Hi... we had just lost our Chocolate Lab Sinder who was 9.5 yrs. old the night before easter. She had been dx w/ diabetes since she was 4 y/o and needless to say we were devastated when she passed, but we know she is in a better place. Anyway, I had been looking on the internet at different breeds and decided to NOT spend the money on a puppy (labradoodle) and to look into rescuing a dog (preferably a lab). There just so happened to be a local lab rescue close to my house so my middle son & I went there to inquire about the dogs there. Well low & behold the lady just so happened to have a chocolate lab/mix approx. 10 mos. old. I have 3 young boys so it was important to me to make sure we wanted to go through the puppy stages again so they let me foster "Sheila" (we now call her Addie).

Here lies the problem for us... while "Addie" seems to have a great disposition, she was rescued from a kill shelter in Ohio. She was severely malnourished, had tested + for hook & whipworms but has been treated for the worms as well has put on some weight. Well, we've had her for a couple of days and she has had diarrhea since we've brought her home. I finally called my own vet and inquired... they asked us to bring in a sample as she may still have the worms, and yes she still tested positive. My husband is FREAKING out because everything he reads online says that to get rid of it in your grass is to REPLACE your grass!!! It makes me wonder if we are doing the right thing by taking her in w/ 3 boys. She seems to be getting along w/ the kids and of course they love her. She is now exhibiting signs of kennel cough (and spits up white sputum occasionally) which she was also supposively treated for. I hope the lady at the rescue is not pulling my leg just so we keep the dog. I haven't paid her anything for the dog yet and won't until she is healthy. I guess I am looking for some options, suggestions, comments etc. as to what we should do. We don't have a lot of money to spend, that is also why we considered a rescue dog since they've spayed, micro-chipped, tested and gave her all her shots already, I don't want to take her to my vet because they'll charge me. I feel so bad for her because she just wants love but at the same time after many years of caring for a dog w/ special needs I just want somewhat of a normal dog!!! Am I being too sensitive??? PLEASE HELP!!!

Thank you for taking her in! I'm sure once you get her over the "ick" from being at a shelter she will be a wonderful trouble-free lab! It's difficult to treat all forms of kennel cough while at a rescue. It's also difficult to get rid of a very serious infestation of worms. However I think you have a simple recourse to start- ask the rescue for help! Explain to them that you had her feces tested and she is still positive for worms. Also explain what she is doing that you think is kennel cough. They should be able to get your treatment less expensively than at your own vet. Although a vet visit for worm meds and kennel cough meds is a relatively straight forward, inexpensive trip. I can understand your hesitation and concern that she not have something more significant healthwise- but wouldn't you trust what your own vet says more than the rescue's vet?

I hope things work out for you all! Sounds like she is already family!

I think since you are still fostering I would think they would be paying for her healthcare (not sure about that though) I'm sure they will want to work with you to take the best care possible and be sure she is healthy so she will be easier to adopt out. I would voice your concerns to them and explain and I am sure they will help you out . Sounds like she really needs you in her life, hopefully in a home environment she will flourish. If it means a forever home for her I think they will be inclined to do whats best for her and make sureshe has a healthy start. Good Luck for you and the pup.

I would be on the phone with her coordinator trying to figure out something for this girls and your family. I love fostering, but my family and my dogs have to come first. My husband would also be freaking out his grass:) Call the coordinator and see how they want to proceed. I would think they should pay for her vet care since technically she's not yours.

Hi, Thanks for fostering her. I foster Greyhounds...They come to me with worms. Here's what I do. I always take them outside to do their business. They are not house broken and this helps train them that doing it outside is what I want. She probably is not housebroken either if she was at the shelter. Anyway....When they poop, I put a plastic bags right behind them and the poop falls in the bag never touching the ground....Problem solved! (the greyhounds are dewormed several times in foster care)

About the medical issues and vet: Most rescues have specific vets that they use that give them discounts. Also most rescues required you to get approval before taking an animal to the vet and they pay for the vet visit if you follow their procedures. You should talk to the coordinator about the procedures and then follow them.

I would not talk to the coordinator about adoption of this dog yet. They may be less likely to want to pay for treatments if they think that your are going to get "attached" to the dog. Has the dog been spayed? The rescue should do this also.

Some rescues, like the one I foster for, pay for food, treats, have built in dog sitting and give you a crate, leash, collars and any other supplies that they would like you to use. Some give you only a crate at a minimum and maybe leash and collar. If you are not happy with this rescue...Don't judge all the others rescue by this one. There are loads of rescue and they all would love to have you as a foster.

