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Hospice Pugs

Every so often we receive a pug that needs particular medical care, love & nurturing. These pugs may take a particularly long time to recuperate and some will always have an ailment that veterinarian science cannot completely alleviate.

They have a special place in permanent foster homes where they will live out the rest of their days being loved & well cared for.

These pugs will remain in foster care and UMWPR will continue to support them for as long as they live.

If you would like to sponsor one of them, you can do so by using the button below their description via Canada Helps monthly payment plan. Single one-time donations will always be welcome too by making a donation and specifying the pug you wish to donate to in the comments field .

Thank you to all our sponsors & donors !

Help one of the Hospice Pug below with a Canada Helps donation:

Donate

You may also send a cheque to:

UNDER MY WING – Pug Rescue
247 Gore Street
Almonte, ON K0A 1A0

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DAISY

October 25, 2023 – Daisy, (we call her Mini as she is smaller than our other Pug, also named Daisy) is doing really well. She gets Apoquel daily but the dermatologist feels it may be seasonal allergies so we will see how she does once it gets a bit cooler. She may be able to only take it in the spring and the fall.   She is bathed and her ears cleaned twice a week as per the vets instructions and both her skin and ears are in good shape.  She is still on her special diet but we have introduced green beans and carrots as treats and she loves them.

Mini Daisy is a happy, energetic girl who enjoys running around in the back yard and meeting people and dogs while out for walks. She is a huge love bug and will be curled up on top of her people any chance she gets.
Let me know if you need anything further.
June 29, 2023 – Daisy  is still taking 2 Apoquel a day to control her allergies. If her dose is late, she scratches her body and licks her paws like mad. She is still healing from her infections. We are giving her antibiotics and baths and cleaning her ears once per day, and face two times per day.
Her face folds are looking better, but her ears are still pretty gross.

May 15, 2023 – Daisy’s post-surgery follow-up appointment went very well. Everything is healing nicely, and we have removed her cone – which makes her very happy! She has one final suture to dissolve and we have to keep up a little extra TLC for her face and folds for a little while yet. She is moving more smoothly around the house now that the cone is off and is enjoying cuddling more comfortably with us and in her bed. Daisy is much more relaxed. Her body language is looser, she breathes more deeply and her sprawled posture while sleeping says that she is resting without pain. She is less irritable with our dog and can relax and walk on a leash with him. She also said a relaxed hello to other friendly dogs we know while on her walk today, which is a big step! We must still separate her from our dog with a gate when there is food, or high-value treats present as she will guard them. Daisy is one of the most affectionate dogs I have ever known, and she will be a joy living as the only dog with a forever family who will be sensitive to her special needs as a blind dog who can be irritable with other dogs sometimes but is beyond loving with humans. Here she is basking in the sun, which is one of her favorite activities.

April 20, 2023 – Daisy continues to receive the drops and medications needed to care for her eyes and control her allergies. Her skin and fur are looking much improved and her coat has started to shine.  We are looking forward to seeing her many bald patches shrink.
To the casual observer, Daisy’s eyes might appear improved, but appearances are misleading. To maintain a basic level improvement, Daisy needs around the clock eye drops. As soon as she goes a couple of hours without drops, her eyes rapidly regress and become itchy and painful. Due to this, and because the veterinary ophthalmologist has determined that Daisy is permanently blind, the rescue has decided to provide Daisy with a double  enucleation, or eye removal. This procedure will ensure that Daisy has no more pain from her eyes, and relieve her of the stress of receiving multiple eye drops per day for the rest of her life.  The surgery will take place on April 26.
Otherwise, Daisy continues to be very affectionate with her humans, but remains wary of other dogs.

April 11, 2023 – Daisy is becoming more comfortable around the resident pug, but I think it is at least in part because he has learned to be cautious around her and to not try to engage her in play. She’s happy to hang out with him if he’s calm.

