Berkley's One Week Anniversary!

[wallacethegreat]

I posted this earlier today...scroll down to see what happened. Berkley's sick.

Well, of course...Berkley is from LA. He is now hanging around with the Golden Girls, has met Lucy, the Anatolian, outside and Frasier, too. I think Frasier might be a little tougher since he just THINKS he's the boss, but they did fine.
Laura Mac

[CoraP.]

I'm glad to see more pictures of Berkley in his new home. The girls look really relaxed with him.

[Jeff&Peks]

Is that what the shelter meant when they listed Berkley as Dog Aggressive? I guess if its a Chow the shelter thinks they have to be aggressive towards something. He wasn't aggressive towards people so he must be agressive towards dogs. I knew when they walked him out he wasn't dog agressive, he walked in front of 20 cages and only reacted to one dog becouse the dog attacked the fence when he walked by.

[wallacethegreat]

UPDATE: All 5 dogs are now in the house. We all just went outside together and everybody is doing just fine. Oh, dog aggressive, my a**. There hasn't been so much as a decent growl. He seems to be comforted by all the dogs around him who are friendly and non-threatening.
However, some bad news this afternoon even so. Berkley, within a short 2 hours, started to crash this afternoon. He could hardly stand up, was really wobbly and unbalanced. I started shooting electrolytes down his throat every 15 minutes. I cooked him a really good late lunch...sauteed two large boneless chicken breasts in butter, added broth and Kosher salt, and made a big pot of rice. Squirted about 12cc of electrolytes on his food, too, trying to get him to drink more water. He's VERY dehydrated...from the trip and this altitude. It's windy, so our humidity is only about 15% today. So dry it's unbelievable.
He ate all the shredded chicken, broth and rice (to which I added a little Pedigree kibble--I know you all feed the high-dollar stuff, but I have 5 dogs now. I have to consider everybody.)
We all went outside and cruised the yard, came back in and he drank water like mad.
He also has two scabs/open sores on his left front leg that he's been licking. When they shaved him at the shelter, they literally cut into his skin and it's not healing very well. (He actuallyhas scabs from this "grooming" all over his little body.) So, the poor guy...he got Terramycin in both eyes for the eye infection (they can't see very well after that for a while), Neosporin on his leg sores and electrolytes getting shoved down his throat every few minutes.
I'm not taking this lightly. He was so weak a little while ago, he could hardly get up, much less walk in a straight line. And, my God...he is SO thin. Just BONE thin. It's very upsetting.
After all this, I just think I would die if anything happened to my Berkley. He's re-bounded some in the past hour after getting some food and water, but I'll be watching him very closely over the next few days. It hought I'd give him some food every few hours to help him regain some energy.
Laura Mac

[Jeff&Peks]

In the last 3 days he has been through alot plus all the running around which he couldn't do for 2 months added to the heat, altitude, humanity, new home and meeting new people and dogs plus the loss of weight has most likely caught up with him. You probably should keep a close eye on him.. I wouldn't let him do to much running around untill he's gained some weight and the weather cools down.

[fillyok]

Getting neutered at 8 years old probably isn't easy to spring back from either. Sounds like Berkley needs some serious R&R and then he'll be good as new. Thanks for posting all the updates and pics.

[Boogie and Linda]

How scary. I haven't posted but I have been following your story from the beginning and what a great one it has been. Hang in there. He may be wobbly too if his ears are plugged from the flight. You sound like you are doing everything to get him up and going. Others may disagree but at his current weight I would say anything you can get him to eat would be good. Has he been dewormed yet? Mine all came with worms from the shelters. I wish him a speedy recovery and a long and happy life with you.

[CoraP.]

I hope Berkley will get feeling better soon! Yes, all that he has been through and 8 years old too. That is an awfully lot, even for a young dog. I am glad he is with you, Laura, because you seem to know just what to do. Take care and best wishes to Berkley!

[Laura]

Bless his heart! I hope he feels better soon! I was also going to mention worms...so many types...so many damaging hidden symptoms.

[wallacethegreat]

I thought about worms, too. But he is in such a debiltated state that I'm not sure he could take another thing. This is not the birthday present I'd hoped for today...I mean, I'm SO worried about Berkley now. Jeff is right. He's been through the worst any dog could go through in 48 hours...and he's an elderly little man. I tried to feed him again about two hours ago, but he didn't want anything. I gave him a hot dog...he took it out in the sunroom and acted like he'd captured the world, pranced around...LOL...but he didn't eat it.
I continue to force electrolytes down his throat. This does NOT make him happy and I'm waiting for him to bite me. I don't care at this point. I found that, if he's distracted looking outside, I can come up next to him and squirt that syringe before he even knows what happened.
I know he just needs a few days, but I'm worried he may not have that long in the state he's in. I'm taking him into the vet tomorrow to see if they can re-hydrate him more quickly. I know that when that happens, he will feel a lot better and will try eating again. Maybe, because of what happened to Wally, I'm over-reacting, but I don't think so.
He's sleeping now, as he has so often over just the past two days, He's exhausted and no surprise.
As I said before, he's a tough little dude and isn't going to take this lying down.
I'm on it. And, he will sleep next to my bed tonight. We're all friends now and I think the other dogs know that he's not well. They've been incredibly sensitive to his not feeling well, have been incredibly respectful to this little guy, and are giving him a wide berth when they move around him. I'm so proud of them. They are the best.
But I sit here tonight with a heavy heart and am so worried about my Berkley. I am absolutely not going to allow him to die on me after all he's been through. He was sent here for a reason...right, Jeff? And, I'm just the dummy to take it on.
Laura Mac, Berkley's scared new mom

