Boo

Breed: Mixed
Age: 4 Years
Gender: Male
Added: 9/07

I HAVE A COMPANION!
Good morning Boo, For me, when selecting a Canine Companion, I just knew that no one else would do, but Boo.
For "It had to be Boo, It had to be Boo, No one else would do, it had to be Boo, It had to be Boo."
Hope your day is going well and know that we are thinking of you.

Fondly,
Germaine and "Tulip"
Valentine, Nebraska

Boo Bear is a mixed breed - of what, we're not quite sure yet! He is approximately 4 years old. Boo Bear is in constant pain. He was run over as a young pup and his hips damaged and never repaired by his owner. The surgeon said he can be fixed and can do both hips at the same time and the knees will be ok if the hips are repaired. We don't take him for walks, anymore, or training because of the pain. He is carrying his right hind leg, now. He cries out in pain when another dog or human bumps even his foot. But, he is a brave boy and very sweet. His life has been a rough one coming from the Rosebud Reservation in SD. Our vet said that if she had hips like that, she wouldn't be walking. He is a cuddler and loves attention and lots of it!

UPDATE!
Boo Bear has had his surgery and is recouping nicely. Our Vet was so surprised that after surgery, when they opened his kennel, he leapt right out! She said Boo is one of those dogs who has a high tolerance for pain and would need to be slowed down. I can only imagine that the previous pain of a crushed hip with shards of bone buried in his tissue around the hip was extremely painful. Add a second hip which was broken, fractured and had tried to heal-well, I’m certain we would be whimpering! Basically, Boo Bear was a walking miracle prior to surgery! He spent a week at the Vet Clinic after surgery, and then was able to come home with me. The first few days the surgical area simply oozed constantly. To some extent, I am sure that is a good thing, keeping the wounds flushed. We just ended the round of pain management and antibiotics. The incisions do look good. It is obvious that he is beginning to feel better, as he gets frisky and wants me to play with him. I am anxiously waiting for all to heal. I am certain he will be a totally different dog in demeanor. He has been quite good about not licking the incisions too much. His appetite has not skipped a beat. The Demodex Mange still persists, mainly on his cheeks and underbelly. The natural spray and cream have improved it greatly though. Once his incisions heal, we will address the mange. We will visit our Vet again on Monday to allow for her opinion, regarding how he is healing. It is an exciting time of transformation for Boo, as he spent over 2 years (that we know of) with crushed, broken hips. Thanks to the kindness of a few, Boo Bear’s future is an open book to new adventures! UPDATE! 9/30/07 I am pleased to update that Boo is beginning to show great measures of success where his surgery is concerned! He is now playing with Toby! Such a wonderful sight to see! He even runs through the house on our way out to the yard. Boo's stitches were all removed last week and the incisions look very good. With a little more time, (other than his shaved rear end) one will not be able to tell that he had major surgery. Our Vet and Donors have given Boo a beautiful gift... Through everything Boo has been a very loving boy. Never snapping or growling at me. Always compliant. He has a soulful heart. The Demodex Mange has improved to the point that he rarely scratches. I did give him his first bath since his surgery and used a natural shampoo specifically formulated for skin problems. The only remaining issues at this point are his ears. Our Vet thinks the infection was due to the Demodex. His ears are much improved after using two different types of medication. Boo will be going in for another check up this week to monitor how his hips are healing and also the ears. I must say, it is a joyful feeling to watch him resting and sleeping comfortably.

UPDATE 11/21/07
Boo Bear is finally coming into his own! What a joy to see him racing from one end of the yard to the other and back around again! Can you imagine, the gift of pain free abandonment for the first time in his life! He even plays with the resident rescue kitten. His demeanor has changed from grumpy and snappy-to giddy and serene. And cuddling... Well, he can't get enough of that! If you are looking for loyalty, Boo Bear has that to give a hundred fold. He simply seems so grateful for everything in life.

UPDATE 12/02/07
Wanted to update you with the latest about "Boo". The other night Miss Pippa lept from the chair (because she heard my nephew coming in the back door) and landed on "Boo's" right hip (as he was laying in front of the chair on the floor). He didn't yelp, but I noticed when he got up that he was not bearing weight on that leg... So I called my Vet (of course, this happened late in the evening) and asked if I could give him some baby aspirin for pain (which I did) until I could get him in the following day. Our Vet x-rayed the next day, said no damage from Pippa (she had probably landed on the area of scar tissue, which in turn caused soreness), however, she was surprised to see new bone growth at the surgery site, which is not good. She said she has seen this before in rare cases, but is surprised when she does see it, as this is not typical. Well, then again, "Boo" hasn't been typical, has he :) Therefore, I will need to have him x-rayed again within a few months, as she may need to go back in and clean that extra bone growth out as it is growing where it should not be, and may cause problems and pain in future. Needless to say, Boo got some pain med and was walking on his leg again 2 days after the initial Pippa pounce. So, we'll see how things go. I have been so happy for Boo as he has been running and playing like a puppy, racing around the yard, and this new information does give me cause for concern. When we go in again for another x-ray, I will also have her x-ray the other hip just to be certain it is okay.

UPDATE 2/19/08
Good news for Boo Bear! He is back to racing through the house playing with the kitten and romping in the yard! We are delighted for him! In light of his return to rowdy abandonment, we (along with our Vet) do not feel the need to perform yet another surgery. As long as he is enjoying life, we will leave well enough alone. This is truly a gift for a very deserving dog!