My Love Is Sleeping At My Feet: ACL Surgery Complications

This story was submitted by one of my readers, who wishes to remain anonymous. It is not fair that some dogs have been dealt such terrible cards. But love overcomes much!

My love and his brother were both rescued from a canal when they were 3-4 months old. My love had a badly broken radius/ulna and his brother was extremely sick from Valley Fever. They were lucky that the person who picked them up was a vet. She started treating them and kept them at the clinic.

I met them and started taking them out for walks and would drive them around in my car just so they could get out of their kennel for a bit. I took them one day to a friend who had a huge back yard with grass. They had never experienced grass on their feet before and it was hilarious watching them realize just how good it felt. That was the day I fell in love. The weekend before Christmas I brought them both home. They were about 8 months old. I must have been crazy as I already had 2 other dogs, Now I had 4.

It will be 9 years this coming Christmas. I would have never dreamed what I got that Christmas in these dogs. So many challenges, so much learning, and so much love. I love all my dogs but I have to be honest and say that the dog I am calling My love has a special place in my heart. He is a pit/chow mix. His issues over the years have given me more than I can explain. His front leg had to have 3 surgeries to get it right. It is straight but short which causes his shoulder to become tired at times. And if you notice in my story I mention he has had 6 surgeries this past year. Besides the 3 major ortho surgeries for the ACLs, during this time he also has 3 mast cell tumors removed. Nine surgeries in his 9 years!  

My Love's Story 

My love is lying at my feet. Asleep, tired, peaceful. We went for a walk today. Thirty minutes and he lifted his leg to pee! I cried. My tears were joyful. Its been over a year since My love could manage thirty minutes and being able to actually lift his leg again might seem like a small thing to you but such a wonderful sight for my eyes.

It's been a long year to get here.

Six different surgeries. Many many visits to my regular vet, Neuro vet, Ortho vet, body work, X-rays, blood tests, countless medications, diet changes, supplements. We are still not quite at the end but, oh, we have come so far.

Last summer My love wasn't himself. He didn't want to walk much, played only short times, lost weight and the muscles in his rear end and legs were atrophying. He was showing signs of pain and being a very stoic boy--I knew something was wrong. And so it began. Our journey to figure out what was going on and then trying to get back to wellness.

At first we thought is was a spine issue but nothing could be found. Then possibly DM (Degenerative Myelopathy). Thankfully not! Finally, after 7 months of no improvement the issue truly manifested. ACL tears. I am sure they started out as partial tears as no drawer sign was present for many months. But then the right side went and less than 2 weeks later the left side was also positive. He had been trying to tell me he hurt and now it was critical. Bilateral ACL tears had to be extremely painful.

Those that have been through this know that surgery doesn't come cheap but what else could I do. Thanks to the help of my regular vet I was able to schedule the first surgery right away. Due to costs I chose the tightrope surgery. We did the left leg first. Surgery went well, he did well--so well that we proceeded with the right leg 3 weeks later.

I chose the TTA for the right leg. My thoughts were that it seemed a better surgery for a 55 lb dog. That if the other repair didn't hold up and needed to be redone, this leg would be good to go, stronger.

The surgery was done in April. From the very beginning there were issues. Much more swelling, bruising, and pain than the other leg. He didn't want to get up on it or use it much at all. At first I just told myself it’s a bigger surgery, more invasive so its going to take more time. More issues… the incision didn't want to heal. He started to be obsessive about trying to lick it. I had him in an ecollar for a month and still it wasn't healed. We tried many things. He developed a lick granuloma below the incision site. He was trying to tell me something was wrong in there.

I did much physical therapy. ROM exercises, swimming, massage, heat, ice, anything I could find info on and that might help. Almost three months passed and he still wasn't really walking well. Not only was the right side bothering him but he started showing signs that there was a problem with the left side. My heart sunk. Did he put so much pressure on the left side that now the repair broke down? Another trip to the vet. Left side tested stable. Ok but what is this side painful and what is going on with the right? I felt terrible. I have put him through all of this only to have it really no better than before the surgery. Give it more time I was told. I was discouraged.

Shortly after that visit I came home to find his leg swollen. It felt fluid filled and we went right away to our vet. We did a needle aspiration. I was hoping to see clear fluids on that syringe but it was far from that. We looked at some under the microscope and definitely saw white blood cells. Not a good sign. The rest was sent out. Started on antibiotics, again.

Two days later my vet calls with terrible news. Staphylococcus. Not MRSA but nonetheless this is a leg that has a plate, some screws and a cage in it. Being a surgical nurse I knew at that moment we were headed back to surgery. That hardware needed to come out. A visit with the Ortho surgeon confirmed. There as no guarantee what the leg would look like, if it would be OK without the hardware or even if the hardware could be removed without permanent damage to the joint. He might even lose the leg because of it! To top it off the left leg still seemed painful so could he manage if that was the only leg left?

To say I was upset was an understatement. I felt guilty and terrible at the same time. I knew this was nobody's fault but I was getting so many conflicting opinions from friends. There were some who insinuated enough is enough. I had put him through so much that I should just let him go peacefully. This really hurt. The word euthanasia was not even in my thoughts. This was my love! He is only 9 years old and he isn't sick he simply has orthopedic issues. Yes these issues were not small but I had heard of many people who have gone through ACL repair more than once. I wasn't going to give up on my love. The thoughts about the other leg seeming painful soon turned into the theory that he probably has staph in both legs and it should get better when the infection is cleared.

Three weeks ago the hardware was removed. The joint looked good, the surgery went well and his leg was intact. The only issue today is the healing of the incision. He has taken sutures and staple out numerous times. He still has to wear a collar when I cant supervise but it is getting there. We have about a half inch that we are letting heal with second intention. He is still on antibiotics for a few more weeks and will stay on his supplements but after so many months he is no longer taking any pain meds. He is using his left leg with no issues and the right is getting stronger every day. His muscle tone is starting to return and that happy goofy dog that stole my heart is back.

My love is lying at my feet. Asleep, tired, peaceful. We went for a walk today. Thirty minutes and he lifted his leg to pee! I cried.

PS: A huge thanks to my regular vet for sticking with me over this past year. He has been there to talk and inform and help me and my dog through it all and I couldn't have made it this far with out him. He is such a great guy and truly cares about people and their pets.

