Moving from Seattle to Arizona in 2 months - any suggestions/guidance?

[KristinMarie]

Hi bully friends, I'm moving my Rocco from Seattle to Chandler, Arizona in 2 months. We are driving down and taking our time so the move doesn't take too much of a toll on him. Once we move there, I am wondering if anyone here has any recommendations to help him acclimate to the new climate, terrain. Of course I already know that he must not over-heat, must not be left outside at all, and make sure he gets plenty of fluids, and stays cool in doors in air conditioned climate during the hot months.

Does anyone have any experience with the other issues - scorpians, spiders, valley fever, etc. that I've heard about? Any suggestions would be great.

Also - I'm looking for a new bulldog vet in Chandler, AZ if anyone has a good recommendation. I already checked the Vet recommendation list for Arizona and there is one relatively close by in Mesa (about 20-30 minutes away). But I thought I would ask specifically in Chandler, or Gilbert which is closer.

Thanks everyone and wish us luck on this big move!
Kristin and Rocco

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

I'm not sure how close you are to Tuscon..but [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] lives there..and there ain't anyone more knowledgable than her! Good luck!!

 

[bullmama]

[MENTION=860]sheshistory[/MENTION] is probably close to you

The first summer is going to downright kill you. I also moved from Bremerton to Arizona (with our baby bulldog Baby) and thought I would die from the heat. I am sure it will be very similar to your bully.

The first two summers are going to seem so hot. Well, it always seems very hot but now I have no issues with going out and raking the yard in 110 weather. I was told that it takes two years for your body to fully acclimate, losing the insulation layer of fat (not really fat, but insulation fat) of your body. You have this layer when you live in climates that are cold. You will lose it completely in Arizona.

Now I have lived here for over 15 years, and anything below 70 degrees chills me to the BONE! Actually makes my back and bones hurt! lol

You will love it here, but it will be COMPLETELY different than living in WA.... you know that round ball hidden behind the clouds in Seattle? It is called the SUN. And you will see it all day, everyday, 300 days or more a year!

 

[JeannieCO]

All I know about Arizona is it’s HOT! Oh and it’s brown. @sheshistory is in Phoenix she may have she may has some information for you. I see that Chandler is only 25 miles from Phoenix. Don’t forget about rattlesnakes, they have plenty of them too. I would imagine that Rocco may experience different allergies than he may have now (if he has any of course) so that’s something to watch him for.

Have a wonderful journey to your new home.

 

[JeannieCO]

I see Lisa's already replied.

 

[TheLost]

My wife grew up in Seattle but moved away about 10 years ago... She still cry's about how much she misses it.

Having lived with somebody from Seattle for 7 years, here is my advice:

1) Don't keep telling people how much nicer things are in Seattle
2) Enjoy the lower housing costs.
3) It's OK to only own one sweater... even if you never need it.
4) The world is made of many colors... NOT JUST GREEN!
5) Learn to appreciate water.. Not everybody has it.
6) When/if you REALLY miss it.. a 2 day mini-vay-kay stay @ 'In at the Market' normally calms my wife down.

oh.. and Rocco will be fine. Dogs are very adaptive.

 

[sheshistory]

Ahh, get ready for a rude awakening. Arizona summers are NOT fun. You and your bully will be spending all your time indoors, enjoying the cool air!

Yes, we have scorpions and spiders and other scary things but really, it's not a big deal. Use the same discretion you would anyplace else and you'll be just fine - although that first scorpion sighting is a bit upsetting. Black widows are common but they are easy to spot and get rid of and usually are not aggressive.

Valley Fever isn't anything that you can really prevent, other than trying to stay healthy and strong and make sure you stay out of dusty areas - it's becoming more and more common in humans and dogs - but since bulldogs are indoors 99% of the time here, it's not terribly common for them.

I think I know which bulldog vet you may be referring to in Mesa and I cannot recommend them at all. I took Truman there to have his hips looked at as a pup (he suffered from severe hip dyplasia) because I wanted a vet that specialized in bulldogs. They recommended I put him down and did so in a manner that was neither compassionate nor based on current information on how to treat hip dyplasia - Truman is a healthy, happy 2 year old dog.

