Dogs truly are our best friends.

Even when they are bad or sick there is nothing that most of us wouldn't do for our dogs. We love them, spoil them and do our best to take care of them.  However some dogs, like my Mollie are more difficult. Mollie has two habits I have never been able to break: trash and toads.

Mollie is my special girl/best friend for one reason, her always being there for me is why I am still a live functioning person and not an alcoholic or worse.
Like many of us, I came back from Iraq a different person with my own perspective on the war and my own experiences, not all pleasant. I'm not going to delve into them because the blog is about the dogs not me.
Mollie didn't care that I was different when I came back, she didn't judge she just listened and was there. She snuggled up with me on the couch, ran errands or went running with me. When I was overwhelmed she sat with me as I pet her and organized my thoughts in order to get through my day.

That is why me and so may others can function, shes not a certified service dog but she is my dog and she takes care of me.
That's why this week was hard on my heart at the thought that something was terrible wrong and I might lose my Mollie.

Last Monday I fussed at her cause I thought she ate a toad, she was drooling everywhere, listless and wouldn't eat. I got her to drink some milk but even that didn't go far.  On Wednesday she could barely walk and my husband would lift her into the bed to sleep at night  I made her an appointment with the vet for Fri and that day was not coming soon enough.

Friday my husband took her in and the vet said they would have to sedate her and do x-rays that it looked like arthritis or hip dysplasia. That didn't explain the eating thing but we were starting on what we could do.
He left her there since the x-rays weren't going to be done for a few more hours.  That was a long 5 hours and I'm glad that Fridays are busy at work for me.

They returned home shortly after I did with good news. Mollie did not have hip dysplasia and her arthritis is very mild , for an eleven yr old dog she is doing well.

What happened was not a toad but the trash, at some point Mollie tried to eat a rubber-band of some kind and it wrapped around the base of her tongue. It cut the sides of her tongue and caused the drooling I usually associate with her snacking on a toad. It also blocked her from swallowing food leaving her hungry and weak. I have never felt like such a bad Mom in all my life.  The vet found it when he tried to administer the anesthesia.

She is on soft food rest and antibiotics for a while till it heals.
This morning after two filling meals of chicken and rice she was up running and jumping much more like her old self. She is napping more today but that's just fine, she can nap all she wants as long as she's here and healthy withe me.

Because of this every year I participate in the Walk For Those Who Can't for Canines for Service who raise money for service dogs for veterans. With everything my dog gave me please help me share that with others.
Please join CCBTR in Wilmington on March 23, 2013 to help raise money for service dogs.

*Some resources for veterans, their friends and family.
Marine Corps DSTRESS 1-877-476-7734
Veterans Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255
Wounded Warrior Project

And in this corner...... Ginger!

In the beginning.

Ginger arrived from a shelter in SC courtesy of foster mom Tiffin. Ginger loves to accompany her people when they are running errands and she loves, loves, loves long car rides. She was a champ on the 13 hour ride to her foster home.

  

She plays well with her extended family Rat Terrier, Great Dane and Golden Doodle.  Ginger is a healthy, high energy, and loving girl. She loves to play with the resident BT, Doberman, and cat in her foster home. She can play for hours in the back yard with her dog friends and does very well on leash.

Resting after playing with Pork Chop

She would also love to have a fun loving, playful dog like herself and a fenced back yard. However, active people and access to a dog park would be fine with her.

A month later….

All- we have a very sick dog in the ER today-Please keep Ginger in your
thoughts.

Day 1-- Ginger received her annual vaccines when we rescued her unknown to anyone; her body was fighting very hard to metabolize the vaccines. We had no indication that she was ill until she became lethargic. Although Ginger had been under a vet's care since that morning she was not doing well. She was admitted to the ER and had to undergo a blood transfusion and a regiment of medications. The goal is to restore her red blood cell count and get her healthy enough produce and maintain an acceptable level of red blood cells on her own.

They found that Ginger has Hemolytic Anemia. In very rare instances- it is hard for the dog's body to metabolize the vaccines and Hemolytic Anemia results. This is a dangerous condition that left untreated will result in death, but there is no conclusive link between the vaccines and hemolytic anemia.

 Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia

 
This is the most common cause of hemolysis in adult dogs. Red blood cell destruction is caused by auto-antibodies that attack antigens present on the surface of the cells, or by antigens from medications or organisms attached to the red blood cell walls.
 
According to WebMD for dogs, anemia is defined as a deficiency of red blood cells in the circulatory system. Adult dogs are anemic when the concentration of red cells in the whole blood is less than 37% by volume. The normal range is 39-60%. Red cells are produced by the bone marrow and have an average life span of 110 to 120 days; the old red cells are trapped by the spleen and removed from circulation. So, that’s what the spleen does!  The iron they contain is recycled to make new red blood cells, who knew red blood cells were so “green”.

The purpose of red blood cells is to carry oxygen. Thus, the symptoms of anemia are caused by insufficient oxygen in the organs and muscles. Signs include lack of appetite, lethargy and weakness. The mucous membranes of the gums and tongue become pale pink to white. In dogs with severe anemia, the pulse and respiratory rate are rapid and the dog may collapse from exertion.

Day 3-- Ginger had one transfusion and is feeling better.  She is eating well and it show already.  Her foster family met with her primary vet that evening to find out the next step.

I love you

Ginger required a 2nd transfusion since her RBC levels had dropped. Although this is disappointing and not what we hoped for, the doc said it is very common that 2 transfusions are needed. We just hoped that #2 did the trick and she could maintain her levels after this.

Her family visited her around 9 pm while she was in the middle of transfusion #2. Her energy and appetite was still good. Ginger was one of the few dogs in ICU that did NOT have a "will bite" sticker on her nametag.

Her RBC went from 24 that morning to 17 that evening- 30 is the goal. The vet was still hopeful that she would stabilize the following day and that he would call in the morning with an update.  

Oh yea, we snuck treats in with permission, she only took the treats from Turbo. Typical-he is the doggie magnet.

I got an IV and TREATS!

                Day 4— That afternoon Ginger's RBC count was holding at 26% for 12 hours straight!  This great news!  They also said she was eating with "gusto".  The vet said “They will draw blood again around 6pm and if it maintains, she may be released tonight.”

Ginger was holding her own, with a red blood count of 31 that evening, and she got to go home.

Walking out after being carried in

Late night snacks

The last bandage being removed.

The vet on duty tonight had a great name, Dr. Merlo, who told us there is no follow up necessary unless she loses color or gets lethargic again. She is still on a heavy dose of steroids, an immune suppressant and finishes her antibiotics. She may be on medication for the rest of her life.

        Day 5-- Ginger was doing great; her energy, appetite and outgoing personality were restored as before.

I'm home

Day 6-- Ginger went back to the vet this morning to get her blood checked. It is holding steady between 29-30 which is normal. She was doing fine, her stomach was a little upset yesterday, so we tried some canned food and that seemed to work better

Happy in the human bed

Notes:

 Our vet is optimistic that she is young and healthy and IF her RBC drops into the teens again, to try one more transfusion and have the internist take over her case to see if the internist can find the root cause of the auto-immune disorder.  Some tests the internist may do is an ultrasound or a bone marrow test.

         Would Ginger be at risk coming home with all the immune suppressors?   NO, she is not at risk, her platelets are normal and her blood is clotting normally.

For more information on Ginger check out CCBTR.ORG

Happy Birthday (and Happy Nubs)

 A few months ago I changed jobs  and the ratio of spare

time to productivity completely flipped. I now leave work with one or

two files still on my desk untouched till the next day.  Not that I am

a procrastinator but sometimes the brain gives out before the files

do.

So now that I have the training under control I am back.

 

It’s been a year since CCBTR officially hit the ground and in that

year we’ve done quite a bit. We’ve attended craft shows, dog fairs,

the “Walk for those who can’t” in Wilmington and rehomed 22 dogs.

In honor of that I thought the best way to start this year is pictures

of all the things we’ve done.

 Thi year will be another great year for all our fur friends and I can't wait too see everyone in March at "Walk For Those Who Can't" the "Passion For Paws Fur Ball, New Bern" and anywhere else we may pop up.