When I lived in Massachusetts, my vet was diagnosing at least 20 dogs a week with Lyme's disease, even dog's that had had the vaccine. It is very common in New England. I think I can name at least twenty people that I know that have had it too. It is very treatable, it is when it goes untreated when the problems arise. To me it wouldn't be a deal breaker.

Here, my vet says she only sees it in dogs coming from the Northeast or those that have visitted the Northeast. Her own vet tech caught it when she went to Mass to visit for 6 months!

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Usually the test that determines the Lyme's disease is the same test that checks for heartworm. It is the SNAP 4 test.

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My dogs in the winter go out for their last time about 8:30 pm, then don't go out again 6:30 to 7:00. On weekends, Brady sometimes wants to wait even longer if anybody is still in bed, even though MacKenzie goes out. Brady has held it for over 12 hours by his own choice. Each dog is different.

I would advise against an indoor potty, I think you are just asking for issues. Is there a neighborhood teenager that you can hire to let him out once during the day? We do that if we are going to be away for the whole day.

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I totally understand your concern over possible heartworm infection, but I do want to let you know treatment now is vastly different from treatment 20 years ago. It is still a serious condition, and treatment requires up to 6 weeks of very restricted activity, but the chemical itself is no longer a poison to the system, the dogs recover well. Unless they have drastically advanced infections they usually have little to no residual effects. You would not end with a debilitated dog now like you did with your family's dog before.

I agree with your thought that if he does have serious medical conditions, it would be best to encourage them to turn him over to a rescue where he will get all the vet care he needs and still end up in a wonderful new home afterwards.

I am sincerely wishing you and Trails the best whatever the outcome. I really appreciate you thinking this through so thoroughly, if you decide to keep him it's clear he will be well cared for and loved.

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Any updates??


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~Jaime~

Rosie, born 4/24/2012

How was the weekend with trails???


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~Jaime~

Rosie, born 4/24/2012

Checking in on Trails and how your weekend went. Would love to know you you're doing.

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Ellie and Mack

Hello again! So for the update:

Well, it looks like we will not be taking Trails. He was actually great. He calmed down a lot and was super sweet, adorable, and a goofball. He didn't always like to listen, and he didn't walk well, but his temperament was great. He was super crazy skittish, though, and constantly groveled on the floor. He was scared of my husband, who is a total teddy bear, but when I called my husband to me to show the dog that he is okay, poor Trails came running between us and tried to block him from me. Poor guy wanted to protect me! Anyway, he is a total sweetheart. Trails also has a tendency to pee on the floor whenever he gets excited or scared, too, which is a little bothersome. The first time it happened, my husband and I had just gotten home from being out. I figured I must have said, "Hi Trails" too excited or something. So next time I didn't say anything at all and was just going to ignore him, but he peed the moment he saw me. Oh well.

Now for why we are not keeping him. The cat. Sigh. Trails is crazy submissive. I would say he needs to grow a pair, but those have already been taken care of . Once the cat stopped being scared of him and (sort of) stopped attacking him, he turned into a huge bully. He started cornering Trails, stalking him, and he even became food possessive. He started guarding Trails' food from him! And poor Trails was just miserable. Every time he saw the cat he flinched and tried to run the opposite way, only to have the cat go running after. I swear, my cat thinks he is a dog. But, unfortunately, he is far more pigheaded and difficult to train. The cat and the dog also were very, very jealous of each other for my attention, which proved hard. If the cat saw me with the dog, he came over to attack the dog to make it go away. I tried swatting him away, but he would just go around and attack the dog. Although water bottles help, we know from past experience with our kitty that absolutely nothing will deter him from doing what he sets his mind on. To make matters worse, if I had the cat in my lap, Trails would get jealous and come over and force himself under my arm and the cat would attack. I was able to teach Trails not to do that when I have the kitty, but training the reverse with kitty is no good. And since the cat came running almost every time he saw me with the dog, it was really hindering my ability to interact with him.

So for poor Trails, we decided we just shouldn't keep him. He was tormented by the cat, and it seemed to only be getting worse as the cat became less scared and more self-confident. On the bright side, I think they have another family lined up to give him a try, and I am really, really hoping that works out. Trails is SUCH a sweet dog, he really deserves an awesome home, sans devil cat. In fact, I don't think we will be able to get a dog until our kitty expends the last of his nine lives (he's only 3). He's an awesome cat and we adore him--he just is absolutely violent with dogs. I think he may have had a very bad run-in in the past before we adopted him. I did send Trails home with a stuffed monkey, though. He very much loved that monkey and would toss it in the air and catch it again. So adorable! He got a good brushing, I cut out some matted fur, and I think that is about all I could do.

I very much appreciate everyone's insight more than I can say. You all were a huge part of helping me make this important decision, and you all were totally right about him calming down into a different dog when the kids and family weren't around. I am so happy that we gave him another chance because now I don't feel like there are any more what ifs. I am also quite sure now that the family is getting rid of him because they can't afford him. He was overdue for his shots and I think they are trying to give him away to have someone else take care of it. :/

Anyway, thank you again!! You all are awesome, but since I haven't got a golden, looks like I probably won't be around anymore. Thank you, all the same

Karina

Thanks for your update and sorry you can't keep him!
Did you try calling a Golden Ret. Rescue and ask if they will take him?
Was he adopted by someone else?
What happened to Trails?
Here are the Golden Ret. Rescues:
National Rescue Committee of the Golden Retriever Club of America

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[IMG]http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii215

Tonka & Tucker

SNOBEAR at the Bridge
Dec. 23, 1999-March 27, 2010


SMOOCH at the Bridge.
Feb. 14, 1999-Dec. 7, 2010

I'm sorry it did not work out. However my guess is that if your cat did that with this dog, it will do it with every dog. Chances are he will get over it after a couple weeks though. So dont let him make the decision.
I have a cat that is simaler. It was just her, myself and DH for 5 years. Then my son was born and she was pissed. She would freak out every time he cried. She eventually got used to him being around, just stayed away.
Then a couple years later we got a small dog and she was the same way. She also attacted him. If he was up on the couch with me, she would jump up me and swat at him. I just pushed her off the couch and she eventually got the hint. She got over it after a while. Although she would on occasion walk by him and just randomly slap him our pounce on him.
Then we got another cat. She hated him. She growled and hissed the whole first day we brought him home. Then it was only when she could see him. Then if he was in the same room as her. Now she tollerates him. She pretends she still hates him, but sometimes we find them sleeping feet away from each other, or play fighting.