I'm awaiting my 3rd foster ....It's coming this weekend. I can't wait!

Good Luck...

So, I spoke to the lady I've been in contact w/ regarding this dog - last night was horrible as the pup would not sleep in her kennel (house) and wanted to constantly go outside to do her duties and she piddled and had diarrhea all night, she also was hacking and wretching all night with sometimes having sputum come up - I finally settled in on the couch w/ her next to me at 4am, I know she got her way but after 3 hours of constantly telling her quiet and going outside I was at my wits end... anyway I told her I would gladly take the pup to their vet so she can get proper treatment. They use a couple vets and the one she suggested is too far for me to travel esp w/ my 2 kids that I would have to drag along w/ me. The other one is at PetSmart about 15 mins from me. So, I told her I'd be happy to take the pup to PetSmart. She told me that PetSmart would just "run a bunch of tests that she had already" and that they would "charge them un-necessarily". She told me she would give me what they gave at the rescue for kennel cough treatment and to go from there. She acted like all of this was no big deal and all rescue dogs have these things. My husband is furious as this lady is really leaving a bad taste in my mouth about rescuing an animal. Luckily, I have a patient of mine that rescues pit bulls and trains them for search & rescue dogs, she has been nationally recognized and has received many awards and is a huge believer in rescuing animals, especially labs right now as they are the #1 rescue dog!!! She is going to come to my house this weekend and evaluate the pup for us, she did tell me that we should probably consider taking the dog back since this woman at the rescue seems to act like all this is no big deal and is not very willing to help!! I told the lab rescue woman (I am not sure if she is the coordinator) that I had a dog that had diabetes since she was 4 y/o so I am familiar w/ treating a sick dog. I don't mind treating just the worms or just the cough but I am not comfortable treating many different ailments!!! I told her they can take the dog back and when she is healthy we can consider adopting her then. She told me that they may not have room for her to come back and of course she is playing on my emotions. She however has ****** off my hubby whom I've had to calm down - especially since the dog still had worms and it is all over our grass (but he is attached to the dog as well) What I also told her is that my family & I want as healthy as a dog as we can get, aren't we entitled? I am going to try to suck it up tonight and hopefully this puppy will sleep through the night. She seems to be a little better today but I am fearing the night time routine..ugh... thank you for all your support.... oh btw, I told her she would be responsible for the bill of testing the feces from my vet, I will not be out any $$$ since we are only fostering...

As for the landmines out in our yard, she has literally gone everywhere in the backyard around where my kids play - at first she went to one side but now she has been everywhere - last night she had explosive diarrhea, so I couldn't pick it up. Tonight it is raining so I don't know what her poop is like honestly. I am very concerned now that there is crap literally everywhere and that there are worms in her feces - what can we do? we've tried to pick up what we could but honestly I have 3 kids and my hubby has been working alot the last thing I have time for is picking up the poop. I've tried to make her go in one place but now it's everywhere... this is a major concern for me and if we do get another dog and not keep this one can another dog become infected? What are the chances my kids can get the hookworms??? Oh and if she steps in it outside and it's on her paws, should I be concerned that she is tracking it in the house? I try to wipe her paws when they are wet... this is just kinda frustrating and I am concerned w/ my kids' health of course... thanks for any & all help!!!

Here are some pics of Addie (last one is a side view of how scrawny she is)...
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a171/michelerdh/DSC00885edit.jpg http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a171/michelerdh/DSC00900edit.jpg http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a171/michelerdh/DSC00871edit.jpg



and our little girl Sinder, RIP 4.15.09 ~
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a171/michelerdh/DSC00584.jpg

I am but suspicious of the woman running the rescue. Is she the only one in charge of this so called rescue? Is this a legitimate rescue or just some woman that collects dogs and tries to place them? She doesn't seem to have the dogs best interest in her mind. The dog is sick and she should want to treat the dog so that it does not get sicker and die. Is the dog on medication? I think I would do some research about this rescue to check it out. Do not judge all rescues by this one...

Did this woman do a home visit? Reference check? How did you find this rescue? Does your vet know anything about this rescue?

I guess that this point, you only have a couple of choices:

Adopt the dog so that it gets proper treatment, turn the dog back in...or fight tooth and nail with this woman for treatment.... Either way would try to find out where you can report her......and not foster for her in the future.

