About Rosco

Please read all before responding. Rosco's birthday has been placed as 6/1/2015 so he is about 5 years old though we don't know exactly how old he is as he is a rescue. We have had him about 2.5 years. This isn't just a simple rehoming because we can't afford to provide basic necessities. Rosco has Valley Fever. We are moving to Mississippi in February and will be unable to take him with us due to the high price of pet fees and the increased cost of treating his condition in a state that does not regularly see the condition. This fungal infection is extremely common in Arizona and it affects many dogs and even humans. Valley Fever is not contagious from dog to dog nor is it contagious from dog to human. It is caught by inhaling spores found in the dirt. Valley Fever can go into a sort of remission which means that it becomes undetectable by the lab and then they can stop medication. This is our hope and prayer for Rosco. His current titer is 1:8 which is the best it has ever been. He is well on his way to defeating the infection ! Rosco's infection is different than most as it is in his bones (mostly affecting his right elbow and shoulder and right hip) which is difficult to treat. The usual medication for this infection is Fluconazole but that medication did not effectively treat Rosco's infection. He actually got worse while on it so our vet put him on Intraconazole. This medication cannot be compounded and must he purchased from a human pharmacy. It has just become too much for us to afford on a single income as my husband has been physically disabled for 2 years now after a terrible motorcyle wreck. Between medication (at the very cheapest is $180/3 months worth at Costco) and blood work every 3 months ($120-250)... It is just too much and he has had to go without medication/blood work for months at a time. His last blood work in December and refill of meds were paid for by a very courteous donor with whom we discuss possibly rehoming but they were unable to take on another pet. He takes his pills with just a bit of peanut butter on them and thrown into his food. He will also happily take them in Pill Pockets He also occasionally takes veterinary prescribed anti-inflammatory meds when he is limping but hasn't had to take them in the last month. He also just had a teeth cleaning and all of his teeth are in good shape (not missing any and none need removed). He is otherwise healthy with impeccable blood work aside from the Valley Fever. On a lighter note - Rosco is microchipped (dual registered with Home Again and Found Animal Registry), fully vaccinated and up to date including Rabies, Distemper/Parvo combo, Bordetella (kennel cough), and Leptosporosis. He is current on flea/tick/heartworm control and he is neutered. We will send him with all his things - nice food/water bowl set and floor mat, large sized kennel (he is kennel trained), a few toys, and what ever food we have left at the time (he eats Pedigree and does very well on it) and what meds we have left for him at the time. We will provide all veterinary records that we have, as well, including blood work and a referral to our vet if the adopter would like. He knows many commands (sit, wait, shake, down, go to kennel, off, speak, whisper, watch em, heel, load up, etc) and is house broken. He occasionally will have an accident in his kennel but if taken out at least every 12 hours, he does not. He mostly likes to lounge on the couch but is almost always up for a walk or playtime. He walks well on a leash and is good in the car. He does NOT do well with nails trims unless he has them grinded down with a dremel. Pretty much any groomer can do this for you about once a month. He behaves very well for baths and even allows for blow drying. He could be a great service dog if someone took the time to train him - he is eager to please and very smart. He is quite treat motivated ! He loves to go on walks, play fetch or tug of war, and belly scratches. He loves people and especially loves children. However, he gets VERY excited about kids and small children may easily be knocked over in his excitement. He has never shown aggression towards anyone. He has not spent a lot of time around other dogs but does not show aggression. He gets very excited around other dogs so any introductions need to be carefully controlled as some dogs will not appreciate him jumping around/on them etc. He is also good with cats INSIDE the home. Outdoor cats he WILL try to chase but we do not allow him to. As we're sure it is obvious, he is a very good boy and we love him so much but we cannot be selfish. It is not fair for him to be in pain or not be able to have his meds when someone else could love him just as much and be able to treat his condition. We want him to have a home that can give him everything he needs and wants!

Maricopa County
Phoenix, Arizona