose and his longtime buddy Chip became MAESSR boys because of the difficult housing market. When their owner’s house went into foreclosure, Moose and Chip were temporarily left alone in the house until their owners could figure out what to do. The owners were not sure how much longer the dogs would be safe there, so they contacted MAESSR for better living arrangements for these two. Luckily, they were able to be fostered together, since Moose and Chip are always side by side and are very attached to each other.

When Moose arrived at his foster home, his foster mom was very concerned to see the condition of his skin and the extent of the flea infestation he suffered with. Even though his coat was overgrown and not maintained, it was still apparent that poor Moose had a possible flea allergy from the amount of hair loss he experienced and his constant scratching. After a simple trip to the groomer and the veterinarian, the fleas are long gone and Moose’s condition is improving nicely! He is on a medication that will treat any infection on his skin, as well as medication to allow him to be comfortable while his condition heals. Moose’s foster mom and his veterinarian are optimistic that his coat will fill back in, and he is much more comfortable now that those little pests are finally gone!

All twelve of Moose’s incisor teeth are worn down to his gums. When Moose was so itchy from the fleas and skin condition that he suffered from, his foster mom witnessed him picking up stones and grinding on them while scratching. Many of these front teeth are now decayed, so Moose will have them removed while he is under sedation when he is neutered to prevent any abscesses from forming. This does not hinder his ability to eat, and he enjoys dry food and treats without any issues.

Moose is a very smart boy, and knows “sit,” “stay,” “come,” “go to bed,” and “go lie down.” He walks well on a leash and has started showing an interest in playing with toys, getting excited and pawing the tennis balls or Frisbees that are thrown for the resident dogs. Very mild mannered and exceptionally calm, Moose is content with leisurely sniffing around the yard or napping side-by-side with his best friend, Chip. Moose loves being near his foster people and loves a good rubdown, so much that he does his “I’ll stand on my head so you can hit the right spot” trick! He is also quickly learning to catch treats and thinks this is great fun. He gets along well with the resident dogs, but no one compares to his best friend Chip!

When it’s time for riding in the car, Moose rides very well but does need a little help to get into the back of his foster family’s SUV; he seems hesitant to make the jump himself. He got an A+ at his grooming appointment, and does not mind his teeth, ears, or paws being checked. He enjoys napping in his crate, and can usually be found there with Chip, who always joins him.

Moose has outstanding house manners, and has not had any accidents in the house, so he is allowed free reign when his foster family is not home. He does enjoy the delectable smells of whatever his people are eating at mealtimes, and will watch intently hoping for a taste. He does “go lie down” when told, and has not once tried to get on any furniture.

This sweet, handsome, well-behaved boy will soon be ready for a place to call home, and would greatly appreciate a family who can guarantee that he will never have to experience anymore flea issues ever again. Also, if you could open up your home to Moose AND his best buddy Chip, this wonderful Springer pair will be sure to give you their hearts in return for many years to come!