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i'm adopting a neglected/abused chi!

3K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  dachshund_55 
#1 ·
i know it's been awhile since i was at this forum. things have been going well with waldo (he has been re-named timmy). he's such a sweetheart. we've also moved into a Tiny House (like on TV) - 190 square feet. thank goodness i was bitten by the chi bug and not the burmese mountain dog bug!!

i wanted to get a buddy for timmy, so i search around a bit and found a dog on petfinder. jose is about 6 pounds right now, though he needs to lose weight. he's somewhere over 10 years old, with significant medical issues.

he has discospondylitis, a grade 1 heart murmur (down from an original grade 3), he only has 3 teeth, and subluxating patellae. these issues cause him chronic pain, yet he's allergic to any narcotics (he goes into anaphylaxis). he's been fostered at a pit bull rescue for the past 1 1/2 years now. they've done an amazing job at getting him on a regime of meds that has helped him.

The story of his abuse/neglect is horrendous, and a story for another time. we did a meet and greet with timmy on sunday, and it look like the two boys will be okay together. it was so sweet to see jose so excited and so eager to be friends with timmy. timmy was not quite as excited, but did very well. they'll be checking references and then arrange for a home visit, hopefully soon.

so - please chime in with any and all suggestions about bringing home a new dog, about medical conditions, etc. i have some leftover memory foam and was thinking about using that to make a bed for him. but since chis are so light weight, i wondered if the memory foam would be helpful.

thanks all - i'm sure i'll be starting a thread on jose once he comes home!! woo-hoo!!
 
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#2 ·
Wow!! Quite the story. Yes I'd make him a pillow out of the memory foam. Don't make it too high so that he has to 'jump' into it. I have a chi with a permanently stiff knee. She will not use the doggie steps onto the sofa, so I got one of the many pillows in the house, and put it right next to the sofa. She adopted that pillow right away. It is NOT one of those fluffy pillows. It is somewhat flat in fact. She doesn't have to jump on to it, just kind of walks on to it, dragging that leg. If you can get a flat piece of memory foam and cover it with a pillow case, it becomes a nice bed. Good luck. Bless you for taking in this poor guy.
 
#3 ·
thanks susan. i'm reading all i can about his medical needs and am emailing his foster mom several times a day to help make the transition as smooth as possible.

Can someone please help me with a step by step of how to best introduce the new adoptee into the house? my timmy is very protective of me, very attached, and can be aggressive about things he considers his.

briefly: timmy is about 2, a male neutered rescue, 4 pounds. the new rescue is over 10, severely abused, chronic pain and medical issues but mobile and spunky. he's not neutered (due to allergies with analgesics) and has only 3 teeth.

if there's a link somewhere you can direct me, that would be great as well. thanks!
 
#5 ·
If you have a pen (an Iris pen, or x-pen) it would make life a lot easier. You could keep the rescue in there for much of the time, with his crate in there. Timmy would be able to see him, smell him, and interact somewhat. You may have to resort to a male wrap if he decides to 'mark' his territory. Just take it day by day. Remember dogs 'talk' with growls, snaps, and snarls. Don't panic if they don't love each other right away! Keep us updated.
 
#6 ·
thanks susan! i do have an x-pen and had planned to use that initially anyway. the new dog, jose, is limited in mobility, and right now he's being fostered in a home with several large dogs, so he's actually crated most of the day.

the one thing that complicates the situation a bit is the size of the space i'm in. i already have a gate dividing the space since timmy chases the cat. fortunately, jose is cat friendly. i will have the x-pen for jose, but hope that it won't need to be up long.

any suggestions for how i can divide my time and attention, and help timmy get used to sharing his mom (me)?
 
#8 ·
Currently, many discarded animals, not accustomed to living in the wild, immediately pick up diseases, are infected with demodicosis, are hit by cars, etc. And I always feel sorry for such pets. But the most important question is: What kind of person does it take to mock living creatures? I always try to help dogs and cats when I see them on the street. I can buy food and drinks. But I never took them in until I met my Daisy. The little Chihuahua just fell into my heart. Especially since she had demodicosis on her skin. After numerous treatments and trips to the vet, we cured her. And then I kept Daisy. And did not regret it one bit.
 
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