Luka

This special boy is Luka and he is looking for an EXTRA special home (we will get to that after the fun basic info). Luka is thought to be a labradoodle and is around a year old. He currently weighs 55lbs and is neutered. Luka was found as a stray in Kentucky. He is dog friendly, and loves playing with dogs. He would LOVE another dog in his new home. Luka chases his fosters cat but it's playful. It is unknown about small animals and farm animals. He is also great with kids! Luka walks well on leash with an easy walk harness. He is super goofy and will help fill your home with laughter! Luka's favorite things are getting petted, hugs, cuddling, eating and gerber baby puffs! He is house trained and crate trained although he doesn't like being in his crate for more than a few hours. He has slight separation anxiety but his foster mom leaves a benebone in his crate when she leaves and that keeps him busy. Now to the special needs. Luka has mega esophagus. This is the condition in which the esophagus is stretched out. Normal dog kibble or water can get stuck and not make it to the stomach and there is the chance of aspiration pneumonia with regurgitation. He takes 1 omeprazole (generic Prilosec) every morning, this isn't an expensive medication. Luka CANNOT eat or drink like a normal dog, he has to eat three times a day in his Bailey chair (this helps to push food/water down) and stay in there for at least 20 minutes afterward. He has a neck pillow that helps keep his head up and he seems to regurgitate less with it on and always sleeps with it on. He gets a can of food or one and a half cups of kibble mixed with plenty of water, and blended into a slightly thinner than milkshake consistency. If feeding canned food, must be in pate form. If doing kibble must be as least grainy as possible. Of all the foods his foster has tried with him, he does best on either science diet or Purina, the sensitive skin and stomach forms. He does not like Taste of the Wild food, but has done well with the following: Purina, Zignature, honest kitchen dehydrated made into meatball form, and blue buffalo adult chicken and rice. The ONLY treats safe for him are gerber baby puffs. He loves the sweet potato and blueberry ones. Luka's perfect home would be with someone that knows about, or is patient and willing to learn, how to care for a dog with Mega esophagus. Patience and understanding are a must with this sweet guy. From his foster: Potential approved adopters can come see how I feed him and if it's something they can truly handle. He is going to regurgitate. Usually once a day at least, especially after he has been playing hard with his foster siblings. Accidents happen. Sometimes he sneaks in when I am trying to give water to my old dog with kidney issues and steals some water but as long as I put him right in his chair for 20 min he seems to be fine. Also with it getting hotter his saliva is getting thicker and he can even aspirate on that so if I notice that I'll give him some water in his chair. He knows when it is food time to go to his chair and put his front legs up on me and I will guide him into his chair as he walks backwards but he is very easy to get in there and used to it. He tries to cheat and lean forward so I usually put a cushion in front of him. If he is slouched over the food will have a more difficult time getting to the stomach than if he is straight up. And life also happens and it's not always perfect. If a day goes sideways and I only have enough time to get 2 meals in, I do 2 cups each meal and 1/2 hour in chair afterwards and make sure plenty of water in each feeding. If I do cans on days I only get 2 feedings into him I use the wellness lamb which is 644 calories per can. But these cans are not meant as their sole diet alone so can Not do this every day. Luka is a counter surfer so I leave nothing out he can get and chew up and when he is in his crate when I am not home with only his mat and benebone so he doesn't get into anything that could hurt him. Signs of aspiration: each mega esophagus dog is different in this way. Some stop eating. Not Luka. Man he loves to eat! But he got gurgly, like when he breathed it sounded like the frog in your throat kind of sound of mucus back there. And he regurgitated too many times to count in a day. Regurgitated is different than vomiting in that it doesn't come from the stomach so there is no retching or gagging. It's just like a little hiccup and a lot of undigested food. He didn't feel warm or get sluggish or anything else noticeable. One By One Rescue PA Rescue Kennel License: 18578 Kennel address: 1793 Breakneck Rd, White, PA 15490 *We are a foster based rescue, there are no dogs on property.