Keep a Good Thought for Our Hero, Zydeco

Many long-time supporters will be familiar with Zydeco's story. Rescued from the bottom of a pile of dogs at a Philippines flea-market, he was flown by his new dad back to the US, where he lived happily for several years. One night, a fire broke out and it was his barking that woke and saved the family and Zydeco's dad raced back into the house to save him. Zydeco was surrendered to FBRN and was adopted by a lovely woman who had him for two years before a sudden, debilitating illness made it impossible for her to care for him, so back to FBRN came our hero.

Zydeco has been dealing with some health issues of his own for the past 18 months or so in our care. He has Cushing's disease, and it has recently been well-controlled until he had a bad reaction to one of his medications.  He also recently had a surgery to remove a tiny growth from the eyelid of his remaining eye. What's that joke about a dog named Lucky?  That's pretty much Zydeco at this point. 

However, the little beast has no interest in lying around feeling sorry for himself. His foster mom grades his well-being on the number of times he can fetch a basketball, and last month he was up to 35 a day, a number we could not match even if we wished to.  Here is an update from his foster mom:
"Well, what can one say about the Z-man? He just keeps chugging along.

"It took quite a while for him to recover completely from his eyelid surgery, but he is up to 30-35 basketball retrieves per day, so we're getting there. His personal best was 45 before surgery.

"His Cushing's is not under control. If you remember, he reacted very badly to Vetoryl, and had to be taken down to a very low dose. I gave him flaxseed lignans and melatonin for a long time, but despite some initial improvement, the Cushing's started reasserting itself to the point where he started peeing constantly and developing calcinosis cutis [CC]. We mistook the first couple of CC lesions for hot spots and treated them as such (and they actually healed), but since then he has developed more lesions. He is currently getting a couple of medicated baths per week to prevent the lesions from becoming infected, and I dab on a little DMSO gel daily.

"I have also started slowly increasing the Vetoryl to better control his cortisol production in hopes that this will curb the CC. As always with Zydeco, the key is constant observation and adjustment to make sure he doesn't have an Addison's crisis in response to the Vetoryl, while trying to keep his cortisol below the Cushing's level.

"He, of course, is oblivious to this delicate balancing act, and is just happy that last month's Barkbox theme was pirates, and he has a new snuggle buddy, FBRN's Akira."

Here are some photos of Zydeco parking his teddy bear toy on his foster sister for safekeeping. 

FBRN is very fortunate to have tremendously dedicated foster families who work incessantly to give our fosters their best shot at healthy lives in loving homes.  In the meanwhile, foster families provide excellent care, compassion, love, and toys--not to mention that, if asked, they develop terrific shoulder muscles throwing basketballs for our fosters to fetch.

All this talk of fetching basketballs has made for a very sleepy

Frog Princess

Helpful Graphic for Allergy-dogs' Owners

• 

This probably feels like a tragedy to the owners

But it's a very good reminder that French bulldogs should not be left in cars--even on relatively cool days--for any amount of time.  Poor Nigil.   http://whdh.com/news/french-bulldog-found-dead-in-car-in-commuter-rail-parking-garage-police-say/#.WeTq6Va5L6l.facebook

Cherie Makes the News--Again!

Cherie the Surfing Frenchie, an FBRN graduate, makes it part of her life's mission to raise funds for rescue groups, including FBRN.

She is frequently in the public eye, and news organizations just love her!  Here's her most recent appearance on the news, along with an article about her!

Read more about Cherie on Facebook, her website, Instagram, or on SoCal Surfdogs, where this photo came from.

Summer is coming up, so if you need a lifejacket, remember FBRN has them in Frenchie sizes!

Wishes for no wipe-outs, little wahini, from
The Frog Princess

Tripp Turns 15

It's unusual for a dog of any breed to cross the 15 year milepost, let alone a French bulldog!  However, we are thrilled to announce that Tripp, one of our available dogs, did just that very thing in March.  Here's an update on Tripp from his foster family.

"March was an eventful month for Tripp. He celebrated his 15th Birthday in grand style. Got his photos back from his photo shoot. Got to join some FBRN friends for dinner.


 He is living life to the fullest. He was doing great about tolerating the other dogs, but we did have a slight set back when he lunged at Audrey. His bark is worse than his bite and my husband was close by...think it scared him worse than anything - but Audrey is fine and we learned that we can't let our guard down.