I take the dogs to Banfield Pet Hospital in Mesa. We go to Dr. Olsen but we used to go to Dr. Keller , who is now at the Banfield in Tempe Marketplace. Both are very good with our bulldogs.

If you have any other specific questions, let me know but I moved here from Buffalo, NY and it was a HUGE change! Nothing can really prepare you!

 

[BruceP]

I jealous Kristin... LOL

 

[KristinMarie]

Thank you everyone for your help and recommendations! I so appreciate my extended family here on EBN! I'm excited and anxious for the big change for me and for my baby bully Rocco. I will actually be splitting my time between Seattle and AZ so I get the chance to get away from the heat - but Rocco is moving permanently. My husband will be keeping tabs on him while I'm gone. I will keep you all posted on our move and adapting to the new environment. Thanks especially to @shehistory for giving me some vet recommendations. Tempe and Mesa are still quite drivable - and if I know from a fellow bully owner that they have had a good experience than that makes it all the more comforting.

 

[izstigspunks]

Snakes, scorpions and desert? Oh my! lol. But losing a layer of fat, then it must be heaven!

G'luck! Will pray that the move goes well. I'm sure everyone will adjust fine.

 

[KristinMarie]

Lol [MENTION=3952]TheLost[/MENTION]. thanks so much for your advice. I will be sure to keep these tips in mind. Can't wait for the change. I am still traveling back to Seattle 50% of the time - so I will be logging a lot of miles - but its worth it!
K

 

[KristinMarie]

Just wanted to update all of you on our move from Seattle to AZ. We have been here 2 weeks and are doing great! The drive down was long and tiring - but I think my husband and I had a harder time with it than Rocco. He slept pretty much the whole way. We made lots of stops for water and stretching our legs and were so happy to arrive safe and sound. Rocco is settling in great so far. It is really hot here - 109 today. We have a good routine with early starts in the morning before it gets too hot. He has two pee/poo pots we created that are in the shade different times of day. Both made from articificial turf (the kind you buy at home depot). I couldn't believe how well he adapted to it. He went pee and poo right away as soon as we showed him that was where he should go. What a smart boy!!!

Anyway - we are very careful when we take him out to potty to look for spiders, scorpians and snakes (oh my!). So far so good - but we always take the black light and flash light out at night with him. We ran into a wonderful manager at Petco who is also an experienced bully owner. He gave us some great contacts for vets and a local breeder so we can come up to speed quickly on an AZ related health concerns.

The biggest issue is of course Valley Fever. I guess it isn't really near where we live - but we are very concerned since we understand it is airborne. We have heard some horror stories about other bully owners that have lost their bullies to this horrible disease.

I just read through the string on sweet Butler - and his near death situation - but it sounds like his momma is taking wonderful care of him, and the recent new meds gabapantin really helped. I'm going to be super diligent to look for any signs or symptoms.

Anyway - just wanted to give you all an update. Enjoy your weekend.
Rocco's mom

 

[2BullyMama]

Just wanted to update all of you on our move from Seattle to AZ. We have been here 2 weeks and are doing great! The drive down was long and tiring - but I think my husband and I had a harder time with it than Rocco. He slept pretty much the whole way. We made lots of stops for water and stretching our legs and were so happy to arrive safe and sound. Rocco is settling in great so far. It is really hot here - 109 today. We have a good routine with early starts in the morning before it gets too hot. He has two pee/poo pots we created that are in the shade different times of day. Both made from articificial turf (the kind you buy at home depot). I couldn't believe how well he adapted to it. He went pee and poo right away as soon as we showed him that was where he should go. What a smart boy!!!

Anyway - we are very careful when we take him out to potty to look for spiders, scorpians and snakes (oh my!). So far so good - but we always take the black light and flash light out at night with him. We ran into a wonderful manager at Petco who is also an experienced bully owner. He gave us some great contacts for vets and a local breeder so we can come up to speed quickly on an AZ related health concerns.

