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Please help these dogs!

With fostering you can help the dogs or cats with little out of pocket expense. The rescue organization provides heartworm treatments (if necessary in your state) all shots and food if you want that. I feed my fosters the same high quality food I feed my own as I feel they need as good a nutritional base as possible. That's my only cost...well....except for the toys, bowls and other gizmos I buy....those are reused on the next foster though. You do have to learn to let them go, but the rewards of finding that perfect home for each dog you've nutured is worth it. Each one that finds a home is one more I can get and save from the pound.
 
I don't think my heart could take giving the dogs I fostered up. I'd so become too attached to each one I'd have a dozen or more dogs at any time.
Thank you to all you foster families who are willing and able to give these dogs a second chance to find a forever home.
 
Two summers ago I decided I wanted another dog and began searching Petfinder.com. My heart broke when I saw this scarred, white and orange Rat Terrier with sores on his legs, and his nose nestled into the crook of the rescuers arm. Connor had been dropped of at a shelter in Louisiana by his previous owner who had given up on treating his mites and he had developed Mange. They nursed him back to health and a rescue from my area picked him up.

During the adoption process I learned that the rescue was low on volunteers and needed help with marketing. I have since helped them design and maintain their website which has helped not only with adoptions, but also finding foster homes and volunteers. It's been a great experience and very rewarding.

There are so many ways you can help. Try contacting your local rescue agency. They often need volunteers to help with fundraising and adoption drives, and other events. City shelters and SPCA's are often looking for people to help walk the dogs and play with the animals to keep them well socialized so they have a better chance of getting adopted.
 
Right now, I have 3 fosters. LOL! And my rule was always.. ONLY 1! And they Have to be Crate/house trained! Lol Yea, I have one that house broken... the other two pee and poo in house still LOL! But, I love it! I love seeing the familys face when they come to meet the dog, and fall in love with it all over! And know that I helped save this dog by giving it a place to live. No, it isn't easy to let them go.. But, I tell myself.. "They are only here temp. They will find there forever home and I helped them" So I dont allow myself to get too Attached.

And normally we only take from Animal Control too, SOMETIMES from owners.. if they are already UTD and Spayed/neutered and healthy.. as it gets very expensive doing it all.. Like the one foster I have now. Got her from a Friend of a friend of mine. And he never took her to the vet. And has had to have Ear surgery because of the Major Yeast infections in her ears.. And then when that was cleared.. she had a Mass in her ear.. so that had to be removed. So she is on Massive amts of meds. And if the masses are still in her ear after this, she will have to have the Canal's removed. :-/ And if that's the case.. she will be adopted by me. She will have MONTHS of medical care needed after that. So, she is more then welcome to stay!
 
I limit to two fosters at a time. All dogs are kept on leash tied to my waist until they are housebroken. This usually doesn't take too much time suing this method. Some of them are hard to let go. Adults and puppies alike. Some are much easier. The hardest rehabs are usually the ones that are easiest to say good-bye to, but also the hardest to place. I have to make sure that the new owner can meet the dogs needs for exercise and discipline or I will end up getting them back.
Animal House: Most ear yeast infections are due to allergies...the commonest being food. Anything with beef, yeast or wheat can trigger allergies and most of the dog foods available cheaply at the market contain one or more of these products. Changing to a high quality, allergy food with lamb, rice, or venison is usually a good move to help stop the allergies.
 
To echo Meg, I know my brothers two labs have food allergies and can't have any corn based foods. Their allergies show up as skin problems but he was told the ear problems could also be from allergies. It's very hard to find and pay for cornfree dog food but well worth the expense for the health of your beloved pet.
 
I have a list of healthy, good quality foods and how to grade your dog's food. If anyone wants the list, I'd be happy to e-mail it to you. Just e-mail me and let me know.
 
My dog has allergy problems as well, so I give her Purina 1 salmon formula, which helps a lot. She also gets more severe allergies in the spring/summer when there's pollen and other allergens in the air, so I have to give her medication during the worst parts of the year. It's some form of steroid that lowers her immune system enough where she doesn't suffer from the allergies, and it works great. It comes in a pill form, although dogs with really severe allergies have injections. My vet said that the pill hasn't had any adverse affects on dogs to her knowledge, and seeing she only takes it for a few months out of the year, it's not too costly!
 
Most tablets are steroids. They are usually prednisone and there are side affects. Although the vet may say there are no side affects, any suppression of the immune system affects the adrenals. Not a good thing over a long period. However, low dose prednisone can be administered and then tapered off when the worst of the allergies are past. Contact allergies can also be managed using frequent bathing with either a tar based shampoo or oatmeal. There are also homeopathics out there that might be helpful.
 
MegF. said:
Most tablets are steroids. They are usually prednisone and there are side affects. Although the vet may say there are no side affects, any suppression of the immune system affects the adrenals. Not a good thing over a long period. However, low dose prednisone can be administered and then tapered off when the worst of the allergies are past. Contact allergies can also be managed using frequent bathing with either a tar based shampoo or oatmeal. There are also homeopathics out there that might be helpful.
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Thanks for the advice, and I believe it is prednisone. My vet did say prolonged use could have adverse side affects, but being a seasonal thing it would really not harm her at all. It ends up being a once a week pill for about two months, and it makes a world of difference with her allergies. She said the pills are also much less harmful than the shots, and my vet has never seen a dog that was on the pill have health issues because of it. She is always very up front about side affects and health risks, and she said there was nothing to worry about.
 
Once a week is very low indeed. I'm sure the shots she's talking about is betamethasone. It's a stronger steroid. I've used it on one of my horses when he broke out in hives. There's also a powder as well that is less strong.
 
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