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This is the story of
KitiAge: 1 Year old
Weight: 40lbs
Breed: Greyhound - Beagle Mix
Sex: Female
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Kiti was found stray and brought to a local shelter, where her cuteness
quickly won her a spot in the Adoptions section. Sadly, during a meet
and greet with potential adopters, Kiti was dropped on her head. She
had swelling on her brain, resulting in loss of her eyesight. The
shelter didn't think she would even make it, so Kiti was scheduled for
euthanasia.
A CCHS volunteer rushed to evaluate her and discovered her eyesight had
actually returned. Despite a huge bump on her noggin and some
evident clumsiness, it was obvious this baby could still have quality of
life - if only someone gave her the chance. And with that, Kiti found
safe haven in foster care. Her brain swelling subsided and her eyesight
stayed. Still, Kiti suffered a significant brain injury, resulting in
long-term - possibly permanent - deficits. She's a Special Needs
doggie. Therefore, she needs a very Special Family!
Kiti's vision is at least 85% or better, though it does seem she may
have some moderate peripheral difficulty at times. She can easily find
her food and water (and you!), or a treat if it rolls away from her.
She is definitely doing this by sight, and not relying solely on her
sense of smell. Her long-range sight seems to be really great.
By the way, her favorite smell is "fishy", just like every other Kiti
cat! Her diet is high in DHA content: special food with additional
salmon oil for brain and coat support. We recommend she continue this
type of regimen, not only for her brain. She has a recurring mild skin
condition which 'flares up' then goes away, usually without
antibiotics. She's had a skin scrape test which was negative for mange
or yeast. Our trusty vet is still suspicious of undetected yeast, which
is quite common and easy/inexpensive to manage.
Neurologically, Kiti tends to 'lean' to, and favor, one side. This
helps her steady herself against her brain imbalance. She can be clumsy
and stumbly; she walks in circles at times, and occasionally she does
fall. For the most part though, she compensates
very well, getting around and playing just like any
other pup. The most wonderful and encouraging news is, Kiti has never
had a seizure. That is not to say they may never happen, but our
fingers are crossed and we're cautiously optimistic.
In so many ways, Kiti's just a normal kiddo: she looooves attention and
love. She knows her name and comes when called. She's simply one of
the sweetest darlings her foster momma has ever met! Her favorite
activity is snuggling against you while you pet and love on her. Oh,
and treat consumption. She really enjoys that! :) She can be very
excitable - especially when you walk into a room, but it's not
intentional, and would be very endearing to the right adopter. She's
easy to calm and soothe with a gentle voice.
Kiti will probably never do typical dog tricks for you, and simple
training and commands are challenging - though we believe, possible. Kiti
has a diminished capacity for learning and retention, but she's still
very smart in many ways. She makes tiny progress each day, but our
little masterpiece will be a work in progress for some time to come, and
may never reach 'completion'. Those considering adoption would need
to examine the full spectrum of loving such a Special Needs dog, and
decide if Kiti would be a good fit in your lifestyle, family and
home.
While not yet housebroken, she's trying very hard! The difference
between Kiti and other dogs is her diminished capacity for understanding
things like "holding it", or "asking to go out". It must never be
forgotten that she's not a 'bad dog'...she's the victim
of a brain injury. Here, we accommodate that in a number of ways. One
is by taking her out very frequently - almost as if she were still
a baby puppy. Housebreaking will be an ongoing process with Kiti and
it may or may not 'stick' fully at some point in time. Her ideal home
would be one where there's a stay-at-home family member, puppy-proof
flooring and most importantly - an abundance of patience and
compassion.
Kiti will need a very safe environment. Her adoption is contingent on
the outcome of a home visit, and any recommendations being met prior to
taking her home. We have implemented use of a puppy playpen for her,
rather than a typical crate. She has very long legs and likes to bounce
up and down on her front paws a lot. She kept banging her head entirely
too much on the roof of an enclosed crate, so we found another method of
keeping her safe and contained when unsupervised. She'd need something
similar in her new home...this is the first time her foster mom has ever
considered crating "unsafe" for a particular furkid.
Kiti is good with cats, kids and other dogs. She loves to play in her
own special way and would further thrive with the companionship of
another sweet dog, or children who are able to fully understand her
needs and limitations.
Additionally, other pets can sometimes react out of character to a
special needs pup, so it will be necessary to first introduce any
existing pets to her and evaluate how they will get along. Even the
sweetest pet can have a negative reaction to a pup like Kiti (including,
but not limited to, aggression).
Kiti has been spayed, and is current on vaccinations and HW
prevention...now she's just awaiting a forever home! If you are
interested in adopting Kiti, complete an online application today at
http://www.collincountyhumanesociety.org/Forms.htm!
***While I hope I've answered most of your questions already, my contact
info is at the bottom of this listing if you'd like to discuss Kiti
further. A dog like Kiti is a serious undertaking, and the purpose of
this (lengthy) bio is to ensure potential applicants understand that
aspect. But, a dog like Kiti also has the power to profoundly change
your life for the better. All dogs have that
power if we treat them right...but a few manage to tap into things
inside ourselves we didn't even know we possess! Nothing I could write
in this bio can decribe what a special and lovable little girl this
is, or how any 'effort' required with her is simply a labor of love.
Shoot me an email, and I'll gladly tell you more about Kiti...and how a
dog very similar to her changed me forever. I ran to save Kiti that day
because a certain special fur angel is part of my soul.
~Angie :) |
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