As a companion to humans, Daisy is a treasure. She is loving and affectionate. We have developed good communication between us with lots of reassurance and cues on our end and she trusts us completely. I think, in most situations, if Daisy responds poorly to something it’s because the human involved hasn’t prepared her adequately for what’s coming. She loves adults and children who are taught to engage with her with sensitivity to her disabilities. She does like to bark, however, when anyone approaches the door and can sound like she is growling (she’s not) so she can be a little intimidating to those who do not know her, especially children. She walks well on a leash and is doing a great job of mapping out our house. She sleeps on her bed in the kitchen at night because it’s unsafe to have her on the bed – although we do have snuggle time on the bed most nights. We tried letting her sleep in her bed in our room but she would wander at night and we were worried for her safety.
So, at this point, I would recommend that Daisy be adopted by someone who is home during the day, can apply eye drops throughout the day, and has no other pets, although I think another senior dog/s would be fine. The home should have either no children, or older children who can be taught how to love her appropriately.  They need to be prepared to make modifications, such as baby gates on stairs, to keep her safe.
April 4, 2023 – We are closing out our third week fostering Daisy and we continUe to develop safety and trust. She’s sweet and loving, although tentative and uncertain at times.
The biggest challenge Daisy faces is a mixture of blindness and anxiety. We are working on developing cues that we are going to touch her or lift her. Cues that we are going to put on a shirt, or take one off. Cues to let her know when a stair is coming up, or someone is walking toward her. Letting her smell everything before it touches her is key. We are helping her to slowly map our home and yard, and how to tell us if she needs to go out between outings. Her lack of awareness leads to accidents, but we are confident we can change that with training and familiarity.
She is becoming more comfortable with physical affection with familiar people. She follows the sound of my voice and wants to be with me, and will let me stroke her and give her scratches, although she’s is sensitive to parts of her back being touched. She dances away from other family members after a quick pat. She barks and grumbles at strangers and doesn’t like other dogs. She can’t read their social cues and it stresses her out. She hates cats so much she can sense one and explodes into a ball of baking and spite if one is near.
She has nipped at us but has never broken the skin. One occasion was when her paw got caught in a knitted sweater and another was when she was getting into a harness. We believe these incidents were tied to confusion and fear. We have changed to clothes and a harness that are easier for her to put on. She went through a period of fighting her drops and medicines but she seems to be calmer now, with repetition, rewards and lots of cuing. She likes to play with toys, but not with our other dog, and sometimes growls at him if he startles her (fair!) They do like to bark together, so there is that.
Medically, Her eyes are having more periods of reduced redness (not all the time) and some of the black pigment seems to have cleared. She continues to scratch and lick as her steroid is reduced, but is starting a new allergy medication, so this should help. She wears soft, breathable shirts and pjs to protect her very damaged skin from scratching and hopefully promote healing. We give frequent breaks from the shirts, never wear them wet and change and wash them daily.  Everything with our pugs is done mindfully! Her ears are softer and starting to be able to “jiggle” in a healthy way as the allergies, bacteria, and yeast clear. All in all, she is moving in a good direction. She has a good appetite.
March 23, 2023 – Daisy continues to receive treatments for her various health issues. She’s starting to get annoyed with us applying eye and ear drops multiple times a day, but we’re trying to make it as pleasant an experience as possible with lots of positive reinforcement. The regular vet has confirmed that Daisy will need very regular eye drops for the rest of her life, so it’s a priority for her drops to not become something she dreads and fights, so we’re trying our best. She has finished her current course of antibiotics and is still taking steroids for her allergies. She is receiving regular baths with medicated shampoo.
Daisy met with the ophtalmologist this morning who confirmed that she has Pigmentary Keratitis in her eyes. Pigmentary keratitis refers to brownish-black discoloration of the eye’s surface caused by the deposition of pigmented melanin granules. Pigmentary keratitis is caused by chronic irritation or inflammation of the eye. When this chronic inflammation occurs, melanin granules can be deposited within the deep layers of the cornea.
The ophtalmologist confirmed that Daisy likely only see shadows. The doctor is unsure if she will regain any sight, even with diligent application of drops.
Daisy is sweet and affectionate. She likes to be scratched.  She doesn’t have much interest in the resident pug. She walks very well on a leash. She seems fine with children and is not too barky. She is very sensitive to having the area around her spine touched.  This is where the doctor believes she may have had broken bones that were untreated.

March 20, 2023 – Daisy seems to already feel much better with the medication she started, she is going to the ophtalmologist this week to have her eyes checked.  She continues to be a doll when it comes to giving her medication.

March 15 2023 (later): Daisy went to the vet this afternoon. is being treated for severe eye, ear, and skin infections, and allergies. She has started a different eye and ear drops, steroids and broad spectrum antibiotics. Her eyesight is very poor and we don’t presently know if that will improve with treatment, but she seems to be able to hear. She is eating well and tolerating her treatments with a lovely temperament. The vet has advised that she remain separate from other dogs during the initial stages of her treatment until we know the extent of her infections. Daisy will require a spay surgery, once she is healthier, and undergo further health investigations, as needed.

