When Things Go Well

I joined Steemit at exactly the right time. Things were quiet in the community, which gave me a chance to get my bearings and figure out how things work. Then SBD spiked, which was great for me because it gave @tarc the ability to fund a small salary for the hours I put in at the rescue. Now Steem is on its way up, Christmas is right around the corner, and I have a solid plan for putting presents under the tree for my family. Life is good.

I haven’t posted in a while about my work with the rescue. This week Bailey and Andy are both leaving for New England. They already have their health certificates and are ready to ride. They’re up to date on all core vaccines including bordatella, are neutered, microchipped, and confirmed heartworm negative.

The last step before transport is to provide five consecutive days of deworming with fenbendazole. Many pet owners are familiar with the brand name Panacur. That’s one brand name for fenbendazole. Another is SafeGuard.

The rescue’s veterinarian has instructed us on the right dosing amounts by weight. We use a series of five consecutive fenbendazole doses ending on the day of transport, because fenbendazole is not only very effective against internal parasites, but certain protozoans as well, including giardia. The stress of transport can cause a growth explosion of these parasites, and having fenbendazole on board seems to mitigate that to a great extent.

Deworming with a paste or suspension is always loads of fun. We had a bit of a surprise this time, though. Bailey loved it! At first he seemed unsure, but he swallowed the dose right down, barely even made a face, and came right back for more. Andy, on the other hand, made sure we knew he was deeply traumatized by the whole affair. He made a face, spit, sputtered, and gagged, and then needed extensive cuddling afterward.

This coming Friday will be another big day for these two dogs. First thing that morning, they go to the vet for suture removal. Andy already picked his stitches loose, so he’ll get a checkup to make sure all is healing well. Then they come back home and get a bath. It’s important to send clean dogs on transport, freshly bathed. This helps eliminate the possibility of contagion transfer from sender to receiver, as many pathogens can lurk in the fur.

Later that evening, they’ll go to meet the transport as it comes through the area from states further south, like Alabama. They’ll spend at least thirteen hours on the road, but will be with their new family Saturday evening. Hopefully we’ll have pictures back from their forever home soon!