Scooter the Dog’s Happy Tail
I first met the dog Scooter while he was at the Humane Society. Dr Coder had asked for a second opinion on him while I was there helping with other things. Scooter came to HSSW flea ridden and missing hair on 3/4 of his body. He also had terrible dental disease. Dr Penny Coder had started him on medication to clear the fleas and help his skin, and he was showing enough improvement that they could start looking for his permanent home. Thankfully, the Thoreson’s decided they were up for the challenge!
Scooter had initially gone to another veterinarian before being brought to me for a second opinion. At JVC, the initial treatment was aimed at getting Scooter’s skin infection under control, which took multiple rounds of antibiotics. Once we got the infection cleared, we diagnosed him with an underlying allergy. It took several medications to find the best fit for him. As we got his skin issues under control, we shifted gears to tackle his dental disease. Scooter ended up needing multiple extractions and additional antibiotics to clear up the dental infection.
The Thoreson’s reported tremendous improvement in Scooter’s energy level and attitude within days of his dental procedure. Scooter’s resilient spirit is a wonderful inspiration. A huge thank you to HSSW for not giving up on this dog and to the Thoreson family for believing in his potential!
“Last year, just prior to my birthday, my family took me to the Humane Society—they thought I needed a dog to take on my daily walks. We noticed Scooter and spent some time with him getting acquainted. Scooter was wearing a cone around his neck, as he was recovering from an untreated flea infestation that he had come in with. Although Scooter was missing a lot of hair in various spots, back, tail, throat etc., we finally decided to adopt him, as he seemed to be such a nice dog.
The first Vet I took Scooter to said that he should have been “put down” for the condition he came to the shelter in. He said the skin on his back had a yeast infection that would probably not go away and would cause an odor problem that would eventually permeate the house. Scooter was continuing to itch some of the areas that were hairless from the prior flea infestation to the point he would not stop. This vet said Scooter would probably need medical care for the rest of his life and suggested we return him to the shelter in exchange for a healthy dog.
Wanting a second opinion, we took Scooter to Dr. Mike at the Janesville Veterinary Clinic. He saw what he called a “train wreck” of a dog but felt he could work with him and help. A complete health assessment found Scooter was very healthy on the inside, and Dr. Mike developed a plan to effectively treat Scooter’s yeast infection, which has since dissipated. Antibiotics helped to combat the itching along with some prescription dog food for a short time. Scooter then underwent extensive dental work to remove a couple teeth that were abscessed and take care of some of his broken teeth.
Scooter continued to have some itching flare-ups from time to time, but Dr. Mike eventually tried a fairly new drug on Scooter, which has done wonders. Scooter has not had the itching flare-ups, and the bare spots have begun to fill in. His tail has recently gotten bushy and hair has returned almost everywhere. Even though he has a thin spot still on the rear half of his back it seems that is slowly filling in.
Scooter has adjusted well to our house–he has a great demeanor with our grandchildren and us when they visit and is very playful. He’s a smart dog and follows me practically everywhere. I once thought our previous dog Andy was the best pet I’ve ever had with the exception of one I had growing up with my parents, but Scooter is quickly climbing that ladder!”