March 15, 2023 – Daisy came in last night.  She will be 8 years old next month, she is born April 13, 2015.  She has dry eyes and sky problems.  She is going to the vet this afternoon for a complete check up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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POLO

July 25, 2023 – Hello! I have been enjoying summer (mostly in the air conditioning). I enjoy laying out in the sun before it gets too hot.

I sometimes show my age with my mobility but I get injections that are definitely helping. My foster parents think I don’t see and hear super well, but I get eye drops and they help me so much. I am slower, but I still go for short walks four times a day.
I love dinner time so much that I usually put on quite the show about an hour before dinner time. I bounce and spin, and bark and play with toys and try to get an early dinner.
I went camping again for a few days and I really enjoyed it. I am going to do some more of that this summer so I can enjoy the nice weather. I like that we still have air conditioning when camping.
Thank you to everyone who donates to keep me healthy, fed and loved. I am really enjoying my retirement with Under My Wing.

March 6, 2023 – Have you been hibernating like me this winter?

I don’t mind short walks, but I really prefer napping in my warm bed or snuggling my foster sister. I had the best time ever at the ‘Running of the Pugs’ event. I met so many nice people and pugs and I was uncharacteristically social. I was super tired afterwards. Even though I have been with the rescue for over a year now my foster family says they are still finding out new things about my personality. I have started to become quite playful, especially before dinner time and bedtime. I am looking forward to springtime and spending more time outside.
November 28, 2022 –  Hi it’s me Polo!  I have been enjoying the fall weather so much lately. I went to the country for Thanksgiving and had so much fun laying in the sunshine. I got dressed up for Halloween as Tigger and I have been enjoying nice walks in the warm sunshine with the cool breeze. My eye is healing nicely and I’m still doing moisturizing eye drops throughout the day. My foster parents upgraded my bowl to a fluff trough to make it easier for me to eat my food. I’m not as messy now and I don’t have to lean down as far to eat. My leg is doing very well, I continue to do short walks and my foster parents carry me up and down stairs like the king that I am.
September 7, 2022 – Polo has had a few recent setbacks. He has been struggling to mobilize and not wanting to walk as far. He recently fell and subsequently went to the vet and has either torn his ACL or has a pinched meniscus. Polo is not a candidate for surgery due to his advantage age and overall health. He has been placed on rest for three months and is on some additional pain medication to help. He also has significant arthritis to that limb. Polo thinks he won the lottery as he gets carried up and down stairs and gets picked up when he’s walked far enough. He has responded well to the rest and the medication and is able to do very small walks.  Additionally we have discovered a lump about the size of a golf ball in Polo’s front left armpit, it is new so we will be having that checked out at the veterinarian’s office. It doesn’t cause him discomfort, but it does affect his mobility and has grown fairly quickly.  Prior to these setbacks Polo did get to go camping again this summer. He enjoyed spending time with the two other dogs and children that joined us on this trip. This time the added fun was a comfy wagon for when Polo and his foster sister got tired and also great for naps by the fire. They were the talk of the campground enjoying their wagon rides.
Polo is still the happiest, sweetest boy who loves to snuggle and give kisses. He’s still very vocal, especially about his meals. We hope these setbacks will be minor and we can keep his health and mobility improving.

August 5, 2022 – Hi There! It’s me Polo, I haven’t checked in lately. I have been very busy enjoying this great summer weather. I went camping, or as my foster parents call it “glamping”. I went on boat rides, I rode in a golf cart, I sun bathed, I went swimming ( Well I got my legs wet), I took long naps in the air conditioned trailer. I made so many new friends too (dogs and human). My foster Mom says the whole campground fell in love with me. Even though they all laughed at me when I howled when my Foster Dad went fishing. My favorite part was in the evening falling asleep in someone’s arms by the fire. On my second camping trip I met up with two of my dog friends, they brought their humans camping too. I slept the whole way home snuggling my foster sister Lucy after our adventures. I can’t wait to go again!
PS: Thank you for all your support, I am having the most fun and relaxing retirement being a Under My Wing Hospice Pug.

May 14, 2022 – Polo has been enjoying the warm weather. He wants you to know that we should all slow down, stop and enjoy the flowers, and the sidewalk is a perfect place to stop and take a nap on a sunny warm day.

