Adoption Stories: The Troubles With Oscar

PetSmart - Melissa Gray/For pets.com

I love pets and what they bring to my life - that’s why I’m the proud Pet Parent of two parakeets (Louie and Big Bird), two cats (Samuel and Harley) and an English Springer Spaniel (Abby). I’ve always said I’d like to get a pal for Abby so when I bought my first house, I decided to adopt another dog.

When considering what breed would suit my lifestyle, I remembered back to when Abby first came to live with me - at the time, I was in my early 20s. I went to a local pet store and instantly fell in love with her. She was the runt of her litter and the only one who hadn’t found a home. She also fit into the palm of my hand. That sealed the deal - I brought her home. I didn't know much about her breed and hadn't done any research at all, I just let my heart decide.

But pets need more than just love; to keep them healthy, they need maintenance, too. In Abby’s case, her long coat needs to be brushed daily to help with shedding and matting. And because her long, floppy ears are susceptible to ear infections so they must be cleaned frequently. Though I wouldn’t change a thing about Abby, I admit, I was completely unprepared for that part of being a responsible Pet Parent. Now that I was thinking about adopting another dog, I vowed this time would be different. I would do more research and be more prepared on what to expect.

I spent weeks online researching breed characteristics before deciding that a Dachshund was the right dog for me. A short-haired Dachshund’s coat wouldn’t require the same amount of upkeep as Abby’s and they weren’t as prone to ear infections. I looked online for pets available for adoption and found an 8-year-old male Dachshund at my local animal control. Abby and I went to the shelter to meet him. He was a stout senior with big brown eyes and teeth outside his mouth pointing in every direction. The volunteers at the shelter had lovingly named him Oscar for his hot dog-like shape.

The introductions between Abby and Oscar went well and I just fell in love with him. The shelter informed me that Oscar might need some dental work. I wasn't worried - I knew I was saving a life. Oscar had been at the shelter for three weeks already and his days were numbered. And I felt prepared to be the best Pet Parent I could be for Oscar. I had done my research and felt like I knew exactly the type of maintenance a Dachshund needed. I paid the adoption fee and loaded my little prancing dog into the car.

Not long after arriving home, I noticed Oscar had peed on the carpet. I chalked it up to him being in a new place. Then, a few minutes later, he went again next to the cat’s litter box. And again next to my bed. Oscar was clearly marking his new territory. The behavior concerned me but I was optimistic it would go away as he became more secure in his new home.

Then a new behavior popped up: When I left a room, Oscar would stand at the door and cry. Loudly. If I went to the restroom and closed the door, he cried. If I got up and walked from one room to the other or even the other side of the room, he stuck to me like glue. Poor Oscar had separation anxiety. 

I was familiar with the symptoms; Abby had gone through it, too. I read several books and learned how to help her through it. Now I would help Oscar through it, too.

And then there was the issue of Oscar’s teeth. Not only did he have wayward teeth poking in different directions outside of his mouth, but the teeth inside his mouth were rotted to the point of turning green.

I booked him a vet appointment and learned that his situation warranted much more than a cleaning – all of his teeth needed to be extracted. While the doctor prepared an estimate, I convinced myself that the procedure wouldn’t kill my budget. I was wrong.

When I got home, it hit me: the marking, the separation anxiety, the expensive dental work. “Why did I do this to myself?” I wondered. “Why did I pick a dog with so many problems?” Despite all my research, I still felt unprepared for this side of Pet Parenting. The tears started rolling.

Then I looked at Oscar’s sweet face, his huge brown eyes looking back at me and I knew exactly what to do next. I took out my credit card and called the vet to book Oscar’s dental appointment. I just let my heart decide.

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