Stejjer tagħna

Hi there, A-peeps. For Addison’s Awareness Week, I thought we would share a little bit about our Addison’s journey.

It all started sometime in June 2018. Ghost wouldn’t eat, and for a Bully not to eat, something is definitely up. At first, it was thought he had a bad back. Five days on and he still hadn’t eaten anything, so it was time for a blood test. The blood test was going to take about 20 minuti, so whilst we waited, we took Ghost for a walk down the street. When we got back into the vet’s, he pretty well took the lead out of my hand and said Ghost’s kidneys weren’t working. My world stopped there and then. I don’t have any 2-legged children, my 4-legged furry children have always been the centre of my world, so as you can imagine, this was devastating. Anyway, I will try and keep this as short as I can. I left him at the vets, got a phone call within the hour, and was told that it was likely he had Addison’s disease. I’m like WTF is Addison’s disease!!! Ghost’s breeder’s parents bred Bullies before her and she hadn’t heard of it, so this must be bad. So as is the way these days, straight onto Google. There was so much information to try and make sense of, it was pretty tough. Eventually, we were put onto the CARE Facebook group and as far as Addison’s goes, it was the best thing ever. We started on tablets, had another crisis, and eventually changed to the monthly injection and haven’t looked back. While I am still very vigilant about Ghost’s health, I am so much more comfortable with how Addison’s can be controlled with the right medication. I read everything I could get my hands on trying to understand how to make the most of my boy having this disease. CARE’s document page is THE place for all this information. Then, if I had any queries or questions, I would post it to the group, and what can I say about my Addison’s family, well words can’t describe how wonderful they all have been. This journey would have been so much harder and I am 100% sure we wouldn’t be where we are today if it hadn’t been for them and the low dose protocol. Allura, the low dose protocol, well that’s a learning experience in itself but once you get your head around it, it is without a doubt the way to go in my opinion. Ghost started, according to his weight on 1.3 ml of Zycortal and is now on 0.45 ml. My vet has been awesome with coming to terms with this, and he says, “I know the manufacturer says that he should be on a higher dose, but I can see in his behavior and in his blood test that the results don’t lie.” If I had any advice for anyone new dealing with Addison’s, I would say go to this group with any questions you have, learn how to read the blood test results, and adjust the medication accordingly (if I can do it anyone can) and you’re A-dog will be back to normal in no time.

Speaking of back to normal, just before Ghost was diagnosed, he had just started to ride on the back of my Canam 3 wheeled motorcycle. Obviously, this stopped for a while during the first part of his diagnosis, but now there’s no stopping him. If it wasn’t for his medical tag and if you didn’t tell anyone, they would never know he has a disease. As well as our normal frequent rides, we have been on the Pink Ribbon ride, the Bikers against Bullies ride, and the latest was the fundraising ride for the Country Fire Service. As always, Ghost is a massive hit with everyone, takes everything in his stride, and laps up all the attention he gets. Late last year, we were also accredited with Therapy Dog Services as a Community Visiting Dog Team. At this stage, we have had half a dozen visits to a nursing home, but this year promises to be awesome and we can’t wait! We are anticipating on being used for some special visits, special events and appearances to places like Ronald McDonald house, The Cancer Council lodge, universities around exam times, the Youth Courts, and wherever else we can put smiles on faces. It’s a huge win for everyone involved from Ghost himself, the people who we come across, the Addison’s community, and the Bull Terrier breed (which is quite often and unnecessarily very misunderstood).

Ghost is very much a part of our family and participates in most things we get up to. We go up the river, which he absolutely loves, and he even gets invited to Christmas lunch with the rest of our extended family. He is such a sweet gentleman.

So on finishing up, I suppose my message is this, if you have a dog that’s been diagnosed with Addison’s, you will shit yourself at first, I know I did, but take a deep breath and with the right frame of mind, taking note of all the information available, trusting this wonderful group, asking loads and loads of questions, you WILL get through this and you and your dog can do anything and be anything that you want to be. Look at Ghost, a goggle wearing, community visiting Bull Terrier who rides on the back of a motorbike and puts smiles on the faces of everyone he meets. I reckon that’s a pretty good thing. A-dogs rock!!!

Anyways I hope this has put a bit of a smile on YOUR face and don’t worry, there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel.

Lots of love and big Bully hugs to you all.
Jarrod and Ghost

Ghosty Rider - Tipiċi ta 'Addison
Ikklikkja immaġini biex tkabbar

 

! Scroll down and you will also find her story auf Deutsch and en Español!

Fi Frar 2016, I lived in Cholula, México, with my three Shepherds (German and Belgian, all rescued) when a friend called me that she had found a small puppy in a closed garbage bag, close to suffocation. Allura, I went, picked the tiny bundle up, and presented her to my vet.
Four weeks old, something about one kilo. We immediately found a family willing to adopt her, so she just would stay some days until this family would go for her.

Yes…just that it never happened.

She adapted quickly to the life in between the large Shepherds and grew rapidly. My students named her ‘Piña’ and she won the hearts of everyone, but nobody adopted her. She was a really brave, fearless, and intelligent puppy, so I started her training. She was brilliant in obedience, and as small as she was compared to the Shepherds, she was brave and ‘strong’ in protection work as well. Wara 6 months with me, I declared her mine officially and we started her search and rescue training, as we had noticed her very capable of nose work.

She was the only cross-breed in the training but after some negative experiences, we finally found a trainer from the Red Cross who saw her potential. She grew stronger and demanded her a lot of skills. She learned quickly and we saw impressive results. After a heavy training session, at night I noticed that she was leaking urine and she appeared more tired than usual, so the next day I went to my vet to check her for an infection. Negative. We gave her some days of rest and she was back to normal. A week later, she got back to training and the same happened: tired, leaking urine. There, my vet noticed her heart rate was very low, so she asked me to go to a large clinic for a heart check. They did an echo of her heart, abdomen, blood work, the complete program.

When I went back to pick her up, the cardiologist said that her heart was heavily ‘overworked’, as well as her kidneys, so this would be the reason of her leaking urine and fatigue. She told me she was suspecting Addison’s, as her electrolytes were a little bit off, but not as strong as it could be. Piña had a shot of Dexamethasone two weeks ago because she got stung by some bees, so the definitive test for Addison’s we couldn’t do until four weeks later. But she was very sick and we decided we would try to stabilize her with IV fluids as long as possible to do the test.

After some days with the fluids, her situation got worse and all the vets at the clinic, together with my vet, decided to start treatment for Addison’s as Piña was weaker each day. When we started with the Prednisone and the Fludrocortisone (Astonin), she was herself few days later, with all the side-effects of the Prednisone, but active, strong heart rate, and her happy self.
Over the weeks, we reduced the Prednisone and she went back to the search and rescue training, happy happy happy. She was one and a half year old at that time. She got stable, I got used to managing her medicine, and finally, we had our first search and rescue events, where she gained attention because of her incredible happy nature and strong will to work.

We specialized in high mountain rescue and collapsed houses, where her weight (18 kilos) is a huge advantage compared to Shepherds or Labradors and their usual weight. Allura, Piña and I learned rope work as well.

Last summer we moved from Mexico to Ecuador, where we kept training, but suddenly (and unexpectedly), I got the permission to work with my dogs at my college, with the students. Piña is a search and rescue dog, but not a therapy dog as two of my older ones, so she was just like a backup. But, due to a heat wave, one of the therapy dogs could not go to classes with me sometimes and we took Piña…and she adapted quickly. Issa, some months later, she is adored by the students and a huge part of the college and a favourite on school excursions and events.

In the 2 years since her diagnosis we had to adjust her medication just twice, I always carry around Prednisone everywhere I go but besides of that she is a normal search and rescue and soon-to-be-therapy dog. In our free time we go hiking in the mountains, go swimming in the river, or just go around by bike. She does absolutely everything a non-Addison’s dog would do, just with an excess of energy.

My Ecuadorian vets use her as an example for their vet students as they have never seen an Addison’s dog before.