Polo has been eating well and only mildly protesting that we cut back on his food for the last month. He was weighed this week and he is 17.6lbs. He looks and feels much healthier at this weight. He is having regular bowel movements too. He continues on gabapentin capsules and they make his tummy much happier especially because it’s inside a pill pocket treat.
Polo has decided he runs his foster home (as he should). So he has changed wake up time to 6am… Sometimes his internal clock is off and he tries to ask for breakfast at 5am. He’s very cute though so we allow it. He also tries to adjust dinner time an hour earlier and dances and howls at us to get our attention.
Polo now sleeps on the floor with his foster sister Lucy. She is injured and he didn’t want to be apart from her. So they got a new bed to snuggle together on.
Polo loves baths, he had one last week and he was so happy afterwards.
Polo has made some new dog friends on our walks recently. He recently met a cat, he was very unsure what to make of this.
Polo continues his training for separation anxiety. He does pretty well most times for about two hours. Any longer than that and he starts to get anxious and bark. Luckily that’s about as long as we have ever needed to leave him. He has regressed a bit with his car behavior so we are working on that.
Polo hopes to go camping this summer. He’s not sure what it is but his foster sister Lucy tells him it’s the best time.
April 13, 2022 – Polo has become quite the little ham these days. He is obviously feeling better now that his UTI is cleared up. He has become quite playful and silly. Especially before meal times. We have to discourage the barking to keep consistency with our training, but his happy dance and circles are the cutest. Since changing Polo’s medication from a liquid to a pill form he is much happier. He no longer tries to avoid his food. He also isn’t pooping on every walk and his poops seem more substantial. I guess that means the liquid was irritating his digestion.

Since Polo’s infection has cleared up we have noticed he has put on some weight. He looks much healthier now. We also had to back off of his food now. We can no longer see all of his ribs and we are working on building muscle during our walks, including some hills for extra strength training.

Speaking of walks, Polo couldn’t be happier about Spring time! He is enjoying sniffing all the new smells on his walk. He has also developed what I would call “Pugitude”, it’s an attitude unique to pugs, especially when they become stubborn. This usually happens when they start to become comfortable in their surroundings. Polo lays down on walks when he doesn’t want the walk to end, especially if the sun is shining.

Polo continues to work on barking/ separation anxiety when we leave the home. He does really well some days, not barking for up to two hours. Other days he only lasts a few minutes. We stay consistent with him. He does best when he can snuggle his foster sister when we leave. We know that he may never be able to be fully trained out of this behaviour, but that’s okay.

Polo loves when people on the street stop and say hello, he does not understand why they wouldn’t want to stop and say hello.

March 8, 2022 – Polo completed his antibiotics today and had his urine rechecked and it is clear, no sign of crystals. He is very happy to not take the antibiotics anymore. Polo is very much looking forward to warmer weather (like all of us).
Polo is improving some of his socializing skills with other dogs. We are continuing our training regarding barking and separation anxiety antics. Overall it has improved, but he is very stubborn and has been through a lot so we do not expect perfection. We have found that he is more playful in the evening and it has been fun watching him come out of his shell a bit and show that side of him.

February 10, 2022 – Polo has been feeling better and has completed his antibiotic course. Will have his urine retested to ensure the infection is gone. He does seem to be more playful since receiving the antibiotics so we are glad to see he is feeling better. We had increased his gabapentin to see if it would impact his mobility/ improve his limp. However as the our Vet suspected it made him too drowsy and didn’t change his mobility, so we returned to the regular dosage. It may just be something he has live with. Polo has shown some improvement when it comes to barking when we leave the home. It isn’t consistent, but there is still improvement. Part of that success can be attributed to his foster sister Lucy who snuggles him when the humans leave. We continue to give Polo a lot of support and training to help him feel more secure to be on his own (even if just for short periods of time).

January 12, 2022 – We have had a lot of training success recently with Polo. Polo now has no problem with car rides. He no longer has to be in the same room as humans, and can do so without barking. We have now had a few successful outings where Polo was home and there was NO barking! It isn’t consistent yet but it is a huge deal. He is becoming a well adjusted pug and is nearly ready for adoption. We think a couple more weeks of consistent training and we will be ready for his forever home! He thrives on routine and is very treat driven so he’s doing very well with his training. He is no longer attached to the “foster dad” in the home, but is now becoming attached to the “foster mom”. So we are working on reversing that behaviour so that he is content with himself.

