Cam Goes HOME

Cameron was patient. He waited for his forever home. Sometimes it seemed like a dream. When he came into rescue, he was close to staving to death. Then he had heartworm, a blood-borne illness and a bladder infection. He got treated for it all, but the heartworm medicine put him at death's door again. He fought it off. Everyone who has met him falls in love with him. He greets every human as a potential friend, loves kids and meets other dogs with a friendly, proud tail wag. He deserves the best and he's going to get it. On Saturday, April 11, Cam goes home! He'll be heading from Wisconsin to Maryland, going from volunteer driver to volunteer driver until he reaches his new family. Thanks and blessings to all those volunteers for seeing Cam home. Thanks Pilot Mike for taking me to my forever home.
Only first class window seat for me.
Waiting for my luggage.

Look at him. Remember his first picture? He'd lost that spark and he'd lost hope. Now his picture reflects his gentle, deep spirit. His foster family says safe travels, Cameron. We love you and we'll miss you so.

Cam Gets Well

Cameron is on the road to recovery! He's fought through the heartworm treatments and the antibiotics for his various ailments. He rested and rested. Now he's an eating machine. His playfulness is back. Check him out on the back deck playing with foster sib Abby.



And here is Cammy showing his stellar dog greeting skills. He's proud, and he knows how to wag that tail!


And finally, Cam coming at the park. First, from far away and next a closer one. What a good boy!

Foster sibs love Cammy

Cameron has won over his foster sibs Duncan and Abby. Well, they're still jealous, but everyone likes to cuddle in bed in a pile of puppies.

Snow!

It was spring. Me and my foster sibs were on the deck, sunning ourselves. I ran around in the back yard. It was good.

The next day, all heck broke loose. Snow and freezing cold. Look, here's me in the same spot in the yard. Snow!

I told the foster moms that this was all wrong, but they didn't make it go away. If I close my eyes and wish, maybe I can make spring come back!

Health update

Cameron went to Gurnee, Illinois for his neuter and the second round of heartworm treatment. It was really hard on him. He lost much of the weight he had gained. He's sleeping a lot. IBR has lots of experience with heartworm+ dogs, so we're confident he'll pull through. Now he just needs a lot of rest and recuperation. Some good food and quiet.

Heartworms! Oh, no.

Cam's got his forever home. Now that he had gained some weight, all he needed was to be neutered. Unfortunately, his pre-procedure bloodwork showed that he was heartworm positive. He had a false negative when he was tested upon entry to foster care! The vet suspects that the disease was just beginning when he was in the shelter and thus didn't show up on the first blood test. So, no neuter for him. He also had a blood-borne parasite and a bladder infection, poor guy. He's had his first bout of heartworm treatment and antibiotics are fixing the other health problems.

Cammy is going to have to do a lot of resting while those nasty, dead heartworms dissolve into his blood. But he's a survivor, is Cam. And his forever family in Maryland is waiting for him to join them. Cam's vet billing will probably total over $1,000 when all is said and done. If you'd like to help, use the IBR link to the right. Every little bit helps. And keep Cam in your thoughts and prayers for a speedy, healthy recovery.

Forever Home!

Cameron's has a forever home! As soon as Cam is neutered, he'll caravan to his new home in Maryland! He is being adopted by a family who have Pax, a/k/a Lord Paxton, a former IBR foster. Here is Cam's new home state:

Yum, yum. Crab. Seafood. Yum. Foster moms will want to visit!

Toddler tested, toddler approved

Cameron is great with kids. He's gentle and happy to see them, whether outside at the park, on the sidewalk or in the house. Here he is with Quentin. Quentin threw balls, flailed his arms and generally was a 16-month old. Nothing fazed Cam. He even let Quentin step on his tail repeatedly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1YW2lU598k

Ok, we did as you asked...

now dole out the treat, lady! You said sit, we sat. Pay up. We don't want any trouble.

Cameron Gets to the Point

Cameron and foster family enjoyed a lovely day at the park. It was sunny and above freezing for the first time in weeks. We took advantage of it, spending lots of time outside.

