Cheryl and "Sissy"
Our family brought "Sissy" into our home to foster shortly after the Suncoast Animal League rescued her. We call her Sissy because she had a condition called cystitis, which she was taking antibiotics for. Cystitis is an inflammation of the urinary bladder, usually caused by a bacterial infection. With medication she is now doing much better, but had she not received it, her overall health would have been greatly jeopardized.
Sissy also had a hacking cough that looked and sounded like it hurt when she coughed. Thinking the cough was extreme, I took her back to the vet. That's when we discovered she has a collapsed trachea, which happens when the cartilage in the trachea looses its rigidity. It then collapses, causing difficulty in breathing for the dog. With more medication and a lot of personal care, she is doing better, but she will have this physical problem for the rest of her life, requiring constant medical attention.
She came to us with only a few teeth remaining. The others had already rotted and fallen out. Those remaining will need to be addressed soon before she looses those, as well. The top of her rump and her tail was practically bald. After cleaning her and giving her proper nutrition, it looks like the hair is starting to grow back.
Potty training is coming along. I don't think she knew what grass was; she wanted to go potty wherever she stood. She is slowly getting in the habit of going out after meals. We now recognize the "potty dance", the going around in circles right before the event. She still does not want to stand in the grass. She stands on the concrete pads instead, but we are working on this. In the meantime "Fancy Pants" are popular in our house.
When I first saw her, she looked so pitiful. Now, she's as if she is a new dog. She is the sweetest dog I have ever known. All she wants to do is kiss us and just be with us. All she is, is love! She is truly a joy to have in our home.
Cheryl
Volunteer, Foster Mom
Suncoast Animal League