Related articles:
Talk To Me About ACL Injuries
ACL Injuries in Dogs: Non-Surgical Alternatives?
ACL Injuries in Dogs and Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy
Newest Surgery For Ruptured ACL In Dogs
Preventing ACL Injuries In Dogs
ACL Injuries In Dogs: Xena's Story 
ACL Injury Conservative Management: Sandy's Story
Surviving The Post-Op: After Your Dog's ACL Surgery
Talk to Me About Arthritis
Don't Forget the Physical Therapy

Collie Nose: Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) In Dogs

A friend asked me about this condition the other day, because his friend's dog has been diagnosed with it.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means that a dog's immune system attacks his own tissues. 

There are two types of lupus in dogs: systemic and discoid.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is fortunately fairly rare in dogs. The immune system of dogs suffering from SLE attacks various tissues in the body, including the kidneys, skin, heart, lungs, nervous system, blood and/or joints. It is a chronic and often fatal disease.

Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE), also known as collie nose, is a form of the same disease, but its impact is local, rather than systemic. 

Even though both SLE and DLE can have similar skin symptoms, DLE only affects the skin and lesions are normally limited to the face and nose.  Other diseases can also cause similar skin problems, so a biopsy is required to definitively diagnose DLE.

Breeds most commonly affected by discoid lupus are Collies, German Shepherds, Huskies, Shetland Sheepdogs, Brittany Spaniels and German Shorthaired Pointers. A genetic predisposition towards developing DLE is thought to be responsible for the increased incidence in these breeds.

The first signs are usually a loss of pigmentation around a dog's nose and an abnormal smoothness to the texture of the nose.  In more advanced cases, y red and flaky skin, ulceration of the skin, open sores and crusts can develop. Affected areas most frequently include the nose, lips, ears, the skin around the eyes and sometimes the genital area.  What all of these body parts have in common are a tendency to be sparsely covered with fur and to be exposed to sunlight.

Collie nose is aggravated by ultraviolet rays. 

This makes the disease most likely to develop in dogs that live at high altitudes and to flare up during times of high sun exposure:  either during the summer or with the increased glare off of a persistent snowpack.

Often, keeping the dog out of direct sunlight is all that is needed. Sunscreen protection is also helpful (use sunscreens made specifically for dogs.  The Zinc Oxide that is included in many human sunscreens can be toxic to dogs if they lick it off). Supplements with anti-inflammatory action, such as omega-3 or vitamin E can also help.

Consult your veterinarian before using any supplements.

Immunosuppressive drugs, such as corticosteroids are also commonly used to treat DLE.  Topical therapy may be sufficient, which significantly reduces the chances of unwanted side effects developing, but in severe cases systemic treatment and close monitoring for side effects may become necessary. Before I'd reach for any of these drugs, I would definitely want to consult a TCVM (Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine) or holistic veterinarian for alternative options first.

In rare cases, dogs with dle have gone on to develop a type of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, at the site of their skin lesions.  It is thought that the increased tendency towards developing a sunburn (because of the loss of protective pigments) and chronic inflammation of these areas is to blame.

Further reading:
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) 
Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) 
Canine discoid lupus erythematosus 
Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) Overview

Book Review: Am I Boring My Dog?

Am I Boring My Dog? And 99 Other Things Every Dog Wishes You Knew
by Edie Jarolim

I wanted to read this book the moment I saw the title! I have been involved in publishing for years now and I know a fantastic title when I see one. What the title implies is that this book is fun and that it offers an answer to a question many of us might have spent few sleepless night wondering about. Am I boring my dog?

I was not disappointed! This book does indeed combine great information with fantastic, fun and easy-to-read style.

Of course Am I Boring My Dog? is just one of the 100 questions Edie answers in her book. Should you get a dog? Should you get a mixed breed or a purebred? How to take care of him when you do get one—you will find it all. This book is organized in a way that it's easy to quickly find an answer you're looking for but it is written in such a way that you can also sit down and read it cover to cover (that's what I did).

I couldn't count how many dog books I've read by now. What I find amazing about Am I Boring My Dog? is that Edie managed to present so much great information in such fun, non-threatening manner. It doesn't matter whether you know nothing about dogs at all or had dogs all your life. In Am I Boring My Dog? you will find something you didn't know and you will enjoy reading it.

Edie Jarolim shares her own experiences with her first dog Frankie and the research she'd done for our benefit. Her book covers all aspects of dog ownership from A to Z.

***

Edie Jarolim earned a Ph.D. in English literature from New York University; edited guidebooks at Frommer's and Fodor's in New York and Rough Guides in London; published myriad travel articles and three travel guides (Frommer's San Antonio and Austin; The Complete Idiot's Travel Guide to Mexico's Beach Resorts; Arizona for Dummies); and generally led a respectable but dogless life until 2004, when she began palling around with terriers -- specifically, one small terrier mix named Frankie.

Cluelessness about dogs in general and Frankie in particular inspired her to begin reading up on all things canine and, eventually, to write AM I BORING MY DOG: And 99 Other Things Every Dog Wishes You Knew (Alpha/Penguin, 2009). She lives in Tucson, Arizona, where she is the Pet Travel Correspondent for KVOA TV, the Contributing Dining Editor of Tucson Guide, and blogger at http://willmydoghateme.com. She devotes much of the rest of her time to keeping Frankie from becoming bored.

For more information, see www.ediejarolim.com.

Your Dog And Leptospirosis

Guest post by Lorie Huston, DVM

Leptospirosis is a disease that is seen worldwide. It affects many types of animals, both wild and domestic, including dogs, rats and other rodents, raccoons, skunks, deer and many others. Leptospirosis can also infect people, making the disease even more troublesome. Cats can be infected but feline infection is rare.

Leptospirosis is caused by a bacteria known as a spirochaete or a leptospire, named after its spiral shape. The bacteria is typically spread through contamination of water, soil and other objects with urine or other body fluids from infected animals.

• Dogs may be exposed through drinking, walking through or swimming in contaminated water.
• Infection may also occur through contact of damaged or abraded skin with contaminated soil, water or other objects.
• Contact with reproductive secretions can also transmit leptospirosis.
• Ingestion of tissue infected with the leptospire bacteria can infect an animal.
• Bite wounds are potential sources of infection with leptospirosis as well.

Leptospirosis in dogs can range from mild flu-like symptoms to severe, life-threatening disease. The disease may affect the kidneys and/or the liver of the infected dog. 

