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Sometimes, special people come in to your life when you least expect it. You are not even looking and all of a sudden there they are! We met a special family recently that we have come to love...a beautiful pack with the kindest, giving and most caring Mom.
We have met a lot of great Dogsters in the last few weeks while helping out our pal Meaty, but this family holds a very special place in our hearts. The beautiful page graphics you see here and on Kenzie's page where created by this family. Flicka, Lucas, and Angel Cleo's Mom lovingly made the graphics and my page especially for me. It made Mom cry and smile when she saw it because it captures the FireDawg that I once was, and am still trying to be even with my mobility issues.
We don't know how to thank them for their kindness and support over the last few weeks, their friendship has meant the world to us. A million thanks and big hugs Flicka, Lucas, Cleo and Auntie P!
Well...the vets still do not know what is wrong with me, but Mom has taken many steps to find things to keep me strong.
I am on no medication right now (all it was doing was making me droop), and I have a bunch of activities to help me. I go to Dr. S for acupuncture once a week...I'm in love with her and she gives me lots of treats and kisses while I am there. I also go see Luis at Good Dog Aquatic once a week for hydrotherapy and I love it! I get to swim in a heated pool! It is very good exercise and gentle on my body. In a few weeks I have a consult with a doggie chiropractor too! Mom and me do gentle stretching exercises at home too...she calls it our yoga time!
For my birthday I got a new set of wheels! Mom talked to Sammy J's Mom and she gave her some good advice....don't wait too long. So we took a rode trip to Eddie's Wheels and I got fitted for my own wheels. We spent the day in the Berkshires and had lots of fun and my wheels came on my birthday! I don't need them all the time, but they do add stability fo me and now I can run again!!!!!! You should see me zooooom! Look out Kenzie, because I have no brakes! If you see a "blur of fur" running past you it is only me in my wheels!
Mom is going to keep trying to find ways to keep me mobile and I happily go along with anything she asks me to try, everything is a new adventure for me. Thanks to all my pals for their wonderful support through all this!
When I was a puppy, I had what is believed to be distemper. The foster home I was living in had a group of puppies come in that were very sick, and my siblings and I all got sick. I am the only surviving member of my litter.
When Mom took me home at 6 months old, I too was very sick. I was malnourished, had hind end weakness and would shake and twitch continuously. It took about two years of proper nutrition and excercise, but eventually I grew out of these symptoms and was living like a normal dog!
Toward the end of November, I began to display the hind end weakness again. Dr. Z started with some pain meds to see if that would help, and a series of x-rays was done but showed nothing. I continued to show some signs but was still getting along fine.
In early February I began to decline quickly - I could no longer make it up the stairs, get up on the bed, and had lost my "sparkle". I had an MRI, brain scan and multiple spinal taps to determine the cause of my problems - all of the tests came back normal, but I continue to get worse.
I am currently on two types of antibiotics, a steroid and a pain reliever, along with some special herbs prescribed by an Eastern Medicine Vet. I even have a special collar made of titanium, just like you see the MLB players wear that was made especially for me by a special friend. So far none of these things have helped me at all.
There is little known about the long term effects of distemper, as most dogs do not survive the initial onset of the virus. My team of vets seems to be in agreement that my current symptoms are a direct result of the distemper, and unfortunately there seems to be little they can do to help me other than the medications I have prescribed. The vets here have not seen a case of distemper in more then 10 years, and they have pretty much tried everything they know to help me.
It breaks Mom's heart to see me like this - I have stopped following her around the house, and generally look depressed most of the time. I cannot enjoy walking outside as I will fall every few steps. Mom built me some steps to get up on the bed but it is still too hard for me to get up there. My mind is active and I have the energy to do all the things that I love, my body will just not cooperate.
If anyone knows of a vet that we could consult with that has dealt with distemper we would love to hear about it. We cannot tell you how grateful we are for everyone's support, your thoughts and prayers mean the world to us.
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