Forever home found: Scooter is adopted!

Our dear Scooter is getting his best Christmas gift ever – a new home, a new name and a new beginning! Our sweet little boy charmed his way into his foster family’s hearts when they took him for fostering while he was recovering from his leg surgery in October 2019. (read the backstory here.)
 

Scooter is one of those who had a rough start in life. He was left alone in life at just five months when he lost his mother and sister in a road accident. To make matters worse, Scooter was hit by a motorcycle a few weeks later when he went in search of his family. He was in pain for about four days before we found him during our stray feeding rounds.

When we rushed him to the vet, things didn’t look good for Scooter; the vet advised that his leg may need to be amputated. Thankfully after a second opinion was sought, his leg was saved. And after three months of recuperation in his foster home, Scooter’s leg is completely healed, and he can now run and play and be happy like a puppy should.

We would like to thank Melanie for opening her home and heart to Scooter, who is now known as Spencer. Many thanks also go to our volunteers for their unwavering commitment to helping Scooter; for shuttling him between clinics, and waiting with him during the wee hours at the clinic. Our supporters for helping foot his medical bills, which helped us get a second opinion and saved Balloon / Scooter /Spencer’s leg.

This Christmas is truly a special one for everyone – Spencer, and his new family – Mama, Grandma, and Grandpa.

If you’re looking for an adorable new addition to the family, look to our rescues at http://hopedogrescue.blogspot.com/p/adoption.html.

By: Felicia Tan

Why is My Dog Not Eating

Imagine this. You return home after a day of work or school, and you're greeted by your beloved senior dog, wagging his tail from left to right. You head to the kitchen and prepare dinner for your pet only to realize that he does not dive right into the scrumptious meal like he used to. When old dogs do not eat, the first thing that pops into an owner’s mind is often the fact that their dog is being fussy, becoming a picky eater or simply just tired of having the same food over and over again. Occasionally, this assumption may be true but in some cases, this is not the only reason.

Owners with a senior dog must be alert when their pet is not eating their food, as this could be a sign that they are unwell. Kidney disease is a silent killer amongst older dogs. They might drink a lot of water, pee more than usual and develop poor appetite, leaving them feeling nauseous most of the time. Food that used to get them sprinting across one room to the next could be something that do not excite them any longer. In issues like kidney disease, dogs do not show signs until the final stage. If owners are not attentive to their dog’s behavioural patterns, their pet could start throwing up which may be caused by toxins build up in their kidneys. This may lead to death.

When a senior dog stops eating, this could also be a neurological issue caused by canine cognitive dysfunction. It might seem absurd but in some cases, old dogs forget how to eat and drink. They have trouble coordinating their eating like picking up food from the bowl, and if the owner tries to spoon feed them, they might have trouble biting from the spoon too. This might frustrate some owners, allowing them to believe that their dogs are fussy eaters. Sometimes, handfeeding might be the simplest and most helpful way to feed an old dog but just be careful they may unintentionally bite your hand because they have a lot of trouble coordinating. 

Senior dogs could also have bad teeth. Just like us human beings, a bad tooth makes us lose our appetite. However, unlike people who can choose softer food to lessen the pain, dogs may have to chew on hard kibbles, which causes their teeth to hurt even more so. Sometimes, old dogs have gum diseases and that could affect their appetite as well. In some cases, gum diseases could lead to blood poisoning and therefore, a heart attack.

It is no wonder that with age brings about more health issues.

However, it is always important to bring your pet to the vet if he is not acting like how he usually is. There are many other reasons as to why your dog is not as enthusiastic about food, eating lesser than he normally would or not eating at all, and it is best to not assume that he is simply just a picky eater. Bring your dog to the vet for a check-up, and see if their teeth and gums are healthy. The vet can also perform a blood test on the dog’s liver and kidney functions. One can also ask the vet if the change in habits is a canine cognitive dysfunction. It is better to act on it now rather than later and hopefully, owners can find the cause of their old dog’s poor eating habits.

Written by: Debbi Tan

Lil' Scooter Vet Update 4

Scooter was back at the vet recently for a review of his fractured leg and to be sterilized.

The good news is all's well for Scooter!

 
His X-ray images are normal. Bone fracture on his leg has completely healed, much faster than we expected. The vet has given him the green light to run, jump and do anything he wants! The sterilization surgery went smoothly although his blood pressure was a little low during the
procedure. It might have been due to the fasting before surgery. In any case, he's fine now.

The vet said that Scooter's weight is good although he can still afford to gain another 1-2 kg. But the vet cautioned that Scooter's metabolism will slow down after his sterilization, so we will have to
watch his meals from now on.

We thank Jean for taking time off from work to accompany Scooter on all of his vet reviews and for making the effort to visit him weekly. Scooter's vet visit this round costs $645. If you can help Scooter with his vet bill, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg for details.

Thank you!