One thing we keep forgetting to mention is that he is the very BEST pug when it comes to cutting his nails. I know its hard to believe but he will basically let you hold him like a baby and he doesn’t squirm or make a fuss. Polo has not had any toileting accidents in a long time. We do limit/ time his water intake and that has helped a lot. He goes on 4 walks a day and he enjoys most of them. He hates the bedtime walk because he just wants to stay inside where its warm.

January 6, 2022 – Polo went to stay with some close pug friends for a weekend. It was a good test to see how he would do in a new environment with new people and dogs. His foster sister Lucy joined him. He did pretty well overall, a few toileting accidents and he definitely tried to demand more attention. He is pretty adaptable and has a real fondness for children and of course for snuggling.

Polo did show some signs of regression with his training upon returning home to his foster home. We are working diligently to correct this behaviour and it just shows we have some more work to do. We are staying consistent though and he is showing signs of improvement. Polo is doing very well riding in vehicles now.
Something new we have noticed as the cold weather is upon us, is that Polo wheezes and coughs in weather -10 degrees Celsius or more. He’s fine if the weather is warmer, and he doesn’t do it indoors at all. He wears a coat and booties in the cold and that has helped with his comfort outdoors, but ultimately we keep his walks shorter in the cold weather.
Polo was very excited for Santa to come, he had visions of treats and toys in his head. He actually started playing with a stuffed animal for the first time this week. Its fun to see more of his personality come out the more he becomes more comfortable and lets go of his anxiety.

December 16, 2021 – Polo has been working very hard on his training. We are seeing a lot of improvements. Polo is learning how to be home with no humans. Still some barking, but significantly less. He is able to be apart from us in the house and not bark for longer periods of time. Polo is definitely becoming more confident which is really great to see. It takes a lot of time and patience but we are staying consistent with his training and hope he will  He still occasionally has an accident in the house despite four regular walks a day. He’s had about one accident a week, but he also drinks quite a bit of water so that could be limited some as well. Like most pugs Polo is not a fan of winter or the cold. He does much better when wearing a coat and booties for his walks. Tonight Polo had a nice bath, he was a bit nervous at first but then he loved it. He is all ready for Christmas and his hoping Santa will find him a forever home in the New Year.

November 28, 2021 – Polo is doing extremely well with training since his 1st training session with the dog trainer. He is learning to feel safe and secure by himself. He is learning how to manage his separation anxiety. His biggest challenge is being left alone, he isn’t quite ready to be left alone yet, but his progress is showing great improvement and with consistency we are confident that he will get there. Polo is very smart and learns quickly. He is also doing much better with his anxiety in car rides. Each ride gets a little easier. Polo continues to enjoy his food and does a funny dance before each meal. He has had no accidents recently. Polo continues to enjoy his short walks, he goes on 4 short walks a day, he gets along with most dogs he meets but does not like high energy/puppy like dogs. He knows how to create distance for himself with these dogs. He walks very well on leash and is very responsive to whoever is handling him.  We are looking forward to seeing more and more great results from Polo’s training, so that he will be set up for success in his future forever home.

November 22, 2021 – Polo has shown significant improvement with riding in cars, which has been very encouraging that the work we are doing with him is improving. He doesn’t even seem to mind the vacuum anymore at all. We are still having great difficulty with leaving Polo alone, even for a couple minutes. Because of this we are going to be working with a local dog trainer to get some tips and tools to help support him feeling more comfortable with being left alone. Polo did have one accident this week with toileting, but it was very close to walk time. Overall Polo does seem very happy, especially before meal time. He now does a circle dance and happy bark right before meals and its very entertaining. Polo really enjoys the company of his foster sister, he really would do well in a home with an existing calm dog, preferably a pug. He’s so happy these days, its hard to get a photo of him while awake and still as he’s learning to play. Stay tuned for further updates on Polo’s training and progress.