The biggest issue is of course Valley Fever. I guess it isn't really near where we live - but we are very concerned since we understand it is airborne. We have heard some horror stories about other bully owners that have lost their bullies to this horrible disease.

I just read through the string on sweet Butler - and his near death situation - but it sounds like his momma is taking wonderful care of him, and the recent new meds gabapantin really helped. I'm going to be super diligent to look for any signs or symptoms.

Anyway - just wanted to give you all an update. Enjoy your weekend.
Rocco's mom

So glad all went well with the trip/move..... give the boy a hug from us

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

[MENTION=2913]KristinMarie[/MENTION] nice to hear fom you and happy you're there! Keep updating us!

 

[KristinMarie]

So glad all went well with the trip/move..... give the boy a hug from us

Hello Bully friends

I wanted to give you an update on Rocco and his move to AZ. I'm very sad to tell you that he has come down with Vally Fever. He was diagnosed 5 weeks ago through chest x-ray and symptoms -although he has yet to test positive for the valley fever anti-body - most likely because it is still so early in his disease for the antibodies to show up.

It all started with a well check at his new vet in early August. He checked out "fine", got his nails trimmed and ears checked, and thought all was good. That evening, he wouldn't settle down to bed, and started panting heavily and showing signs of respiratory distress (panting heavily, showing difficulty breathing, and very agitated) in the middle of the night. We rushed him to the nearest emergency vet for them to tell us what in the world was wrong. They ran very simple blood work, put him on oxygen, and then finally sedated him to calm his breathing and told us to take him home, and go see our vet in the morning.

After a night of almost no sleep, and high stress, we rushed him into his new vet the next day. They received the ER medical records, and started to evaluate his symptoms and run tests. They did a chest x-ray, blood work, and told us that he had a large amount of "fluids" in his lungs, and his white blood count was quite high. This indicated 2 possible scenarios. Pneumonia, or potentially valley fever. They sent his bloodwork to see if he tested positive for valley fever (which takes 3 days) and then sent us home with anti-biotics and anti-fungal medicine to treat until they got the lab work back.

The vet told us that there have been more and more cases of valley fever in Maricopa Country (where I lived) due to the change in weather patterns (more monsoons, and more dust storms) that are stirring up the fungus that typically lives 6-8 inches below the soil surface. We are so so careful with Rocco to make sure he isn't outside any longer then he has to for potty time. We don't hang out with him outside at all, due to the heat but also due to the environment.

3 days later, they called to say that he tested neg for valley fever anti-bodies - but since we had only been in AZ for 5 weeks, it would be very early that he would be exposed to the disease, and therefore very early to see anti-bodies. We continued treatment of both meds for 2 weeks and had a follow up appt last Friday. They did another chest x-ray and saw a slight improvement of the fluid in his lungs (20% improvement from 2 weeks ago) - but they were not pleased that it was not clear. So they have diagnosed him officially with valley fever. I was completely devastated.

I've tried my best to do some "balanced" research about this horrible disease. Best case scenario - we caught it early, and are treating it aggressively with anti-fungal medicines - and hope that it only stays in his lungs and he will recover fully in 6 months (through careful monitoring and continued medicines). Worst case scenario - it will spread to his organs, central nervous system, brain, bones and ligaments and will ultimately kill him. I'm sick about this development. I can't believe that he has contracted this horrible illness after just a few weeks in AZ. I have decided to move him back to Seattle and have just finished a 2.5 day drive from AZ to WA with him in order to remove him from this horrible environment, and so that I can take care of him (as I spend the school year in Seattle with my son, and work from home, so I can monitor him closely, and make sure he isn't progressing rapidly to a negative state of the disease, and to keep him calm and help him boost his immune symptoms with supplements, rest and excellent food choices.

I am hoping that we can beat this horrible disease and he will be fine. Please cross your fingers and pray for us.
I wanted to post this so that any other bully owners considering moving to AZ - that they think twice about their decision before putting their bully babies in harms way.

K