Kohen
| ID | 49735679 |
| Gender | Male |
| Weight | 26 kilograms |
| Size | Medium |
| Age | 3 Years 8 Months |
| Colour | Brown |
| Breed | Terrier |
| Status | Available |
| Arrival Date | May 28, 2024 |
About Kohen
NOTE THAT I AM A SPECIAL MEDICAL NEEDS ADOPTION. PLEASE READ MY BIO IN FULL BEFORE SENDING IN AN APPLICATION TO MEET/ADOPT ME. THANKS!
My name is Kohen, and boy have I had a journey to where I'm at today! I was a resident of the BVSPCA back in 2022 as a puppy. At that time, I had food allergies which would manifest as yeast infections in my ears and paws, however it was fully controlled with diet and medications as-needed. I was adopted to a loving family, but unfortunately over the course of 2 years, my health declined significantly. My family reached back out to the BVSPCA to let them know they had been struggling severely with my health, and they were out of options to diagnose and treat me. I was returned to the BVSPCA back in May of 2024, and began my medical journey.
Unfortunately, my medical journey has not been an easy one. When I arrived back to the BVSPCA, I was an emaciated version of the dog I once was. I had numerous infected, necrotic sores and scaly patches covering my chest, neck, legs and paws, and had lost fur over 70% of my body. I had sores on my feet making walking painful, lesions on my ears, and bleeding ulcers in my mouth and throat. Over 6 months, the BVSPCA staff in conjunction with local veterinarians have worked tirelessly to diagnose and treat my symptoms. I have underwent numerous tests, biopsies, diet trials, medications, and treatments to lessen my symptoms, and while some improvements have been made to my overall comfort level, my symptoms are still not controlled. I have cyclical flares-ups of my skin, and require weekly medicated baths and twice daily oral medications to keep me comfortable. I also have gastrointestinal issues that come and go, and I struggle to gain and maintain weight. The tests have ruled out a number of conditions (cancer, autoimmune, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections), but unfortunately they still don't know what is wrong with me, and therefore don't have an effective treatment plan to manage my symptoms.
Despite all of this, I am the HAPPIEST dog and don't let any of my ailments keep me down! Snuggling and playing are my favorite pastimes, and I'll never pass up a (hypoallergenic) snack! I'm very smart and eager to please, although I'll admit I've been more focused on trying to get healthy, so I'll need some reminding of my manners when I move back into a home. I am an extremely gentle and loving dog who will be loyal to the end to someone that takes a chance on me, and I promise to repay you with kisses and cuddles. I know I'll need a special family willing to take on my health challenges, but someday I hope to be a normal dog with a committed family to call my very own. I sure think I deserve it after all I've been through!
***As of October 26th 2024, Kohen is awaiting referrals to a Dermatologist and Internal Medicine Specialist in Calgary to do more testing and try new treatment plans. At this time, we do not have a definitive diagnosis for Kohen, nor do we have an effective long-term plan to mange his symptoms. He has made significant improvements since May, but has numerous ongoing challenges. As Kohen has been at the shelter for more than 6 months already, we are putting him up for adoption in the hopes that a very special person or family may come along that is touched by Kohen's story, and is willing to adopt him "as is" with the understanding that they will need to continue his medical journey toward finding a diagnosis and treatment plan that works for him. In the meantime, we will continue to search for answers to find something that relieves his symptoms to allow him to work toward living a normal life.
Dog-friendly: Untested, leash reactive
Cat-friendly: Untested, likely no due to high prey drive
Kid-friendly: Yes, respectful older kids recommended due to health challenges
Do I Need Special Care?: Yes. I have an undiagnosed condition which results in severe skin and gastrointestinal symptoms. Currently, I am on twice-daily oral medications, supplements, and require weekly medicated baths. Per the note above, I would be adopted "as-is" with the understanding that my future adopter will need to pursue additional testing with specialists to search for a diagnosis and treatment plan to manage my symptoms.
My name is Kohen, and boy have I had a journey to where I'm at today! I was a resident of the BVSPCA back in 2022 as a puppy. At that time, I had food allergies which would manifest as yeast infections in my ears and paws, however it was fully controlled with diet and medications as-needed. I was adopted to a loving family, but unfortunately over the course of 2 years, my health declined significantly. My family reached back out to the BVSPCA to let them know they had been struggling severely with my health, and they were out of options to diagnose and treat me. I was returned to the BVSPCA back in May of 2024, and began my medical journey.
Unfortunately, my medical journey has not been an easy one. When I arrived back to the BVSPCA, I was an emaciated version of the dog I once was. I had numerous infected, necrotic sores and scaly patches covering my chest, neck, legs and paws, and had lost fur over 70% of my body. I had sores on my feet making walking painful, lesions on my ears, and bleeding ulcers in my mouth and throat. Over 6 months, the BVSPCA staff in conjunction with local veterinarians have worked tirelessly to diagnose and treat my symptoms. I have underwent numerous tests, biopsies, diet trials, medications, and treatments to lessen my symptoms, and while some improvements have been made to my overall comfort level, my symptoms are still not controlled. I have cyclical flares-ups of my skin, and require weekly medicated baths and twice daily oral medications to keep me comfortable. I also have gastrointestinal issues that come and go, and I struggle to gain and maintain weight. The tests have ruled out a number of conditions (cancer, autoimmune, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections), but unfortunately they still don't know what is wrong with me, and therefore don't have an effective treatment plan to manage my symptoms.
Despite all of this, I am the HAPPIEST dog and don't let any of my ailments keep me down! Snuggling and playing are my favorite pastimes, and I'll never pass up a (hypoallergenic) snack! I'm very smart and eager to please, although I'll admit I've been more focused on trying to get healthy, so I'll need some reminding of my manners when I move back into a home. I am an extremely gentle and loving dog who will be loyal to the end to someone that takes a chance on me, and I promise to repay you with kisses and cuddles. I know I'll need a special family willing to take on my health challenges, but someday I hope to be a normal dog with a committed family to call my very own. I sure think I deserve it after all I've been through!
***As of October 26th 2024, Kohen is awaiting referrals to a Dermatologist and Internal Medicine Specialist in Calgary to do more testing and try new treatment plans. At this time, we do not have a definitive diagnosis for Kohen, nor do we have an effective long-term plan to mange his symptoms. He has made significant improvements since May, but has numerous ongoing challenges. As Kohen has been at the shelter for more than 6 months already, we are putting him up for adoption in the hopes that a very special person or family may come along that is touched by Kohen's story, and is willing to adopt him "as is" with the understanding that they will need to continue his medical journey toward finding a diagnosis and treatment plan that works for him. In the meantime, we will continue to search for answers to find something that relieves his symptoms to allow him to work toward living a normal life.
Dog-friendly: Untested, leash reactive
Cat-friendly: Untested, likely no due to high prey drive
Kid-friendly: Yes, respectful older kids recommended due to health challenges
Do I Need Special Care?: Yes. I have an undiagnosed condition which results in severe skin and gastrointestinal symptoms. Currently, I am on twice-daily oral medications, supplements, and require weekly medicated baths. Per the note above, I would be adopted "as-is" with the understanding that my future adopter will need to pursue additional testing with specialists to search for a diagnosis and treatment plan to manage my symptoms.