Porter

Some days it is wonderful to be a volunteer.  Maybe you meet a bunch of nice people and work together to move a dog to a foster home.  Maybe a dog gets the treatment he needs and feels better right away.  Sometimes someone says something nice.  Or you get a great note from an adopting family whose dog is the love of their life.

And then there are days when you open an email and learn that a dog has been abandoned in a backyard for 5 years.  He's only alive because a neighbor jumped a fence when she saw his unconscious body.  When she called his family, who were on vacation, they said, "Oh, take him.  We don't want him."  And you learn that on top of heartworm and ear infections, he has an enormous malignant tumor in his mouth that is making it difficult for him to eat and breathe.  As if that weren't bad enough, the tumor itself has become infected.  (See the pink thing that kind of looks like a tongue in the photo above?  That's the tumor.)  If the dog were fostering with us, we'd have a hard time not naming him Job.

But he has been named Porter.  He's a beautiful red-headed Frenchie with a loving, happy personality and he has shown no possible reason why anyone could fling him in the backyard and forget him for years--not even providing the bare minimum care of heartworm preventative and yearly exams.  It's a hard day in dog rescue for us.

Very hard day.

Porter's tumor is malignant, but the vet he saw said there is a very high rate of success in removing these tumors.

Porter will be seeing a surgeon in the next few days.  Please keep a good thought for him.   If the surgeon says it is too late for Porter and surgery can't help him, he'll stay with us in hospice care, in a loving home, until it is time to say good-bye.  If we can get him well, we know that--despite his cancer history--there is a family in the world who will make it their business to see that Porter's remaining time on earth are full of the kind of attention, affection and respect that every dog deserves.

He's got a long row to hoe before he can get to the people he'll love, though: he's got to have surgery and be treated for his heartworm and have his ears cleaned and his teeth cleaned.  Please keep him in your thoughts.  And, of course, if you have a couple of bucks lying around, you can always send them to us for his care.

We thank you, and we know Porter would thank you.

By the way, is it just us or is this dog just as handsome as the day is long?  Heavens above, we are such a sucker for a red-haired boy.  Man, he's good looking! sighs

The Frog Princess

Butter Bean, Butter Bean, Prettiest Frenchie We've Ever Seen!

Sometimes an old dog has to leave her home and start a new life.

So it is with the adorable Butter Bean. At nine years old, her family's work schedule became so demanding that Mlle. B. Bean was not receiving the kind of attention she deserved.  Her broken-hearted person surrendered her so that Butter Bean's remaining years could be full of love and laptime.

That's what Frenchies need, you know.  They are not like some dogs who are happy to be with you or apart from you.  Frenchies were bred to be lapdogs and they need their people.  Sometimes we hear from disgruntled applicants who have to work all day away from home and whose workplaces don't allow their dogs to go in with them.  They suspect that FBRN is prejudiced against working people.  In some ways, they are right.  We want the very best situations for our dogs, and for most of our Frenchies, that means a home where there is someone around most of the day.  Frenchies are great for retired people and people who work from home or work part time or who have partners who have a schedule that is staggered--morning shift for one and graveyard shift for another.

This is not to say that if you work away from home you won't be considered for a Frenchie from FBRN!  The majority of the world works away from home in places that don't allow dogs to come to work.  We just want people to understand how we think about our dogs' happiness and emotional health when it comes to making choices.  Butter Bean's owner thought the same way, and that's why Mlle. B. Bean is looking for a home where someone can share Butter Bean's days.

Butter Bean's foster mom is pretty smitten with this tasty morsel.  Here's what she said after just three days of fostering:

"Butter Bean is still the sweetest thing this side of the Mississippi on day three.  Yesterday afternoon we all went to the local park and Miss Butter Bean showed us how to play soccer Frenchie style.  She kicked that ball all over the park!  You would never know she was 9 years old if it was not for her hind legs.  At home she follows me around the house and then politely waits for me to put her on the couch when she has had enough of following me. Supposedly she didn't eat her food much in her old home, just LOTS of treats.  She is on a good diet of Embark, veggies, and chicken now, and she eats every bite!  She is an absolute doll of a little old lady!  I attached a few photos."

