Possible new foster

I need my pug friends to help boost me up (or tell me that I'm out of my mind!). There is a tiny little 12 lb. black 7 year old female pug that's been waiting for a foster home to open up & I said that I would take her, provided that we can find another foster home for the other pug that needs to come in with her. The owner said that they'd be fine with being split up and there's no way that I could handle two. We're supposed to be taking a break from fostering but you know how that goes (and did I mention that she's tiny & black - my achilles heel?)! I guess that she is on meds 3X per day for seizures but still has them regularly. They've tried both phenobarbitol & potassium bromide. Bud has epilepsy that's controlled with pheno, but my problem is...Pugsy passed away one year ago next week from a grand mal seizure that she never came out of. I'm terrifed that I'm going to think this poor little girl is dying the first time she has a seizure in front of me. On the other hand, that makes me want to help her too. Am I nuts?

Nuts maybe but in a good way. If you are even debating this I wouldn't. I think you have your answer already.
Good luck with her and make sure you post pics!

Brenda, we're all a little nuts. But it sounds like this girl needs you and your TLC. And yeah, she'll probably break your heart at some point - either by getting better and getting adopted, or by worming her way in and staying. That's our job. Love em with everything we have for as long as they are with us.

Yeah, I agree, we are all nuts. I wouldn't trade crazy for the life I had without pugs. Go get her!

Yeah, nuts in a good way Brenda! She's one lucky puglet.

Is sounds like you are just the angel she needs. You understand seizures, and know what to watch for. I hope the meds can be tweaked so she doesn't have so many, and I pray it isn't PDE. (Although she's older, so thankfully PDE is less likely).

TxAllieGrl wrote:Brenda, we're all a little nuts. But it sounds like this girl needs you and your TLC. And yeah, she'll probably break your heart at some point - either by getting better and getting adopted, or by worming her way in and staying. That's our job. Love em with everything we have for as long as they are with us.

Yep, what Allie said. These medical needs dogs need us more than anyone else. I would not trade a second of the time I had with Lucky, and he came in with known medical problems.

The thing about rescue. no matter how many broken hearts we get, there is another pug waiting for heal the crack in our hearts all over again. It sounds like this girl may be coming to you for a reason.

Good luck!

Agree. Get her. You may be her saving grace. I know that it will be hard for you with seizures, but hopefully you and your vet can help her.

Agree to your getting her too, the ones with issues need us more than the others, maybe you will freak out at first when she seizes - is that such a bad thing? Balanced against what you may be able to do for her?

Whatever you finally decide will be right, no-one here will judge you either way.

Nuts, yes, definitely, Brenda. Most of us here are!
What everyone else has said - go for it. Looking forward to seeing pics.

I know I sound like a broken record, but has she been checked for a liver shunt? If she's that small and still having break thru seizures, maybe a shunt is the cause. At any rate, yes you are crazy, but in a good way. :)

Thanks for the confirmation that I am crazy (like there was ever any question! ) and for the support. I did think of it possibly being a liver shunt, Brenda, but we won't know for sure until we see her vet records (if we get any) and what kind of tests have been done on her. I had a good cry this morning because even though tomorrow is the anniversary of Pugsy's passing, it hit me that it was an early Sunday morning when it actually happened. Then I emailed our intake coordinator and told her that I'd do it. I'm a firm believer in things happening for a reason and something about the timing and her condition tells me that maybe Pugsy had a hand in this & I need to help her. Her name is Zoe.

Good for you, you nutty rescue lady.

Definitely see if liver shunt has been checked for. And our rescue has had good success with levetiracetam (Keppra) over Phenobarb and/or Potassium Bromide. It's not cheap, however.

I don't know if you are on the forum for canine epilepsy, but it's a good one. Everything is done by email rather than a forum like this one, but there's some great info there.

I should know, but don't, how much experience you've had with epilepsy. If you want, one of my foster parents is a real expert and I can give you her email addy.

northernwitch wrote:Good for you, you nutty rescue lady.

Definitely see if liver shunt has been checked for. And our rescue has had good success with levetiracetam (Keppra) over Phenobarb and/or Potassium Bromide. It's not cheap, however.

I don't know if you are on the forum for canine epilepsy, but it's a good one. Everything is done by email rather than a forum like this one, but there's some great info there.

I should know, but don't, how much experience you've had with epilepsy. If you want, one of my foster parents is a real expert and I can give you her email addy.

I am not on the epilepsy forum, but I'd like to check it out if you could PM me the link, Blanche. Thanks! We do have some experience with epilepsy-Bud has been on phenobarbitol for years due to petite mal seizures and Pugsy suffered from occasional/random grand mal seizures. Her last one she never recovered from and we had to let her go. I may ask you for your expert foster homes contact info. though once I get Zoe & get a handle on things. I've never hear of Keppra before - I'm off to Google it!

Just a quick update - Zoe arrived today. She is terrified of human contact - worse than even our Bella who came from a puppymill. The only way that we can get near her is with food - she is VERY food motivated and a little skinny, imo. Thanks goodness we have a fenced yard because she would be a runner for sure. She is tiny (10-12 pounds) and absolutely beautiful. I'll get pictures soon. She's on 3 times the amount of phenobarbitol as Bud and probably half his size so I'm concerned about over-medicating. I'll try to get her into my vet on Monday or Tuesday to go over bloodwork. She will follow me around but always has to be behind me. If I turn around, she runs. Hopefully we can teach her to trust and be the black diva she was meant to be, poor thing.

