Squad Foster Frank

Meet Frank! This 18-pound bundle of joy is the perfect size for lap snuggles and road trips. Recently neutered and up-to-date on all vaccinations, Frank is estimated to be about a year old—still a young pup with lots of love and energy to share!

Frank may be small, but he’s got a big heart for making friends. He adores playing with other dogs, regardless of their size. His playful spirit and friendly nature make him a great companion for doggie meet-ups or multi-dog households. Plus, he’s a quick learner—Frank already knows commands like “sit,” “shake,” and “down.”

This little guy is also a huge fan of car rides, especially if he can peek out the window from your lap. Baths and grooming? No problem for Frank! He’s a champ with pampering and loves to look his best.

Frankie Longbody had a fantastic follow-up visit at Riverside Vet yesterday! He’s making great progress, receiving more medicated ointment to help with his ear infections and getting his first DAPPV vaccination to protect him from distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, and parainfluenza. He also got his bordetella vaccine to stay safe from kennel cough!

Unfortunately, Frank’s fecal test showed he has hookworms. We’re hopeful this first round of deworming will clear them, but we’re staying cautiously optimistic, as we’ve seen how persistent hookworms were with Hope earlier this year. She required extensive treatment, which even led to hospitalization for severe anemia. Frank will have another fecal test in three weeks to determine the next steps. His follow-up exams are scheduled for 11/11/24 and 11/25/24.

Frank was such a trooper during his vet visit that he earned a special outing for crepes! He rode around like royalty in his stroller, matching his foster mom in the cutest sweater.

Squad Foster Frank had his first exam today at Riverside Vet! Weighing in at a solid 19.2 lbs, Dr. Price estimated him to be around 1 year old, though he still has one stubborn puppy tooth hanging on. While Frank wasn’t exactly thrilled with all the poking and prodding, he’s on his way to a clean bill of health soon.

Good news: Frank’s skin scrape showed no mites, helping rule out demodex. He has some bald spots, but they don’t seem to bother him. Right now, Dr. Price thinks his skin issues could be flea-allergy-related, as there was some flea dirt. Frank received a ProHeart 6 injection to protect him from heartworm disease for 6 months, and will take his first Bravecto to guard against fleas, ticks, and other parasites, followed by Drontal to clear out any intestinal nasties while we wait for a fecal test. One of his ears was also infected, so he received treatment and will go back next week for a follow-up.

Frank also got his rabies vaccine today, but we’re holding off on the DHPP until next week so we don’t overwhelm his system. This is a common reality for dogs coming off the streets—there’s a lot to catch up on for their health.

Shout out to Courtany and Adam, Frank’s foster parents! Since their two pitties at home may have been exposed to possible fleas, we’re covering a month’s worth of Simparica Trio for each of their dogs to keep them protected. One of the perks of fostering with us is that we’ll always cover the cost of any preventive care your own pets might need due to exposure from their foster sibling!

Last night, while dropping Cody off at his potential adoptive family’s home in Williamston, we encountered one of the most heart-stopping moments a rescuer could face. Right there on a rural highway, we watched this sweet little guy dodging car after car, coming way too close for comfort. There were so many near-misses that we had to look away, fearing we’d witness the kind of tragedy we work every day to prevent.

Without a second thought, Randy pulled over, and to our surprise, this little trooper came trotting right up to him. Let’s just say, his smell could knock out even the toughest among us! Even though we consider ourselves pretty resilient to odors, there are no words to capture the level of stink he brought with him into the truck.

After dropping Cody off, we returned to where we’d found him. Randy knocked on trailer doors nearby, hoping someone might recognize him. With no leads there, we tried the convenience store around the corner and another house on the block, but no one knew who he was.

So here we are, 15 hours later, with this little “Frank” (as we’ve affectionately named him) safe and sound. He’s shaped like a hot dog, so Frank it is – plus, he’s got his “beans,” so Frank ‘n’ beans just fits!We could tell right away he’s young, still holding on to a few puppy teeth, and likely has mange, so he got a much-needed bath with a medicated shampoo, and he’s already looking and smelling like a whole new pup.

If you recognize Frank, please reach out to us ASAP. In the meantime, we’ll be getting him vetted at Riverside Vet on Monday and scheduling his neuter. A huge shout-out to Courtany and Adam, who adopted Poppy from us last year and have offered to foster Frank. Your support means the world to us!

Welcome to the Squad, Frank!