As for the dog sleeping: She is sick and she has diarrhea, she probably is unable to sleep all night. It's like having a sick child. Are you still feeding her dog food? I think she should be eating white rice and boiled chicken and not dog food because of the diarrhea. You really need to seek medical attention. The dog sounds very sick. Is the diarrhea from the deworming? Did the dog get checked for Heartworms? The dog might be dehydrated too.

I feel for you because emotions get involved and the decisions are hard ones.

I'm not sure I understand, the dog is from a shelter but under a resuce? Did you pull on behlaf of the rescue? Or did the rescue pull and then give you the dog to foster (with option to adopt). Would have pay an adoption fee if you choose to adopt?

Oh adn it's not unusual for rescues to use vet's that are farther away (they go where there are deals, oen of the rescues I work with go to a vet that is an hour (almost) away).

Having said all that, NOT all rescues are equal. Some are organized, will fully vet all dogs (at rescue's cost not fosters) and be supportive. Others are just one or two people calling themselves a "rescue" and do only "urgent" vetting. Chalk it up to lesson learned, and next time do abit more research on the rescue and ask more questions about how they work. Some mean well but don't have the knowledge to run things properly. Some just take on more dogs than they can properly pay vet bills for (and are already maxed out on credit).

If she was at the shelter, it's possible the rescue didn't know all the truth behind the dog's health. I know sometimes shelter workers (or those who are links between shelters and rescues) with fudge the details to get a dog out of the shelter. I was caught in that when what was described as "minimal food aggression" become full out aggression (posessive agressive) on anything and everything the dog thought of as hers.

Good luck. It sounds as though you may have to make the decision to just get the girl to a vet you trust and foot the bill. Then remove that from the adoption fee (it'll probably be higher than the adoption fee).

I'm sorry, I keep interchanging "rescue" and "shelter" - it is a rescue... they do have a website and seemed okay. The website is: http://www.fortunatelabrescue.org/

There were 2 ladies I was dealing with and neither one really said they who was in charge. Unfortunately this was the first place I had visited w/ NO intention of bringing home a dog.... They had me fill out an application but the same day I saw the dog I was told I could have brought her home. I waited a day so I could speak to my hubby and get things ready for her. They told me I could foster w/ the possibility of adoption. There was never a home visit, my references were never checked and since the other day I have not even heard from this woman. She did give me medication for the dog and I was told that this was standard meds given to the dogs at the rescue for kennel cough & worms. The good news is that the pup is doing much better and the last 2 nights has slept in her cage (home), the diarrhea has stopped let's just hope the little bit of cough & worms go away soon.

Now for the cost, is $300 too steep for a dog (puppy I guess - they think about 10 mos. old) from a rescue? She was given all her shots, tests, meds, spayed & micro-chipped. They believe she is a chocolate/border collie mix.

Tomorrow a friend of mine that rescue's & trains pit bulls for search & rescue is coming over to give me her opinion and check her out for me. She is also going to do a check on this rescue as well. She told me to take her back the other day but we of course have become attached. I told the lady at the rescue that they could take her back until she was better but she danced around the fact that I am now "fostering" the dog until they can find a home for her. I guess I'll give her the care she needs until we decide if we are going to keep her (she really seems like a great dog, I am just worried she is not healthy) or find a great family for her. She needs lots of training and wants to run. I have to get her a decent training collar and so far she seems to listen for the most part. I forget how much work puppies are since our old girl Sinder pretty much laid around the last couple of years!!! I hope we can fatten this one up a little, she is so scrawny!!!!

Rescues can charge that much. My Rescue charges $250 for fully vetted (wormed, shots, neutering) Greyhounds. They do not microchip. I have seen the receipts of cost for some of our dogs and even a healthy dog's costs are close to that price...let alone a dog with some medical problems and the costs then could be up to a $1,000 or more. $300 is very reasonable especially since the dog is spayed.

It is disturbing that this rescue does not do a home visit or check references.

$300 is not at all a steep adoption fee...around here it is about that with most rescues and the humane society. Most dogs cost much more than that is maintenance and vetting.

HOWEVER, I read thru the foster contract (did you sign that?) and it seems to say that foster homes pay for everything (food, vet care). if this is true, that is very different from what I have seen before, usually if you are paying $300 it is because the dog has been vetted and covers food costs for the rescue. But I may be misreading the contract.

