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Update 10/22/08: Bianca
has come a long way since we last wrote about her. Heartworm is but a
distant memory and has left absolutely no mark on this little girl. Her
skittishness and shyness have also largely gone away. Even plastic trash
cans are not as scary as they used to be and many unknown “scary” things get
checked out (although with the hind legs well stretched out just in case).
It took patience and work, but Bianca has come out of her shell. She is a
very affectionate little dog – the first one at the door to greet her foster
parents when they return home and the first one to jump at them when they
come down in the morning (she has chosen to sleep on an oversized pillow
downstairs). If we’re not careful, we get instant free facials with that
eau de doggie breath aroma to them.
Bianca has also discovered the joys and benefits of the company of other dogs. She spends a lot of time with her foster sister Juliet playing tug of war, running around the hippodrome aka dining room table, and just having fun. During walks, she picks up sticks and even branches and prances with them; she pulls on the other dogs’ leashes and “walks” them, digs up old socks and pieces of paper and throws them in the air… She also loves to suddenly and unexpectedly dash forward and jump into the air retained by her harness (her foster mom likes that far less because she’d like to hold on to her arm for a few years more).
We found a chewed-up pen and some paper under the couch. It turns out that Bianca wrote her early Letter to Santa: “Dear Santa, I wish for a home of my own. It will have to be a patient, funny and loving home. I really like this place here, but I know this is not my own forever home. Will you please help me find that home? Here’s what I would like: a mommy and daddy who will understand that I may be scared and shy at first, but who will talk gently to me and hug me and give me treats (lots of those, please) and even throw tennis balls for me to play with. And I like walks and I really, really enjoy playing with nice dogs. And I’d like a big pillow to sleep on and I would very much like somebody to be around because I can get very lonely. So please tell your elves to go out and look for my new mommy and daddy. They must be somewhere. If not, can you make them? Bianca”
If you think you’re that family Bianca dreams of, please give her a chance. She will bring you much joy and happiness and laughs!
Update 6/16/08: Bianca spent a good many days at the veterinary hospital to make sure that the second part of her heartworm treatment will be uneventful. She went in on Friday, the 6th and stayed until the evening of Wednesday, the 11th. During that time she got somewhat used to her surroundings and rested over the weekend. On Monday, she got her second injection and was under observation until her release. For the next 4 weeks, she will be on strictly restricted exercise and will have to spend a lot of time resting.
Easier said than done! As soon as she came back to the house, she toured the house at the speed of light and made her foster parents frantic. The next two hours were spent in the crate, which she was not too happy about. Right now, her new routine is – eat, sleep a lot and go on short walks. Weather permitting, she’s allowed to go into the back yard and just walk around. When she cannot find a spot to sleep – which is rather frequent – she is gently invited into her crate. She does accept this when she’s very tired, but when she feels that it’s “crazy time” she actually breaks out of her crate! Yes, she has learned to open it…
The vet who is treating her is optimistic about her full recovery as long as this toddler beagle girl accepts that she has to rest a lot. Heartworm treatment is tricky and can be dangerous. We saw this with Bianca some three weeks ago. She gave us all a tremendous scare.
Indeed, caring for a dog undergoing heartworm treatment can be a challenge – especially when the dog is young, playful and wants to explore the world. Thank goodness Bianca is not a huge squirrel and chipmunk chaser. Actually, she couldn’t care less. Otherwise, taking for on a walk would also be a tall order.
Early next month, Bianca will go in to have her blood checked and we’re all expecting her to pass with flying colors and to be ready to go to her new forever home.
Update 6/8/08: As we come to better know Bianca, we have come to the conclusion that this little girl (and little she is!) would do best in a quiet home, maybe with one friendly dog and a person who is present most of the day. Although very affectionate at heart, Bianca is terrified of all sorts of noises and distrustful of people that the does not know. She will not do well in a home with rambunctious and energetic young children just because of the noise and activity level. A home that is calm (yes, she listens to classical music...), has a nice back yard and comes with an understanding human to reassure her would be her dream home. It will allow her to blossom and feel safe and let loose the puppy within her! Because there is plenty of puppy in her. She picks up sticks on walks, grabs her foster sibling's leashes and "walks" them, loves toys and battles with her bed (not to mention the stealing of shoes, blankets and even clothes if left in accessible places...)
