You can fill out an adoption application online on our official website.If you are looking for tall, dark, and handsome and enjoy long walks on the beach then Gus is the boy for you! Gus is a very special boy looking for a very special home! Gus was surrendered to rescue because an undiagnosed heart condition was preventing him from being a working dog. When he arrived at his foster home he was having severe exercise intolerance and frequent episodes of turning blue and disorientation. A visit to the cardiologist at the University of Missouri vet school showed that Gus and two congenital defects. The combined effect of these defects was that unoxygenated blood was circulating and causing his symptoms. Thanks to many generous MOKAN supporters Gus underwent an expensive, five hour surgery to correct the more severe defect. Surgery was a huge success and right away Gus had a much improved quality of life and his symptoms disappeared. A recheck echocardiogram three months later showed that Gus’ heart has continued trending in the right direction with improvements in both structure and function. Today, Gus is a very happy, loving boy. He will be two years old in October and weighs a healthy 44 lbs. Gus loves everyone and gets along with other dogs as well. He is ok with dog savvy cats who don’t mind being stared at from time to time. His favorite past time is wrestling with his foster brother. He also enjoys playing with his toys and especially chewing on rawhides and nylabones. When he’s not playing with other dogs or entertaining himself with toys you can find him relaxing around the house and or lounging on the couch. He also loves to cuddle and is very huggable! Gus is crate trained but can be a little protective of his “stuff” when other dogs come near his kennel. He’s mostly a good boy in the house, he doesn’t typically get into stuff or chew on things that are not his. But he did nibble a pillow once! Gus has been doing very well on house training since his neuter! Gus rides well in the car, is easy to bathe, and usually comes when called but could benefit from basic obedience training. Like many border collies, Gus is sound sensitive. He does not like to be crated during storms or fireworks. He does ok loose in the house if we are home. If we need to leave him crated he needs to be in a very secure crate or he can wiggle out. Currently Gus’ only symptom is taking a little longer to recover from playtime than his housemates. However, he will always have a heart murmur and does take an inexpensive medication twice a day. Also, because of the damage to his heart prior to surgery it will never be “normal” and he is at greater risk than the average dog for developing heart disease later in life. The cardiologist currently feels very optimistic though and said he is having the best outcome expected for his condition. Because of his medical history and because his condition was so rare he will need follow up appointments with the cardiologist 1-2 times a year. Gus will be a great family pet, walking buddy, and possibly a pet therapy dog. He will not be suitable for agility, herding or other high intensity activities-we want to keep the strain on his heart to a reasonable level. Lower intensity activities like obedience and nose work are acceptable. Gus also gets very worked over livestock and should not have direct access/close up views that would allow him to obsess over them. Gus is a great dog-don’t let a little extra medical maintenance keep you from missing out on your new best friend! If you would like to adopt this amazing boy please include the following information on your application. 1. What kind of Heartworm prevention to you plan to use and how many months of the year do you plan to use it? 2. What kind of veterinary care have you provided for past or current pets? 3. Gus will need to see the cardiologist for an echocardiogram every 6-12 months. How much would you expect to spend on this kind of vet visit and would you be willing to drive him to the university of MO or other acceptable specialty clinic? 4. Are you comfortable with giving lifelong medication and understand the expense of his medication may increase if additional meds are ever needed? 5. Gus has special anesthetic considerations. Is your veterinarian willing to follow the cardiologist’s recommendations or refer you to a facility equipped to handle his condition? Gus is being fostered in the Springfield, MO area. www.mokanbcrescue.org
Visit this organization's web site to see any additional information available about this pet.November 6, 2024, 10:33 am