Deutsche Übersetzung

Im Februar 2016 lebte ich in Cholula, Mexiko, mit meinen 3 adoptierten Schäferhunden (deutsch und belgisch), als eine Freundin mich anrief, dass sie einen winzigen Welpen in einer geschlossenen Mülltüte am Straßenrand gefunden hatte, kurz vor dem Ersticken. Ich fuhr hin, holte das kleine Bündel ab und stellte sie meiner Tierärztin vor. 4 Wochen alt, ungefähr ein Kilo. Wir fanden ziemlich sofort eine Familie, die sie adoptieren wollte, sich aber noch ein paar Tage organisieren musste bevor sie sie abholen. Nunja, das ist leider nie passiert.
Sie gewöhnte sich rasend schnell an das Leben mit den großen Schäferhunden und wuchs fröhlich vor sich hin. Meine Schüler gaben ihr den Namen PIÑA (also Ananas), weil wir da gerade die Früchte durchnahmen. Sie gewann alle Leute für sich, aber niemand adoptierte sie.

Sie war ein sehr mutiger, starker und extrem intelligenter Welpe/Junghund, also begann ich, sie zu trainieren. Sie war großartig in Gehorsam/Unterordnung und —obwohl so klein im Vergleich zu den Schäferhunden— war sie auch sehr mutig und forsch im Schutzdienst.

Nach 6 Monaten bei mir wurde sie ganz hochoffiziell ‘meine‘ und schließlich begannen wir auch ihr Rettungshundetraining, da wir ihren hervorragenden Naseneinsatz bemerkt hatten. NATÜRLICH war sie der einzige Mix beim Training, und wir gerieten leider auch an einen Trainer, der sie für nicht fähig hielt, das können nur bestimmte Rassehunde. Schließlich fanden wir ‘unseren‘ Trainer, der ihr Potential sah und so ging es sehr schnell aufwärts und sie überraschte uns oft mit ihren Fähigkeiten.

Im August 2017, nach einem sehr intensiven Training, bemerkte ich, dass sie deutlich erschöpft war, ein bisschen undicht und einfach nicht die fröhliche Wildsau wie sonst. Ich ging am nächsten Tag zu meiner Tierärztin mit dem Verdacht auf eine Blasenentzündung, negativ. Sie bekam ein paar Tage Pause und war weitestgehend wieder normal. Beim nächsten Training passierte dasselbe: totale Erschöpfung, Urininkontinenz. Diesmal bemerkte meine TÄin eine extrem niedrige Herzfrequenz und überwies uns an eine Klink zum kardiologischen Check. Dort machten sie einen Herzultraschall, Bauchultraschall, Blutbild, EKG usw., das volle Programm. Als ich sie dort nach der Arbeit abholen wollte, sagte mir die Ärztin, dass Herz und Nieren total überlastet seien, das sei der Grund für die Erschöpfung und die Inkontinenz. Die Ärztin vermutete Addison wegen einer leichten Elektrolytverschiebung, aber auf Grund einer Bienenattacke knapp 2 Wochen vorher konnten wir den ACTH-Test nicht machen, wir müssten 4 Wochen warten…also beschlossen wir, sie soweit mit Infusionen zu stabilisieren um den Test machen zu können. Leider ging es ihr trotz der Infusionen zunehmend schlechter, so dass alle beteiligten Tierärzte beschlossen, dass sie auf Addison behandelt würde. Wir begannen mit Prednisolon und Fludrocortison (Astonin) und nach wenigen Tagen war sie wieder fast die Alte. In den Wochen darauf reduzierten wir das Prednisolon, dadurch verschwanden auch die Nebenwirkungen, aber das Herz war stabil und sie wieder aktiv. Ich gewöhnte mich ans das Medikamentenmanagement und lernte, selber ihr Herz abzuhören und schließlich kehrten wir zum Rettungstraining zurück und hatten bald unsere ersten Einsätze, wo sie immer im positiven Sinne Aufmerksamkeit bekam, weil sie so fröhlich ist aber zeitgleich auch extrem professionell und zuverlässig bei der Arbeit. Wir spezialisierten uns auf Hochgebirgsrettung und Trümmerarbeit, wo ihre kompakte, aber sportliche Statur (18kg) ein großer Vorteil gegenüber größeren und schwereren Hunden wie DSH oder Labradoren darstellt. Also lernten wir gemeinsames Abseilen, Aufstieg in Seilen, Seilbahn fahren und vieles mehr.

Sommer 2019 zogen wir von Mexiko nach Ecuador, wo wir weiterhin trainieren, aber sehr plötzlich bekam ich von meiner Schule die Erlaubnis, mit meinen Hunden an der Schule mit den Kindern und Jugendlichen zu arbeiten. Nun ist die kleine Wildsau ein Rettungshund, aber kein Therapiehund, und so war sie erst nur als Reserve gedacht, falls einer meiner richtigen
Therapiehundesenioren ausfällt. Bei einer extremen Hitzewelle, wo die beiden Senioren nicht arbeiten konnten, kam also ihr großer Tag, und wie vorher bei allem anderen auch, sie lernt rasend schnell. Jetzt, ein paar Monate später, wird sie von den Schülern (und Kollegen und Chefetage und Service- und Sicherheitsleuten der Schule) angebetet und wir werden zu jeglichen Events und Exkursionen eingeladen, führen alle ihre coolen Tricks vor und lassen sie mal einen Schüler suchen…

In den knapp 2 Jahren seit ihrer Diagnose mussten wir ihre Medikation nur 2mal anpassen, einmal fiel sie aus uns unbekannten Gründen in eine Krise und musste einige Tage in der Klinik am Tropf bleiben, aber davon abgesehen ist sie ein normaler Rettungshund und ein baldiger Therapiehund. Das einzige, was ich beachten muss, ist, immer Prednisolon dabei zu haben, weil sowohl Sucheinsätze als auch Arbeitstage an der Schule stressig sind. Im positiven Sinne, aber eben dennoch stressig.

In unserer Freizeit wandern wir im Hochgebirge, gehen schwimmen oder fahren auch mal Fahrrad. Sie macht absolut alles (oder noch mehr), was ein nicht-Addison-Hund machen würde, nur mit einem Überschuss an positiver Energie.
Nebenbei: meine ecuatorianischen Tierärzte benutzen sie als Beispielfall für ihre Vetmedizinstudenten, da die allermeisten nie zuvor einen Addisonpatienten zu Gesicht bekommen haben.

bl-Ispanjol

La historia de Piña
En febrero de 2016, vivía en Cholula, México con mis tres pastores (alemánes y belgas, todos rescatados) cuando una amiga me llamó que había encontrado una cachorra en una bolsa de basura cerrada en la banqueta de la calle., a punto de asfixiarse. Entonces fui, recogí la cachorra y le presenté a mi veterinaria. 4 semanas, alrededor de 1000gramos. Inmediatamente encontramos a una familia que le quiso adoptar, solo que necesitaban organizarse antes de llevarla. Pero…nunca pasó y se quedó conmigo más tiempo que esperábamos.

Se adaptó rápido a la vida entre los pastores grandes y creció sanamente. Mis alumnos le llamaron PIÑA porque en ese tiempo estuvimos viendo las frutas. Ella enamoró a todos pero nadie la adoptó. Estaba una cachorra muy valiente, segura e inteligente, así que empezamos a entrenarle. Brillaba en obediencia, trucos y –a pesar de ser chiquita comparada con los pastores– aún se lanzó a guardia y protección. Cuando llevaba 6 meses conmigo le declaramos ‘mía’ oficialmente y también empezamos su entrenamiento de búsqueda y rescate, como le notamos muy apta para trabajo de olfato.

Claro que estaba la única cruza callejera y a principio nos encontramos con un pseudo-entrenador que dijo que no sirviera y blabla, pero por fin encontramos a un entrenador que vio su potencial y pronto vimos resultados impresionantes.