We have a little secret.  We would turn up our nose at good-for-you food and hold out for TREATS ONLY if the kingdom's nutritionist would let us. 

Some people are way too caught up in that whole stupid food pyramid myth and don't understand the value of a little squeezy cheese and hotdogs, are we right?  Vive la fromage squeezy!  Vive le hambairgaire!  Vive le root beer float! Vive la revolution dans la cuisine! incites

The Frog Princess

Pablo

We've got a gorgeous new blond boy in our care. He's really very good looking and although he's got a flaw or two, he's bound to be snapped up like a minnow in a lily pond.

Here's what his foster mom wrote about him:


"This is Pablo!! He is a recent owner surrender. He is settling in very well. He is good with my cats and other dogs. Has no issues towards the other animals at all. Also good with the kids. He has a couple small quirks and he has a couple of bad habits towards the vacuum and the hair dryer. He will go after them and nip you in the process if he has to...so we are working on that and it is getting soooooo much better, just in the couple of days that I have had him. I know he will go fast, he is the sweetest boy and is already totally vetted and up on everything."

After a couple of weeks on the foster page, we have a feeling Pablo will be zooming right over to the available page. If you are in the market for a gorgeous, fair-haired frog who prefers to live off the grid, check him out.

The Frog Princess

eBay items available now!

Four items donated to the French Bulldog Rescue Network (FBRN) are currently listed on eBay and the links to them are listed below. There is a FB trivet, a copy of children's book "Gunner and Dumbo", a Hummel figurine and a leather dog leash.

 

All proceeds benefit the FBRN foster frenchies so please visit the links and bid! Thank you for your support!

 

French Bulldog trivet:

http://cgi.ebay.com/French-Bulldog-ceramic-trivet-/140419693301?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b1aa7af5

 

French Bulldog children's story book "Gunner and Dumbo":

http://cgi.ebay.com/French-Bulldog-story-book-Gunner-and-Dumbo-/140419697164?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b1aa8a0c

 

Hummel figurine "Retreat to Safety":

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hummel-figurine-Retreat-Safety-/140419703096?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b1aaa138

 

leather dog leash Made in Italy:

http://cgi.ebay.com/leather-dog-leash-Made-Italy-/140419707517?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b1aab27d

 

Tandy is in a Movie!

Tandy's adoptive family has made a movie about Tandy's story.  You can watch it on YouTube.  Might want to have a tissue handy.
*snif!*
The Frog Princess

Bugsy Is a Working Dog

Usually Bugsy spends every morning patrolling the beach with his mom.  She's out there for her health, but he's out looking for sand dollars to keep him in kibble during his retirement.  Every once in a while he'll tell off a horseshoe crab for littering up the beach instead of getting a real job.

He's allowed to talk smack to those lazy crabs, because on Mondays when his mom goes to work, he changes gears and gets to go to the golf course, where his dad works.  Bugsy keeps his hand in at the course, making sure the gophers are under control and the swans in the water hazard keep their rude remarks to themselves.  Did you know swans are very violent animals?  Sure, they look all regal and romantic and people are always writing fairy tales and ballets about them but take it from us:  Keep your distance.  They'll take a chunk out of you and curse a blue streak while they are doing it.  Perfect argument for beauty being only skin deep. 

Ah, Bugsy.  You've got the life, there, bud.  Keep up the photos, we love to see how our grads are living, invites

The Frog Princess

Poor Harvey!

FBRN's greatest expense is veterinary care.  If you have been to the vet recently, we are sure you believe that!  We don't begrudge the cost, but we do try to find the best vets we can who will offer a discount to rescues.  We understand that there are lots of rescues in the world, and vet clinics have big expenses and no government funding as some hospitals do; so we are always so grateful to find a clinic or individual vet who knows that our resources are limited and helps us by giving a discounted rate.

