My name is Dozer!

09/13/10:

Dozer is OK. The surgeon said the surgery went smoothly and, barring any complications, he will be able to go home tomorrow. They removed a large quantity of foam bedding but it was all in the stomach which is lucky. Removing something from the intestines is much more dangerous so I expect that Dozer will recover without a hitch (fingers and toes crossed).

This is a good opportunity to let people know how important it is to take care of a foreign body while it is still in the stomach instead of waiting until it enters the intestine which makes surviving surgery much more risky. The cost of treating Dozer was costly ($3363.22 after a 20% discount) but he is still alive. We have created a "chip in" page for Dozer in additional to our normal ways of taking donations (PayPal) if you would like to help with Dozer's medical bills.




09/09/10:

We received a call at 2 AM yesterday morning from Dozer's foster dad saying that Dozer had vomited his dinner and was still restless off and on. Since he was resting comfortably at the time of the call we agreed to talk again in a few hours to see if he was still OK or getting worse. Unfortunately, Dozer vomited again and what came up were pieces of foam from his bed.

Dozer was taken to the hospital for an exam and radiographs. The xrays were inconclusive and the doctor said that Dozer "looked good", however, to be on the safe side Dozer stayed at the hospital for the day on IV fluids and radiographs were again taken at 5 o'clock. Although his stomach contents had reduced in size there was a definite suspicion that there was foreign object.

Dozer was kept at the hospital over night on IV fluids and the plan was to take more radiographs this morning. Should the xrays still show that there was something in his stomach he would then be transferred to the 24 hour Emergency Hospital. These last set of xrays did show that Dozer's stomach had a foreign object and he was transferred to the ER hospital to be seen by a specialist.

The specialist at the Emergency Hospital confirmed the diagnosis. They first attempted to remove the object endoscopically but this was unsuccessful. Dozer was already sedated and went immediately to surgery. I am waiting for the doctor's call and will let you know the outcome as soon as I hear. Please keep Dozer in your thoughts.


04/03/10: Dozer Is All Better And Waiting For His Permanent Home

Dozer continues to thrive. He is doing extremely well in his new foster home and is a joy to have around. He returned to the veterinarian for another blood test and we were thrilled when his levels all came back in the normal range. Below is an update from his foster dad:

"Well Dozer is now settled in and doing just fine. His diet has been transitioned to California Natural, Lamb and Rice, 1 3/4 cups 2 times per day. He is weighing in at 63.2 lbs. and his ribs only show when he really stretches; his hip bones are hardly noticeably. I feel 3 to 5 lbs. more and he will be a super fit boxer boy.

I'm also running Dozer in the dog park daily so that the weight he puts on will be mostly muscle. He runs like the wind and very few dogs can keep up with him. He does just great with all dogs but I keep him away from the few antagonists that want to start trouble. He holds his own playing roughhouse and is definitely in love with a particular white boxer girl. They run together jumping laterally over each other; you have to see it to believe it. The nights after their interludes Dozer howls sweet nothings in his sleep and kicks his feet like he's running.

He's okay on the leash except when he has a mind to play or go back into the house to get his meal then he bites the leash and jumps up and down like a "jumping jack" and charges me. I'm dealing with it as you said to, by not resisting, and turning my back. Other than that minor nuisance he's turning into a very desirable dog.

Now about Dozer’s antics: He really does not like cats, but he really loves food (he is easy to train). He also loves to cuddle, and is simply thrilled about riding in the car; if given the chance he would drive the car!

He is a really a great buddy, but he is sometimes distracted by things (lots of things). It's his age. I'm sure he is less than 2yrs old judging by the dogs he chooses to play with, and his attention span (other than with food). So.....Attention to all you fence sitters, make up your mind before this great dog is grabbed by someone else.

It certainly appears that Dozer is ready for his forever home although he's welcome to stay with me as long as is necessary for his true home to come for him.”
1/19/10: Dozer Beat The Odds
Despite Dozer's brush with death after ingesting a dangerous dose of medication he has recovered well. He no longer needs to visit the vet to have his blood levels tested on a regular basis. Dozer was a lucky boy. This story could have had a much different ending.

Unfortunately Dozer is currently in a kennel, since we have no available foster homes. As a reminder, we will NOT be placing Dozer with children and he will do best going to a home that has a fenced yard (invisible fence will not be acceptable). Another plus would be a low-key type home that does not have a lot of activity. On the plus side he does get along well with other dogs.

Dozer will need an experienced boxer person; one that is familiar with boxer antics, can recognize that a “soft touch” works wonders and is familiar with positive reinforcement training. Dozer, obviously, is a counter surfer and has to be placed in a home that does not leave things out haphazardly for him to get into. Just like a curious child, he needs supervision…he is very smart.

Dozer deserves a home and we hope that someone out there can open their hearts to help Dozer. He is a good boy who is waiting for a suitable home.

12/20/09: An Overdose Of People Medication Puts Dozer In Danger

We received a call from Dozer’s foster home letting us know that he ate a full bottle of prescription medication that was left on the counter. This medication suppresses the immune system and can be deadly at the dosage he consumed (70 to 75 pills). We instructed them to immediately take Dozer to the nearest emergency hospital for treatment. The foster home was unsure about when he had ingested the pills and we were hoping that it was recent. Unfortunately, when the doctors induced vomiting no whole pills were found which meant the medication had already dissolved into his system. Dozer was in grave danger. The effects of the toxicity of the medication has a delayed response and the main concern is liver and kidney failure as well as bone marrow suppression.

The ER vets contacted Poison Control and the doctors followed the overdose protocol for this particular drug. Dozer had his stomach emptied and was given two doses of charcoal. He was placed on continuous intravenous therapy to help his liver and kidneys flush the toxins. Amazingly, Dozer has not been exhibiting any horrible outward symptoms however, his blood needs to be taken every 48 hours to monitor the damage to his organs. The most concerning result of the blood work so far has been the continuing elevation of his liver enzymes so he has been started on a liver protecting supplement called Denamarin.

After five days in the ER Dozer has finally been released from the hospital but he must be watched carefully for any signs of illness. He is also required to return to the hospital every 48 hours for a complete blood work-up until his blood levels are better. The doctors are coordinating closely with Poison Control and we are hoping his blood levels start to turn around. Dozer needs to be monitored for any signs of lethargy, decrease in appetite, vomiting, diarrhea or any other abnormal symptoms. If he shows any signs that his health is deteriorating he will need to return to the hospital for further treatment.

Dozer is not yet out of danger and needs your good thoughts and prayers. Please use his story as a reminder to properly store all medications out of the reach of animals and small children.

11-20-09

Dozer is a young male, approximately two years old, who was a stray in a small town pound. The animal control officer called and asked if we would be willing to help this poor boxer. According to the shelter, he was too good a dog to lose his life for being unclaimed. He had ten days to be claimed according to this State’s statutes and no one came to get him.

We made arrangements to have him transported to a vet hospital to be neutered, heartworm tested, vaccinations, “the works”. He was then placed in a foster home. He is housebroken, knows basic commands and is adjusting and doing well. He becomes your shadow, and loves to shower affection on anyone that shows him attention. He is a good kisser. He enjoys going for car rides, loves to play/exercise and is good with other dogs. We cannot place him with young children since we have no previous history. We are also unsure of his reaction to cats.



11/20/09: Information posting soon!



Can you donate to help Dozer?

You can send a check directly to: Northeastern Boxer Rescue
P.O. Box 95 Sunderland MA 01375. or use PayPal
Boxer Rescue Contact Area:
Jane Scott - janescott@boxerrescue.com

Pam Fosco - pam@boxerrescue.com