October 26, 2021 – Polo is making some positive improvement with his anxiety/ behaviour. This week, Polo learned not to be scared of the vacuum. He allowed us to vacuum and we gave him positive feedback and reinforcement throughout this. He also had no accidents during this time. As he gets more comfortable, he is also getting more stubborn. He is not quite ready to trust approaching or sitting in a vehicle yet. But we are working on slowly leaving him alone. We are up to about a minute or two before he shows signs of stress. This requires a lot of patience and time for both us and Polo. We are doing small sessions each day so he doesn’t get too overwhelmed. From everything we have learned about separation anxiety, it takes a lot of time to overcome but we think we are on the right track.
Polo is taking Gabapentin as well to help with his anxiety and to help with a small limp he has, likely related to a previous Lyme infection and/or perhaps some arthritis. It mostly doesn’t bother him too much, unless he has been laying down for an extended period of time.
Polo is enjoying his meals and walks. He’s starting to walk a little further and isn’t sitting/lying down as often on the walks. He goes to the bathroom regularly on our scheduled walks and hasn’t had any accidents this week.
Polo is a snuggle machine, he loves sleeping near his foster family or curled up with his foster sister Lucy.
October 12, 2021 – It has been a big week for Mr. Polo. We are making some small positive steps with his separation anxiety. He is slowly showing signs of confidence. He is not ready to be alone for any amount of time yet, but he is learning to trust and starting to show signs of relaxing. We plan to work with him on positive reinforcement with respect to him staying alone. Eventually working on exposure training with riding in vehicles & vacuums. It will take some time for him to be ready.
Polo is eating his diet well, he loves breakfast time and does many spins before his meal. He’s adjusting well with his meal times. Polo is going to the bathroom outside regularly. His only accidents have been related to his separation anxiety. Currently he is not being left alone at any time.
Polo enjoys his walks, but tires easily and will have a sit to tell us he’s done.
Polo loves to sleep. He has discovered a very comfy dog bed in our living room that occupies much of his day, and at night he sleeps with his foster family in the big bed. Polo loves his foster sister Lucy and showers her in kisses every chance he gets. He also gets along really well with dogs he meets on his walks, both big and small dogs. He’s very sweet and gentle with kids and adults alike.
October 4, 2021 – Polo is happy to have 2 meals a day instead of only one in the morning. He enjoys his 4 walks a day, but it doesn’t appear as if he is used to walking all that much. He is very hesitant when he is picked up off the floor and pit on the bed, it doesn’t appear as though he was picked up often. It appears as though Polo has separation anxiety and will require a lot of reassurance to make it over the hurdle. He had a nice walk and went back to sleep and seems to have a little more pep in his step this morning. Routine and constant assurance is required.
Overall he is a super sweet boy and we are happy to have him around.

October 2, 2021 – Polo came to us today.  He was surrendered by his owner due to medical reasons (owner had a stroke).  Polo is 11 years old and he is neutered.  He will be going to the vet tomorrow for a complete check up + blood work.  Polo gets along very well with other dogs and he is a sweetheart to have around.  He does seem to have separation anxiety but a lot happened in his life lately.  Stay tuned for more on this sweet boy soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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CASPER

June 29, 2023 – We have been working really hard over the last month and a half to get Casper’s allergy issue under control. We started with 5 days of Safeguard to cover for a parasite that can luve in the urinary tract and worsen symptoms. In the meantime, we were weaning him off of prednisone before starting him on Apoquel. Once started the Apoquel, it was a bit of a waiting game to see if he could tolorate this medication since he can be very sensitive to some. He seems to be tolorating it fine as far as his tummy goes but I do however still see some blood in his urine. this could be an allergy flare up or he might have gotten into something so time will tell but for now he seems to be ok. When we go for our walks, his urine seems fine until the last legs of the walk when bright blood appears. We are upping the dose of Apoquel to 2 tablets a day for 2 weeks to see if that calms down the flare up. After this we will give him a half tablet 2 times a day and see where we end up. The object is to mange his syptoms and keep his bladder calm and happy instead of trying to shrink his little lump in his bladder. He does still leak a bit while he is sleeping and he does still mark in the house but not as often as when Dexter first cam into the house and was full of hormones. He is very happy and healthy otherwise and full of energy and love, he is the best!

May 2, 2023 – King Casper is doing quite well this week. After a bit of scare when his cyst, that was located on his side around his right back leg, burst, I walked him into the vet and they gave us an appointment that day. They took him to the back and dug out the cyst so it looked pretty brutal all red and gooey, open to the air but he was not to bothered by it at all. I stayed home the next day and every hour of so put a warm compress on it and massaged the area to work out what was remaining inside. This was a good plan because the King is a very quick healer so by the second day it was all closed up, I feel really good about spending the day with him while we could do the most.

The vet also checked his ears and his very stubborn ear infection had left him, finally!! We also dropped off an updated urine sample and it seems while there is no visible blood in his urine (to the naked eye) he still has blood but due to his condition not because he has a urinary infection. She has decided that obviously him being on the prednisone is not stopping this from happening and the side effects he shows from the prednisone far out way keeping him on it so we are finally going to get the man off this so he can be on something that will still keep his allergy at bay but without all the side effects and much better for him long term. This is all good news and if you didn’t know, you would never think anything was wrong with him as he is very beautiful, soft and fluffy and just a gorgeous pug.