Sometimes it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks ..especially when he is as smarter than we are!


In April his Bucket List continues when we get to help out in the FBRN Booth at the Pet Expo. No applications so far for the "Hugh Hefner" of FBRN... people don't know what they are missing! Love this guy!"

FBRN is hoping that someone sees the light fantastic and figures out that they really, truly want Tripp to snuggle with for the rest of his days.  Look at that handsome beast!  What a profile!

We'll leave you with this beefcake shot and plenty of happy birthday wishes to this healthy, happy elder frogsman from

The Frog Princess

Macy May

Ah, the cone of shame.  What Frenchie hasn't had to sport one at one point or another?

Macy May is wearing one because she managed to acquire TWO ulcers in her left eye!  Little show-off.

Her foster mom decided that a girl with a cone on couldn't stay home alone, so off to work they went.

Here's the story Macy M's foster mom told us:

"Bless her heart, had to take Macy May to the emergency vet last night. She has 2 ulcers in her left eye and she looked like she was in such pain from it. Got her some pain meds and some eye drops and hopefully she's on the road to recovery. But thought I would post the cute pics from today. Took her to work with me and she kept trying to jump in my lap to sit...well, I couldn't get any work done with her in my lap, so I just pushed everything off my desk and THEN she was a happy little camper!"

Just the sort of priorities you'd find in the offices of

The Frog Princess

Arya Returns

A small tumor was removed--good margins!

Long time followers of FBRN may remember our dear Arya, who was adopted last summer.  When her adopter was traveling more and had too little time for Arya, she did the right thing and returned her to us. 


Now back with her foster mom, poor Arya has been treated for a number of health issues.  Most sad and painful is the loss of an eye.  Arya had a very serious dry eye condition and the eye was so damaged that it had to come out.  She also had a tumor removed from her leg.  She's got some awful dental issues, too, but the vet didn't want to address those at the same time as the other procedures, so she'll go back for a dental a little later on.

In the dog stroller, enjoying some fresh air.

But she's home with her foster mom now, and she's so happy to be there!  Foster mom said poor Arya was resting on the day after her surgeries when it came time to walk her foster brother.  Arya, still foggy with the pain meds, teetered out to the foyer to go along--she just hated to be left behind.  But since Arya couldn't stagger and toddle the whole long length of a regular walk wearing the cone of shame, her foster mom did what any creative, sympathetic foster mom would do: she bundled Arya into a dog stroller, and away they all went. 

Meds make Arya sleepy

Once an FBRN dog, always an FBRN dog.  Arya's lumps and bumps and toothaches and problems will be addressed with a "pat, pat here and a pat, pat there and a couple of bones to gnaw!  That's how we'll keep her young and fair in the merry old land of" frogs!  Thank you for donating to FBRN.  Your gifts make it possible for us to give Arya a little wash and brush up as we look for her new family.

 Grateful, as ever,

The Frog Princess

Tunkie's All Better!

 

Tunkie had quite a summer!  Kidney stones, colitis, and complications following the kidney stone removal--but through it all this dear little old man has been a trouper!

Right now, Tunkie is doing really well.  His breathing is much improved, and thanks to a little miracle we like to call prednisone, he's walking like a frog half his age!

He's feeling so good he does a little circle dance known as "The Tunk Man Dance" whenever he's excited or to celebrate the return of his foster mom and dad.  You should be so lucky to have a dancing dog.  Foster mom and dad are working on a video to show off Tunkie's moves. 

Tunkie does have some odd quirks.  He'd hardly be a Frenchie if he didn't.  The other night he caught and consumed--all raw and wrigglin'--a lizard.  Poor little lizard had no idea a dog with a hitch in his giddyup could move as fast as that.  Let's hope all the other lizards in the neighborhood got the message, avoid Tunkie's lightning fast moves and gaping maw, and go on to live long, lovely lizard lives.



Tunkie also likes to follow his foster mom into the shower.  It concerns him that she goes in there to endure the ghastly rain all alone, so he walks in behind her and keeps her company--until he gets wet.  Then he retreats outside the stall but stays in view, so she knows that he's there for her throughout the nasty, wet process, offering his silent, Tunkie support.











It's clear that Tunkie is a Frenchie for all seasons.  Excellent dancer, a skilled hunter, he's emotionally available...what more could you want?



There's not much more TO want, in the opinion of

The Frog Princess