Symptoms seen with leptospirosis include:

• fever
• lethargy
• weakness
• decreased appetite
• joint and muscle pain
• nausea and/or vomiting
• diarrhea
• excessive water consumption
• excessive urination
• jaundice or icterus (a yellow coloration of the skin and mucous membranes usually resulting from liver failure)
• low platelet counts leading to abnormal bleeding

Leptospirosis in dogs is treatable with antibiotics. If diagnosed and treated early in the course of disease, it may be possible to minimize the amount of damage to the kidneys and/or liver and decrease the length of the recovery period. However, in more advanced cases, more aggressive treatment is likely to be needed and may include fluid therapy to combat dehydration and even dialysis to remove toxins from the blood stream while the pet recovers. Leptospirosis can be fatal in some cases.

Leptospirosis is also considered to be a zoonotic disease, meaning that it can infect people as well as dogs and other animals. While the risk of exposure to you is minimal with normal day to day contact, if you handle urine, blood or other tissues from an infected dog, you may expose yourself to leptospirosis and proper precautions should be taken, including wearing gloves and using thorough hand washing techniques.
People may also become infected through contact with water, food or soil that has been contaminated with urine from an infected animal. This may happen by eating contaminated food, drinking contaminated water or through contact with broken skin or the membranes in the eyes or nose.

Several types of vaccinations are available for leptospirosis in dogs. Some protect against only two serovars (subtypes) of leptospirosis while others provide protection against four serovars. No vaccine is available that provides protection against all natural occurring serovars. Because the leptospirosis vaccine is considered to be a non-core vaccine, it is important to determine your dog’s risk of exposure and weigh the risks versus the benefits of administering the vaccine. Your veterinarian can help you determine whether leptospirosis is a threat to your dog based on your dog’s lifestyle and the incidence of leptospirosis in your geographic area. Together, you can decide whether vaccination is appropriate for your dog.

***

Lorie Huston has been practicing veterinary medicine for over 20 years. Besides a successful career in a busy small animal hospital in Providence, RI, Lorie is also a successful freelance writer specializing in pet care and pet health topics. Currently, she is the feature writer for the Pet Care section at Suite101.com and the National Pet Health Examiner at Examiner.com. Lorie also publishes her own blog, The Pet Health Care Gazette and manages an increasingly popular facebook page, The Voice of Pet Care. In addition, she co-moderates DogTalk, a weekly twitter chat that focuses on a variety of dog topics.

Fight For Ella Continues

Recently we got acquainted with Ella and her struggle with syringomyelia. After her surgery Ella was doing great.

Sadly, her fight is not over as her symptoms seem to be making a comeback and there is a chance that she might need a second surgery. She does need a new MRI to properly assess the situation.

One of my cavalier books from barrons said: "if the eyes are the window to the soul, the cavalier king charles spaniel has the kindest soul in dog-dom. To peer into the eyes of a cavalier is to enjoy a vision of utter devotion and to fall completely under their spell." Staring to ella's eyes when she is in pain deeply hurts me. I wrote about Ella needing a 2nd MRI and that is because surgery may not have been successful. The reason I know this is because I see the pain I once did before her surgery. I read stories of people and Cavaliers with Chiari and Syringomyelia needing multiple surgeries and I knew this was a chance, but I had hoped it would not be Ella.

Ella used to cuddle with me on the couch but now she lays on the floor. She looks at me with those eyes of pain and I can hear faint sounds of pain. I miss here and have to call her to come out from her hiding. They sometimes do this because it can be painful to be touched. How much I miss those days of her laying with me. She has good days but recently her behavior has changed. No one can tell you how hard it is to see this. I posted a video of a person who can talk about how it feels, since she can't. I will post video's of dogs that have Syringomyelia and some have lost their battle. I am so afraid that is going to be Ella. A lot of dogs don't even do surgery and manage fine on medications but some are not so lucky. I read articles about studies and they will say state dogs as cases and they will say was euthanized after 1 year or another case that has showed no new symptoms and improvement.

I know I will do anything for her but I am scared. Please pray for her. The surgery is scheduled for September 1st. I will have my paycheck then and will need to figure out next month how to manage. I am trying to come up with fundraiser events. I will be posting some items for sell to cover her treatment. Please think of all these dogs that go through pain that is tough to watch.

The most common surgery to relieve the effects of syringomyelia is cranial/cervical decompression (also described as foramen magnum or suboccipital decompression). The flow of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is freed by removing both part of the skull and part of the first vertebrae. That is the surgery Ella had done.

This surgery has a good success rate in reducing pain and neurological symptoms. However 25% to 50% cases can develop scar tissue that will obstruct the CSF flow once again and lead to relapse. Ella has been put on additional medication and considering the signs she is showing there is a good chance that she is one of the dogs who relapsed.



Ella's update

There is no cure for Syringomyelia. Those words keep playing in my head. There is also no guarantee that Ella will not relapse after she has had an expensive surgery where they removed part of her skull and she spent months recovering from this procedure.  I knew that when I decided to take that chance.  It was the only chance I felt she had and if she was one of the ones that was not successful at least I did something.  I thought that would make me feel okay and I would worry about that later and figure something out then. I just prayed that she would be one of the lucky ones. I knew that surgery gave her time. That was a given. It would at least relieve the pain but there is a possibility that when part of the skull is removed, scar tissue can form.  This will then cause relapse and dogs will require to have another operation.

Why has this been on my mind recently? There was a post on www.cavaliertalk.com with notes from Dr. Dewey who is a neurologist that pioneered foramen magnum decompression (FMD) surgery and spoke recently at the AVMA.  Someone took notes on what he said and his presentation was targeted to vets so most of it was not new information but reading again some of these statistics made me realize just how realistic relapse could be for Ella.  Dr. Dewey created a procedure using Titanium Mesh with the hope to reduce the rate of recurrence.  I knew about this procedure when deciding on Ella's surgery but it was more expensive, more dangerous, and at the time I did not know what the long term benefit would be. (visit Fight for Ella for detailed surgery statistics).

I am constantly worrying about Ella getting worse.  I have days when she is better than ever but then there are the bad days and I see the signs that she had before she had surgery.  I am reliving everything over again.  I know it has only been 6 months and we still have a long way to go.  Every head shake, every stumble up the stairs, every time she hides under the bed, every time she flinches when I try to touch her head my stomach drops. I have these statistics in my mind. I will not be able to handle this again and she is just too young with too much to offer.  I know she has so many good days that to harp on the bad ones is not fair.