August 5, 2022 – Oh the wee Casper, he is so good and loveable and such a wonderful boy. He is so smart! I have a screened in porch and it was not long before he learned to much open the door to let himself back inside. Once that was accomplished he wanted to learn to pull the door open himself so I put a small handle at the bottom of the screen door for him. He barked at it for a day then after about the 3rd day he figured out how to pull the door open, self sufficient little man. While I am home the back door is always open as long as it is not 100 degrees outside so he can come and go as he pleases, he really enjoys that. He still has an accident during the night but not all the time maybe once every 2 weeks. He can’t stand when Jaxon wants something so he takes matters into his own hands and climbs up on my lap and chest and says all kinds of things to me, he has many languages. He does not see that well so he still chases the cats as he only sees quick movements and then feels that he has to chase the intruder. The cats are very good and have grown up with pugs so they have never lifted a claw to him even when I found Casper right on top of Harley. Cats are smart so they have learned that he does not see well and now know how to creep around him, we have a routine all worked out on how to avoid Casper, it works. He decided in this heat that it was time to blow his coat and boy did he ever. When I took a brush to him it was likes hearing a sheep there was so much hair, he is much slimmer now. he is amazing and wonderful and is a very happy boy

May 14, 2022 – Casper is doing do well I would have to say his dribbling has gone down about 80% in the last couple of weeks and he has not had an accident in the house for at least 2 weeks . He is no longer wearing his belly band and really know how to get my attention when he needs to go, he jumps once and climbs up right into my face so it is time for a walk. He loves his walks and is a beautiful joy to walk. He is a very smart boy and knows a lot of commands and tricks! He gives a paw, does aspen on his hind legs, knows to go down and give a paw like a king, haha. He does still leak in the night when he sleeps but maybe one out of every 10 nights he lets a bit more out he is coming along in leaps. I would imagine is taking a normal amount of time for his body to realize that it can hold liquid in his bladder again so given it has only been 7 weeks I would say he is really really recovering fast. he went to his chiro appointment today he is now down to every 3 weeks and it seems to be holding so much better his hump in his back has got down so significantly. He sleeps through the night without any issues and has adjusted so well to his routine. we get up, he goes out, he eats then goes back to sleep. He goes out again before I leave for work at 10am then I come home at 1pm and let him out and usually bring him back to work with me for the afternoon where he gets lots of love and sometimes treats from the delivery men. Then home from work for food and a Kong afterwards before falling asleep for a few hours before the nightly walk. He is an amazing boy and brings joy to all who meet him, tone of love to give and so very sweet.

May 4, 2022 – Casper is doing really well. His incision from his exploratory bladder surgery (fortunately, the vet only found a benign mass and was able to completely remove it) has healed up beautifully with no issues at all. He left it alone the whole time never wanted to clean it so we never had to use the cone collar. So far so good on the new food and meds. For the first week while on the larger dose of meds, Casper was NUTS but the vet said it was probably nothing to do with the meds at all he was finally feeling really good for the first time in a long while. There is no way to tell how much his mass was actually bothering him but seeing how he is now after a month is quit the transformation. Casper really has a lot of energy and quit the personality, he could walk for hours. He knows what he wants and does not spare any amount of sound or energy to let you know, so funny. He really enjoys his food and walks, he never stops running. After dinner each night, he gets his Kong with a bit of peanut butter and he chews it for hours, literally. No surface in the house is out of bounds when he is feeling curious except the kitchen counter and island and, he is very very good at giving you the most innocent of looks. He still dribbles a bit especially while sleeping but in the past week, he is having some really long pees which is very encouraging.  He seems to be going through a phase that most of my rescues have gone through, the protect at all cost! He really does not take his eyes off me for one second and has to follow me everywhere and protect me on our walks. In my experience, this will pass; it seems to be one of the phases they go through in the first year of they’re new life. He really is a sweet boy and really looks forward to his visits to the store where he gets to meet all kinds of people and share in the excitement with Jaxon over the Purolator & UPS guys. These guys truly are wonderful with Jaxon and Casper they even leave a treat on any boxes delivered to my house just in case we happen to miss them, they are so spoiled!!

