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Bumper

A photo of BumperA photo of BumperA photo of BumperA photo of BumperA photo of Bumper
Size: Small
Age: Young
Gender: Male
Breeds: Shih Tzu, Crossbreed
Special Needs

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Update 9-26-2019
Bumper is as close to a “normal” dog as any other who happens to be blind and have hydrocephaly - the combination of the two medications has worked wonders for him - he eats voraciously now and is gaining weight steadily and is happy to walk around the house and interact with the other dogs. He will now sit on my feet getting my attention and ADORES BEING HELD - he will fall asleep and sit there for a long time if you let him.

We are working on housetraining and it’s a bit of a challenge here as he LOVES GRASS and I don’t have much available where I am. He loves running in the grass and going for walks - he does really well on a leash for someone who is just learning but it’s so much fun taking him and watching him sniff and be like a regular dog.

He’s overcome so much it’s just amazing to watch.

His medication, given twice daily with the use of a “pill gun” because he’s feisty when it comes to pill taking, is not terribly expensive - approx $80.00 per month - the difference it makes in him however is worth every penny and you will agree!!

Update 9-16-2019
Bumper has been on medication for one week which consists of Prilosec (yes.. that Prilosec) and Acetazolomide which is used in the treatment of glaucoma - both recommended for the reduction of cerebrospinal fluid production in canine internal hydrocephalus.

We weren’t sure if it would provide any significant improvement of his clinical symptoms of unsteadiness, low head and circling - from what I as his foster can tell it has had a very significant improvement - he is able to walk on a leash, he circles far less (often not at all in one day) , he walks with his head up and is enjoying running around with the other dogs in the home.

Bumper requires at least one dog in his new home - one his size would be ideal if they enjoy the company of other dogs - he does like to cuddle up and play tug of war.

We are actively looking for someone who understands that this condition can cause him to perhaps not survive another 6 months or he could live 10 years; someone who is home enough to hold him as he truly loves it and provides him comfort (or can him when gone for long periods, i.e. work etc). Feeding him simply involves holding the dog food bowl a little higher than the ground which keeps him from tossing the food everywhere - he eats voraciously and it shows as he’s gained one pound in a week.

This is a very special boy with very special needs - besides being absolutely precious and adorable, Bumper is also blind and has hydrocephalus (his blindness is a result).

More about his “restrictions” below but for now let me tell you how great he is - he’s living in with his foster in a doggie daycare/boarding home and does great - he follows the dogs and sometimes goes off on his own - it took him a bit to learn the lay of the land but now he can come in from outside, goes up the stairs (but we block him from going down for now); he seems house trained to pee pads and if you take him outside he will go right away as well.

He loves to be held when “he’s in the mood” which is often - you will learn that one position is more comfortable than another for him due to the pressure in his head. He will sleep with you but you have to be careful as he wakes up and is somewhat fearless when it comes to leaping off the bed - for now he has a comfy dog bed in a big closet we can close off.

Today he licked my face for the first time and it was amazing - he will connect with you if you give him the chance and when he does it’s a great feeling.

He seems to like having other dogs around and will saddle up to one of their sides when they are sleeping. I think another dog in the home would be good for him for sure.

His disease shows itself with some quirky movements, a low held head, some unsteadiness on his legs at times - there are times when he cruises around and if you didn’t know any better you’d swear he can see.

Another symptom of his disease is he tends to toss his food from his mouth when he eats - it’s not playtime, he just can’t keep it in at times - therefore feeding him often during the day has been key to his maintaining and gaining some weight.

For now he has begun on a course of medications that are not terribly expensive (one is over the counter) and we are hoping this will work to relieve some of the pressure/water in his brain. It should show itself to be working in a fairly short amount of time.

Unfortunately, we don’t know if Bumper will survive six months or six years - it will depend on the medication and if it works for him and how much of his brain is affected.

For info on hydrocephalus - https://www.vetfolio.com/learn/article/hydrocephalus-in-dogs-and-cats

Name: Bumper
Breed: Shih Tzu mix
Sex: Male
Age: 6 months
Weight: 9 pounds as of 9/11/2019
Spayed/Neutered: No and will not be - anesthesia is not an option for this boy.
Vaccinations: Up to date

BASED ON OUR OBSERVATIONS:
Good with Dogs: Yes
Good with Cats: Unsure - he would be fine, we don’t want a cat injuring him.
Good with Kids: Yes but older - young children may tend to try to pick him up which startles him if not done properly.

SPECIAL NEEDS DOG - Adoption fee will be potentially waived.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Interested in a specific dog, please fill out an application if you are interested in a dog. The number of individual inquiries is overwhelming and we are finding it difficult to respond to each one. We cannot guarantee you will receive a timely response.

Paws New England is a rescue, not a shelter, and as such we do not have our dogs housed in one location - they are in foster homes both in New England and in our southern foster homes.   If you’re interested in a specific dog, please complete a short online application and you will receive a reply within 48 hours so you can ask questions.

At present, if a dog is listed on our website, the dog is considered still available HOWEVER, may have applications that have come in before yours but it’s still too early to know if any are a good match; therefore we encourage you to apply.

NOTICE WITH REGARD TO LOCATION OF DOGS:  Please note: Paws New England is a foster-based rescue. We do not have a brick and mortar building to house the dogs we rescue. We have found that dogs in foster homes are much more adoptable because they have been observed in a home setting. Dogs listed with Paws New England typically reside in various locations throughout the south (primarily Tennessee, Texas, and Arkansas) and New England (not necessarily in the state of Rhode Island). You will be notified by the adoption coordinator of the location of the dog you are interested in so you have the ability to decide whether to pursue adoption or not.

Dogs transported to New England are done so at a fee of $150.00 paid directly to the transporting company by Paws New England; no additional transport costs are responsibility of adopter. This fee is included in the adoption donation.

Adoption donations cover pre-adoption vet costs (including vaccinations, spay/neuter when age appropriate, and heartworm testing/treatment when necessary), a microchip, and transportation to New England if necessary.

Donations for our young, healthy puppies and dogs support their fellow canines of advanced age or suffering from injuries and abuse whose donations are reduced but whose veterinary costs are typically much higher. We appreciate your understanding that your dog will help others in need.

All known information about the animal is listed above. We do our best to give accurate information, but most of our dogs are rescues and do not come with a known history.

Paws New England abides by the dog importation regulations set forth in the states of MA, CT, NH and RI.