[sit_by_the_beach]

All I can say is what everyone else said, hang in there. Berkley will survive, think positive. I will say a little prayer tonight. Try to get a good night's sleep, stay strong, your little zoo will need you.

[wallacethegreat]

That's exactly what Randy said...

[Brandy's mom]

I totally understand your concerns, and I know, from all I have read since Berkley's journey toward you began, you will do everything humanly possible ro insure his recovery and health. I agree that you found Berkley for a reason, and whatever happens, he is one of the luckiest dogs in the world to have had the caring and love that he has found with you.

[Sojourner11]

I'd watch the salt in what you're cooking for him. Broth is super high in sodium, plus Kosher salt too? You could just poach that chicken in H20 with no salt and let him lap of that broth along with the chicken, maybe with some brown rice.

[sit_by_the_beach]

I'd watch the salt in what you're cooking for him. Broth is super high in sodium, plus Kosher salt too? You could just poach that chicken in H20 with no salt and let him lap of that broth along with the chicken, maybe with some brown rice.

Normally I would go easy on the salt too. But I think in this case it maybe to get Berkley thirsty enough to drink water. He was dehydrated.

[Laura]

Maybe take a stool sample with you to the vet tomorrow or they could get one with the little stick thing to check for the worms just to rule it out. I too will say a little prayer. Hopefully nothing is wrong but just the big week he has had with the neutering, shots, and all the travel stress. I'm glad he is doing well with your other dogs. Poor little fellow and you too. They capture your heart immediately and he had yours before he ever got off the plane! Feel better Mr. Berkley!

[Jeff&Peks]

I didn't think about all the salt, I would back off the salt entirely. Using salt to get him to drink sounds like it would make things worse to me and i'm a salt fanatic, I put salt on salt water does nothing to guinch my thirst I need 3 bottles of diet cokes as a chaser. I just think its a combination of everything in the past 3 days catching up to him. Humans can't even fly for an hour with out being exhausted, Berkley flew 8 hours on top of surgery plus getting all his vaccines.

[bama]

Sheesh! I posted a hefty response to you and I lost it!!!!
Most definately check him for worms! Shelters do their best,
but so many times, they are wormy.
My Princess Buttercup was near death when we got her. She had several
parasites, including hook worms and had been 14 days with no food.
She came bouncing back and so can Berkely!!!
It sounds like you are doing great with Berkely!
His adrenal glands may be exhausted if he is thin?
May I suggest getting some dried Borage leaf from the health food
store and adding 1/8 teaspoon to WET PUPPY food for 2 weeks.
This should boost his adrenal gland system and help maximize the nutrients
you are giving to him.
I sometimes use *Nutri-Cal (packaged in a tube like toothpaste) for an almost
immediate jump start. After a dog has experienced great stress such as flying,
give a dollup (about nickel size) on your finger for your chowboy to lick off.
You will see a difference within 20 minutes. If you don't, try it again in 2 hours.
Nutri- Cal can be found at Petsmart.
I hope this helps.

Keep us posted!

[alfaphlex]

When I saw this thread, this immediately came to mind from your other thread:

I have to be very careful with him right now. It occurred to me last night that he went from 0 to 7200 feet in altitude and I've noticed he's breathing a bit fast. Just trying to get acclimated, I'm sure, and figuring out a way to get more oxygen into that California blood. He'll be a mountain boy in no time.

Having so much fun running around at such high altitudes might've gotten him really out of breath. For the time being, maybe it'd be best not to give him too much freedom. At over 1 mile higher altitude, he's been sky-diving since he got there. That's probably been the biggest environmental change for him considering he's been in CA all his life, and that's on top of all the other things he's been through. Hope he gets better.

[kiwani]

Reishi is used for altitude sickness. The salt would make it worse.

[TJordan]

I am so sorry to hear he has had a bad turn. Hoping everything is getting better!

