Kilo's Foster Buddies:

• Andrea Wall
• Deborah Robinson
• Paul McCague

We met Kilo on a cold, rainy autumn night in Port Perry.

He was a surrender with a multitude of health problems; bladder stones, diabetes, weight issues. He faced his situation with patience and grace. As he regained his health we discovered a gentle, sweet, tender gentleman.

He welcomed you with his head bowed and a light in his eyes. While he loved everyone, he held his guy friends close. Snuggling up in bed. Or sitting on your lap, watching the hockey game.

He had a wonderful coat; warm, soft and thicker than most pugs. While he tolerated his fellow pugs, he quickly restored order when they became too friendly.

He was a sweet foster, who brought a lot of joy to his adoptive home. He was everything wonderful about a senior pug.

Kilo left us on a beautiful spring day.

Here are some pictures of Kilo showing off the gardens at his furever home with his buddy Bailey.

Kilo's settled into his new life with ease thanks to Vera and all her care and attention. Kilo could not have found a better match for his furever home. Kilo welcomes Vera home after each outing with happiness in his step and a wiggle in his butt. Kilo's contented warming the foot of the big bed but looks for a snuggle each morning. Vera's brushing Kilo's thick coat frequently so he looks his best when he's out on the block.

Kilo has been a little reserved getting to know the new sights and sounds of the neighbourhood. These sights include regular greetings from his canine neighbours Bailey and Charlie. Kilo's nose can be often found planted firmly against the window as he takes in the action at the street level. Kilo has been lucky enough to cruise the tree lined streets on hot humid days and walk in the sunshine when the weather permits. He's fortunate to have many friends in his apartment complex who are more than happy to check in on him or take him for a walk when the need arises. In fact the neighbours kept coming to the door to make his acquaintance during his home visit. Kilo's had the pleasure of a meet and greet with his new vet Michael Cormier who was kind enough to trim his dew claws.

Kilo is one lucky pug to have found such a loving and attentive home.

Stand by for more information and a happy tails.

Kilo is a lovable, snugly pug that can't get enough belly rubs. He wags his tail every time you talk to him and really enjoys human interaction. He has a soft spot for the men of the house. He is particularly smitten with teenage boys. Kilo took to my son immediately and would wait patiently for his return from school. Kilo will go up on the furniture, preferring to have enough room for him to spread out comfortably. However if he thinks sprawling out on the couch beside you will bring him belly rubs, he won't hesitate to join you.

Kilo is not a fan of toys but prefers to play with his human companions. He'll dart and chase if you engage him in play. He loves his walks and car rides. He is a really good traveller. He'll find a spot and stay put for the duration of the ride.

Kilo has displayed some resource guarding around food. He needs to be fed separately if placed in a home with more than one dog. He needs the occasional reminder to be gentle taking his treats. Likely this wouldn't be an issue if he's the only dog. Kilo knows basic commands including shake a paw. He also responds consistently when called.

Kilo's house training is great. He's had few accidents to speak of and he'll wait patiently at the door when he needs to go out. He likes to sleep in the big bed near his human companions. Kilo is not a big barker but will bark at meal time or to beg for food.

Kilo requires a home where his owners monitor his health closely. While he has a clean bill of health he requires a special diet to prevent the recurrence of bladder stones. He requires regular urine gravity checks during the first year to ensure the diet is keeping his urinary tract at the right PH level to avoid the formation of stones. Treats need to be limited not only because the extra weight stresses his joints and doesn't help his diabetes but also because the treats could modify the PH level being established by the special diet. Kilo is a diabetic. He doesn't require insulin shots but there is potential for this in the future. Kilo would need to be watched for signs of excessive water intake and frequent urination. Other signs that his glucose levels are out of whack are a ravenous appetite and continued unexplained weight loss. If any of these symptoms occur, Kilo would need to see the vet right away. He's been off insulin for several months and has not displayed any of these signs.

Kilo's surgery is schedule for May 31. Keep your fingers crossed for the boy.

