I am fostering an 8-year-old boxer. She has a wonderful, calm personality. A hint of playful and a touch of stubborn. Needs some TLC. She had been a puppy factory and when they spayed her at the shelter's vet, he found a lemon-sized cyst. He doesn't think it was cancer, but was pumping a ton of hormones into her system. All of her reproductive organs were very swollen and what's left is still swollen. Plus she's lost some fur around her neck and she needs to gain several pounds back.
All of this is pretty acceptable, but now she is spotting like she is in heat and the vet says it could go on for weeks. I googled it and it is not that uncommon since even a small bit of ovarian material left in the body can create hormones and cause what's left of the uterus to "bleed". She has been acting housebroken and stubbornly insists on spending the day in the living room which I don't really mind, except, now, for the blood. It's not puddles or anything, but still. I've rinsed some out of my Flor tile pretty easily, but still. It may end any minute, but still. On the other hand, they are a no-kill shelter, but still.
I've also been doing some research on pet insurance and still have no clear idea if I should bother to. Assuming I adopt her tomorrow, how much do I want to spend to insure her without knowing if they will even cover what problems are likely to arise? If I don't get the insurance, how much will I end up spending on a dear, sweet, old dog because I won't be able to let her go easily? Boxers have gum issues ($1,500 a treatment) and are prone to cancers. The good news is that she shows no sign of hip trouble and she now has less places to get cancer (they took off two teats too). It's been three days and she already "sits" and seems to be heeling most of the time when walking. Obedience training a million years ago??? And did I mention that she is the sweetest dog ever? Not timid, not aggressive, just as friendly as can be! Likes men, women, kids, dogs, cats... a really wonderful companion. Except for the bleeding and the "tumor factory" thing (that's how my vet put it!)
This whole thing has been a great distraction. I can almost forget that work is stressful, my son has joined the military and Satan prowls with his bag of tricks.
All of this is pretty acceptable, but now she is spotting like she is in heat and the vet says it could go on for weeks. I googled it and it is not that uncommon since even a small bit of ovarian material left in the body can create hormones and cause what's left of the uterus to "bleed". She has been acting housebroken and stubbornly insists on spending the day in the living room which I don't really mind, except, now, for the blood. It's not puddles or anything, but still. I've rinsed some out of my Flor tile pretty easily, but still. It may end any minute, but still. On the other hand, they are a no-kill shelter, but still.
I've also been doing some research on pet insurance and still have no clear idea if I should bother to. Assuming I adopt her tomorrow, how much do I want to spend to insure her without knowing if they will even cover what problems are likely to arise? If I don't get the insurance, how much will I end up spending on a dear, sweet, old dog because I won't be able to let her go easily? Boxers have gum issues ($1,500 a treatment) and are prone to cancers. The good news is that she shows no sign of hip trouble and she now has less places to get cancer (they took off two teats too). It's been three days and she already "sits" and seems to be heeling most of the time when walking. Obedience training a million years ago??? And did I mention that she is the sweetest dog ever? Not timid, not aggressive, just as friendly as can be! Likes men, women, kids, dogs, cats... a really wonderful companion. Except for the bleeding and the "tumor factory" thing (that's how my vet put it!)
This whole thing has been a great distraction. I can almost forget that work is stressful, my son has joined the military and Satan prowls with his bag of tricks.
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