When I explained to her neurologist some of the things she had been doing, he seemed concerned and put her on some more medication. He mentioned doing another MRI and that was extremely scary for me. I know the more knowledge is better but if the MRI results are not good, then I am faced with the same thing as before. I worry but I have reason to worry because she has a 50% chance. One person told me to face the facts and that she is getting worse. To just adjust her medications and that is the answer. There are several articles you can read about statistics and dogs that are euthanized and success rates but it just makes me too sad. I am posting this to share my worries but I also know there are people that need hope. I also long for hope too and there is hope for many of them.  Ella is her own case. She is a special case and a special angel.
I have been avoiding this since Ella's neurologist told me Ella would need a follow-up MRI in August.

The  chances of a relapse are relatively high and even though I have seen the symptoms reappear, I have been scared. One reason is because I know I will not be able to do anything about it. If scar tissue has developed they recommend surgery to remove it. Surgery that I will not be able to afford.  Knowing that she is on medication and I still see some symptoms of pain and eventually she will get to a point that I don't want to imagine and there is nothing I can do, will kill me. I will need all the support and prayers through the next few weeks.

Ella needs our help!

We have lost a dog in the past because we couldn't afford expensive medical treatment. It is the worst feeling ever. With Jasmine we had been lucky to have had enough credit to give her what she needed.

Not everybody is in a situation where they can afford such an expense. They don't love their dogs any less.
Annie has already used all her resources for the first surgery and treatment and now has nowhere to turn except to us. She needs to raise $2000 in order to get Ella the MRI and treatment that she needs. She needs your donation to raise these funds. Please consider helping Ella. Even a small donation will help. Click on the "ChipIn!" button below to make a donation safely and securely or visit Annie's website to contribute.

Update on Ella
August 25th

Annie has now raised the funds needed for Ella's MRI! It is scheduled for September 1st. We will update you on the results. Thanks to all of you who helped!

Update on Ella
September 8th

Ella's MRI results are not good and without another surgery Ella might have only months. Full update here.

Related articles:
The Dark Cloud Of Syringomyelia: Fight For Ella
Fight For Ella Continues
Ella's MRI Results And Update

Why Integrative Veterinary Medicine?

Guest post by Dr. Patrick Mahaney, VMD

We decided to turn to alternative veterinary medicine after running out of options when trying to solve Jasmine's mysterious symptoms. I believe that alternatives, such as Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), can offer valid and safe treatment options for our dogs.

I asked Dr. Patrick to share with us what influenced his decision to integrate alternative treatments in his practice.

After practicing conventional (Western) veterinary medicine for many years, I realized that there are more options to treat my animal patients than which I learned from my conventional training and experience.

As an avid yoga practitioner and general health nut, I have always tried to minimize my need to take medications by choosing nutritive food options and activities that benefited my overall health. Not that I never eat dessert, drink wine, or have a rich meal, because I do (in moderation, of course).

I found relief from chronic pain caused by intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) and arthritis (which isn’t just a geriatric disease) by taking a multimodal approach to my pain management.

I exchanged my physically rigorous Ashtanga yoga practice for a kinder, more restorative approach. I went to physical therapy to learn how to strengthen my core and better maintain alignment of my vertebral column. I had acupuncture treatments to balance my body’s energy and induce a lower stress healing state. I started taking fish oil (rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids) and high quality joint supplements to build the health of all my joints.

After sticking to a consistent regimen of treatments prescribed by human health professionals and really learning to understand my body, I am relatively pain free and minimally require any prescription or non-prescription medications for pain management.

In going through an extensive personal journey to heal myself, I felt the need to apply similar philosophy of multimodal pain management to my veterinary patients.

I got certified as a certified veterinary acupuncturist (CVA) by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS). My IVAS training was the springboard to creating my own integrative veterinary business.
In 2008, I started California Pet Acupuncture and Wellness (CPAW), Inc. to provide house call based western and traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM), to clients and patients in the greater Los Angeles metro area.

My patients’ illnesses are treated from both a western and eastern perspective, which allows me to create a treatment plan using medications, supplements, acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and nutritional and lifestyle modification.

The primary treatment I offer through CPAW is multimodal pain management.

Each treatment protocol is tailored to the patient’s individual needs.

Veterinary services provided in my client’s homes create a less stressful circumstance for pets (as compared to traveling to a veterinary facility), reduce exposure to infectious organisms (pets can potentially encounter disease in the veterinary hospital environment), and allow me to focus solely on my patient.

My house call based practice of style well suits my professional interests. Additionally, owning and operating my own business has created a platform from which I can educate pet owners on a large-scale basis (via various media formats) on veterinary medical issues. I write my own pet care blog on my website (www.patrickmahaney.com/blog).  I document the struggles and triumphs of my dog’s battle with chronic, usually terminal illness (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia, AKA IMHA) on Cardiff’s blog (www.patrickmahaney.com/cardiff-blog/).  I also provide expert perspective for media inquiries on-line, in print, and on television.

Although this process has not been easy, it has certainly been rewarding and satisfying.  I offer personal and specific veterinary services in a format that is beneficial to both client and pet.  I also enjoy directing creative energy into educational media projects that reach pet owners regardless of their physical location. By concentrating most of my time on these activities I have been able to modify my professional responsibilities into a format that permits sustainability in my ability to practice for many years to come.

Groups That Help People Afford Vet Bills

This is great invaluable information Cheri Stopthesuffering posted on Facebook. Cheri is a great animal advocate and she agreed to share this information with my readers also.

American Animal Hospital Association
http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/
"Through the AAHA Helping Pets Fund, veterinary care is possible for sick or injured pets even if they have been abandoned or if their owner is experiencing financial hardship."

Angels 4 Animals
http://www.Angels4Animals.org/
"Our services range from financial aid to complete treatment to those pets and pet owners in need."

Care Credit
http://www.carecredit.com/
A credit card company for health care, including veterinary care. "With a comprehensive range of plan options, for treatment or procedure fees from $1 to over $25,000, we offer a plan and a low monthly payment to fit comfortably into almost every budget."

God's Creatures Ministry
http://www.all-creatures.org/gcm/help-cf.html
"This fund helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help."

Help-A-Pet
http://www.help-a-pet.org/
"Our efforts focus on serving the elderly, the disabled, and the working poor."

IMOM
http://www.imom.org/
"We are dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged."