A tired dog is a good dog!

Can we go to the park now?

We've waited so patiently for you to finish sitting in front of that little lighted thingie where you tap your fingers on a board. C'mon!

Cam Goes to the Vet

Mr. Cameron had a visit at the vet this week. He has gained 10# and now weighs 48#. He's still skinny, but it's no longer life-threatening. Cheeseheads know how to gain weight. Just look in the stands at Lambeau. Cameron was calm and gentle at the vets and got his shots. Next step: get neutered!

Our Daily Bread

Cameron's Top 10 Treats to Gain Weight:

10. Boring homemade, time-intensive, healthy dog treats

9. Hollow bones stuffed with treats

8. Applesauce

7. Pineapple

6. Cheese Curds

5. Red Lobster Leftovers

4. Any human leftovers

3. Anything from the trash (yum) (Why do they keep the lid closed? It's a buffet, right?)

2. Frozen Chicken Wings (they make my teeth shiny)

1. The heel of a loaf of bread.

That's right, this boy will do anything for a bite of ordinary bread. Go figure.

Doggy Door

Cameron is one smart boy. He watched his foster sibs go in and out the doggy door and was doing it like a pro within minutes of seeing it. He also comes when we say Cam! Come!

Romps in the Snow

Cameron is enjoying his time out in the snow. Every day he has a little more spring in his step. A little more energy. A few more doggy smiles. Now he is feeling stronger, his graceful tail gently wags all the time. He likes his foster sibs and happily lopes after them. Cameron has gained a few more pounds and now weighs 47.3#.

He's a little big for his English Cocker foster sib's coat, but he appreciates it in the bitter cold.

Cheese Curds as Pill Hider

Want to know the best place to hide Cameron's pills? Inside a lucious cheese curd. Seriously. With his love of cheese curds and cream cheese, he's a Dairyland Setter, through and through, although he's willing to come to your town if you're the right one for him! Oh, yeah, and look at how quickly this boy learned how to sit.

Cameron Settles In

Cameron is safe at his new foster home in Wisconsin. Since his foster sibs, Abby and IBR adoptee Duncan, are spayed and neutered, Cameron has no enticement to mark his new household. He was leashed to his foster moms or crated for the first few days with outside potty breaks every 2 hours. Cameron had two near flubs in the first few days, but he was quickly redirected outside. Potty-training success! He now has full house privileges. What a smart boy.

On his first night, Cameron snuggled into his soft bed of blankets on the floor.

Cam Gains Weight!

At his first foster home, Cameron gained 8 pounds in a little over two weeks! His foster mom credits good food, fresh air, playing with her children and cream cheese.

This boy is very interested in his unspayed foster sister. He likes to show her he's a great catch by marking the house and challenging the other unneutered male. Cameron must be younger than we thought, because he's still got an eye for the ladies! As soon as he gains a little more weight he'll be neutered, which should curb his enthusiasm and marking. In the meantime, Cameron is going to a new foster home with less temptation so that he can learn the rules for living with people. All dogs must pee outside is Rule #1.

Cam's Journey to Foster Care

Cameron began to perk up on the car trip to foster care. Look at how his head is lifted and his tail is starting to wag. He's checking out his world and surroundings.

And here he is, safe, clean and warm. Poor boy weighs only 38#. IBR will be monitoring his health and getting him proper vetting, but mostly he just needs good, healthy food and a warm, soft place to sleep. Time and love will heal him.

Cameron Gets a Second Chance

Cameron was a sad, dirty, matted stray who had lost hope. He had laid in a kennel in his own urine so long that his white fur was yellow along his belly, tail and legs.

And he was thin. So thin you could see every bone in his spine and hips. He was within a few days of starving to death. The picture on the right is Cameron's body after he gained 8 pounds. A kind shelter officer asked IBR to foster him so that he would have a second chance. IBR transported him to safe and warm foster home a few days after Christmas. What a present for Cameron!

Come back to watch Cam's progress and recovery.