Photos from Summer 2010 Animal League Photo Shoot – Sponsor Dog Rockstar!

We are happy to report that Rockstar is feeling well! His foster mother has absolutely no problems with him. She says he is a wonderful and affectionate dog and she couldn’t be happier that she is taking care of him and his special needs. Even her grandchildren adore Rockstar. Rockstar has become a fun-loving playmate for them whenever they come to visit. The best part of all is that Grandma is getting a lot more visits from her grandchildren thanks to Rockstar being a member of the family!

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Posting by Rockstar’s new owner, David:

Rockstar is doing great and we’re loving him more and more.  He’s become an integral part of the family.  He loves going for long walks, playing fetch at the park across the street and playing with the kids on the floor.  He’s learned so much, he’s such an attentive dog.  He knows how to play tag and hide-and-go-seek (the kids taught him both) and he sits and lays down upon command.  He’s gotten much better at taking the pill in the morning for his liver, which needs to be given with no food 1 hour before eating.  At first it was hard to get him to swallow, but now he’s really got it down (or maybe I just got better at it).  He still tries to hide every morning behind the bed.  Hasn’t figured out that hiding in the same place every day is predictable.  Then again, took the kids a while to figure that one out in hide-and-seek too.

Rocket’s health is pretty good all things considered.  He’s thrown up a few times, usually after eating grass in the backyard, but it doesn’t seem to be anything abnormal.  He takes his medicine and his prescription food every day and I even think the hip dysplasia is less apparent.  Perhaps just because he’s happier.  We got him a deer antler to chew on and it’s great.  Takes forever to chew down even a little of it and now he spends less time eating my wife’s nice high heels. 

Overall, we’re having a great time with him and I think he also feels totally part of the family.  Many thanks to everyone at the North Shore Animal League who has helped and still helps take care of Rocket and to all the sponsors who help with his health care.  I like to think Rocket is wise beyond his years having suffered through so much at such a young age, and that he really appreciates it all.  I do think he’s happy now and feels safe and loved and I’m very proud and grateful that we have the chance to share time with such a wonderful animal.

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Rockstar is enjoying his new home and his adoptive family has fallen in love with him.  They report that he is truly a rockstar of a dog: sweet disposition, well behaved, house trained, knows a lot of commands and is very attentive.  His only bad habits are occasional barking in the backyard at the neighbor’s dog and chewing the occasional pair of shoes.  He sleeps in the master bedroom on his very own rug and he’s a great guard-dog – he wakes up and barks whenever an odd noise comes near the house.  His new family spends a lot of time with Rockstar in the house, on the floor of the living room and walking around the neighborhood.  He has the run of the backyard and is very happy chasing a ball (or a stuffed animal) there.  Rocket continues on his special diet dog food to keep him as healthy as possible.  Rockstar is shown here ballet dancing with his new friend!

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Sadly, Rockstar was returned to the Animal League by his new foster care family due to the unfortunate foreclosure of their home.  Upon return, Rockstar’s hind legs seemed stiff when he was walked.  He was x-rayed and diagnosed with dysplasia in his right hip.  He is not a candidate for surgery at this time, so he was started on Cosequin and cage rest.  The lameness was immediately relieved, so the Cosequin was prescribed to continue.  Everyone who knows Rockstar says he’s a great dog.  It is our goal to find him the perfect foster family.  We’ll be sure to keep you posted. 

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In 2009, North Shore Animal League America will turn a very proud 65 years old – 65 wonderful years of rescuing, nurturing and adopting!  With the invaluable help of loyal friends and supporters like you, the Animal League is able to save nearly 20,000 lives each year.  The Animal League and all of the Sponsor Program pets would like to thank you for your life-saving monthly contributions.  Thanks to Sponsors like you, Rockstar can receive the medical care he needs and deserves as well as enjoy the best quality of life in the comfort of a loving and safe home.  We are counting on your continued support in the New Year.  We look forward to a very happy and healthy New Year for you, Rockstar and all of our beloved special-needs Sponsor Program pets!

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Rockstar is feeling well and getting a lot of attention from the Animal League staff members.  He’s still in the Animal League’s shelter, patiently waiting for his loving home.  He will soon be getting a Kennel “Buddy” – an assigned associate taking extra special care of him – walking him, talking to him, one on one play time, etc.  He is next in line for a Buddy, so he will soon be an even happier boy than he already is!  As much as we like to have Rockstar around us, we desperately want him to find either a foster care home or an adopted home.  We know that he longs for a place of his own and a wonderful family to please.  We hope his holiday dreams come true very soon!

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Rockstar is a fun and friendly Sharpei/German Shepherd mix. His loving and sweet personality makes you fall in love with him the moment you meet him. This handsome canine joined the Animal League’s life-saving Sponsor Program in 2008.

Rockstar was originally adopted as a puppy and later returned to the Animal League in 2007 after the previous owners reported that Rockstar had a seizure. He had a comprehensive physical examination, blood work and urine testing. The results of these tests indicated that Rockstar had a disorder of his liver called a Porto Systemic Shunt (PSS). A PSS is caused by abnormal blood flow thru the liver. The abnormal blood flow caused toxin buildup in his body that resulted in seizures. At the time of his initial workup, Rockstar was also found to have bladder stones, which is also a common occurrence in dogs with PSS. Rockstar was also found to have an ocular condition called entropion where the eyelid margins roll inward causing irritation to his corneas. Left untreated, entropion can result in corneal scarring and even blindness.  

Rockstar was evaluated by a team of veterinarians that specialize in internal medicine, ophthalmology, and surgery and the good news was that Rockstar’s conditions of a PSS, bladder stones and entropion would carry a good prognosis if surgery was performed.  Rocky underwent four separate surgeries between 5/08 – 8/08 to fix his liver, bladder, and eye conditions and he has recovered fantastically! He was a trooper during his recovery period, always wagging and willing to take his many medications.

He is on a special diet and liver supplement for his liver condition and will need to stay on this special diet for his entire life. This combination of a special diet and liver supplements will help his liver remain healthy and prevent any worsening of hepatic microvascular dysplasia which is a common sequella to PSS. We anticipate that with proper veterinary care and follow-up, Rockstar will live a full and happy life.  We would like to welcome Rockstar to the Sponsor Program, and we look forward to caring for him forever. He gained many fans here at the Animal League during his hospitalization. This is one Rockstar who knows how to draw a crowd!

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