The Pet Fund
http://thepetfund.com/
"The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit association that provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need urgent veterinary care."

United Animal Nations
http://www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html
"The mission of LifeLine is to help homeless or recently rescued animals suffering from life-threatening conditions that require specific and immediate emergency veterinary care. We strive to serve Good Samaritans and rescue groups who take in sick or injured animals. In certain cases, LifeLine can also assist senior citizens and low-income families pay for immediate emergency veterinary care."

UK Assistance with Veterinary Bills
http://www.petloversonline.co.uk/financial.htm
"Most of us can cope with the financial commitment involved in the day to day care of our pets. However, how many of us come out in a cold sweat when our pet is ill or injured and we know we have to take it to the vet? Most of us are fortunate enough to be able to afford it but, some of us who love our animals dearly cannot. Unfortunately we do not have a PDSA or a RSPCA Centre within our area, but there are a few charities who may be able to help."

Other breed or injury specific groups:

Corgi Aid
http://www.corgiaid.org/


Special Needs Dobermans
http://www.doberman911.org/

It's for special needs and senior dobermans who need medical help.You can donate to help  them, or have them put your dobie up there if you need help too!!

HandicappedPets.com
http://handicappedpets.com/www/index.php

Shiloh Is Headed For A Second Hip Surgery And Hopes To Find A Forever Home

 "Will you be my forever parent? I will be a good girl! I will love and cherish you and greet you with kisses!"
—Shiloh

Shiloh is a sweet, affectionate 2.5 year old female Howavart, and she is looking for her forever home. Even though she's been through heartbreak and pain she has a great disposition and gets along with everybody.

Shiloh came to project HALO (Helping Animals Live On) showing signs of severe hip dysplasia.

She wanted run and play like other dogs of her age, but for now she can only enjoy short leashed walks and controlled play with other dogs. She was put on medication to help her with inflammation and pain but her condition required surgical correction. But this shall all change for her!

Shiloh is presently at a foster home and thanks to generous donors she already had her first hip surgery and enough funds had been raised to repair her other hip.

Hip dysplasia is the most common cause of rear leg lameness in dogs, particularly large breeds. 

Anybody involved with dogs has probably heard about hip dysplasia at one time or another. But do we understand what it is?

Hip dysplasia is an abnormal growth and development of the hip joint. What does that mean?

Hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint where the thigh bone (femur) is connected to the pelvis. In a normal joint the two parts fit together perfectly. The ball sits in the socket securely and can move smoothly.

In a dysplastic joint usually both the ball and socket develop improperly and do not fit together. 

The socket is too shallow to hold the ball securely and the ball itself is often misshapen.

What makes the joint develop improperly?

Hip dysplasia is a congenital disease, which means that a puppy inherited the faulty genes controlling the hip joint development. Depending on the degree of the malformation, this problem often becomes apparent in young dogs, typically 6 to 18 months of age.

The genetic predisposition can be further exaggerated by improper nutrition, excessive exercise in early age and obesity.

Why is this a problem?

The malformation on its own wouldn't be painful—it is the instability of the joint that leads to further damage and pain. The poor fit of the ball and the socket lead to abnormal wear and tear within the joint. This leads to inflammation and arthritis. As the joint attempts to repair itself, degenerative changes further exaggerate the problem.

Mild dysplasia might not be detected until later in life as the arthritis caused by the unstable joint becomes apparent.

The more severe the condition the more likely it is to become a problem at young age. Young dogs typically show problems by the age of 3.

To get a better picture, let's reach to an unrelated scenario.

Imagine going to a dance wearing somebody else's shoes that are two sizes too big. Now imagine wearing the same shoes, but a left shoe on the right foot and the right shoe on the left foot.

Now imagine doing it this way all the time!

Treatment depends on the severity of the condition. Severely malformed joint might require surgery. There are different surgical procedures available and their choice depends on individual situation.

Inflammation and pain can respond to supplements, physical therapy, acupuncture or medication. Stem cell regenerative therapy has been showing great results in the treatment of pain and degenerative changes associated with hip dysplasia.

For all dogs with hip dysplasia, weight management is a must!

Further reading:
Canine Hip Dysplasia
Hip Dysplasia in Dogs: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention
Hip dysplasia (canine)
Hip dysplasia/Information for veterinarians 

About Project Halo

Project HALO is a non-profit, NO-KILL rescue organization based in Charlotte, N.C. It is a 100% volunteer, privately funded organization that rescues homeless, stray and unwanted dogs.

Without volunteers and private donations Project HALO would not exist. The organization takes care of all the vet work including shots, sterilization and heartworm treatment, when necessary.

All of Project HALO's animals are vet current and sterilized prior to adoption. All donations are fully tax-deductible. You can mail donations directly to Project HALO:
PO Box 667924
Charlotte, NC 28266

Additionally, you can make donations of any denomination through PayPal.
Feel free to contact info@projecthalo.net with any questions, comments or suggestions.

If you are interested in adopting Shiloh please visit  www.projecthalo.net to fill out an application or contact Rhonda at projhalo@bellsouth.net for more information.

Update on Shiloh
May 24, 2011

Shiloh's hips are all healed up and Shiloh has her mobility back! She is still looking for her forever home.

The Other Side Of The Coin: The Cost Of Defensive Medicine

Guest article by Jennifer Coates, DVM

You may have heard the phrase “defensive medicine” used during the recent health care debate in the United States.  Defensive medicine describes the situation where a doctor makes a decision regarding a patient’s care not simply based on what is best for that patient but also taking into consideration a perceived need to cover his or her white-coated backside in case things don’t go well.

Defensive medicine is not limited to the human health care system. Veterinarians often fall into this mindset as well. Consider the following scenario:

A previously healthy, well-taken-care-of, adult dog is brought into the clinic with a relatively mild case of diarrhea. The vet performs a physical exam and nothing remarkable is uncovered. The dog is not dehydrated, his abdomen feels normal, he doesn’t have a fever and he appears to be bright and feeling like himself. The veterinarian will probably want to examine a sample of feces under the microscope to look for parasites or abnormal bacteria. If everything looks good under the microscope, the vet is left with a decision to make.

Option A: The conservative approach

Many dogs with these symptoms have a simple case of gastroenteritis, often because they ate something that they shouldn’t have. Treating them with a bland diet and a medication to help clear up the diarrhea is a perfectly reasonable approach, even though a definitive diagnosis has not been reached.

