Meet Maui!
Maui is an adult Shih Tzu (maybe mix...he is a BIG boy) who comes to us from NACC. He was surrendered to the shelter for medical reasons. He had been suffering with bladder stones and his prior owners did not pursue treatment. We are not here to judge. We understand life happens. But, if you know your dog is suffering there are options. Please contact your local shelter if you find yourself in this situation. They have resources available and if that fails, they can take the pet into their custody and provide the necessary care.
Maui had been suffering for some time. He had a raging bladder infection which produced crystals in his urine. And, if that was not painful enough, bladder stones formed. Bladder stones can be an emergency situation for male dogs. If a stone gets lodged in the urethra, the dog can get very sick. Sepsis can occur, even death, if not treated ASAP! Thankfully Maui's owners surrendered him to the shelter in Norfolk and the shelter staff acted immediately when they understood why his behavior was so bad. He was in severe pain! His bladder was FULL of small stones growing larger by the day!
Maui was taken to an emergency hospital for treatment and brought back to a foster home to recover. His mood improved tremendously. He lived with respectful children and other dogs, and tolerated them. When Compact Canine Rescue took him in we assumed he would be scooped up quickly. He was pee pad trained and recovering from his procedure nicely. He did need prescription food to keep the stones from returning. But as time went on, it became evident he was not going to be adopted. He was also quite persnickety despite having surgery.
Maui is not a fan of being moved from the spot he picked and he isn’t food motivated. He does things at his pace. He loves being outside and enjoys a walk. He also loves other dogs. Fortunately, we had a foster family who could meet his needs. They took him in and took it slow. Thankfully, he gets along well with his canine siblings (of different sizes -- large and small). This made finding a retirement home easy. His foster family has several dogs of all sizes and are partial to Shih Tzu's. It was a match made in heaven. He gets to hang out with the pack daily. He trusts his foster family and is finally starting to relax.
It has been a journey. These short paragraphs about him do not begin to tell the whole story. He will have to eat prescription food for the rest of his life. He is on some Prozac to help with mood stabilization. He takes supplements to help with the pH of his urine to prevent further stones. He needs regular check ups in addition to annual wellness visits. None of this is cheap, but we owe him. He deserves to be comfortable and happy.
He is a typical Shih Tzu (a diva) but also really sweet. But, despite his misfortune, continues to be a good boy. He will live out his life with our rescue until his time on earth is complete. But of course, that takes volunteers and money. If you cannot volunteer, please consider making a contribution to his care. Our donations links are below.
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