Don't Know What To Do

[Goldenbead]

Despite my best efforts to rehome my two dogs, I have had no success. We are leaving Thailand at the end of next month and need to find loving homes for them urgently. I have posted internet ads as well as posters all over the show. I have had a few enquiries but nothing solid.

The reason we can't take them is primarily because of the quarantine restrictions. They will have to spend six months in the UK before they can travel on to my home country. In addition to the prohibitive cost of the quarantine, there are three flights between here and there and the fact that I don't think a six month seperation will do them any good.

The whole situation has now been complicated by the fact that our 3.5 year old boxer has just been diagnosed with an enlarged heart and cardiac arrythmia (sp). Even if we could take him he now can't travel. About two weeks ago, he collapsed twice in two days and the vet here diagnosed the above. On his advice, I drove Bruno to Trang province where the diagnosis was confirmed by ECG. He has only collapsed once since. The vets have said that he will need to wear a 24 hour heart monitor to see what happens but it will only tell us something new if he collapses while he is wearing it. Apart from the three collapses, which last all of about 30 seconds, he has appeared healthy and normal.

Several people I have discussed this with have told me it would be best to put him down. I can't bear the thought of this so have turned to this forum for advice on alternatives or to see if anyone can give these dogs a loving home. They are both gentle, good with children and love attention. We have a big enclosed garden for them and they spend most of their time on the living room sofa. They are members of our family and am posting here in the desperate hope that we won't have to go down the dreaded route of putting the boxer to sleep and can find homes for both of them.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Many thanks for listening/reading.

[bina]

golden bead, i cant rehome your dogs, and unfortunately i can only tell u that for the boxer at age three, if he gets on good meds, the prognosis is ok, but u will have to find someone who can deal with the meds (they need to be given at regular intervals; a good diet, and his life will be shortened)...

my nala developed cardiomyopathy the genetic heart disease of boxers, in her case the heart wasnt even enlarged... we didnt catch it until she was already 12 yrs old , over weight (couldnt exercixe any more) and arythmic..she started 'fainting every few days, or after climbing our stairs. up til then, she had a 'fainting' fit once or twice a year and we didnt really check it out in depth. once they increased, we did the ekg twice, put her on meds etc. all the meds didnt help much and i euthenized her about a month ago when she was unwilling to eat, drink, couldnt really breath at all any more - and also her back legs were going on her due to an other boxer malady, fused spinal cord....

its ekg by the way.... do the halter if u can so he can be properly diagnosed and medicated . he may be prescribed fusid (dieretic), some heart/blood pressure meds, and heart regulator meds.... so someone who will take him has to be able to deal with this...and the knowlege that his life span is foreshortened.

i feel for u....

bina

there is some guy in pattaya advertising here on the forum looking for big dogs... immortalthai something....

Edited July 17, 2008 by bina

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

go into the Pattaya forum. Fellow there looking for two dogs, he has big area and is a dog lover. Hope it works out for you.

[Nienke]

Cardiomyopathy has been directly linked to the parvo vaccination.

Also my boxer would faint when she suddenly would become very excited. She was at that time still pretty young.

This fainting problem completely dissappeared after I switched her to a raw food diet. However, whether she had cardiomyopathy I do not know. At that time these kinds of tests couldn't be made yet.

Nienke

[Nienke]

Is it a possibility to send them to the mainland first? I could inform in Holland if someone is interested to foster them for 6 months, or otherwise in a boarding kennel. There are some pretty good ones, where the owners have considerable knowledge on dog behavior and health.

Nonetheless, this option will carry high costs as well. Plus, that their vax record should be up to date. If the boxer is almost due and has to be vaxed again, it can do seriously harm to him. Then their blood has to be send to a registered lab for rabies antibodies and after the test results have come back they still need to stay in Thailand for another three months.

Anyway, I was thinking this could be an option if you can't find anyone.

I really feel for you and your family.

