Libby - In BDRA Foster Care

Name: Libby
Sex: Female (not altered)
Breed: Australian Shepherd
Age: 4 weeks
Location: Ellsinore, MO

Vet Info:  Libby is not quite four weeks old yet and has not been to the vet. She will be going for her 6 week vaccination and will get her eyesight and hearing checked then.

Owner Info: DOB June 28 2012. When our senior blue merle aussie came into heat, we put her in a fence to keep her away from our male red merle but we noticed only a few days before the two puppies were born that she was pregnant. She wasn't even big and we didn't notice her large nipples under her long hair. We have a home for one puppy. The other puppy we kept alive hoping that she would not be blind or deaf. We got her tailed docked and she is full blooded. We will also continue her vet visits until she is 8 weeks old. She will be 4 weeks this Thursday. We would love to keep her but we do not have the time to spend raising a blind dog nor do we know what to do. She would need to be inside and we simply do not have the room. We are not sure that she is totally blind or deaf since she is 3 weeks old but we are pretty positive. She has a good sense of smell and a great personality already. Very calm and makes noise if she feels uncomfortable. I have not taken any steps to rehome her so far. We live in a small town close to Poplar Bluff and I volunteer for the animal shelter here and sometimes foster for a program called Choose Adoption Please. I don't have any hope for her in this area because of how many dogs I see go through the shelter and get transported. I would like to see her go to someone who has worked with dogs like her before. Libby is an living indoor and being crated, she is too young to be fixed or housebroken yet. Though she has a great sense of smell and can be taught to pee in one area. She is peeing in only one side of the area she is in now with mom and other puppy. We have been testing her and observing and believe she is blind. Her eyes are open and seem to go a little outwards. She might have some sense of near sight. Will need more testing because we think she might be sensitive to light. Might also be deaf. We aren't finding any response though her ears could be developing slower and need more time to fully open. Just not sure but need to find a rescue or home that is familiar with her needs just in case. Even if she turns out healthy, which I almost can 100% guarantee she is not, she still needs a home. Just hope that we can find her a good rescue or immediate home! Picture is at three weeks old. She has a large red merle patch on her back and red tint all on her face.