Larry's Story - continued

Well, life in Rescue is never simple or easy. I am still learning. We took Larry to the Springdale Emergency Vet Clinic Thursday, April 3rd to meet Dr Dew who would do the open heart surgery to correct the valve in his heart. However, I had a feeling this wasn't the right thing. I just had this feeling.

Dr Dew is a very talented surgeon and specialist in veterinary medicine. He is a tall man with a long beard. Larry was being super sweet that morning - he knew something was going on - Mom was crying. He gave me lots of pug hugs to help out. Brandy was there to spend the day with him in the operation room while he was in surgery.

Dr Dew came in, Larry laid his chin on his stomach and smelled his beard. He stood very quietly while Dr Dew listened to his heart. It seemed like he listened forever - Larry was very still. Then Dr Dew began to explain what his diagnosis was.

1. Larry was diagnoised by 3 vets to have a PDA (heart condition) which would correct itself with the prescribed operation - 100% recovery after surgery.

2. Dr Dew felt 85% that this diagnosis was correct. However, by Larry standing so still and being so quiet while Dr Dew listened for an extended time - he felt it might not be a PDA, but a heart defect.

3. Dr Dew felt if it was a PDA it would show in xrays - so we xrayed him and found when Larry was attacked by a dog ( before he came to rescue) he had 3 broken ribs. But no bulging arteries which would be a sign of a PDA.

4. The next step would be to do the surgery and see what Dr Dew found or take Larry to Little Rock where a new veterinary had the newest Doppler machine (kind of like the weather Dopplers - it can see through the heart and inside). Since it would require breaking Larry's chest bone to do the operation and it would be possible he might not need the operation at all - we decided to have the Doppler done.

5. Brandy, our secretary, has been a trouper where these pugs are concerned and volunteered to take Larry to Little Rock and get the results.

RESULTS: The veterinary in Little Rock diagnoised Larry (after viewing the Doppler results) with having a heart defect at one of the valves - with daily medications to keep blockage down he should live to be an old dog but was not recommended to be allowed to be a high energy dog and not an athletic one. But his body told him when to slow down - He would lean on things - dogs, refrigerator - whatever he was by - when he got tired he became Leaning Larry.

We were estatic - Larry would be ok without surgery - He would live to be an old pug - We would now make him available for adoption.

THE NEXT MORNING: Received the vet report from Dr Gary in Little Rock . ÒI am sending the final report for Larry in the morning É. There is one change however. The findings on the echo are consistent with severe aortic stenosis and not moderate. This does change the prognosis for Larry unfortunately. Ò

Our hearts were broken once again - Larry is almost one year old - so a life expectancy of 3 does not give him much time.

Of course, Dr Dew said during his review before sending Larry to Little Rock that he has seen dogs with this condition live full and long lives. Their bodies just adjust to what they can do. Dr Gary is fresh out of vet school and has all the fancy equipment - but Dr Dew has the years of experience so I asked Dr Dew to review and see if he agrees with the prognosis. He called me this morning and said he did agree and Larry's life expectancy is one to two years.

So, this is the second dog we have had in rescue with a heart defect. The first one died as a puppy. Larry doesn't know there is anything wrong with him - He loves to play with the dogs, run, chew, do all the things puppies do that drives you crazy. But, we have to realize he is a sick little puppy. I wish I could give you better results. I still tear up.

Larry is currently living at Brandy's house. He is needing a foster home or forever home who understands his condition. We feel it might be best if it is with someone who does not have active children and possibly without a dog or a dog who is not hyper. He is ok with cats. We would like to keep his activity level as low as possible even though he is a puppy.

Brandy says he has been acting out since he left my house - he has chewed on her coffee table, ate her shoes and generally been a puppy. At my house, he didn't chew on things but had lots of toys which were placed at my feet every day. He did chew on Pops' face (my older pug) He would grab the extra skin around his face and pull - bless pops, he never bit him - he would just come running to me to get this puppy off me. He did well with my female, Pugley, because she showed him who was boss.

Larry does not share toys well. They are all his. If I tried to play with one of the other dogs with a toy, he would come take it away - so maybe no dogs would be best.

Thank you everyone for donating in Larry's behalf. We still spent over $700 for his vet bills but we did collect about $1500. If you would like us to refund your donation, please contact Karilea at pugmomma72712@yahoo.com and let her know and she will get it to you. However, if you should decide to leave the donation with rescue we have had another pug surrendered who tested heart worm positive. Yogi seemed to be a healthy pug - but he was positive. He is being treated but it is very expensive - so the old bank account is beginning to feel the influx of so many pugs. But if you would like your donation returned - we will do that and appreciate you thinking about Larry.

We all know tomorrow is promised to no-one. This is certainly true for Larry - but we don't know where this defect might lead - he may go tomorrow or he may be still around in 5 years - you can never tell. Because God lets us know when it is time to go. But we always want to be honest with our adoptive families - So Larry's story is being posted on the website.

If you are that wonderful person who could give Larry a home for however long his life is, I promise you this puppy will give you more love than you can imagine. He bonds nice with his human. He came to me about 10:30 every evening and wanted in my lap and crawled up on my chest. I knew what he wanted. I had trained him to relax - a most valuable technique with a puppy - so he could crawl up on my chest and stretch out for me to hold him and I would rock him to sleep in my office chair. If I would have set in one place all day long, he would have a circle of Toy Offerings around my feet by the end of the day. He often took his toys outside to play - he loved the outside and the neighbor dogs.

So if you are that one special person - please contact us as soon as possible - I want to be able to tell Larry he has his forever home and know he will be loved and taken care of. He is only on a betta blocker pill to keep blockage down - not expensive. If you would like to talk to me about Larry - feel free to call Reta at 479-751-6947.

Thank you all - - - -Reta

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The Pug originated in the Far East but subsequently came to prominence in Europe where he was a great favorite of European high society and royalty. In Europe he was treated as a toy and dressed up in bizarre fashions, while he lived in the lap of luxury.

Today the Pug's main claim to fame is as a much loved pet. Extremely friendly, he attaches himself to a household and family with complete acceptance of the fact that he is an essential part of that lifestyle. Although small, he requires no coddling, and his roguish face soon wiggles its way into the hearts of men, women and especially children, for whom the Pug has a special affinity. His overwhelming reason for living seems to be that of being close to and pleasing his folks. In his old age, he becomes very much the rather wheezy old relation, sitting in the most comfortable chair in front of the fire! A delightful dog to own or be owned by.

The Pug enjoys fetching a ball or playing tug of war with you, but does not require extensive exercise. Similarly, minimal coat care is needed, although his eyes and head wrinkles need to be regularly checked and cleaned. He cannot tolerate extreme heat or cold and must be an inside dog.

This dapper little character can be somewhat headstrong, but his impish charm more than compensates making it easy to spoil him, which he naturally accepts as his rightful due!