En agosto 2017, después de una sesión fuerte de entrenamiento, ella pareció exhausta, triste y le salió orina cuando durmió. El día siguiente le checamos por infección de las vías urinarias, era negativo. Le dimos algunos días de reposo y pronto estaba como normal. Cuando volvió al entrenamiento pasó lo mismo: cansancio extremo, incontinencia. Esa vez mi veterinaria notó su frecuencia cardíaca muy baja y nos mandó a una clínica para un chequeo cardiológico. Hicieron un eco cardíaco, sonografía de corazón y abdomen, tomaron la presión, análisi de sangre…todo. Cuando fui por ella, la cardióloga me dijo que tanto el corazón como los riñones tienen una sobrecarga y por eso estaba tan cansada. La doctora sospechó Addison por una leve desbalance de los electrolitos y el problema cardíaco. Por un ataque de abejas dos semanas antes Piña había recibido una inyección de cortisona, así que no pudimos hacer el test de estimulación del ACTH. Los doctores dijeron que se tendría que esperar 4 semanas para poder hacer el test, a lo mejor se podría estabilizarle con sueros de cloruro de sodio por algún tiempo y finalmente hacer el test.
Desafortunadamente, aún con los sueros su situación empeoró y después de algunos días todos los veterinarios involucrados decidieron juntos empezar el tratamiento por Addison. Empezamos con Predisona y pastillas de Fludrocortisona (Astonin) y en pocos días estaba fuerte y alegre como antes. Su frecuencia cardíaca se normalizó u poco a poco pudimos bajar la dosis de la Prednisona, con eso desaparecieron los efectos secundarios.

Piña tenía un año y medio cuando le diagnosticaron.

Ella estaba estable, yo me acostumbré a manejar sus medicinas y por fin pudimos volver al entrenamiento. Pronto tuvimos los primeros operativos de búsqueda y rescate y ella ganó los corazones con su carácter amigable y alegre y su profesonalismo en cuanto al trabajo de búsqueda. Nos especializamos en rescate de alta montaña y escombros/estructuras colapsadas donde ella por su estatura compacta y atleta (18kilos) tiene ventajas con los pastores o labradores más pesados. Así, aprendemos hacer rappel, subida en cuerdas, andar en teleféricos y cualquier tipo de vehículo.

En verano de 2019 nos mudamos a Ecuador, donde seguimos entrenando, pero de repente recibimos el permiso de mi colegio, a trabajar con los perros en el colegio. Piña como perra de búsqueda y rescate solo era planeada como reemplazo para mis dos perros de terapia. En una fuerte ola de calor, cuando los dos perros de terapia por su edad no podían trabajar, llegó la hora de Piña y…aprendió rapidísimo. Ahora, meses después, es adorada por todo el colegio (alumnos, colegas, jefes, padres de familia, empleados) por su alegría permanente, por saber hacer tantos trucos y por brindar seguridad a excursiones.

En los dos años de su diagnosis solo dos veces tuvimos que ajustar sus medicamentos, siempre llevo algo de Prednisona conmigo (tanto la búsqueda como el trabajo en el colegio le exigen mucho y tengo que darle más Prednisona en los días de trabajo) pero al lado de eso es una perra de búsqueda y rescate normal y perra de terapia futura.
En nuestro tiempo libre hacemos senderismo, escalamos montañas, andamos en bici o vamos a nadar. Piña hace absolutamente todo (o más) que hace un perro sin Addison, solo con exceso de energía.
Mis veterinarios ecuatorianos le usan para enseñanza de Addison a sus estudiantes de medicina veterinaria como la mayoría nunca ha visto un caso de Addison antes.
Por ganar tantos corazones, mis amigos me regalaron un tatuaje en forma de Piña y la mitad de mi casa tiene decoración en forma de Piña. Su apodo es “la cola inquieta” por ser tan alegre, y cuando la ven, nadie sospecha su enfermedad.

Piña - Tipiċi ta 'Addison
Ikklikkja immaġini biex tkabbar

 

This is Ozzie! We adopted him as a 6-month-old rescue. Border Collie/Australian Terrier mix according to the DNA test. His weight is 48 liri. We started noticing changes in him when he was about 3.5 snin qodma (early 2016). The first indication (missed by me as a medical issue at that time) was a drastic change in his coat. His hair grew longer and turned from black to brown. He looked like a little bear!

Then in June, we went camping and I noticed he was peeing a lot. Copious amounts and very dilute. Then also occasional diarrhea.

Still energetic, we continued agility all this time. Then one morning, he didn’t want to eat. That was my indication that something was wrong. He always loved food. I also noticed that he would pant a long time after playing ball. Too long.

To the vet that day in June 2016, just before his 4^th birthday. They asked me what his symptoms were because he looked like such a happy camper. I told him about the not eating and the panting. I could pick him later that day and was told to give him chicken and rice. They had taken blood and results would be back the day after.

I just went to agility training that next morning, and when I came back the vet had called to bring Ozzie in ASAP. They suspected Addison’s disease. They did the ACTH test and he didn’t stim at all. Diagnosis was in!

He was on fluids for a day, was given Percorten (1.75 ml at regular dose), and Prednisone. I soon learned about low dose; I did learn so much in just a few days. It was worth my time, because I have been able to lower his Pred to only 0.25 mg per day and we went with low dose of Percorten (0.6 ml) for his second shot. Hija ħadet 3 months for his K level to go up to 4.9! Then after several months of electrolyte tests, we have him now on 0.25 ml of Percorten every 28 jiem. That is lower than many other dogs, but he does really well on this.

Then the best part: after three months of healing, I went back to Agility, Treibball, started Nosework, and started Trick training. I had my sweet boy back. Like nothing happened. He still runs Agility at the highest levels, received his Excellent Treibball title plus his Trick Dog Champion and Stunt Dog Professional title in 2018. He is close to getting his Masters Jumpers and Standard titles in AKC agility and I hope to attend the Nadac Championships in September this year. He earned his Nosework 2 title a few months ago. Going for level 3 this year!

I am so proud of this boy; he really loves life and he keeps me busy! Here is a link to one of his Treibball runs he so loves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTC1jBJR_jM

Ozzie - Thyra P.
Tipiċi ta 'Addison
Ikklikkja immaġini biex tkabbar

 

Stirling is my sweet, amazing Border Collie. His fancy AKC registered name is Premiere’s Stirling Status, UD, P-UTD, FDC. From the start, I believed he was supposed to be my dog. I have been training and showing dogs in competition obedience for nearly 20 years and I was ready for my first Border Collie. I drove out to California to pick up my black and white ball of fluff. The puppies were running about like little chickens, this way and that. Since they were interested in running about the room, the puppies were not paying much attention to the new stranger (me). Then the puppy pack ran past me and one scooted to a stop and attempted to jump right on me; he was enthralled with me. He was adorable and I loved him at very first sight, but this puppy was already promised to another home. I was a bit disheartened but trusted our breeder and her matching of the dogs. She picked up this other adorable puppy and placed him in my lap; this was the puppy picked for me. He was cute and wiggled directly out of my arms to go play. The breeder put the puppies in the crate and we chatted a bit. She took the puppies out at least four more times. All the puppies would run directly past me to play and this one little puppy would run past me and put on the brakes to try to jump in my lap, as I said earlier, he was enthralled and I was starting to have heartbreak as this was not my puppy. Fl-aħħarnett, the last time the breeder took the puppies out and they all ran past me but the one, she picked him up and shared she’d not seen anything like this, and well; he was my pup. That puppy, as you likely guessed, is my amazing Stirling.

Stirling and I went off to enjoy our busy, active life together, training and running. I loved having my first border collie.

Around the time he was a year old, I noticed he seemed to have periods when he did not feel well. He would have loose stool and seem tired; not as active. I would take him to the vet and he would get some medicine to calm his stomach. His labs were fine. I would notice he would have loose stool after a training session. The next symptom Stirling demonstrated was a full body rash. Stirling had pus like lesions all throughout his body. It was so scary! Off to the vet we went. At this point, as I am a nurse, I started to put together this seemed like an autoimmune or autoinflammatory condition. As quickly as the rash developed, it went away. From there, Stirling would go on to have periods of loose stool, lethargy, and high fever. I would rush him to the vet for treatment and part of the treatment was steroids. After treatment, Stirling would be back to his amazing self and off we would go running and training until the next episode. There were a number of these episodes. Fl-aħħarnett, after one of the episodes, we saw a different vet as we were on holiday. I shared our story and I was so upset. She blurted out, “I think he has Addison’s disease!” She ran the tests, gave him steroids, and fluids to stabilize him. For this final episode, Stirling’s blood glucose was low; he had an atypical presentation of Addison’s. At least now we knew! Stirling’s presentation of Addison’s was an atypical presentation making an already challenging diagnosis even more challenging. We returned to Arizona, ran more tests to discover Stirling has primary Addison’s disease, but remains with glucocorticoid deficiency —or with Atypical Addison’s disease. Stirling has remained in Atypical Addison’s since 2012. Since he tested for primary Addison’s we follow his labs every 4 xhur.