February 14, 2022 – Casper is doing very well. We started his new medication almost two weeks ago and no vomiting at all. He does not seem to have any discomfort from the medication and I feel it may be working. I say this because he fills his belly band way less than he was. I still change it about 4 times a day but it is a lot less full, seems we only have about one that gets really full and that is in the early evening. he is still sleeping without his belly band and I only find a little or no wet spot in the mornings. He is sleeping much much better, right through the night now which is wonderful for both of us haha. I took a stool sample in to be tested and they said it looked totally normal nothing out of the ordinary so that is also very good news. Casper will stay on the meds for the next 2-4 weeks before they do another ultrasound to see if anything has changed with the mass in his bladder. He sleeps in the bed by the front door while I am at work but of course with an extra pillow in the bed, he must have that! I come home at lunch to let him out for a pee and give him a wee meal as the vet suggested for now it may be better to give him 3-4 smaller meals through the day to help with his tummy as maybe he was eating too much too fast so we have spread them out, which he REALLY enjoys. He is a beautiful boy that has so much love to give.

January 5, 2022 – Well, our little boy Casper is sure coming into his own. He has decided that he must investigate his surroundings, all his surroundings so the only safe place in the house is the kitchen island, tall dresser and a tall cabinet by the front door. When he decides that he thinks there might be something interesting he climbs, jumps or bounces onto tables and desks. While this is clearly a curiosity thing, I do have to say he does listen quit well when told not to do something. He is peeing a lot less often but still cannot be left without his trusty belly band as he leaks a bit and sometimes has a big pee while sleeping, poor wee man. He really enjoys his cuddles and likes to be beside you draped over one of your legs almost all the time, he like his bed too but only for a short while when I am home then he must be beside me.

A urine sample had to be sent off to a US lab during one of the busiest time of year so we have not got them back yet, hopefully this week so we are all crossing our fingers that the results are positive in a way that something can be fixed. He really is a ball of energy when he is awake and talks a lot he has many different voices, it is very funny and cute. We have not been able to go on too many long walks lately because of the ice and then the large amounts of salt on the sidewalk but we manage and at least he has the yard when all else fails. He loves his food, bounces off the kitchen cabinets in circles barking with great excitement when it is time for breakfast or dinner but is VERY well behaved when it comes to treat time. I have discovered he can sit very sweetly before treats and is very gentle but he can also stand on his back legs and dance in a circle before getting his treat. I took him to dog chiropractor for a treatment which is where we discovered his trick ability as she always gives lots of yummy treats after the treatment. He is a handful in the car, he does not sit still at all and jumps from side to side back to front so this is what we are going to work on next.
All in all he is a delight and a very sweet loving little pug and very handsome.

December 3, 2021 – Casper is doing well. No signs of blood in his urine and he is trying to pee a lot less in the house. He listens really well when I say no if he lifts his leg he stops and I walk him to the backdoor so he can go outside. Casper is eating well and has not vomited since I stopped the Metacam on Monday. He sleeps with us every night and sleeps quietly right through the night. He has started to try to mount Jaxon which caused a bit if a tiff in which he held his own and nobody got hurt it was just very loud. He has become my shadow, follows me everywhere and watches everything I do. The house is completely open to him and he has a bed right by the front door where he sleeps while I am away. Casper is a very sweet boy and gets very very excited at walk time so much so it is almost impossible to get his harness on as he barks and jumps in circles and grabs the leash in his mouth playing tug-a-war, so cute. He LOVES his walks and could walk forever it seems, he acts like he is still 2 years old, he is a very busy boy it is next to impossible to get a photo while on walks but I keep trying.

November 28, 2021 – Everything is going really really well with Casper. The resident puggle and him walk beautifully together so we have been doing some really nice walks. He is still peeing a lot but not drinking as much water and no signs of blood. Casper is eating well and last night I let him upstairs to sleep with the rest of us, no issues at all.  Casper is going back to the vet on December 9 for a recheck.

November 24, 2021 – Casper was surrendered to us yesterday.  He went to the vet clinic today; urine analysis showed elevated white & red blood cell count.
Xrays showed no stones in his bladder and no crystals in his urine.
There is 2 possibilities: Casper may have a bad infection or he may have a tumour.
His teeth are in terrible condition but we will deal with that once his condition has improved. Casper also has a cyst on his neck that will need to be surgically removed at some point to avoid any infection.  Casper will be spending the night at the vet and will be picked up by his new foster mom tomorrow afternoon.  He will be on antibiotics & Metacam for 14 days then we will bring him back to the vet for a urine analysis and blood work.