Nienke

[tamsin]

Although I feel for the situation you now find yourself in, I have to ask - why is it that so many people come here, not knowing whether they will be able to take care of a dog(s) for its/their life expectancy, and being aware of the alternatives - being put down, left at a temple/dogs' home/on the street (as in the case of my last dog, who had obviously been abandoned by a brit, he gives the shake hands thing without command)?

I do wish expats would consider the 'dog is not just for Christmas' along with 'dog is not just for duration of your stay in a foreign country'. Sorry to sound harsh, but you're not children after all.

[joeuk1]

Although I feel for the situation you now find yourself in, I have to ask - why is it that so many people come here, not knowing whether they will be able to take care of a dog(s) for its/their life expectancy, and being aware of the alternatives - being put down, left at a temple/dogs' home/on the street (as in the case of my last dog, who had obviously been abandoned by a brit, he gives the shake hands thing without command)?

I do wish expats would consider the 'dog is not just for Christmas' along with 'dog is not just for duration of your stay in a foreign country'. Sorry to sound harsh, but you're not children after all.

Terrible post .

JB

Edited July 17, 2008 by joeuk1

[Nienke]

Tamsin can you tell what will happen in your life in .... say ... about 5 or 7 years from now?

I can understand your thoughts, and unfortunately it definitely happens that people take a pet 'because as a puppy or kitten it is so cute', 'the child(ren) wants a pet', they feel lonely alone, or whatever other reason.

But, please, take also into consideration that life sometimes can take nasty turns where it can put pet owners in very difficult unexpected situations.

Nienke

[bina]

tammin,

most of us living in other countries are living our lives out here (im not in thailand but still). i never planned on divorcing, nor did i plan on marrying a thai foreign worker, nor did i plan on having to take care of two sick boxers after the divorce (no dog alimony or child alimony on kibbutz ) . i also didnt really plan on adopting a new dog. i may end up off kibbutz, or in thailand, and then what will i do with my dog, chickens, fish and kids? .... well exagerating a bit but u get the point...

its not the people that are vacationing its poeple that are living their lives and their lives changed. i agree, for all the gap year kdis here feeding the kittens and adopting dogs and then leaving, yes thats bad, but not the same...

off topic but still...

bina

[Goldenbead]

Although I feel for the situation you now find yourself in, I have to ask - why is it that so many people come here, not knowing whether they will be able to take care of a dog(s) for its/their life expectancy, and being aware of the alternatives - being put down, left at a temple/dogs' home/on the street (as in the case of my last dog, who had obviously been abandoned by a brit, he gives the shake hands thing without command)?

I do wish expats would consider the 'dog is not just for Christmas' along with 'dog is not just for duration of your stay in a foreign country'. Sorry to sound harsh, but you're not children after all.

I was expecting that someone would post along these lines. I hope you are here for the duration of your pet's life and you never have to face the situation that I am now facing.

Peace.

[tamsin]

Although I feel for the situation you now find yourself in, I have to ask - why is it that so many people come here, not knowing whether they will be able to take care of a dog(s) for its/their life expectancy, and being aware of the alternatives - being put down, left at a temple/dogs' home/on the street (as in the case of my last dog, who had obviously been abandoned by a brit, he gives the shake hands thing without command)?

I do wish expats would consider the 'dog is not just for Christmas' along with 'dog is not just for duration of your stay in a foreign country'. Sorry to sound harsh, but you're not children after all.

Terrible post .

JB

I know a farang here who, irresponsibly, in my opinion, breeds pedigree dogs, and he told me that every year at least half of the young dogs are returned as the owners have to relocate or return home. Are you telling me that those people had no idea that they would be moving on? He told me he doesn't have any problems finding homes for pedigrees, but not so lucky for the lovely 'mut' I took in last year who was thrown on to the streets to fend for itself, feeding from rubbish bags and hunting lizzards, and being the target of stone throwing by the locals. How would you feel if one day you were all looked after and fed and the next dumped, confused and frightened?