As much as I was hoping Kilo's good luck would continue, he's going to require surgery after all. The bladder stones are not dissolving. Tomorrow I'll find out when his surgery is scheduled. Kilo will have the bladder stones removed, a broken tooth fixed and a microchip inserted. His pre-surgery blood work returned positive results. This sweet boy is going to need a little more TLC before he's ready for his furever home.

There's more good news from the vet. Kilo's glucose levels remained great after 3 weeks without insulin. He'll continue to be monitored for signs such as increased water intake and frequent urination but other than that, his glucose levels will only need to be checked every 6 months.

Another x-ray was taken. While the bladder stones are still present, they seem to be smaller and less of them. It's a good sign that the stones are the type that can be dissolved with a special diet. We're going to put him on antibiotics in case bacteria are contributing to the problem and continue with the diet. We'll check him again in a month.

He's also down to 22 lbs.! The boy certainly has more pep in his walk. He's putting this extra energy to good use at the off leash park.

Great news! Kilo is off insulin. His glucose level came back positive again this week. Three weeks from now, he's scheduled for another glucose check and an x-ray to check the status of his bladder stones.

Kilo enjoyed the warm weather and the off leash park this evening. He was a good boy at the park. He comes when he's called and stays with the group. He also interacts well with the other dogs and people.

Now that his glucose levels are stable we can look at resolving his bladder stones. We have one health issue in check and one more to tackle. With any luck, the x-ray will provide more good news.

Kilo's glucose levels have been within the normal range on our last few visits. Following each visit we reduce his insulin dose and check him again in 2-3 weeks. Currently he's on .5 CC twice a day. The amount is so small, it's hard to measure. There seems to be potential to get him of the insulin. If we were so lucky, his glucose would need to be checked regularly. Our next appointment is on March 8. I hope we get another good level and can try to forgo the insulin but I may be getting ahead of myself. Once the insulin issue is settled, Kilo will have another x-ray to see if the SO diet has dissolved his bladder stones. If not, we'll book the surgery.

Kilo looses a few oz between each visit. He has lost his waddle and is getting around with greater ease. He no longer hesitates before jumping up on the furniture. He won't join the crowd on the couch trying to claim a corner. Kilo prefers the whole ottoman to himself or not at all. Granted, Kilo is still a large pug. I guess the boy needs his own space to spread out.

Kilo is a real gem. He has such a gentle disposition. His worst habit is barking for food. Since he was fed people food in the past, you really can't blame him for giving it a shot. Kilo continues to have a soft spot for my son. I'll often find him curled up in my son's bedroom waiting for him to return from school. He'll follow me downstairs but then resume his post. Kilo is pretty cautious at the pugalugs. He never ventured too far but prefers to stay near his foster clan. He's warming up to the off leash park mind you. He's also starting to show a little playfulness. He prefers to play with the humans more than the dogs.

Kilo warms hearts wherever he ventures. I can't find the words to express just how sweet this boy is. With any luck, Kilo's health issues will be behind him shortly.

Happy Day! Kilo just returned from his glucose check. It came back with a value of 4.9 and the goal is 5. We had reduced his insulin to 1.5 units over the last 3 weeks.

Although dogs typically have Type 1 diabetes, Kilo is responding more like he has Type 2. Although this would certainly be odd, it's good news nonetheless. We're going to maintain the 1.5 units twice daily and check him again, this time before dinner instead of mid day. He has been loosing a little weight with each visit. This is also good news for both the diabetes and his joints. Most dogs develop cataracts within 6-12 months of being diagnosed with diabetes. The hope is that if we continue to manage it carefully and he continues to do well on a small insulin dose, he may be less susceptible. He doesn't require drops of liquid tears as originally thought. If Kilo gets a good glucose reading on his next visit, we'll arrange for another x-ray. There's a chance the SO diet has dissolved his bladder stones. If not, we'll book the surgery to remove them.

