Dias - young male wheelchair English Setter, transport available - Temperance, MI

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FYI
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Joined: Tue May 15, 2007 2:16 pm

Dog Dias - young male wheelchair English Setter, transport available - Temperance, MI

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https://www.petfinder.com/dog/available-dias-58557905/mi/temperance/above-and-beyond-english-setter-rescue-pa302/ wrote: Dias
English Setter Temperance, MI

Young Male Medium Tricolor (Brown, Black, & White)

About

Health
Vaccinations up to date, spayed / neutered, special needs. Hind end paralyzed - uses wheelchair.

Good in a home with
Other dogs, children.

Adoption fee
$400.00

Meet Available - Dias
Socialization/training: Dias came from Greece and spent much of his early life in a shelter after having been hit by a car and paralyzed in his hind end. Despite the tragedy in his life, Dias is a very happy and friendly dog. He doesn't know he is disabled and it in no way diminishes his joy and love of life. His cheerful personality is one of his biggest charms. He loves people and will likely gravitate to one person who he will consider his person, although he is friendly and affectionate with everyone. He gets along well with the other dogs in his pack, but he does get excited (sometimes overly excited) and barks and chases them around when it is time to go outside. Most of the dogs ignore him when he gets rowdy and easily run away if he gets too close or annoys them. He just wants to play and be part of the pack, but they sometimes don't understand him and don't want to play with him as they would if he were a normal dog. Dias is very food motivated and should be easy to train to the extent that his physical limitations allow.

Crate trained: Yes, Dias is crate trained. He sleeps in his crate and goes to his crate when he needs a time out as well as for treats and meals. He normally will bark if he realizes he needs to poop or if he has an accident while in his crate and he wants you to come help him. He generally is very good at staying away from any mess if he does happen to have an accident.

Housebroken: Dias will unfortunately never be housebroken in the traditional sense of the word because his severed spinal cord makes him unable to feel or physically control his bladder or his bowels. When his bladder and/or bowels reach capacity, then he just goes to the bathroom. Dias wears a belly band (diaper) when inside the house to keep things clean, and he is very good about wearing it. He can be induced to go outside by applying pressure to his bladder with gentle squeezing. Having a consistent schedule with Dias and helping induce him to go when you know its bathroom time will minimize him having accidents inside. His inability to control his bodily functions is perhaps the biggest challenge with a dog like Dias, but once you have established a rhythm and schedule, it is quite manageable.

Leash trained: Dias has demonstrated an ability to be on a leash in the large yard while in his cart but we have not tried taking him for walks. Normally he is on a leash in his cart when going to or from the car for physical therapy. He can move surprisingly quickly in his wheelchair, so it would be wise to have him on leash outside of a safely fenced area.

Good with kids/cats: There are no cats or children in Dias's foster home, but he loves everyone and would probably be very good with kids and enjoy having them around. He might struggle with very young children simply because his physical diability makes him a bit uncoordinated and he might unintentionally knock over a baby or toddler. He has not demonstrated a prey drive other than chasing bugs, but he would likely view cats as playmates and might chase them looking to play. Cats could easily escape Dias though because of his physical challenges, so he would not be likely to present any risk to them.

Activity Level: Medium. While Dias cannot use his back legs, he is still a young Setter and one that wants to do all the things that other Setters do. His cart allows him to run with the other dogs and to burn off his energy. He can move quite fast in it and has become quite comfortable with it. He is also very capable of dragging himself across the ground with just his muscular front legs. He can run very fast on his front legs, but he needs to be in a drag bag or other protective clothing when dragging himself around because he can't feel his legs and will create open sores from the rough ground. In the past, he has scraped up his back legs badly when running across pavement or other rough surfaces, and those wounds take time to heal. Once he is done stretching his front legs and expending his energy, he loves to lounge on a large pillow inside or in someone's lap if they sit on the ground. He is very snuggly and just loves to be on someone or next to someone if given the opportunity. He is a huge cuddler and is happy to spend most of the day lying beside or near his person if he has the chance for a couple of runs in his wheelchair in the yard.

Fence: A fence is always preferred but Dias will not be a fence jumper. However, he can move quite quickly both in and out of his cart so a fence to contain him would be ideal. If he does not have a fenced yard, he will need multiple good walks because he is still an energetic young setter.

Behavior: Dias is a dog who has made lemonade out of the lemons he has been dealt in life. He is extremely happy and affectionate. He wants to be with his people and to enjoy their company. If not stretching his front legs outside, then he is happy to play with a toy on his pillow. If you give him the opportunity he will crawl into your lap and just lay there for hours. He is a normal young Setter who just happens to be mobility-impaired because his spinal cord was severed when he was hit by a car, and he has no neurological control from his waist down.

Medical History: Dias has a long medical history. He was found in the far northeastern part of Greece after he had been hit by a car twice and was left to die on the road. His back was broken, and his spinal cord was severed in the car accident, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. When he arrived in the USA, he saw a neurological specialist to see if anything could be done for him surgically. Given the nature of the spinal fracture, the neurological surgeon concluded that there was no operation possible to reverse the paralysis. He has been to a veterinary rehab specialist as well, and he has exercises to keep his front legs strong and flexible and to limit muscle atrophy is his hind legs. He has been fitted for a new wheelchair and operates it comfortably and well. Dias has some very real physical limitations from the car accident, but he is otherwise healthy and in good condition. He is not in any pain and has many years of great quality of life ahead of him. We will share all his medical records and X-rays with any interested applicants.

When Dias was found, he was also positive for Heartworm. He has completed his heartworm treatment and shows no signs or symptoms of any adverse effects from having had the parasite. He is on monthly heartworm prevention. He is also neutered, microchipped, and up to date on vaccinations. Dias had a negative leishmaniasis test before coming to the USA, as was his test in August 2021, but the disease can remain dormant for up to 7 years, so it is critical that he be tested annually for Leishmaniasis for the next 5 years. Dias is due for his next Leishmaniasis test in April 2023.

Dias originates from Greece where Leishmaniasis is endemic. He tested negative before coming to the USA, but the parasite can remain dormant in the system for many years, so potential adopters must be willing to commit to annual testing for the next 7 years. Typically, the test needs to be sent to a special lab, but any regular vet can draw the blood and send it to the lab. The cost of the test seems to vary widely by area, but is approximately $150-$250 or if your vet is willing to send the test to a veterinary college lab, cost can be as low as $80.

Foster Comments: Dias is a wonderful boy with a real joy for life. He has so much love to give, and he wants nothing more than to be close to his people. He is happy to run around the yard in his cart or to lay by your side watching TV or reading for hours. He just wants to be close to his person, and he loves to cuddle. Because of his hind end paralysis, Dias will need a special family, but he will give that family all the love and happiness they could ever imagine. He has been through so much in his short life, but he is a testament to the power of positive attitude and a real inspiration.

Foster Location: Temperance, MI

Volunteer transport can be arranged in the Continental US within a 1,000-mile distance between adopters & foster home. If interstate transport is provided for your adopted dog, there will be an additional charge of $50.00 for the required Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (Health Certificate). Typically, we are able to transport your adopted dog to within 2 hours of your home. *Dogs can be adopted outside the 1000-mile transport distance; however, adopters must be willing to either fly their adopted dog, drive to a location within the 1000-mile transport range, or make independent transport arrangements for their adopted dog. Transports to far Western states, from Eastern states, may have additional restrictions.

info@esrescue.org
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