Meet Gentle Ben, we call him Ben for short ! We think Ben is a lab/hound mix and about a year old. Ben was picked up by animal control as a stray in the Central Valley and brought to a high kill shelter near Bakersfield, where most dogs don’t get adopted. Ben was rescued by Rocket Dog Rescue and brought to his foster mum where he is doing great! Ben is the mellowest, sweetest, and gentlest guy we’ve ever met! He loves to sleep and cuddle, go on walks (he is great on the leash), and he loves kids and people! This guy just wants to be loved!! He is looking for a loving family to call his own… He’s a fantastic dog & will make someone very happy.
Ben was taken to the vet for an exam, neuter, microchip, and vaccines. During his visit, some blood work was done and the results indicate that he has decreased function in his kidneys. This does NOT necessarily mean he has kidney failure, but his lab results were abnormal. A diagnosis of any kind cannot be made definitively until a series of blood tests are done over a period of several months.
What does this mean? There is no way to know what the future will bring for Ben. It may mean that Ben will require a special (low protein) diet for the rest of his life…so many of the commercial dog foods are high protein so it may have to be a food available through the vet’s office. It may mean that he will need to lead a quiet lifestyle as he will tire quickly. Or it may mean he will adjust and go on to lead a good life. He will need a great deal of understanding and patience when he tires or needs to go outside more often to relieve himself. Since his diet has changed, he seems to be perkier…that is great after just a few days!
What causes dysfunctional kidneys? This is the “$64,000 question” as they say….there are so many causes, but the vet seems to believe that most cases in younger dogs are congenital (born with it), not age-related as more commonly seen in the older dogs. Other causes of dysfunctional kidneys can be ingestion of toxins (antifreeze, grapes, mushrooms, to name a few…), trauma, infections, or drug overdoses.
There is no way to know what the future holds for Ben. We do want to inform people about this new development. Unfortunately, there was no way to know this beforehand. Ben is still looking for a forever home, but obviously it would have to be with someone who is aware of his possible limitations and health issues.
Please contact us if you are interested in meeting Gentle Ben. Adoption applications are found online and can be submitted directly to adopt@rocketdogrescue.org and a volunteerwill contact you with more info. Please put “Gentle Ben” in the subject line of your email.