On the home front, Kilo is a real gem. He fits in well with his foster siblings and is accustomed to our routines. He remains hopeful that barking for food will bring results. It's about the only time you hear from him. Surprisingly Kilo doesn't snore. I would have thought it likely because of his size. He's down to 23.5 lbs but he still looks large with his beautiful coat.

We're still working on managing Kilo's diabetes. There was a concern with the only approved insulin for dogs. As such, we've switched him over to a different kind of insulin. This puts us back at square one. We're testing his glucose levels every two weeks until we reach a point where the diabetes is under control. Lately his levels have been low instead of high. We've cut back on the dose and he goes for another check on Dec 22. This could be good news. His body may still be producing some insulin. The vet indicated he's responding to treatment in a way more typical of cats. We can't schedule the surgery for his bladder stones until the diabetes is under control unless of course he develops a blockage. Keep your fingers crossed this doesn't happen. He's on an SO diet to prevent the formation of more stones.

Kilo continues to get along extremely well with his foster siblings. He really is a sweet boy and an excellent house guest. There have been no accidents since the UTI cleared and he started on insulin. Occasionally he gives Cody a word but nothing Cody hasn't thoroughly earned. Much like his foster sibling Rocky, he doesn't understand when the other dogs play. He'll bark when they start tearing up the house. However, he's not a big barker. He'll let you know if someone is at the door or to let you know he'd like a plate at the table J. He likes his belly rubs from the guys. He's got a lovely thick burly coat. He could stand to loose a few pounds to help with the diabetes and stress on his joints.

Kilo’s settled in well with his foster clan. He’s finding his voice and is sure to tell us at dinner time that we really should set him a plate. No harm in trying. We have a vet visit scheduled for tomorrow. His fructose levels over time will be checked to get a better idea of whether we have the diabetes under control or not. If he gets another good level, we’ll look to schedule surgery to remove his bladder stones and broken tooth. Kilo’s a great house guest. Since starting his meds he’s had little or no accidents. He still prefers the man of the house when it comes to requesting belly rubs.

Kilo's glucose levels were low today so we'll have to adjust his insulin dose and check him again in a couple of weeks.

Kilo's an owner surrender. He's a sweet gentle giant. He weighs in at 26 lbs but he could stand to loose a few pounds. He's got a lovely thick plush coat. He's a little timid around new people and situations but he warms up fairly quickly. Kilo's settling in well with his foster siblings and only once or twice had to tell Rocky he was a little too intrusive with the sniff and smell routine. Kilo waddles because of the extra weight and he moves along at this own pace. I suspect my furniture may look much more attractive once he's shed a few pounds.

Kilo took to my son immediately. He has a warm place in his heart for the men of the household. Kilo will let it all hang out for a belly rub in the trusted arms of my husband. While Kilo prefers to stay on the floor most of the day, he laid claim to my son's bed on day one. He also prefers my son's company when he's home and will sit happily and watch him on the computer. He quickly secured my son's lap for the trip up north this weekend. We didn't hear a peep from him for the rest of the trip.

Kilo came to us with incontinence and blood in his urine. He likely has bladder stones. We'll have a better idea next week when some x-rays are taken. Not surprisingly, he has a urinary tract infection and started today on some antibiotics. The vet visit also discovered that Kilo has diabetes. He started on insulin injections this evening. He'll be checked again next week and we'll see if his blood work has improved. Kilo has been diagnosed in the past with dry eye and I've started him on artificial tears.

Now with all these health issues going on, I couldn't blame him if Kilo was on the grumpy side but it's been quite the opposite. He's been reasonably co-operative about wearing a diaper and he's warming to the idea of eye drops when there's a treat coming afterwards. He managed to stay dry from 9 PM last night to 7:30 PM tonight. He will sit patiently by the door to ask to go out. He won't bark. He took a hectic weekend of lots of people, confined spaces and long car rides in stride. He was also a good sport about his bath. Heck he even tolerated my learning to give the insulin shots without so much as a flinch.