[wallacethegreat]

I just wrote a lengthy post earlier all of which was dumped by the website. In fact, just so everybody knows, in the past 2 nights, every time I post something and want to preview it, a virus replicates the photo-upload window adfinitum.
So, everything I just wrote over the past 45 minutes went away. I'll try to remember what was in it.
UPDATE on Berkley:
Just to clarify the salt business: I poached the chicken breasts in WATER with butter and a TOUCH of garlic powder; that makes BROTH. A PINCH of salt. No salt, only BUTTER used in cooking the rice. He desperately needs the calories. Electrolytes: used in the re-hydrating of mammals, contains HIGH sodium which leads to the thirst for water to balance the body's hydration. (I've done endurance riding with my Arabians for years...long distance at speed. During a 50-miler, they sweat profusely, as you can imagine. All of us who do the sport routinely carry tubes of electrolytes in our cantle bags. You shoot up the horse--tube in side of mouth--and it encourages them to drink at the next stop or along the trail. If you DON"T do that, they will crash.)
Berkley seems to be holding his own today. He didn't eat anything this morning. Randy got him to drink some milk though! Berkley would only eat chicken breast chunks out of my hand this afternoon. He eats at 2 p.m....PERIOD. I suspect he is a "scrap hound" and was fed before his previous owner went to work on the swing shift. Amazing what you can discern from a rescue if you only pay attention. He refused the chicken and rice that he ate just yesterday. Today, it was plain chicken or nothing. He has started to drink water though and that's the most important thing for him now. Water, water, water. We all know mammals (that would include humans) can go for a couple of weeks without food, but they MUST have water. Jeff mentioned that he didn't see any food or water bowls in Berkley's shelter cage. Who knows how long this little boy went without anything.
He did sleep on my side of the bed last night on his big new doggie pillow. He is still exhausted and slept all night. But all my guys were together in the same room. He just loves them all.
Here's a very cool thing...when we all woke up this morning and I talked to him, he wagged his tail! I can tell that he feels, at least mentally, much better. He is SO incredibly affectionate and sweet. He loves to put his face next to mine and will stay that way for as long as I lean down to him. 15 minutes, 20 minutes...there's Berkley's cheek next to mine. It's heaven. He's absolutely wonderful and I can't imagine what puke threw this little boy away like garbage, especially at his age.
We have an appointment with the vet tomorrow morning. We'll be doing a senior blood screen, which checks for liver and kidney function in the elderly characters. I had it done on Wally to see if he could withstand the anesthesia for his tail-tumor surgery last August. Most of all, Berkley's dehydrated, so I'm assuming the vet will do a "back-pack" of fluids. I call it "back-pack" because they literally inject a huge pocket of fluids near the spine that disperses over 60-90 minutes. His gums are very pale, so I know he really needs the fluids. I think that once he gets this done, and I can get him to eat, he'll be on the road to recovery. I also noticed this morning that his scrotum is swollen from his neutering-hatchet-job. He may need some anti-biotics for that.
I have not been able to get a stool sample because he hasn't pooped since the night I brought him home from the airport. Besides, I think he's so depleted that he couldn't take any worming meds now. We can do that next week when he rebounds.
He HATES getting the eye infection ointment and gets seriously pissed when I inject the electrolytes into his mouth. He hasn't tried to bite me though, but makes known his serious displeasure. Still, I think he knows Randy and I are trying to help him and he really tries to be a good guy about it all.
I want to say something about his "dog aggessiveness." When you see the attached pics, you'll wonder what those shelter people must have been smoking. Berkley is a gentle soul. All 5 of them. Out in the yard.
I also want to say that I have not been letting him run around. He walks. He's a curious fellow, so his nose is to the ground. He doesn't RUN anywhere and I limit those outdoor walks to just a few minutes. Most of the day, he sleeps, which is what he needs to get well. Sleep and water.
Please don't slam me about the milk. At this point, I don't care what Berkley eats, as long as he eats SOMETHING.
He is holding his own and as I mentioned in a previous post, he's a tough little SOB. He's a Chow.
Check out today's pics. I'll get him squared away as fast as I can. He's a treasure.
Laura Mac, Berkley's new mama and also to my beloved Oliver Wallace who set the tone forever for Chows in my life

[Jeff&Peks]

I knew he was skinny but next to Lucy, Damn he's skinny, take him to McDonalds and supersize it. #4 supersize.

What's wrong with milk? I've let Pekoe have a few slurps on occasion.

[CoraP.]

It is so interesting to read your posts, Laura. It's good to hear Berkley is holding his own and drinking and eating a little. The senior bloodwork sounds like a great idea. It's also a relief to see him getting along with the other dogs. Take care and give Berkley a kiss from us!

[fillyok]

It certainly sounds like Berkley is in perfect hands. I think at this point I'd be letting him eat whatever his heart desires (and his tummy tolerates) as long as it packs some pounds on his bones. Have you tried plain yogurt or some cottage cheese? Maybe he'd eat that.
And as for his neutering swelling...Tod did that too and I was freaked out. It went away in about a week, but I was really concerned. His turned black (he's red) and looked terribly sore...he bounced back. But if Berks's system is frail it wouldn't hurt to check with the vet since you'll be there anyway.
Best wishes for a clean bill of health tomorrow...