After the initial stabilization period, which was hard, Stirling has been feeling wonderful, running and competing. Our team for Stirling is amazing. Our Vet is very supportive of our treatment and we work together for the best treatment plan for Stirling. She is supportive of low dose prednisone and our feeding plan.

For brags, Stirling and I run together and recently we ran a 6-minute mile! We show in competitive obedience and are almost always in the ribbons. The UD (Utility Dog title) is one of the top obedience titles. Stirling is my first obedience dog to achieve the UD title. I adore every minute we have together. Strangely enough, I believe we enjoy a stronger bond because of the Addison’s.

Outside of the difficulty of diagnosis, and the initial stabilization period which was scary; we have an amazing life together. I am forever grateful for our medical care and our Canine Addison’s Resources & Education group (C.A.R.E). I do not believe I would have gotten through this without the expertise and guidance of our C.A.R.E group. The support and knowledge C.A.R.E provides is critical. I cannot count how many times I have reached out for guidance and support. The group also brings friendship and encouragement. I remember second guessing if I should be running and showing Stirling. Then I saw dogs in our C.A.R.E group doing agility. I was touched by a wonderful Border Collie named Idgie in our group. Watching Idgie’s brags gave me the encouragement I needed. At that moment, I decided Stirling was always supposed to be my dog and we would live the life we were intended. You will see me singing Team Stirling’s praises occasionally, in case someone needs just a little encouragement.

Stirling is well loved by both me and my wonderful, supportive husband who is also critical in supporting Stirling in his care. Our Addison’s dogs rock and can do it all!

Stirling - Candice V.G.
Atipika ta 'Addison
Ikklikkja immaġini biex tkabbar

 

Time to tell our story, and to share some good news. When we joined the CARE Facebook group, it was following a suggestion by a friend in another Facebook group about the Belgian Shepherd breeds. I had no idea that we needed help and that I could improve Ali’s care. Ali had her Addison’s crisis over 5 years prior, and she had been stable with 2.5 ml of Prednisolone daily and a monthly shot, at the vets, ta 2.5 ml ta Percorten – carefully calculated according to her weight (which I later discovered is not the way to adjust the medication).

My husband and I more than once had ‘that talk.’ Were we really doing the kindest thing treating her illness, keeping her alive? Bless, she was so ‘wired,’ jumpy, and nervous of everything. My brave fearless girl no more. She was ravenous! Starving hungry the whole time. It was painful to see. I was so sorry for her I used to buy her big shells of lettuce leaves to try and fill her up. Anything to put something in her stomach without fattening her up. She wolfed them down.

Despite giving her cranberry capsules everyday, she had countless bladder infections. Seemed like she was never clear of them and was constantly getting antibiotics to control them. Her fur had gone very sparse and coarse. Belgian Shepherds have a double coat, but she no longer had any soft warming undercoat of fur. Just the outer fur, with bald spots even in that. Neither of us ever got a full night’s sleep. Every night she needed to go out twice, some nights as many as three times.

But then I read the documents here and the advice which was helping others to reduce their dogs from the therapeutic dosage level which Ali was on to the biological replacement level of both Prednisolone and Percorten V. I’m a life scientist by training and it all made such good sense that I decided to give it a try. I just quietly got on and reduced Ali’s prednisolone, gradually and gently. And what do you know, she did great. It took a while, but she is now stable on 0.5 ml daily – one-fifth of her original dose!

As soon as I could see that she was doing better on a reducing dose of Prednisolone, I started telling our lovely veterinarian I wanted to reduce her Percorten and to base her dosage on her electrolytes, not her weight. We had quite a tussle to start with, but once he realized I wanted her treatment to be based on the results of her ‘lytes, he was fully supportive. We’ve been gradually reducing her dosage, and her last shot was 0.5 ml Zycortal (we switched from Percorten). Maybe down to 0.4 ml this time, but we’ll soon know. A few months ago, I started doing her shots myself. Partly to mitigate the additional costs of the monthly ‘lytes tests, but more to avoid Ali having to go to the vets so often. She’s very brave, but she’s been to the vets far too often in her little life.

Why am I telling you this now? Well, we’ve just come back from Ali’s 28 day ‘lytes blood draw and our vet proudly told me that he has convinced the owner of another Addison’s dog in his care to start the same reducing treatment regime. And, bless him, he has suggested that they could start doing the monthly shot themselves to help offset the initial costs, citing me as an example.

Allura, apart from being chuffed to bits that another dog will soon be feeling a lot less wired, I’ve learned another lesson. In convincing our veterinarians to treat our dogs the way we have learned is what they need, with just a replacement dosage, they will then take that knowledge and use it with other Addison’ dogs in their care. Having said it, that seems blindingly obvious that they would do so, but it honestly had not occurred to me.

Update: Another two years have passed since I wrote this. Thank you to everyone here at CARE for all they do to help our precious A-dogs and us, their anxious helicopter pet parents. I’m honored to have been asked to update it for the Canine Addison’s Awareness Week 2020.

My darling Ali continues to flourish. For over 2 years now, she has been stable on 0.5 ml of Prednisolone daily. I continued reducing her monthly Zycortal, guided by monthly ‘lytes tests, until we reached the level that kept her stable for 28 jiem. My poor girl, who had been given 2.5 mls of Percoten V every month for 5 years only needs the tiny monthly dose of 0.3 ml.

Last year we got a male Belgian Shepherd puppy. I thought Ali might appreciate not having the responsibility of being top dog in our little pack of two. What did we know! Having just celebrated his first birthday, Shadow is now a strapping big boy, taller, and heavier built than Ali. But my darling brave fearless girl is still determinedly top dog. Her coat is full, soft, and shining with health. I have to admit that she still bolts her meals, but that desperate hunger resides only in my memory. We both sleep through most nights. Nowadays, it’s me who needs to get up, not her. And she’s happy. Bright eyed and bushy tailed. She’s beside me now, cuddling up on the sofa, making typing very difficult.

Even I forget she’s ill. It’s just part of my routine to give her meds with her breakfast, quick, easy, and not a big deal at all. Her monthly shot is now routine. Collar off the night before. Draw up her meds into the syringe while she’s elsewhere, and then quickly give it to her while she’s enjoying her breakfast. But let her get sick, with anything, and I’m immediately that anxious A-dog mom again. Some things never change!

Ali - Shirley C.
Tipiċi ta 'Addison
Ikklikkja immaġini biex tkabbar

 

Simba twieled fuq Frar 23, 2007. He was trained as a Service Dog for an autistic boy and was loved very much by his “brother.” Just before his 2nd birthday, hu waqa 'l isfel xi taraġ. Huwa spiċċa fil-vet, deskritti bħala estremament għajjien u ma setgħux jimxu. Bloodwork wassal għal dijanjosi ta '"preżunta Addison" (ebda test ACTH). Huwa kien mogħti tir ta Dexamethasone u xi fluwidi IV, imbagħad mibgħuta dar biex jieħu Florinef, "Għall 2 xhur, imbagħad jieqaf u jżomm Prednisone fuq naħa jekk hu jibda li jikkraxxja fid-dar. "fajl mediku tiegħu taqra bħal storja orrur. F'Novembru ta ' 2010, kellu "possibbli" kriżi Addisonian, bil-potassju tiegħu fil 5.6 (jvarjaw sa 5.8). Simba apparentement kellhom total ta ' 3 kriżijiet filwaqt mal-ewwel familja tiegħu, u mbagħad sofra 4 fiż-żmien tal-konsenja l-Istandard Poodle Salvataġġ.