One of our newest intakes, Harvey, had to go to the veterinary specialist to see if we could improve the tear production in his eyes.  Here's his foster mom's report of the visit.

"Today was a big day for Harvey . . . we visited a veterinary ophthalmologist, and for the first time I feel we are truly on the right path. The doctor gave Harvey a very thorough exam and we walked out with solid explanations for the symptoms we have been dealing with and a plan of action.

 Harvey has apparently been treated for cherry eye previous to coming to FBRN, as it was discovered today the gland of the third eye has been removed in both eyes. This, of course, is not helping in the quest to produce more tears.  Although we have made progress . . . Harvey scored a 20 (yeah, yipeee, celebrations) in the left eye and a 3 in the right eye on the Schirmer tear test today!  That was the first time the right eye has registered any moisture.  I was doing a little dance in the exam room. The doctor said the inflamed tissue surrounding Harvey's eyes in and around the interior of his eye lids is due to what appears to be a staph infection.  She took a culture sample and is sending it off to the lab for confirmation.  This infection originates in the oil glands and is also not helping with the tear production efforts.

Monday night the interior tissue surrounding his right eye was so inflamed the eye ball looked recessed in the socket. She said that is a result of the infection in the oil glands flaring up and today she was surprised at just how inflamed it was considering he is on an anti-inflammatory.



He does still have a considerable amount of cloudiness to his eyes but she said she can see it is beginning to heal.  She could tell his right eye has been under a lot of stress for a long time.  She is optimistic he will fully recover and the current corneal scarring will clear.  She did say his eyelids are still excessive and with time he will probably need entropion corrective surgery again.  She said the first entropion surgery was done very well but at each end he still has excessive lid which may cause problems in due time. 

We are to continue on with the Cyclosporine but we have been upgraded from artificial tears to GenTeal gel and Puralube for moisture, Ciprofloxacin has been added to treat the staph infection and, as always, eye wash as necessary to wash out the goop.   He is due back in three weeks for a check up.

Harvey was a charmer and greeted everyone at the office with kisses.  Here is a picture of a not so happy Harvey at the eye doc and a cute doggy eye chart."

Like boxers, pugs, and other dogs with prominent eyes, Frenchies are prone to eye problems.  Adopters should be aware that it is common for Frenchies to suffer ulcers, corneal scratches, or abrasions at some point in their lives.  Most often, an abrasion or ulcer can be treated with eye ointment.  Occasionally, more specialized treatment is required.

Harvey is one of our medical case fosters, and FBRN needs volunteers like Harvey's foster mom who are willing to help with dogs who require regular medications, like pills and eye-drops, before their fosters can be made available for adoption.   If you feel you could make the commitment to become a volunteer and help with medical case fosters (or any other kind!) please be sure to email Kathi Luljak, our volunteer coordinator.  We match our volunteers to the kind of cases they feel most comfortable handling.

Meanwhile, as a special note to Harvey, we would like to say that we are especially susceptible to those Frenchies who appear to have been applying lip rouge as the car jounced over the railroad tracks.  Adorable!  How we would love a smackeroo or two from those darling lips! cries

The Frog Princess

Yu Gi Oh Moves On!

The adorable YuGiOh--Hugo to his friends--is on his way to life with his forever family.  Here he is stubbornly refusing to look at the camera or make cute for us.  Thankfully, his new mom has a sense of humor. 

Wethinks she will need it, opines

The Frog Princess

Kailey and Pee Jay Officiate at Soccer

Nothing gets by these two.  Especially Pee Jay.  He's got the face of a 5 season professional official.  Kailey still has some innocence and sweetness around the edges, don't you think?  Check out her available page and see if she might fit in on your team, suggests
The Frog Princess

Etsy Shop Donating 10 Per Cent

of sales of items that feature critters!  Check it out!

The owner of this shop is an FBRN adopter and volunteer.  There are several vintage bulldog items to be found, but every item with an animal represented on it falls under the 10 per cent donation.
Thanks, Katie!
We love Etsy, sighs
The Frog Princess

http://www.etsy.com/shop/localevintage