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 Shamus with fur
Shamus is a cute, very little OES guy. He is a pup that came from deplorable circumstances and not only survived but has thrived! Physically, Shamus is not a perfect dog. He came into this world with hip dysplasia. As a young pup he also contracted distemper, which left him with a permanent neurological tic. A bit mentally “distracted” at times, Shamus is quite happy to express himself through barking and frequently needs to be redirected/refocused from whatever is causing him to bark (usually one of the other dogs). Shamus and Keely are best buddies and wrestle, play, and run together. It would be wonderful to adopt them together. But, if not, Shamus needs to be in a home with another young dog that is active and playful enough to reciprocate Shamus’ unending desire to play. Presently, he and Keely are in my home with 3 older OESes that are NOT fond of his persistent efforts to play. His forever home is preferably one that is very experienced with the breed and folks who have time and extraordinary patience with this boy.
Below is
his story. Several months ago, Cathy D., a rescue volunteer in Lafayette, LA, contacted TXOES Rescue regarding a possible OES in need. A concerned citizen in Port Arthur, a small East Texas coastal town, contacted her, concerned for the dog’s welfare as he had been tied up outside for months. He was on a short chain and barely able to crawl under the house for shelter. Thankfully, the owner agreed to release Shamus so we could find him a good home. We were very hopeful for Shamus. He looked so cute in his picture and seemed like a very nice boy. A family in Lafayette had been approved for adoption and the plan was to have him vetted so they could adopt him. It quickly became apparent that all was not well with Shamus. He was afflicted with uncontrollable jerking. At the vet clinic it was determined that he had contracted distemper. Shamus survived without medical intervention – a miracle – but was left with the neurological tic. While his foster family adored him, his potential health issues were more than they could cope with. Shamus then went to stay with Cathy and her family in Lafayette. She took him to another vet who through further testing revealed Shamus was heartworm positive and had severe hip dysplasia. FHO surgery was recommended. Cathy had been concerned about the weakness in his rear legs as he could stand for only short periods of time. Poor Shamus – he had so many things “wrong with him”. Shamus, however seemed perfectly happy. His physical limitations did not seem to slow him down. He loved running in the back yard and playing with Cathy’s other foster dog. The neurological tic wasn’t obvious when he played, only when he was at rest. Shamus spent several months with Cathy where he was loved and cared for. Shamus came to Houston for his surgery. His left hip was in worse shape so it was done first. His recovery was up and down over the next several weeks, requiring another surgery on the same hip. With time and patience, he recovered beautifully and he is heartworm free! He did so well, the vets decided not to do surgery on his right hip. He spends his time racing around the yard playing with Keely, our other foster, and looks forward to daily walks. Shamus loves people and, as the saying goes, there are no strangers, only friends he hasn’t met yet. |
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