Unfortunately it sounds as though they either pressured you into making the choice to "foster" real fast or you feel in love with the dog and just agreed to it. But as a first time foster it is very normal to not think to ask these questions. I foster for two groups but it is well understood before I take on a dog thaht the food adn vet bills are for the rescue, NOT me. I occasionnaly pay for food but that is my own decision. They bring food when they drop of the dog. They also are not stingy on vet care, I just say "I think this should be checked" and they check it.

Again, every group works differently. This means you have to ask all these questions (and most people just don't).

Sounds like you need to get ahold of someone and work out a plan (i.e if you pay the vet bills it should be taken in consideration when you adopt the dog - normally the rescue pays vet bills and in that case you WOULD pay for the adoption fee).

My understand that if a foster wants to adopt their foster dog, the rescue drops the adoption fee but charges the foster the actual costs of vetting the dog. Assuming that the dog is healthy and the vet care is normal, it would be less than the adoption fee....but no much less.

I have not adopted a foster so I am not 100% sure. Someone in the group told me this. I also don't know what happens when a dog has large vet bills and the foster wants to adopt.

Good luck

Rocky911 - you hit the nail on the head... they conned me into just "taking the dog home to see if she works w/ the family" - and now my kids are attached, I am still hesitant which sounds bad but true... guess I just don't want to get too attached since we just lost our dog a couple of weeks ago. This pup looks alot like our dog Sinder that's why I think I brought her home, it felt like something was missing. We had looked at getting a labradoodle but saw what they cost and figured there were a lot of dogs that needed a good home and I didn't want a small puppy to have to train (potty & obedience).

My intention was not really to foster, but they told me I had to sign the contract agreeing to just bring the dog home and they wrote on it "foster w/ intent to adopt" (my husband yells at me all the time for just signing things) - I must look dependable & caring (I had my 4 y/o w/ me too) but they should have checked us out - I also went through the site and realized that the woman I am dealing w/ is just a volunteer and there was another lady I had been dealing w/ that is the director and kept pawning me off to this other woman. When I called each of them to ask questions, they acted as if I was bothering them. I am still waiting for a phone call back from the director lady asking what these meds are that I am giving the dog. I haven't been too worried because I already asked my vet!!! The only money I am out thus far is the toys I bought for the dog and the lab cost for the worm test we had done the other day. They gave me a small bag of food but that ran out a couple days ago. I had some food from our dog that I have been mixing a few kibbles w/ ground beef/rice mixture. They also gave me a couple of cans of dog food (Pet Science i/d) to use for the diarrhea.

She really is doing much much better and is really peppy and seems happy. The only thing that bugs me about her is that when my kids try to run w/ her she jumps up and "play bites" but tonight she seemed a little more aggressive in my opinion. She was really worked up and had her "puppy" burst of energy (I am sure you have all seen that before) and we were throwing a ball trying to get her to fetch (finally caught on) when my kids tried to run after the ball she ran w/ them and tried to jump on them. I don't remember if this is normal puppy behavior since it has been so long since I've had a puppy (plus didn't have children when I had our old dog as a puppy). I was right there and quickly intervened w/ a stern NO and she stopped and kinda cowarded to the ground like she knew it was wrong. I worry about what her past was and hope this isn't an instinct thing. They told me at the rescue that she may guard her food bowl w/ other dogs but she seems fine when it comes to eating, typical lab as far as I am concerned. She also wants to run when I bring her outside in front on her leash, when people and dogs especially are around she goes nuts... I am guessing this is probably corrected w/ obedience training.

You all have been a wealth of knowledge and I appreciate your taking the time to respond to my questions & venting. My friend that is coming tomorrow has a reputable rescue she knows personally that she said if this doesn't work out we can go there.

oh and this did seem like a reasonable way to get a dog, I've had many friends who have gotten a rescue dog and have been more than happy :) I didn't know what the rescues usually charge and I didn't want it to seem like I thought that $300 was too steep, I just wanted to make sure it was reasonable. Thanks again!!!!

oh and this did seem like a reasonable way to get a dog, I've had many friends who have gotten a rescue dog and have been more than happy :) I didn't know what the rescues usually charge and I didn't want it to seem like I thought that $300 was too steep, I just wanted to make sure it was reasonable. Thanks again!!!!

It's a great way to get a dog. And a few years ago before I was in fostering, my brother was looking for a dog and I thought the rescue fees were steep but back then I didn't understand how much money rescues spend getting dog/cats for healthy and for vetting.