.

A.S.A.M. Canine Chemical Dependency Assessment Summary: Romulus Mars

A few years back, Romulus ran away

from what neighbors and  police later described as a Meth cook house.

At the time he chose to change his life and enter recovery,

he was suffering from severe paranoia, high anxiety, hallucinations,

hypersensitivity, trauma response, had chronic skin breakouts all over,

and he was tweaking pretty darn bad. 

Romulus’ clean date is 6-1-05.

He is an 85 pound dog.

“Rom”  detoxed at the Animal Shelter and stayed there for

short-term residential treatment where he completed the program.

He was then discharged directly into a supportive recovery home.

He still lives in his clean and sober home

with his own personal Co-occurring Disorders Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

Rom still has some P.A.W.S. (Post Acute Withdrawel Symptoms) ,

 but after a year of being on prescribed anti-anxiety and anti-depressant psych meds 

combined with intensive 1:1 cognitive-behavioral therapy

with his professional dog trainer,

 he is now stable and long ago titrated off his psych meds.

He also successfully used complementary medicine modalities such as

                herbal and homeopathic remedies, acupressure, and                   

meditating while sitting in tall  grass.

He loves the sounds of big motorcycles and bigger trucks, though

the sound of yelling or the smell of alcohol still can give him  flashbacks

which trigger him to become hyperalert and a bit overly defensive. 

He keeps very quiet about any possible old criminal history,

but has clearly resolved this after frequent past incarcerations at the Shelter,

and he has had no known recent criminal activity. 

He has, however, had his share of relapsing into old criminal “stinkin thinkin”

which tempts him to commit petty household crimes such as

stealing from the kitchen garbage or catfood bow

and drinking from the toilet. 

Rom has no current legal issues to overcome,

Since he just got his license renewed.  

Romulus’s heritage appears to be of

Chinese Sharpei and German Shepherd background,

(with perhaps a bit of Rottwieler way back).

His wrinkles were apparently genetically inherited, but since he was adopted,

 it is unknown if his disease of addiction also runs in his family of origin.  

Romulus is single, may have offspring out there somewhere from the old days, and

had a great couple of dates with a wonderful “normie” gal (who was of  St. Bernard,

Mastiff and Lab heritage) but he’s been told not to date while still in early recovery.

He loves natural hot springs, long walks on the beach,

hiking in Old Growth Forest, and running on trails.

After gaining ten pounds, he began to exercise regularly in his own yard

and now sometimes goes fellowship at the dog park. 

He has learned to play and have fun in recovery,

 and his favorite clean and sober activities include

rolling in the grass and tossings toys in the air to catch. 

His support network includes his recovery family, his recovery camping group and

his reformed bad-boy pit bull friends who are also former studs in recovery.  

His best animal friend now is a calico feline named Grace Otter

who lives in the same recovery home

(who focuses on her own recovery program for friends and family members since

she also has her own control issues and still tries to boss Rom around.)

So Romulus is now also working on his own co-dependency issues.

 His service position in his recovery program is “Therapy Dog”

since he can’t make coffee. 

Romulus loves being happy, joyous and free.

-k.fitzpatrick., BA, NCACII, QMHA