LauriesGliderGazette

mybonnie · Glider Lover Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 268

To me, today is the best day in the world! but a little back story before we begin...

This is Teddy... my now 4 yr old Shih-tzu

He originally belonged to a friend of mine that got him when he was 8 weeks old (wish I had pics!) as a little white floof ball. (and this is where the problems begin...)
She bathed him every day. Shih-tzus are prone to very sensitive/dry skin. He had patches where the downy hair should have been, but was instead the slick top coat. 3 Groomers told me that I would never get the down to come back.

I did! Neener!

While living with my friend, he was abused by her boyfriend. When the couple fought or argued, M (the guy) would throw Teddy across the room, kick him, stomp at him and I don't know what else. All this to a tiny 4 pound puppy, just to get back at his girlfriend. They broke up, she eventually got another boyfriend (much nicer) but he was a police officer with a K-9 unit. Well, Cop Dog tried to kill Teddy. So Teddy went to go live with my friend's mother. He became an outside dog, never really got the attention he needed and eventually her mom told her that she needed to find a home for this dog.

She came into the camera shop where I worked for something and we got to talkin and catchin up. She told me about needing to find him a home. I didn't even hesitate, "I WANT HIM"

I got him 3 days later! He was 9 months old at this point

This dog was TERRIFIED of men! He would cry, cower, hide, strangle himself on a leash, ANYTHING to get away from a man. We did MONTHS of forced socialization. I would put him in my dad's arms and then dad and I would sit on the couch and both pet him telling him what a good boy he is. I did this with every (almost) guy that I was always around. Ryan especially, and for the most part, it worked! (hence the reason Teddy's nickname is TRAITOR! He LOVES his daddy and doesn't hesitate to tattle on mommy for not letting him get away with murder...)

He still prefers that our friend Luke be on the floor before having anything to do with him. Luke's about 6'4 and that's about the same height as the 'bad man' as we call him. I think Teddy associates height with threat... anyway

My friend had never taken this dog to a vet... never had him on heartworm meds, never had any shots, NOTHING! soooo, off to the vet! gets his shots, gets his meds, WOW that was expensive!
I decided to save a little money and do that 1-800 PET MEDS thing.
Big mistake, maybe... I still don't know

at the yearly exam when he was 2, we found out that he had heartworms. He was a +1. Low end of the spectrum, but still something I NEVER wanted to hear.
The vet told me about the procedure and how it cost $500 up front and $300 or so ever 2 weeks for I don't even remember how long... and we needed to start treatment NOW
There was no way in ---- I could afford that! I'd have to save up! and who knows how bad they would get by that point??!!! They told me that if left untreated, I had about 7 years left with my dog. (WHAT???)

I got a second opinion. Pretty much the best thing I've ever done for this dog, getting that opinion.

I asked around and talked to Dr Mike Maris at Shelly Drive Animal Clinic (here in Tyler) and told him what the other vet told me, including the 7 year thing. His vet tech, Sam, stopped what she was doing and asked "What the crystal ball were THEY looking in???"
I loved her immediately!
I loved Dr Mike immediately too, Teddy decided to sit on Dr. Mike's feet... that never happens....
Teddy picked his vet.
Dr. Mike told me of a different way to go about it. Since Teddy was on the low end of the heartworm spectrum, we would try a year on a better preventative, Heartguard. the other vet had me on Revolution. Dr Mike explained to me that Revolution isn't really that great for dogs that have a lot of hair like Shih-tzus. You can't always guarantee that it makes it onto the skin. And another interesting thing, you can't always guarantee that the dog's skin will absorb it! I had no idea!!! AND he told me that he didn't trust 1-800 PETMEDS 100%. He'd heard rumors of them changing labels and expiration dates on medications. Scary!!
He wasn't ready to put the blame on those meds wholeheartedly since there was the possibility that he had the heartworms when I got him and they hadn't developed enough to come back positive on the first test. so we're still at a loss on the exact way it happened. I don't care, I just want it fixed!

Well, we've been on our preventative for about a year and a half...

THE HEARTWORMS ARE GONE!!!!! (well the original ones are still there, but they're dead and they can't make babies and the test results are negative!!)

So that is why this day is the best day! That was the best news I could have ever gotten! I was on pins and needles the whole time waiting for the test results!!! I nearly CRIED right there at the vet!

My advice to everyone. Talk to your vet. Please have your dog vaccinated and put on heartworm medication, and get the meds that are properly suited to your dog ,and from somewhere RELIABLE!!!

Heartguard and Dr Mike saved my dog!
More pictures!!

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*~Laura~*
The Barrow Gang and The Harem

Usha77 · Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:21 am Post subject:

That's a wonderful story! Yay!
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dranger1108 · Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:27 am Post subject:

I have two shihtzu and they make the best doggies! Laughing

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