Fl-età ta ' 6, Simba waslu fil-salvataġġ & foster care. Is-salvataġġ u l-membri tal-komunità tal-Addison għenu biex jiksbu Simba fuq il-passaġġ dritt, jaqilbu lilu minn Florinef għall Percorten u hu beda fuq il-fażi li jmiss tal-ħajja tiegħu, li hija ferm kuntenti!

Keith u I kienu qed ifittxu parentela għall River tagħna, li assolutament ma simili jkunu ta '"biss kelb". I kien wara ħafna mill-klieb disponibbli fil-salvataġġ, u mbagħad Simba deher. Hu kien simili klonu ta 'Xmara fid-dehra, biss saħansitra aktar sbieħ. I biss ma setgħux jieħdu l-għajnejn tiegħi off dan boy sabiħ. Kellna kemm tilfu 2 klieb ftit ta 'snin, wieħed mill-kanċer, l-ieħor minħabba kumplikazzjonijiet mit shunts inoperabbli fwied multipli. Kuntatt tiegħi fil-salvataġġ ppruvaw jitkellmu lili bogħod minn Simba, qal aħna jixirqilhom wieħed bl-ebda kwistjonijiet, iżda b'xi ħassejna aħna kienu l-poplu dritt għall Simba u kien id-dritt għalina. Simba waslu fil-familja tagħna dwar Marzu 23, 2013, mhux twil wara 6 għeluq sninu, ma 'assortiment ta spreadsheets, pilloli, u l-istruzzjonijiet. Ras tiegħi kien għażil. I kien jaf xejn dwar l Addison, ħlief li din kienet kelma ħafna scary. Trawwem Ommu, Katey, assigurati lili li rridu naraw l-appoġġ sħiħ tagħha flimkien ma 'dik tal-komunità tal-Addison. I ssieħbu grupp ta 'appoġġ pjuttost malajr iżda stenniet awhile qabel l-impostar. Li persuna jitmeżmżu, kien diffiċli li wieħed jitkellem lil mazz ta 'barranin, anki jekk kienu biss online. Well, din kienet l-aqwa ħaġa li għamilt. Għal Simba, kien tajjeb għax sibt għajnuna immedjata jittrattaw miegħu, u għalija kien tajjeb - I magħmula ħafna ħbieb ġodda siewja, persuni li magħhom I jkollhom ħaġa waħda komuni - aħna kollha imħabba klieb Addison tagħna. Simba kienet "reklamati" kollha fuq il-kontinent u anki fir-Renju Unit, hekk hu daħal mal-grupp tiegħu stess ta 'ammiraturi, u Keith u jien niżel fil-grupp miegħu.

Fl-aħħar ta 'Ġunju 2013, biss 3 xhur wara we adottati lilu, Simba qabża ta 'trakk Keith fil-garaxx u kissru riġel tiegħu. Xi jmiss għal dan il boy għeżież! Kienet waqfa ħażina ħafna u hu spiċċa bi pjanċa tal-azzar fi driegħ tiegħu plus wajer mgeżwra madwar polz tiegħu. Aħna qalulhom li kien 90% ċans li kien kanċer, hekk kienu ppreparati għal amputazzjoni possibbli segwit bi trattament kemo. Simba kien xortik tajba u jinkwadraw fil- 10% ċara! Hu kien tali trooper ma Qassaba tiegħu u liebes "bonnet tiegħu,"U mbagħad biss meta kien fieqet, kellha tmur lura 6 xhur wara li l-pjanċa imneħħija.

Allura aħna qegħdin ġejjin sa 2 sena peress li aħna adotta Simba - hu kien tali ferħ. Huwa "persuna tiegħu stess,"Ma simili klieb oħra. Hu solitarju, u huwa "jeżerċita intolleranti." lista tiegħu ta 'meds jkun kważi sparixxa - darba medikat kif suppost, kwistjonijiet tal-ġilda preċedenti sparixxew, jixħtu waqfet. Simba jarah klieb oħra tilgħab iżda qatt verament tgħallmu kif biex jipparteċipaw meta kien iżgħar. Huwa taw up a lott ta '"żgħażagħ gost tiegħu" billi jkunu Service Dog Autism, u billi jkunu hekk ħafna morda. Iżda l-ħin tiegħu wasal - hu għandu birthday 8 sejjer iseħħ - u huwa jkollu omm & Dad li imħabba lilu dearly u se jagħmlu xi ħaġa għall lilu, Xmara brother li tgawdi jkollhom lilu hawn, u Pinot sister ġdid li jkun għadu ma pjuttost jinsa li hu growled lejn tagħha l-ewwel ġurnata hi kien hawn, imma hi moderazzjoni up. Simba tfisser "Prince" u dan huwa dak li hu!

Pinot huwa spaniel Cocker / taħlita poodle mini, imwieled fit Mejju 4, 2009. Hija għexet għal 5 snin fil-familja ta 'liema naf xejn. Iżda biss qabel tagħha 5^th birthday, hija kienet miġjuba għall-Klinika Emerġenza ma imblukkar awrina u ladarba jkunu kisbu qawwi tagħha biżżejjed, hija kellha cystoscopy urinarju. Hija kienet mibgħuta dar iżda reġa 'lura fil-jum jew tnejn fi kriżi. Il vet riedu test għall tal Addison imma mbagħad familja tagħha kienet laħqet punt ta 'tkissir tagħhom u talbu li hi jitqiegħdu għall-irqad. Il vet rranġati li jkollhom tagħha ċeduti lilu u hi kienet iddijanjostikata ma 'ACTH fil-bidu ta' Mejju. Hija mbagħad għexet għal dak li jmiss 4 xhur fil-klinika. Konna fil-klinika max-Xmara ġurnata waħda u dawn qalulna dwar Pinot u miġjuba tagħha biex jiltaqa magħna. Hija tmiss fil, irkupra up fuq il-bank, u biss ma setgħux jikkontrollaw l-enerġija tagħha. Kienet ballun tentix u cuteness. Nimxu flimkien, Spin (Poodles Standard Fil Need) ħadet il-kontroll tal tagħha u Keith u jien mrawma tagħha. Pinot hija brillanti! Ewwel jum Her, hi litteralment maqfula fuq kemm Keith & Xmara, u biex din il-ġurnata huma tnejn għafis ewlenin tagħha. Fil-klinika, dawn kienu jagħtu tagħha 1.0 mg ta 'Prednisone kuljum u hi miżun dwar 14 liri. Allura, Pinot kellhom problemi ta 'inkontinenza severi. Aħna ħadem fi jbaxxu Pred tagħha iżda anki meta kien isfel għal 0.2mg, hi kienet għadha jnixxu. Aħna ppruvaw jagħtu Propalin tagħha (Microwave) ma biss ftit suċċess. Imma ladarba hi bdiet tieħu Stilbestrol (DES) kuljum, hija kienet kompletament niexfa.

Tista 'timmaġina li Spin ma kienx eżattament ub'għaġġla off saqajn tagħhom ma' nies li riedu jadottaw dan il-kreatura assolutament għeżież. Xi wħud kienu interessati biżżejjed biex jitgħallmu dwar l Addison & jikkunsidraw tagħha, iżda l-jnixxu kien interruttur jittrattaw. Il-ħin kollu, I kien miktub dwar kif wunderbare kienet, I kien jaqa 'aktar u aktar fl-imħabba tagħha myself. Aħna se tkun miexja dalwaqt li se jeħtieġu 7 vjaġġ bit-triq jum u peress li aħna diġà kellhom 2 poodles standard, aħna ma naħsibx nistgħu tadotta 3^rd. Aħna finalment iddeċieda li "ġwienaħ" - Pinot kien wisq speċjali biex let xi ħadd ieħor igawdu tagħha. Hija tappartjeni magħna, u aħna jappartjenu magħha. U minbarra, kif nistgħu anke taħseb ta 'teħid tagħha bogħod mix-Xmara! Allura, fuq Diċembru. 21, 2014, Pinot saret tagħna għal dejjem. Hija huwa tali delight. Hija idejn inti papoċċ meta inti tidħol fil-, għalkemm jista MHUX jkun tiegħek, iżda huwa ppreżentat ma 'tali wiggle BUM għeżież li inti biss għandek teħodha xorta waħda. Hija totalment dipendenti fuq l-squeaky ġugarelli - l-akbar u l-squeakier l-aħjar - dan huwa vizzju li hi l-ishma ma Xmara u dawn ma jkollhom xi squabbles ftit matul l- "aħjar" waħda. Pinot għandu jinqabad qlub tagħna u se żżomm lilhom dejjem.

