Jacks Story continues..

  Thanks all for yesterday's SOS question and answers.  Now I know what you are talking about, and Mary... it's not me, it's you. (your browser, maybe?).

 Anyway... this below from "P'... on the progress of her adopted Pit from the streets of Hartford...
If you didn't see the beginning of Jacks story the other day on my post...click  HERE.

Jack finally got his physical yesterday. Nails clipped (God in Heaven, they looked like elbow macaroni), heartworm tested, fecal sample, "before" pix for his history and many compliments on how well he was "out back" when they clipped his nails and tried to shed some of the mangy spot on his head. The tech, Gabbie, walked him back into the exam room beaming. "Was he OK?" I asked. "He was awesome! I LOVE this dog!" and she proceeded to thank me for seeing past his exterior to the lovebug inside. It was a nice moment. :)  It cracked me up as when I arrived at XXXX, despite his sexy new coat, he was an obvious hot mess and there were three gals behind the desk lined up like crows on a laundry line looking at him then me then him again. "I just adopted him from Hartford. Do you REALLY think I'd let my own dog get to this state?" I said through an incredulous smile. (That just sounded like a line in a book, didn't it?) Anywho, he has a severe case (no surprise there) of demondex mange with a secondary diagnosis of yeast dermatitis.  According to Dr. XXXX, it's not the Demodex that really smells but the yeast dermatitis which leads me to think there's a lot of underdiagnosed yeast situations out there based on how most say how bad Demodex smells.  The treatment for the yeast is really just special semi-weekly baths along with the Cephaloxin and Ivermectin for the Demodex. We're looking at 2-3 months which means he should be sitting pretty by the time I bring him to "I" s lacrosse games and horrify everyone with my "pit bull" on the sidelines. ;)  

I have to tell you, this dog is GOOD. Every day I am more impressed with him. He has not chewed ONE thing including the $25 puzzle toy I bought him and several Greenies that I offered him. Until we got to know him and he know us (four cats and two dogs), we planned on crating him (which he now has decided is no fun so requires quite a bit of coaxing/pulling and shoving to get him in there), but now he is on a line (which he has never chewed). He has an ortho bed dead center in the middle of the house where he can see everyone and they have to walk past him to go to the bathroom, watch TV, drink from the water bowl (that would be the dogs and cats, folks, not me) or go upstairs.  I plan to work on his off-leash skills in the house this weekend. He barks if he has to do his business (not ONE accident yet) but other than that he sleeps deeply (snores too) and watches the world go by from his cloud on the floor.  He sits and takes treats nicely, gets along with the cats/kittens and Bear (the mini-Aussie) has about 9/10ths accepted him. He is a tiny bit of a humper (Kitten's cat bed will never be the same) but neutering will have to wait a few months until he is healthy.  Shots will happen gradually beginning next month.

And guess what? People are accepting him. My mother-in-law who was nervous at first (per my son anyway) seems to like him (minus the dinosaur nails which are much improved after yesterday's manicure), Ian adores him (even if he decidely smells a bit) and my mother, after some conversation, will continue to visit our home despite my brother's intimations that she might not. ;)

So all things considered, Jack is doing well. And "I"  likes to call him Handsome Jack.


OK, my faithful long time readers.... Who can guess what my inserted line would be on the bottom right here.....Whoever says it first is getting a little gift from me in the mail.  :-)