Option B: The CYA approach

Granted, gastroenteritis is a strong possibility, but a long list of other diseases, some of which can be very serious, cannot be ruled out without more diagnostic testing.  Blood work, a urinalysis, abdominal x-rays and other laboratory tests should be run to gather as much information as possible from the outset.

Frankly, both options have their pros and cons and neither is ultimately right or wrong.  The secret to navigating these types of situations is COMMUNICATION.

In a perfect world, veterinarians in these types of situations should describe all the options available to owners, including their risks, benefits and costs, and the owners can then make educated decisions as to what the right choices are for them under their own unique circumstances.  This is exactly what many veterinarians do, but alas we do not live in a perfect world.  Some vets get into the habit of routinely offering only “Option B.”  Should something go wrong, which is a possibility no matter which option you go with, it is always easier to defend oneself by saying “I did everything I could think of” than “in my judgment, more testing was not necessary.”

So, if you are in a situation where you think that your vet is only giving you “Option B,” speak up.  Most doctors are perfectly willing to approach a problem in a different way as long as it doesn’t compromise your dog’s comfort and chances of recovering.  The trade-off is that you, your dog’s guardian, have to take responsibility for the decisions that you make.  If you choose “Option A” and your dog’s condition doesn’t improve, it is time to go back to the vet and move on to “Option B.”

***

Jennifer Coates, DVM graduated with honors from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999.  In the years since, she has practiced veterinary medicine in Virginia, Wyoming, and Colorado.  She is the author of several books about veterinary medicine and animal care, including the Dictionary of Veterinary Terms: Vet-speak Deciphered for the Non-veterinarian. Jennifer also writes short stories that focus on the strength and importance of the human-animal bond and freelance articles relating to a variety of animal care and veterinary topics.  Dr. Coates lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and pets.

The House Is On Fire! Bridget's Pancreatitis

Bridget's story is shared with us by Leslie Fisher of Look What I Can Do! Dog Training. Check it out, she really is great!

There is a dialog from one of the episodes of House M.D. that has been really on my mind lately.

House: You wake up in the morning, your paint's peeling, your curtains are gone, and the water is boiling. Which problem do you deal with first?

Foreman: House!

House: None of them! The building's on fire!

Symptom is what we see, what's bothering us, so that's what we tend to address. However, the symptom is not the real problem--the condition that is causing it is! Paying attention to symptoms is important. Getting to the root of the problem is crucial!

Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM, already wrote about the Perplexities of Pancreatitis earlier, so let's get straight to the story.

Bridget's Story

Bridget began throwing up the summer of 2008, when she was 3 and ½ years old. I use the term throwing up lightly: the noises coming from her were the most awful sounds I had ever heard, and I was beside myself when there seemed no end.

After-hours trips were made to the vet, for an injection just to make her quit being sick. The sounds were only part and parcel of the ordeal, which I imagine was just as intolerable to Bridget. Also was the reflexive gagging, with mouth drawn back in wrinkles as well as: pacing, licking lips, obsessively licking paws and the floor.

The worst though, was her behavior of eating anything not nailed down, in effort to make her self throw up, as dogs do. If allowed, she would have eaten enough grass to kill herself!

Really, I marvel that she is still alive, as she ran out to the garden at onset of an episode, gobbling down an entire corn cob from the compost and then coming back to the house to throw it up, along with her stomach contents. I ended up having to remove the corn crop with a scythe, chopping it all down, and raking it all up. No more compost. All this was on the hottest day of the summer.

Bridget was treated symptomatically with meds for GI upset, nausea and vomiting….many times. These episodes went on all…..summer…..long. Most of them were timed after clinic hours on weekend or evenings. Or so it seemed. Sitting with her was gut- wrenching. She was a danger to herself and it was difficult to keep her safe.

Sometimes I had to crate her, with nothing at all in the crate. At times she even tried to eat a blanket. The stress was awful. I felt awful for Bridget and felt helpless. I began to sit bolt upright from a dead sleep thinking I had heard her being sick.

Finally in the fall of that year, blood work was taken, on a visit to a vet kind enough to take her in, while ours was on vacation.

The digestive enzymes, the lipases, were out of whack, which along with her other symptoms, was conclusive for pancreatitis.

Bridget has been stable on a low fat,(8 %) low protein diet (16 %)  which I found in Natural Balance Senior. I am afraid to experiment with any other diet. She is also daily on pepcid and I give her plain yogurt with live cultures.

Recently there have been several recurring episodes but without the earlier severe symptoms, and resolved quickly. I believe it may have been triggered when she chewed on a stick. She loves to carry a prize stick home from the pond; it is up to me to remove them from the yard and prevent chewing on them. I don`t know if I could go through again what I ( we) went through that summer. I would not wish it on any dog.

***

Leslie Fisher is a Pat Miller Certified Trainer (PMCT), CPDT-KA CGC Evaluator ABC Student Mentor and member of APDT, MAAPPPT, TrulyDogFriendly.

She brought her first dog home at the age of 5 and she shared her life with dogs since and is presently owned by three labs, Doobie, Talley and Bridget.

Leslie has founded Look What I Can Do! Dog Training in December of 2006 shich quickly became a big success. I addition she volunteers for Lab Rescue of the LRCP, Inc doing post adoption home checks an dproviding assistance with behavioral issues. Her goal is educating clients that positive, force-free training produces happy, willing dogs and a wonderful dog-human relationship.

Leslie also writes for Dog Star Daily.

You can read her full bio here. You can also connect with Leslie on twitter or Facebook.

Further reading:
Canine Pancreatitis

Related articles:
The Perplexities of Pancreatitis
Where There Is Smoke, There Is Fire!

The Cancer Antidote that Lies Within: You Will Never Look At Fat The Same Way Again

In my last post I promised you some really good reasons to keep your dog thin. You have probably heard about a number of them already, and I wrote about it in an earlier article. But you might not be familiar with this one.

What if I told you that by keeping him thin you can decrease the chance of your dog getting cancer? How is that for a really good reason?

Jasmine's best buddy died of cancer at the age of 7. He was always on the chubby side. “It's just a bit of winter fat,” his owner would say. Of course he had more going for him than just that, and he was a Boxer. Apparently, Boxers are the second breed most prone to cancer, right after Golden Retrievers.

The average life span of Boxers should be around 11 years, though some resources list as high as 11 to 14 years. However, Jasmine's vet wasn't at all surprised that he would have died of cancer at the age of 7!