 

Klara twieldet fuq il-12 Awissu 2009. Kienet dejjem puppy ferrieħa u vivaċi, tomboy ma 'kurżità kbira għal kollox ġdida. Bidliet daħal wara l-ewwel sħana tagħha. Hi saret eater picky, li ħsibt kienet relatata mal-bidliet ormonali. Hi saret kwiet u irreaġixxa b'mod aggressiv meta klieb daħal wisq qrib, anke buddies tagħha kelb aħjar. Il-pil iswed fuq saqajn ta 'quddiem tagħha daru griż.

Imbagħad għal darb'oħra kienu perjodi twal meta kollox deher li jkun okay. Ftit wara birthday 3 tagħha, kollox għall-agħar. Hi kellha infezzjoni fil-widnejn ħażina ħafna bil-batterji multi-reżistenti. Biex tikseb l-infjammazzjoni kkontrollati, l-kanali tal-widnejn kienu mnaddfa taħt anestesija ġenerali. Il landslide beda. Hija bdiet biex jirrifjuta l-ikel tagħha. Kultant, hi ate xejn għall 3 jiem. Kultant, hija kellha dijarea jew rimettuta. Fil desperation, bdejna biex Joke li dalwaqt aħna se tikseb entratura tagħna stess fil-klinika. L-infezzjoni fil-widnejn kien għadu jikkawżaw inkwiet u Klara ltqajna tieni tindif widna tagħha taħt anestesija ġenerali.

Sadanittant, hi ripetutament kellhom dijarrea, rimettar, u stitikezza. Aħna jintefqu Milied u New Year Eve fil-klinika. Testijiet għall-parassiti kienu negattivi. Il bloodwork kien eċċellenti. L-infezzjoni fil-widnejn jinżammu ġejjin lura.

Winter 2012/2013, kellna temp mill-isbaħ. Lottijiet ta 'borra u x-xemx. Klieb tiegħi imħabba borra u Klara mkaxkra ruħha permezz tal-borra. Hija kellha l-ebda gost. Inti tista 'tara li hija ma kinitx sejra tajjeb. Ħafna mill-ħin hi slept. Il-veterinarji sabet l-ebda kawża.

Fi Frar 2013, kien saħansitra agħar. Dijarrea, rimettar, Qaltlu li tkun fl-uġigħ, irrifjutat ikel tagħha, imma xorbu lottijiet ta 'ilma. Il-veterinarji qal, "Għandna nistennew. Dan jista 'jkun minħabba l-sħana tagħha. "Il-jum li jmiss meta I daħal dar, Kelli tħossok stramba – xi ħaġa li marret ħażin ħafna hawn. I saq għal darb'oħra l-isptar u l-vet riedu li tibgħat me bogħod, “Aħna posizzjoni mżerżqa jsibu xejn. Naħseb li huwa s-sħana tagħha!”

Dan kien wisq. I kien rrabjata u talab għal aktar investigazzjoni. “Xi ħaġa ħażina mal Klara. I mhux se jmorru!! Do xogħol tiegħek!” Huma ma test komplet tad-demm u mbagħad, -veterinarji kienu mħassba ħafna. Potassju tagħha kien 7.6 fil-firxa ta ' 3.5-5.8. Sodju tagħha kien 139 fil-firxa ta ' 144-160. Il bloodwork qalulna ħajja tagħha kienet fil-periklu. Hija kienet kompletament deidrat. Fl-aħħarnett, ħarsu għall-kawża. Avvelenament, ultrasound renali, leptospirosi. Hija ngħatat IV ma 'boroż tal-infużjoni. I tista 'tieħu dar Klara. Morna kuljum biex il-klinika u huma għamlu aktar testijiet. Huma tkellmu ta 'insuffiċjenza renali iżda sabet l-ebda kawża. Valuri tad-demm Klara kienu miżmuma biss mir-infużjonijiet imma anke li ma jgħinu ħafna. Il-valuri tad-demm kienu agħar. Għal jiem, hi kienet forza mitmugħa, iżda hi tilfet aktar u aktar piż. Hija kienet meħuda biex l-ICU u konna ppreparati biex jitilfu tagħha. Il-veterinarji qalu li riedu test aħħar ħaġa waħda. Huma qalu jista 'jkun Addison's Mard u riedu jagħmlu t-test ACTH. Il-kawża ġiet skoperta. Klara kellha l Addison u t-trattament kien beda. Il-jum li jmiss, I tista 'tieħu dar tagħha.

Hija rkuprati malajr u kollox deher li tkun multa. Madankollu, hi ma kienx b'saħħtu bħal klieb b'saħħithom. C'est pourquoi stajt qalbu minn Florinef għall Percorten.

Bl-għajnuna tal-grupp, ħdimna biex isibu l-aħjar doża Klara's. Issa, hi jiżen 27 kg u jirċievi 0.40ml ta Percorten kull 28 ijiem u 1mg ta Prednisone kuljum. Għalija, huwa simili miraklu biex tara kif hi tgawdi ħajja tagħha mingħajr restrizzjonijiet. Issa, kważi 2 snin wara, Klara iħoss aħjar minn qatt qabel. Qlib għal Percorten kien l-aħjar deċiżjoni qatt qabel. Klaraismentallybalanced,ferrieħa, bold, u kuraġġuża. U wara flimkien jum fuq ix-xogħol(hi assistent trainer tiegħi, I am a trainer kelb) hi xorta kienet l-enerġija ħallew li jilagħbu ferħ sħiħ ma 'ħuha u lili!

I am Annet and I live in The Netherlands. We have 4 klieb, two English Cocker Spaniels, a Boomer and a Belgian Griffon. One of the cockers – his name is Flip and he is 4 snin qodma – has Addison’s since April 2014.

He drank tons of water and wasn’t his exciting self for a few weeks. So when the dogs had to have their annual shots, I asked if the vet could check his total bloodwork, because he was not well. When we got home, Flip disappeared under the table and stayed there, he didn’t even come out for a treat. And that is something that is completely NOT Flip…. After a few hours the vet called and said that his potassium was dangerously high and his sodium very low. So he said I suspect he has Addison’s disease. After travelling in ‘Addison’s world’ for almost a year now, I know that my vet did wonderful by diagnosing it this early! He wanted to confirm with the ACTH test, but it turned out that the test was not available in Holland at that time, not at a vet nor at a veterianarian school! So Flip was never definitively diagnoses with the ACTH test because it simply wasn’t possible. He got fludrocortisone and hydrocortisone and after a little while in ‘Addison World’ I weaned him off of the hydrocortisone completely. The Dutch protocol for Addison is ‘Fludrocortisone and high dose of hydrocortisone for the rest of the dog’s life’. My vet said Okay to wean him off the hydro, but afterwards he said to me that he feared it, because of this protocol. Addison’s is of course a rare disease so that is what he knew and never questioned.

But it went very well so Flip only had fludrocortisone. The only thing is that Flip didn’t do his best on it and we ended up adjusting his dose almost every two weeks. Flip weighs 18 kg and he had 0.8175 mg fludro. He had too much glucocorticosteroids in his medication, that was for sure! He has always been an outgoing dog, but this was ridiculous, whining when he got a little bit excited (so by going out for a walk, getting a treat, getting dinner, thinking we were going out etc), poor Flip…….
Luckily I found a person who could provide Percorten (or rather that person found me) and this resulted in a memorable event on 5 January 2015: Flip was the first dog in Holland to get an injection of Percorten!

He is doing great on it, his personality is normalising, his hair is becoming red again (instead of becoming blonder and blonder) and it is growing again.