Update 5/28/08: Once again we are appealing to the generosity of beagle lovers to help Bianca, one of the many beagles in our care. We need to raise $800 to help her pull through her heartworm treatment.
Bianca came to us from a rural Virginia shelter. She was scared of everything – from unknown noises, to people and things that moved above her head. During the transport, she burrowed under the car seat and much patience was required to get her out. Beagle Maryland was aware that Bianca was heartworm positive, but it was not an advanced stage and, experienced as we are, we were confident she would go through the treatment with flying colors.
On May 7, Bianca received her first heartworm treatment injection and returned to her foster home where she proceeded to act like the pup she is. Since the first week or so after the injection is the most dangerous, she spent more time in the crate and went on short walks so as to avoid any problems.
She was doing very well and was bursting with energy until Saturday, May 24. When taken out of her crate in the morning, she was as limp as a rag doll and could not even sit up. Bianca was rushed to the vet where she spent the remainder of the day. In the emergency room it turned out that her body temperature was well below normal and her gums appeared drained of blood. After running a battery of tests, the vet called to say that Bianca’s lungs couldn't keep up with her heart, which is working well, and she was not getting enough oxygen. She now has to take lengthy naps in her crate and her walks are limited to no more than 10-15 minutes to allow her lungs to keep up with the pace of her heart.
Bianca’s prognosis is good. She still has one more injection in early June and we expect her to fully recover. However, in the weeks following the injection, we will have to be extra cautious.
Bianca’s problems are a reminder to us all that what may have seemed like the straightforward treatment of a condition we have dealt with countless times, can take a sudden unexpected turn. We always watch for the textbook symptoms – cough, fatigue, lack of appetite. Bianca had none of these and it was difficult to even imagine she had heartworm. She sailed through the first 10 days after the injection and we felt secure and reassured. Then suddenly, 17 days later and after a night spent in her crate, she developed life-threatening problems.
We will certainly watch her like hawks after her second injection. She will have to hold off a bit and refrain from battling her bed, digging up our bed, sneaking upstairs to steal articles of clothing and just being a pup. Her life may depend on it.
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Bianca has just recently come to Beagle Maryland from a rural Virginia shelter together with two other beagles. She was terrified and hid under the car seat. Getting her out from under there proved to be quite a task. Since she is heartworm positive, she had to spend a night at the vet’s for tests and she certainly did not like that – she was jumpy, shy and terrified. She still has to undergo treatment and is spending this week at her foster home being observed for signs normally associated with the disease so that the best treatment protocol may be chosen for her. For now, she certainly displays no obvious signs of the disease, which is very good.
We know very little about her life before coming to Beagle Maryland, but there is enough evidence to let us know that it was not good. This very pretty girl must have been kept outside in a humid place since her paws show signs of reddish-brown discoloration. She’s scared of all normal household noises (opening of drawers, objects falling, sneezing, etc.) and simply terrified of loud noises outdoors (we passed a house where a new roof was being put and poor Bianca just lost it).
However, she is still very young – just barely out of her puppyhood and she is adjusting very nicely. She spends the night in her crate (which is taken over by another jealous foster sibling during the day) and loves walks even though she still has to figure out this “leash thing.” Bianca is very playful – this morning she had a battle to the death with a dog bed and it was 1:0 in her favor. She’s inquisitive and loves to try out toys… and socks and shoes and blankets and whatever else catches her fancy…. And in good beagle style, she absolutely needs to know what’s on the table and the counter,
Bianca is probably closer to one year because she has a bit of a puppy gait. She’s very responsive to cuddles and hugs and greatly enjoys attention.
Once she is done with her treatment, she will be ready for her forever loving home.
Adoptive Status: Will be spayed, UTD on shots and micro-chipped within two weeks after the posted date.
Dream Home Minimum Requirements: Just needs love and a human to love her.
Owner Aptitude Level: Beginner.
Posted: 4/27/08