Redneck dogs

Booty was surrendered by the owner to avoid being cited (ticketed) by ACOs for repeatedly allowing him to run at large.  Apparently the owner had a rottie pup too, and told the ACOs to take Booty because he was leading the pup astray.  The information given by the owner was that he "needs room to roam."  He was unneutered and had no rabies tag.  The Madison-Greene Humane Society shelter got him vaccinated and tested for heartworms.  It was not a big suprise that he had tested positive.

I noticed tapeworm segments in his stool on Monday and went to town to get a dose of Drontal from the vet.  I took a stool sample and left it for further testing too.  I made an appointment for Tuesday afternoon for an inital exam and to discuss the heartworm treatment. 

He is a bit shy with new people and situations, but he's not fear aggressive and he's not crazy.  He just hunkers down and sticks close to the most familiar person around him, which was me.  I was surprised that he weighed in at just under 80 pounds.  I thought that 70 might have been on the high side. 

I learned that his stool sample had also tested positive for hookworms and/or whipworms (I can never remember the difference between those two.)  We didn't know what heartworm test they had done so I had that test re-done, wanting to make certain he was heartworm positive before undergoing treatment.  He tested positive for heartworms again, no surprise, and he was also positive for Lyme and Erlichia. 

I also had the vet check what appeared to be an old wound on the inside of his left front leg.  It was mostly scar tissue at this point, but she noticed that the entire left front leg was quite swollen.  An xray revealed no fractures but he's obviously had an injury to the leg.

This poor dog lived the redneck life for way too long.  He's actually lucky to have lost his home, because it has saved his life.  I feel bad for the young rottie left behind.

I brought him home and started him on doxycycline, panacure, and keflex.   He will go back to the vet on Monday to have the heartworm treatment.  Thankfully, he's a nice dog, a good dog, and he seems to be a relatively easy dog.  I have a foster home lined up for him about mid-March.  Booty is a good looking dog.  He reminds me a lot of that girl Dixie that I had for so long.