I imħabba biex jiktbu, imma jien ipoġġu hawn tluq fil skrin blank, jibżgħu li jien ma tistax tagħmel ġustizzja istorja Pepsi ta. I jaqsmu din l-istorja ma 'lilkom kollha fit-tamiet li se jgħinu xi ħadd ieħor. Aħna adottata Pepsi meta hija kienet madwar 6 xhur f'Diċembru ta 2003. Hija kienet tali kelb unika u aqwa, iżda mhumiex kollha kemm huma fil-mod speċjali tagħhom stess?

Pepsi kellhom puppy-barnuża aktar normali, iżda ma jsofru minn aktar mard minn klieb aktar jagħmlu. Wara hi daru tlieta, hi żviluppat selħiet fil vulva tagħha. Wara diversi vjaġġi għall-vet, u mbagħad jaqilbu veterinarji, u jippruvaw xi għażliet aktar, konna jikkunsidraw kirurġija li jirrikostitwixxu vulva tagħha. Madankollu, hi bdiet tmur għan-niżla malajr. Hija kienet jitilfu l-piż, tħawwad, u fuq kollox, I biss kien jaf xi ħaġa kienet żbaljata. Morna biex vet wara vet fejn dawn kollha ċaħad me tgħid li hija kienet "biss jkollna anzjani u ssettiljati l isfel." Permezz ta 'din iż-żmien kelli tagħha fl-uffiċċju tal-vet kull ġimgħa għal xahar. Aħna anke ppruvaw switching veterinarji koppja darbiet. Enerġija tagħha kien jonqos malajr. Ftit, hi ma setgħux lanqas walk out tat-tarzna mingħajr ma jkollhom jistabbilixxu u jieħdu waqfiet. Hija kienet trouble wara li jkollhom moviment tal-musrana. I ħa tagħha lill-uffiċċju tal-vet għal darb'oħra, fejn huma dijanjostikati tagħha ma kolite. Sirna home, u hi ma setgħux jiksbu barra tal-karozza.

I kien jaf dan kien ikun, so I biss marret lura fil-karozza u saq lejn Chicago - il-belt kbira. Fi ħdan 10 minuti ta 'magħna li jidħlu l-isptar emerġenza f' Chicago, hija kienet dijanjostikati preliminari bil-Marda ta 'Addison, u I kien qal hi probabbilment mhux se għamluha ieħor bil-lejl mingħajr trattament. Hija qagħdu hemm 3 jew 4 jiem filwaqt li dawn ltqajna tagħha fluwidi up, u s-saħħa tagħha lura. Hija kienet test ACTH jsir biex tikkonferma Mard Addison żewġha. Kif meħlus kif I kien li pick tagħha up mill-isptar, I kien ukoll qerdu li jitgħallmu li t-trattament tagħha tiswa kważi $400 fix-xahar. I kellhom ebda idea kif I kienet se jifilħu għalih, imma konna se insemmu mod.

Li meta I bdiet riċerka myself, u sabet grupp K-9 ta 'Addison li I nirrispettaw l-ħajja Pepsi biex. Huma għenu me jifhmu l-marda, kif jinterpretaw testijiet tagħha, u tikseb tagħha fuq id-doża dritt ta 'mediċini. Wara li, aħna qatt ma ħares lura.

Minbarra l- 1.4 ml ta Percorten-V kull 28 jum u 1 mg ta 'Prednisone kuljum, Pepsi ħa wkoll diversi supplimenti. Hija ended up għajxien 7 aktar snin mill-isbaħ fuq id-dożi korretta ta 'mediċini tagħha li, mill-mod, biss l-ispiża me inqas minn $80.00 kull xahar. Pepsi għexet li jkun 11 ½ snin qodma, li huwa pjuttost kbir għal 130 kelb lira. Pepsi miet ta 'kanċer tal-ġurnata ta' qabel Thanksgiving fl 2014.

Getting a dijanjosi ta 'Mard Addison jista' jkun scary u biża, imma Pepsi kienet prova li inti tista 'tgħix ħajja sinifikanti kuntenti bil-mediċini korretta. Minħabba Pepsi, kulħadd li mimsus tagħha tgħallmu tant dwar il-ħajja u l-imħabba u l-ħbiberija. Hi se tintilef bil-kbir.

 

Valentino daħal fis-ħajja tiegħi fil Frar 2007 meta sar trawwem tiegħi wara sejħa mill-qrib lejn kenn għolja joqtlu. Huwa kien nofs siegħa milli euthanized. Huwa kien stray emaciated nieqsa ħafna mill-xagħar tiegħu fuq naħat tiegħu (ġilda tiegħu kienet roża tleqq bright!) u strixxa ta 'xagħar blond bħal Mohawk isfel dahar tiegħu, jiżnu bilkemm £ 30 – huwa issa huwa £ 55 b'saħħtu. Hija ħadet 3 xhur biex jirrestawraw lilu għas-saħħa, u żieda fil-piż. Sa dak iż-żmien, I kienet saret falliment foster, u Valentino kienet kollha minjiera! Hu slept aktar ta 'dawk l-ewwel 3 xhur bejn l-ikliet u jmorru potty qabel ma hu deher li rkupra. Huwa beda jkollhom sintomi ta 'letarġija, nuqqas ta 'enerġija u l-inabbiltà biex jiksbu ġewwa / għal barra tal-karozza għal ftit xhur u waqt li hu qatt ma tilfux tiegħu kompletament, Huwa beda picking fil ikel tiegħu jippruvaw li jieklu, Kont naf xi ħaġa kienet żbaljata, iżda vet tagħna fil-ħin (l-aħħar darba!) ċaħdet l-imġieba tiegħu bħala “li jaġixxu out”. Imbagħad huwa waqa 'fl Diċembru 2007 u vjaġġ tagħna ma Marda ta 'Addison beda. Vet Tiegħu ma setgħux “tajbin” Valentino fl għal ieħor ġimgħa u aħna marru biex vet ta 'ħabib li rnexxielhom tajbin lilna fil. Huwa diffiċli li tkun taf jekk AD tiegħu seta 'kien waxing u waning minn qabel kif hu kien tant morda meta I ewwel ltqajna lilu. Kollass tiegħu kien fuq Diċembru 19, huwa qatta 2 jiem fl-isptar speċjalità, u billi Diċembru 25, ħassew tajjeb biżżejjed biex tipprova jaħrab bil-papra tal-Milied li kien draining fil-sink tal-kċina – fortunatament kien nabbed en flagrante u l-papra baqgħu ħajjin li għandu jkun innotifikat għall-pranzu tal-Milied kif maħsub!

Valentino was started on Florinef/compounded fludrocortisone at .4mg (aktar baxx minn dak irrakkomandat għall-piż tiegħu) u 2.5mg Prednisone fil 12/07 – imma elettroliti tiegħu kienu perfetta (!) għal sena. Wara sena, elettroliti tiegħu marru barra mill-kontroll, and he had weekly increases in his Florinef, sakemm wasal l 2mg iżda elettroliti tiegħu kienu għadhom mhux taħt il-kontroll.

