Pupdates

Shelter

Fotis arrived at Austin Pets Alive! with the majority of his tail missing and an infection in what was left of it. He also had mobility and nerve issues in his back limbs. Commonly known as “tail pull injury,” he had trauma to his tail that caused damage to the nerves in his lower back, which also control his hind limbs. Because of this, Fotis has urinary and bladder issues which need medical support. The shelter watched Fotis closely and helped manually express his urine when needed. Fotis needed surgery to help repair his tail and clear the infection.

Though the shelter environment was stressful to Fotis, he quickly earned the love of everyone on staff with his calm, sweet, gentle demeanor.

Vet Visit

Fotis underwent the necessary surgery for his tail. The bad news: he lost the remainder of the infected parts of his tail. The good news: he now has a bunny tail and it is very, very cute.

The vet also checked out some superficial wounds, removed some ticks, and evaluated his hind limbs. He was diagnosed as incontinent and will have lifelong urinary retention issues, which will need medical support and supervision. Daily urine output is important to monitor in incontinent dogs, as they are more prone to urinary tract infections (something we definitely don’t want for Mr. Fotis). The vet also advised that dogs with “tail pull” injuries can also be prone to constipation, so Fotis will be monitored for that as well.

Foster

Fotis is waiting for his forever home, but in the meantime he is well-loved by his foster family. “Behaviorally, Fotis is a dream dog,” his foster mom says. “It has been such a joy to watch his personality blossom as he has gotten more comfortable in our home. Fotis is incredibly laid back, very affectionate and just all round good natured. He currently lives in a foster home with two human siblings under the age of five and one dog sibling. Fotis’ favorite activities are watching tv with his family, cuddling, taking chill walks in the park, and visiting with friends.”

And… Fotis knows magic! He can make his ears disappear.

• Category: 1510Dog, Available, Uncategorized