There are a number of factors contributing to canine cancer, some of which we have lesser control over than others. When I brought some of them up with Jasmine's vet, however, he felt very strongly that obesity plays much more substantial role that many of those discussed. “Fat is highly metabolically active,” he said.

Fat is metabolically active? What does that mean?

What we all know is that fat tissue is the means of long term energy storage. This function was very useful when neither man or dog knew where their next dinner was coming from--not so much today. You might also know that fat tissue serves as insulation from heat and cold and as protective padding around organs.

What you probably don't know, is that fat tissue (adipose) is in fact a complex organ with other important functions, including hormone production!

You heard right. Fat cells, also called adipocytes or lipocytes, besides their well known function of storing energy, also produce a number of hormones (adipokines)! This classifies fat tissue as an endocrine organ with systemic influence!

Dr. Lorie Huston wrote an award winning article about the role these hormones play in obesity--Recognizing Obesity in Dogs & Cats as a Disease: Examining the Endocrine and Secretory Function of Fat Cells.

However, the influence of adipokines goes even further. One of these hormones, TNFa, or Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, is involved in immune response. TNFa hormone regulates immune cells and it is able to induce inflammation, and anti-tumor response—thus tumor necrosis factor, it kills tumors.

Feeling more respect for fat tissue yet?

An adipokine that has been getting a lot of attention as a link between obesity and cancer is called adiponectin. Adiponectin has been found to inhibit the development and growth of cancer. The more adiponectin is present in the blood, the higher is your dog's resistance to cancer.

Well, this is all great, doesn't that make obesity a good thing then? The more the merrier?

Wouldn't that be nice! Unfortunately, that is not how this works, quite the opposite. Obesity inhibits the production of adiponectin, which increases vulnerability to cancer.

The levels of the TNFa (Tumor necrosis factor-alpha) on the other hand do increase proportionately. However, because of their pro-inflammatory function their increased levels lead to chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. Further, chronic inflammation is also considered a contributing factor in cancer!

With hormones, optimal level is the key!

Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate physiological functions in the dog's body, such as metabolism, growth and sexual development. Disturbances in their proper levels have profound systemic impact. Take a look at the result of improper levels of the thyroid, adrenal or pancreatic hormones! Hormones produced by fat tissue are no exception.

Your dog's body has been designed to maintain health. However, it can only do that in its optimal state. Among other health benefits, keeping your dog at his optimal weight plays an important role in cancer prevention!

It's your dog's health!
Jana

Related articles:
Know Your Dog's Enemies: Overweight
Medical Jargon Explained: Hypo- versus Hyperthyroid
Medical Jargon Explained: Hypo- versus Hyperadrenocorticism
Medical Jargon Explained: Hypo- versus Hyperglycemia

No TV Tonight!

Do you believe that our inner child is alive and well, even though sentenced to silence? Most of us have had this type of conversation both as a child and as an adult:

Adult: “You have to eat your vegetables.”
Child: “Why?”
Adult: “Because they are good for you.”
Child: “Why?”

It doesn't matter how many explanations the adult might offer, they will always be followed by another why. Why?

What strikes me as interesting is this – did you ever hear a child ask why he or she should have another piece of chocolate? I haven't. Why?

I am no psychologist but I think there is more to this than the thirst for education. I think this is more about negotiation. Is there a really good reason why I should eat my vegetables or do you just like making me do things? Is there a reason that would be good enough to ME?

(Yeah, I'll give you a good enough reason—either you eat your vegetables or no TV tonight!)

As we grow up we stop asking these questions. Why? Are we that much more accepting of annoying things? I believe we still want to ask, but because we are all grown up and civilized we don't—that would just be childish. And there usually isn't anybody who could get us grounded or take away our TV privileges.

Does that mean there won't be any consequences? 

Of course there will be! But who is going to worry about a consequence they can't see coming? So what do we often do instead? Nothing!

“Well, I don't see any good reason why I should (fill in the thing you don't want to do).”

But what if there was a really good reason, which we'll never find out about, because we don't ask! If we found such a reason would that be good enough to make us to the right thing?

Let's take the issue of obesity in dogs for example. Left and right we keep hearing that we should keep our dogs thin. And yet dog obesity has become an epidemic. Why? The conversation with your vet would probably go something like this:

Veterinarian: “Your dog needs to lose weight.”
Client: “Uh-huh.”
Veterinarian: “It is bad for his health to be obese.”
Client: “Uh-huh.”

But the vet isn't there looking over your shoulder to make sure you eat your vegetables, is he? 

So what happens? You come home and find a hundred reasons why it either doesn't matter or you cannot get your dog to lose weight. Why?

• “I think he looks just fine the way he is.”
• “He always looked like this and he is healthy.”
• “It's just winter fat.”
• “Well, he loves his treats.”
• “How can I train him without treats?”
• “Well, he looks at me with those eyes I have to share my dinner with him.”
• "I don't have the time to exercise him."
• "The weather has been bad."
• “He is hungry! He wouldn't eat if he wasn't hungry!”
  

The list goes on. A hundred reasons for your dog to remain obese and only one reason to get him thin. So what do you do? Nothing.

What if I told you that there really are very good reasons to get your dog lose weight? Would that help? 

In the meantime, I'm afraid, no TV tonight for you, my friend.

Jana

Turns out this issue isn't just on my mind. Just as I wrote this article, Pawcurious published a great post on the subject The Biggest Loser - Dog Edition! Check it out!

Related articles:
Know Your Dog's Enemies: Overweight
The Cancer Antidote that Lies Within: You Will Never Look At Fat The Same Way Again

Don't Let Heartworm Become A Heartbreak!

Guest post by Lorie Huston, DVM

Keeping your pet healthy requires regular preventive health care. Timely administration of heartworm preventive medication is one of the preventive measures that all dog owners should be practicing.

What are heartworms?

Heartworms are mosquito-borne parasites that live in the heart and blood vessels of an infected dog. These worms cause damage, often significant damage, to the cardiovascular structures and can lead to serious illness in the infected dog. In severe cases, heartworms can be fatal. Their scientific name is Dirofilaria immitus.

What are the symptoms of heartworm disease?