I stand by my post. It's easy to buy pedigrees here and a lot of people do so on a whim. I note one of the OPs dogs is a pedigree boxer. The others that merely take in a stray puppy and find themselves having to leave have my sympathies.

[fruity]

Although I feel for the situation you now find yourself in, I have to ask - why is it that so many people come here, not knowing whether they will be able to take care of a dog(s) for its/their life expectancy, and being aware of the alternatives - being put down, left at a temple/dogs' home/on the street (as in the case of my last dog, who had obviously been abandoned by a brit, he gives the shake hands thing without command)?

I do wish expats would consider the 'dog is not just for Christmas' along with 'dog is not just for duration of your stay in a foreign country'. Sorry to sound harsh, but you're not children after all.

Terrible post .

JB

I know a farang here who, irresponsibly, in my opinion, breeds pedigree dogs, and he told me that every year at least half of the young dogs are returned as the owners have to relocate or return home. Are you telling me that those people had no idea that they would be moving on? He told me he doesn't have any problems finding homes for pedigrees, but not so lucky for the lovely 'mut' I took in last year who was thrown on to the streets to fend for itself, feeding from rubbish bags and hunting lizzards, and being the target of stone throwing by the locals. How would you feel if one day you were all looked after and fed and the next dumped, confused and frightened?

I stand by my post. It's easy to buy pedigrees here and a lot of people do so on a whim. I note one of the OPs dogs is a pedigree boxer. The others that merely take in a stray puppy and find themselves having to leave have my sympathies.

Circumstances alter cases. Are you a fortune teller? Do you know what your personal circumstances will be next year, next month or even next week? Wise not to sit in judgement, don't you think?

Obviously due to a bad experience adopting a stray dog, you are bitter. Take care of yourself & yours, let others do the same. Angry icon!!!!.......I suggest you seek couselling. Don't knock, the original poster who is very obviously a caring owner seeking what is best for his two dogs.

[Patsycat]

In all my years of reading and posting on TV i have never read such a horrible and vindictive post as Tamsin's above posts.

Get a life, Goldenbead is trying to get a life for the dog and a home for the dog who cannot travel because of health problems. Your posts must be hurting that family so much.

***flame removed***

By the way, they are beautiful dogs and if there is any way to bycott the quarantine they are welcome here in Switzerland. Will be spoilt rotten!!

Edited July 19, 2008 by sbk
no flaming patsy!--sbk

[Cuban]

I do wish expats would consider the 'dog is not just for Christmas' along with 'dog is not just for duration of your stay in a foreign country'. Sorry to sound harsh, but you're not children after all.

I understand your sentiment, however there are very few long term residents that know that they will be able to remain in the country for anything longer than one year due to the visa situation. So should they refrain from owning any form of pet or even getting involved in a close human relationship?

Maybe farang pet ownership should be restricted to funfair goldfish and mayflies due to their short life expectancy?

[smileah]

I wish I could help, but I'm moving soon too.

Please let us know how it works out? That guy in Pattaya who was looking for two dogs sounded pretty promising.

I feel for you! Thank you for caring so much about your babies. I'd be exactly the same.

Luckily, Canada does not have quarentine rules, and I can take mine with me.

And you know, if worst comes to worst, 6 months goes faster than you think. If there is a possibility that the quarentine thing may happen, don't feel too badly - it might work out ok. It is definetly an option.

But, I think you are right - the best thing would be to find them a good home here.

Like I said, can you let us know? I'm thinking about you and your dogs!

[F1fanatic]

Am I missing something here? Why do they have to do quarantine in the UK before moving on to your home country?

[Goldenbead]

Am I missing something here? Why do they have to do quarantine in the UK before moving on to your home country?

Not missing anything. Those are the rules and it seems there are no ways to bend or break them. There are only about ten countries in the world from which pets can be imported to my home country without quarantine. UK is one, Aus is another and the remainder are all in the Caribbean.

To others who have posted supportive comments on this thread, many thanks.

[Nienke]

oops, I think I missed something here.