Ramblings From The Ranch
TLC for Blind Theo
By Christina Bennett
One day in October, we arrived at the Ranch to find a scraggly mess of a dog in the play yard — maybe a poodle mix with full dreadlocks. After a visit to the groomer, he turned out to be a beautiful senior dog, about 8 years old. We had him neutered but it was obvious he had issues with his eyes. One eye was practically closed and the other was cloudy with a cataract. We knew he needed surgery on his eyes but it would have to wait until he was able to get some good nutrition and gain strength for the surgery.
Corrine, one of our dedicated volunteers, took him home to foster. She reported he was a wonderful little dog. It was obvious he had very little vision. However, after bumping into walls and furniture, he soon learned the lay of the land. He would find his way out to the back yard for potty breaks, meet Corrine at the door if she’d been away, and loved his walks.
Meanwhile a rescue in the US had expressed interest in him. They felt they could get him adopted easily and Bon Voyage agreed to send him on their December bus trip. But then we learned that Theo was not crate tolerant. No one wanted to put him through the distress of a long bus trip if he was unhappy in a crate. Jena Olio from Clicker Pets offered to crate train him—now he happily goes into his crate all the time!
But Theo’s medical concerns must be addressed before he’s ready for adoption. After seeing an ophthalmologist, it was determined that Theo would first need his teeth cleaned. There is a correlation between the teeth and the eyes. One eye had collapsed totally which happens if cataract surgery isn’t done and the other eye is highly questionable. Because Theo also has some kidney issues, we are trying to limit the anesthesia requirements.
So after teeth cleaning, he will go to see his specialist and they will remove one eye and test the retina if the other eye to see if it is healthy enough for cataract surgery. The surgeries will be expensive, but we are determined to do whatever necessary to help this sweet boy. The Ranch takes every dog’s life seriously! Luckily, one of our big-hearted supporters, Louise, stepped up with a donation to cover the medical expenses. (You too can sponsor a dog—see The Ranch’s website for details.)
Foster Corrine was willing to keep him as long as necessary, but she had a family issue arise that required travel. Theo is now with his new foster, Heather, who reports that he is the perfect roommate. She takes him for long walks and they are becoming inseparable
Hopefully by the time you read this, little Theo will be completely healed and ready for his forever home. He is very friendly and affectionate, independent, confident, completely housebroken, not a barker, and likes other dogs.
As you can see, helping dogs like Theo requires a lot of resources. You can help The Ranch by fostering, donating or volunteering. Email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or donate through our website at Theranchchapala.com.
For more information about Lake Chapala visit: www.chapala.com