Heartworms can damage both the pulmonary arteries and the heart. Symptoms seen may include:

• coughing
• exercise intolerance
• hemorrhage from the nose
• pneumonia
• right-sided heart failure
• cardiac arrhythmia, which may lead to sudden death in some cases

A particularly devastating form of heartworm disease is known as caval syndrome. In caval syndrome, there are extremely large numbers of adult worms (approximately 100 or more) and the right heart chambers are too small to contain all of them, allowing the worms to overflow into the vena cava, one of the large vessels that leaves the right side of the heart. Collapse, shock and the destruction of red blood cells are the symptoms associated with caval syndrome and death may occur within one to two days without veterinary intervention. Survival of the dog requires surgical removal of the worms from the heart and blood vessels. If enough worms are removed, blood flow is resolved and the dog has a chance of survival. Without surgery, the chance of survival is small.

How can heartworms be prevented?

Numerous medications are available that prevent heartworm infections from occurring in a susceptible dog. Most of these medications are either tablets or topical medications that must be applied monthly. Though the risk of side effects can occur with any medication, these drugs are generally safe and are very effective in preventing heartworm infections if used correctly.

Alternatively, there is an injection that can be administered every 6 months which is also capable of preventing heartworm.

Why prevent heartworms rather than treat the infection if it occurs?

• Heartworms can cause significant damage to the circulatory system before they are detected and this damage is likely to be irreversible.
• Heartworm treatment (treating an existing infection) carries the risk of complications, even though the medications used today are safer than those used in the past.
• Strict cage rest is required for long periods of time while the dog undergoes treatment, sometimes as long as 6-8 weeks or longer.
• Heartworm treatment is not guaranteed to kill all of the infecting heartworms.

Isn’t administration of a monthly preventive effective in killing the worms in an infected dog?

Monthly preventive medications only address the immature form of the heartworm. They do not kill the adult worms directly. With time, the adult worms will age and die of natural causes. Therefore, monthly heartworm preventive medications can eventually be effective in eliminating heartworm infections. However, elimination may take up to 2 years to occur. Meanwhile, the worms remain in the heart and blood vessels causing additional damage and disease.

In some instances, such as when a dog is debilitated or suffering from concurrent disease, he may not be considered a good candidate for heartworm treatment with a medication that kills adult worms. In these cases, treatment with a monthly preventive may be the optimal form of treatment. However, in most cases where the dog is otherwise healthy and deemed a fit candidate for treatment, the drug of choice is Immiticide® (melarsomine dihydrochloride).

Immiticide® is the only drug available that will kill adult heartworms. The major risk with Immiticide® injection is embolization of dying worms to the lungs, which can cause serious side effects for the dog being treated. Strict cage rest is necessary to minimize these complications. Before treatment with Immiticide®, a monthly preventive medication is usually administered to remove the immature heartworms before addressing the adults.

***

Lorie Huston has been practicing veterinary medicine for over 20 years. Besides a successful career in a busy small animal hospital in Providence, RI, Lorie is also a successful freelance writer specializing in pet care and pet health topics. Currently, she is the feature writer for the Pet Care section at Suite101.com and the National Pet Health Examiner at Examiner.com. Lorie also publishes her own blog, The Pet Health Care Gazette and manages an increasingly popular facebook page, The Voice of Pet Care. In addition, she co-moderates DogTalk, a weekly twitter chat that focuses on a variety of dog topics.

I'm Still Standing! (Happy Birthday, Jasmine)

Today Jasmine is seven years old! Her birthday reminds us how much we appreciate that she is still with us, enjoying her life. She is so precious to us and we celebrate every day we have together. There are still some health issues to be dealt with, but she's still standing!

Four times in the past two years we thought we were going to lose her.

The first time, when her new vet felt a mass in her abdomen when taking x-rays of her legs. He figured it would be a good idea to do a thorough palpation while she's 'under' and her muscles were completely relaxed. Then he called us into his office …

The “C” word hung in the air while blood test were being done. There was so much life in her eyes! And we were trying to figure out what we'd do if if the results were positive.

Negative blood tests gave a green light to an exploratory surgery. Her knee surgery had to be postponed.

What a relief when it was discovered that the mass was esionophilic infiltrates instead. Not good news normally, but it was to us under the circumstances!

The second time was when she was put on Previcox. First she stopped eating. But that wasn't that much out of the ordinary with her. Then she stopped drinking too … We stopped the Previcox immediately and she pulled through.

The third time, when she suffered severe hyperthermia as a reaction to Buprenorphine. She was in for an x-ray! After that my husband was going to take her to the farm. Instead, after a great deal of the day was spent trying to get her temperature to stabilize, he carried her home. She was supposed to feel better the next morning. But she didn't. She couldn't get up or walk on her own and when she went to pee her urine was brown. Her tongue was full of bruises.

We rushed her to the emergency vet. They concluded that either her kidneys or liver were failing, and that she possibly had perforated intestine. Our only question was, “Can she pull through this?” She was transferred to a veterinary teaching hospital.

The good news was that  it was her liver that was in trouble, not her kidneys. And it wasn't a perforated intestine, but a large abdominal abscess that needed to be removed as soon as possible. Again the question, “Is she going to make it? Is she going to recover?”

Then the race against time, waiting for her platelets to get high enough to perform the surgery. Abscess was removed successfully without complications. But days were passing by and she still wasn't walking. They blamed it on her bilateral ACL surgery, but we knew her legs were perfectly fine before all this happened!

A few days after the surgery, when she was stabilized enough, we decided that my husband was going to visit her. It was a painful decision. It might cheer her up to see him. But it might break her heart when he leaves her there again. He went. I didn't. I felt that as distraught as I was my visit couldn't possibly have done her any good.

The technicians wheeled her outside and laid her on the lawn. When she saw my husband she struggled up to her feet and with the help of the technicians made it to him. That was the first time she was on her feet in a week! Her stance was wide and she needed a lot of help. But she made it. Then she collapsed in exhaustion.

Next day they decided that it was safe for us to take her home. She was so weak! Her muscles were non-existent. She felt like a rag doll. She kept trying to get up and collapsing. She needed a lot of help to get up and to walk. But she pulled through.

Then she started feeling really sick, throwing up all the time. Didn't want to eat, we had to force-feed her. She was feeling so miserable, we were sitting there wondering whether we were just torturing her. But she pulled through.

She pulled through and she is still standing! She is full of life and living up every minute of it. She doesn't remember any of the horrors, but we do. We are grateful for every day we have with her.

So here is to Jasmine! She is the love of our lives, and she's still standing!

Love you, baby
Jana