PugLady3 wrote:Just a quick update - Zoe arrived today. She is terrified of human contact - worse than even our Bella who came from a puppymill. The only way that we can get near her is with food - she is VERY food motivated and a little skinny, imo. Thanks goodness we have a fenced yard because she would be a runner for sure. She is tiny (10-12 pounds) and absolutely beautiful. I'll get pictures soon. She's on 3 times the amount of phenobarbitol as Bud and probably half his size so I'm concerned about over-medicating. I'll try to get her into my vet on Monday or Tuesday to go over bloodwork. She will follow me around but always has to be behind me. If I turn around, she runs. Hopefully we can teach her to trust and be the black diva she was meant to be, poor thing.

I am so glad you have her Brenda. And, how sad that she is so fearful. I know she will blossom under your loving care. What a tiny little thing she sounds like! I am sure her inner Sophie will be out soon! lol

Am cross posting this advice re fostering fearful small dogs from a rescue forum. I have found it invaluable at times. (Fortunately my current foster is a happy confident puppy.) I hope something in this list helps you help her:


Long time back, we were given a list of tips to help a shy, under-confident small dog that was fostered, then adopted. Some of these may be applicable for your girl....or variations. Selected ones helped the small dog:

*Encourge her to do chasey games, when a treat or toy is tied at the end of a string.
And she's encouraged to chase it. Apparently that helps the
submissive dog to 'feel' & act more dominantly.

* Try to protect the dog's personal space. Do not let strangers
overwhelm him, etc. You may not be aware of a passersby
actually petting the dog. It is amazing what really goes on. Do
not allow people (even family members) to pet the dog on the top
of the head or behind his ears. Instead, pat and scratch the dog
on his chest and neck. This is much less threatening to a dog.

* Teach the dog how to play with you. Entice the dog for a game
of chase, with the dog chasing you. If he won't chase you while
you're running, try crawling, yes really. Crawl on the floor on all
fours away from him, then lie down and roll. Cover your face and
make high-pitched whimpering noises. This should entice the
dog to come over to you. This is success, praise the dog and
then walk away and try it again later.

* If the dog is scared of people, instruct people to sit down with
their backs facing the dog. Then, hold out a their hand (behind
them) for the dog with a food treat in it. Gradually, the person
can turn so that they are sideways, and then facing the dog.
Avoid eye-contact until the dog is no longer scared of this
particular person.

* Do not stroke a scared dog and say "It's OK." This is perceived
as praise by the dog and will make it more likely that the dog will
repeat his fear again next time. Instead, give robust pats on the
sides and act happy, pretend there is nothing to be scared
about, and if at all possible, remove him from the frightful
situation.

* Yawning is a calming signal for dogs. When your dog is
nervous or unsure of a situation or person, you (and that person)
should sit down by your dog, turn your head and focus slightly
away from the dog, and yawn continually. I am not talking about
30 seconds of yawning, rather 3-30 minutes of consistent,
passive yawning. Try it, over time it should make your dog more
comfortable.

* It is important to avoid eye-contact, especially if the dog is used
to running away or submissive peeing. When you are able to be
close to the dog, kneel or sit down so you are on his level and
turn your head away from the dog and lick your lips. Continue
doing this until the dog either ceases being nervous, or brings
their face closer to yours in a gesture of friendship. If/when this
occurs, praise the dog's efforts with kind words and a gentle
chest rub, however still avoid eye-contact. Whenever you are
close to a scared or submissive dog, it is important to avoid
eye-contact so the dog will not feel threatened in any way.

* If she's food oriented give visitors/family members some little treats to hold in their
hands & occasionally drop next to her as they walk by.

* Do not over-stimulate or push the dog too far to fast. Let the
dog regulate how close he can get to other people, places and
things. If you push a scared dog too far, you will create a
neurosis that will be more difficult to treat.

* If the dog is scared of human contact, even from you, pet the
dog unexpectedly as you walk by. Do it quickly and friendly, and
then keep walking. The dog will probably be scared and
surprised, for if he knew you were going to pet him, he would've
run away and not allowed it. By sneaking in friendly petting with
no consequences (you simply walk away) the dog will learn that
being touched is not a bad thing.

* Being scared is very stressful. Exercise is one of the most
beneficial ways to relieve stress, so make sure your dog gets
plenty of it. If your dog likes other dogs (if you don't know, find
out) I strongly recommend that you find a dog for him to play with
on a weekly basis (more often, even better). Canine
companionship is very important to dogs, and especially a dog
that does not trust many humans, another canine can relieve
more stress than anything else. Be sure to allow the dogs to
romp around and play unrestricted (except for a fence) until they
tire out. This may be one of the best therapies that you can give
a shy dog.

Thanks for the info. Angela. That's good stuff. Let's see if I can post a picture here from FB:





Yay! It worked!

Good info, Angela. I have an equally good article on working with and rehabbing puppy mill dogs and I'm going to add your bit to my collection.

She is adorable! Figures she'd be a black beauty.

I've sent you a PM with contact info for my foster parent who's the expert. She used to be on PV--Candace--although I can't remember what her online name was.

Oh she's just beautiful! (And if I recall, Candace's name at PV was "Candace." She's another one I'd like to have here.)

She's adorable! I am sad she's so scared but very glad you have her!

she is adorable! Brenda, I am glad she is with you, and can learn how to be a diva pug.

Brenda, she is soooo pretty! If she is that small and having seizures, I'd check for a liver shunt. Hopefully everything will medically be under control soon. And emotionally as well.

Such a pretty girl. Hugs.

I saw her pic on FB, she is so adorable. I hope your able to work your puggie magic on her.