Selena Send Off

Today was the day that Selena headed east to her foster mom. I think she will be much happier there without a puppy tearing around and bugging her but I do feel bad that she has been shifted around so many times since she first ended up at the shelter. It's a lot for any dog to go through.

While with she seemed a bit depressed and I felt bad for her, always hanging out in the crate and avoiding the puppy. Today as I drove to the spot where I would hand her off for her transport east was the first time since she's been here that I started seeing her little personality. In the car (now with a healthy mouth) she initiated interaction with me and then rolled around on the seat, being silly and having fun. Yay!

It was a relief to see her starting to perk up. Hopefully she'll find her forever home soon and it will be the last time she has to move. With a peaceful, quiet, puppy-free home I think she will be the happy, silly girl she was meant to be.

Relaxing in the car. First time I've seen her so relaxed. 

Selena Visits the Vet

Poor Selena actually had some teeth just dangling from her mouth. She would bark and then have to go through all kinds of contortions with her mouth to get her teeth somewhat back in place. Can you imagine how that must have been hurting her?! One actually fell out at home and I found it in her favorite bed.

On the way to the vet office - she was a bit nervous but interested in what was going on around her.

Anyhow, I was able to get her to see the vet right away and learned that she had class IV periodontal disease. She was anesthetized and had her mouth all cleaned up as well as having one incisor extracted. Another incisor fell out during the exam.

On the way home, still feeling the anesthesia

She's doing much better now although she still seems depressed. It is fairly typical for older dogs who have been in the shelter system for extended time and I'm sure that after a couple weeks in her foster home she will start to open up and be more willing to leave her bed. Even now I'm starting to see a few little signs that she is perking up. The good news is that she is starting to eat now - something that has been a struggle.

Tomorrow she'll be transported over the mountains to her foster mom in Central Washington. There she won't have to endure "Tate the Tiny Terror" always wanting to check out what she's doing. She'll be one of three senior dogs and won't have to worry about whippersnappers.

A Visitor

This weekend I visited the PAWS shelter in Lynnwood to assess a senior Rat Terrier they had there. She needed dental work and with New Rattitude would be able to get it done right away so we wanted to help out. Her name is Selena and she will be fostered in Yakima but for this week she is a guest at our house until she has her dental work done - which happens tomorrow.

Selena at the shelter

Her favorite little bed at our house

She's a sweet little thing. Super tiny (just 7 pounds) and she loves people. She definitely does NOT love puppies though and I can't blame her. Her mouth is really hurting her and the last thing she needs is a puppy in her face, jumping on her and barking at her to get her to play. So we are doing our best to keep her comfy and in a Tate-free space until she travels to her regular foster home on Saturday.