Rescue Journal

today and some care instructions for fletcher

Carol  ·  Jan. 11, 2013

i took a few hours off today...i wanted to be a normal person and far away from rescue. so i hit the grocery store this morning and headed in to my daughters home. i made a big pot of seafood bisque and a double batch of homemade bread to share with my kids. they both came out great. i got to be a real and normal mom again and in between the kitchen stuff, i rocked and played with my grandson. it was a really nice way to spend a few hours...big thx to the staff for holding the fort around here!!!
and so sorry!! the paycheques were signed..i just forgot to put them out in your boxes..my bad!

re;fletcher

we need to do our best to keep him from getting injured in any way. so certainly he should never be near any of the biting dogs like bobo, odie, puff, or jesse. he also should never be near the rough housing playful dogs like mystic or june.

also watch him really closely around visitors because he does jump up...so many people just automatically knee jumping dogs in the chest and that could kill him.

he not only can bleed uncontrollably but he will bruise and bleed much more easily than a normal dog. keep all hard plastic or thick vinyl toys out of his area..make sure stuffies do not have plastic eyes or sharp bits. keep things like empty cans of food out of that room altogether, don't be putting anything that he could hurt himself with in the garbage in my room. always feed him seperately so no one goes after him over treats or food. and if any of the dogs are getting irritated with him..get them immediately out of my room. he can go for leash walks but don't let him pull on his collar as it may start a bleed in his neck. try not to let him get too rambuctious...and no playing tug with him with toys in his mouth.

i am going to ditch the futon...too many hard wooden corners that he might bump into...i need someone with a truck willing to pick up an upholstered armless fold down couch to replace the futon tho cuz the other dogs like lying on it. if someone is able..let me know. i can probably get one at the Brick in abbotsford..i just need someone to bring it home.

we all need to think of fletcher as very fragile and easily breakable and make sure we don't step on him, trip over him or accidently be rough with him in any way.

he is not to have hard treats or cookies or even stiff chewy things like jerky or dental bones. he is to have 3 cans of puppy food per day. i will feed him breakfast and supper if you guys can feed him lunch.

if he is ever even mildly injured...and i am not around.... take him immediately to the vet at either hillndale or eastridge and if they are closed, please take him to the langley emergency clinic and make sure they know he is a hemophiliac and i will get there asap to pay the bill. better safe than sorry as far as fletch goes.

i don't know if all of the volunteers read the blog so can everyone please make sure each and every day that whoever is on in the house knows and understands the very special needs of fletch.

if anyone thinks of any thing else we can do or change or adjust to keep him safe..please let me know.

Comments

jan

Thundershirts are thick and padded and use velcro for closing. I wonder if one could be customized to be like a turtleneck and maybe leggings. Thinking out loud.
So very very sorry about Lottie and Bess. So ironic they came together and left together.

Carol

ashley..that would be great! he is a bit bigger than phoebe but growing...(hopefully!)

lisa..i already asked the vet about vit k...doesn't work on hemophiliacs. and transfusons are only for when they are actively bleeding. there is no preventive treatment or cure for dogs..just supportive therapy if they start bleeding. the trick is to prevent a bleed as much as we can.

polly....i took your idea one step further....i was thinking of wrapping him in a bubble wrap suit!

diana..brenda told me about that new clinic..it is her vet that owns it and she swears by him. i might try them one day but it would be with something i undertand really well and know how i wantd it treated until i got to know and trust them...i am a freak in that way. the hemophilia is just too far out there for me to feel comfortable with decision making yet and i know the vets at langley are very highly skilled.

thx michelle! i will try to get out there this week and buy one...will let you know!

pollyb

how bout a sweater or some thing to wear so he can not cut or nick himself on any thing if he needs it. he'll need paddding all over ''

Lisa

Do they give any sort of Vit K shots to dogs like him?
I know we have had some for some of the rats we took in that had bleeding issues.

What about transfusions?
Maybe stupid questions but I'm just thinking out loud.

Poor kid :-(

Diana

Carol, you know there is a new emergency care vet in Abbotsford now. It is a lot closer than Langley. It is right on McCallum Road near Abbotsford Vet - kitty corner to CIBC bank. Just something to remember if you need.
http://www.abbotsford-valleyanimalhospital.ca/

Sherie

Dobies get VonWillebrands Disease, a clotting disorder different from Hemophilia. Hemophilia is extremely rare and hemophiliacs are more fragile than those with VW

ashley

Does Fletcher have a really cushiony chest padded halter he can use for walks instead of a collar? More evenly distributes the pressure if he pulls. I will happily pick one up for him for Sunday if someone tells me his size :)

Michelle

Hi carol, we can def pick up that couch/futon for you. Just let me know when and where. I'm so glad to hear that you actually had some you-time on your week off! I'm off early tomorrow so I can help with bedtime. See you then!

Carly

The dog daycare I used to work at, we had a dobi with the same thing as Fletcher...yet his owners went and got his ears cropped?! We had to watch he too wasn't injured in any way.