Sibna vet 1.5 hrs bogħod li kien lest li jaħdmu magħna u jibdew Valentino fi 1.8ml, li kienet ikkunsidrata l- “doża baxxa” fil 2009, id-doża standard kien daqsxejn aktar 2ml (I remember ħsieb I ma anki nikseb 2 dożi minn kull kunjett bi spiża ta 'kull xahar ta' madwar $100 biss għall-Percorten-V!) Matul is-snin, aħna bil-mod jitnaqqas billi 10-20% fi żmien. Bdejna fi 1.8ml fil 7/09 u ma anki jiksbu biex 1ml til 9/10, .75ml fil 6/11, .5ml fil 10/13, .4ml kurrenti fl 9/14. Konna kollha ħafna aktar konservattivi lura mbagħad u aħna ma kellhiex biżżejjed info għaddejjin għal dożi iktar baxxi………ħlief permezz tal-esperjenzi ta 'membri oħra tal-grupp. Kien kollha territorju ġodda! Jekk l-istudju doża baxxa kien disponibbli fl 2009, jista 'jkollna bdiet fi .95ml u li ħafna iktar kmieni gotten sal doża Valentino tal-baxxa effettiva u salvati ħafna ta' flus fuq Percorten-V u l-elettroliti mensili ittestjar bħala bonus. Ma nistax ngħid biżżejjed dwar id-differenza tkun fuq dożi aktar baxxi għamlet fil-mod kif Valentino iħoss matul ix-xahar bl-elettroliti tiegħu joqogħdu pretty qrib il-nofs l-firxa bejn id-dożi. Hu qatta 'snin tagħmel “ok” – mopey, għajjien ta 2 ġimgħat wara kull sparatura, tħossok ftit aktar perky madwar ġimgħa qabel isparatura li jmiss tiegħu kien dovut, imbagħad tħossok għajjien darb'oħra meta ltqajna ieħor maqtul – iżda issa hu qed jagħmel “kbir” kollha xahar tul fuq doża ferm aktar baxxa ta 'Percorten-V! Flimkien mat-tnaqqis aktar riċenti Percorten-V, Stajt ukoll kienu kapaċi jnaqqsu Prednisone tiegħu li .5mg – hu ntlaqgħet jittajjar bejn .75mg fix-xitwa biex 1.25mg fis-sajf għal snin. We have also switched to liquid Prednisolone as his liver enzymes became elevated and he was shedding a lot……….

PS – Għawġ Valentino bħala morda, stray mhux mixtieqa kienet l-ispirazzjoni għall-impenn profond tiegħi u l-involviment fil-kwistjonijiet ta 'benessri tal-annimali fl San Antonio! Kemm klieb ħafna biss bħal Valentino mietu minħabba li kien hemm l-ebda wieħed biex iżidu għalihom qabel l-obbligatorji 72 perjodu hr istiva stray skada?

 

Is-salvataġġ li kieku it-frieħ spayed jew imsewwija qabel ma tittieħed home. Argus kien imsewwija fi żmien xahrejn qodma, u aħna miġjuba lilu dar aktar tard dik il-ġurnata. Jumejn wara huwa kien kiesaħ silġ u rogħda iebsa ħafna. Aħna jarah sit inċiżjoni tiegħu għal sinjali ta 'infezzjoni u mgeżwra lilu fi gvieret biex tipprova tisħon lilu. Li wara nofsinhar ħadna lilu fis-vet li kienu għamlu l-kirurġija (45 minuti bogħod). Il-vet qal li kien wara reazzjoni għall-kirurġija u tkun multa. Huwa tah tir u mogħtija lili xi pilloli biex jagħtu għall-jiem li ġejjin. Billi l-għada filgħodu, kien ferm aħjar. Morna biex tara vet tagħna stess għall-kontroll ġdid puppy. Huma immedjatament ħa l bogħod l-pilloli li konna mogħtija u qal puppy m'għandu qatt jingħata dawn. I ma tiftakarx dak li l-pilloli kienu, imma l-ballun kien Dexamethasone u jiena issa nemmen li huwa dak jinġibed lilu mill x'kien qed jiġri.

Huwa kien frieħ differenti ħafna minn kwalunkwe aħna kellna quddiemu. Huwa kien ħafna mellower minn kwalunkwe frieħ kelli qatt magħrufa. Meta wieħed iħares lura, huwa ċar li hu kien juri sinjali ta 'Addison tiegħu minn jum wieħed. Huwa waxed u waned għal kważi sentejn. Matul dan iż-żmien, aħna mitlufa "big brother tiegħu,"Rawwem żewġ ġriewi għal ftit ġimgħat kull, u mbagħad miġjuba puppy ieħor fis-dar tagħna. Fuq Diċembru 6, 2010, Argus nieqaf tiekol. Kull ġurnata progress biex sintomu ieħor (dgħjufija aħħar hind, tregħid, kiesaħ silġ, eċċ). Vet tagħna qal li kien batterji fil żaqq tiegħu – hu ser nikseb fuqha - għalf lilu ross mgħolli (ebda testijiet kienu run). A ftit jiem koppja aktar tard, aħna marru għal vet differenti li qal l-organi tiegħu huma għeluq u hu jmutu – let go lilu!!!! Kif I imwettqa Argus, draped armi tiegħi għat-tielet vet, Ħsibt I qatt tista 'ġġib lilu dar. Il vet tah fluwidi u dam test tad-demm, Testijiet ippurgar, x-rays, ix-xogħlijiet kollha, u miżmuma lilu hemmhekk. Dak il-lejl hi msejħa u qal, “Nissuspetta xi ħaġa li nixtieq li jittestjaw fil-għodu.” Billi dak il-lejl hija spjegat il-ħaġa sħiħa lili. Huwa baqa fuq fluwidi u ltqajna l-ewwel xutt tiegħu. Sa dan il-punt, filwaqt raġel tiegħi u jien ħa dawriet seduta miegħu, hu tana rispons ftit. Il vet ma riedx li let go lilu dar għax xorta mhux se jieklu. Il-jum ta 'wara, I mixi fi u qalilha jien ridt li jieħu lilu dar. Hi finalment miftiehem jekk I wiegħed li jġib miegħu fil kieku kelli ma gotten lilu biex jieklu fil-li jmiss 12 sigħat. Meta hi miġjuba lilu out, hu qabża kollha fuq magħna u l-vet qal, “Yep, hu għandu bżonn biex tmur id-dar!” Hekk hu bil-mod daħal madwar biex tiekol u aħna mċaqalqa ċelebrazzjonijiet tal-Milied għall-dar sister tiegħi u kienu kwiet u attenta ma 'kollox għamilna. Issa dan vet told me biex iġibu lilu f'kull 28 jum għall-xutt tiegħu, ittih Prednisone tiegħu kull jum u hu se jgħixu ħajja normali.

Argus huwa 60 lbs, u ngħata 2ml ta Percorten kull 28 ġranet għal disa 'xhur mill-vet tech. Huwa ltqajna 5mg ta Prednisone għal ftit xhur. L-ewwel ħaġa li sibt kien informazzjoni dwar Prednisone. Konna jtuha bil-lejl u I sabu huwa għandu jkun jkollna fil-għodu, hekk aħna nbidlu li. Imbagħad I jaqra artiklu dwar id-dożaġġ u aħna qbilna li sa 2.5mg. Mill-tmien xahar rajt li l-ħajja Argus "ma kinitx normali. Huwa kellu l-ebda spunk. Huwa deher għajjien. Huwa kellu aktar ta 'eżistenza minn ħajja! Dan huwa meta I finalment sabet grupp Internet. Testijiet tad-demm u elettroliti - X'INHU? Xejn minn dan kien qed isir. Kien żmien għall sparatura ieħor u I marru fl biex jitkellmu għall-vet (min I ma kinux jidhru f'diversi xhur). Hija kienet mċaqalqa tramuntana li tiftaħ il-prattika tagħha stess. I talab li jkellem lil wieħed mill-veterinarji oħra. Il vet li tippossjedi l-faċilità told me dawn it-testijiet huma magħmul darba f'sena u d-doża ta 'Percorten se tinbidel biss jekk il-piż tiegħu nbidlu u jien qatt ma tista' tagħmel l-isparatura myself. Kieku ma jisimgħu kelma waħda għidt lanqas tħares lejn l-info I ppruvaw li tippreżenta lilu. Attitudni tiegħu told me I kellha tikseb qawwija u jibdew jagħmlu sejħiet tat-telefon. I-telefon intervistati diversi veterinarji matul il-koppja li jmiss ta 'ġranet. Huma kollha kienu jafu kollox dwar l Addison. Wieħed vet finalment imsejħa me u qabel I jistgħu jistaqsu xejn tagħha, hi staqsa lili meta l-elettroliti (“Lytes”) ġew ittestjati aħħar. Meta hi told me li aħna meħtieġa biex jagħmlu dan l-ewwel biex tara jekk kien lest għall sparatura ieħor u jekk meħtieġ biex jitnaqqas, I kien jaf dan kien il-vet I meħtieġa biex nipprova. Wara jkollna l-lytes riżultati tal-vet told me, "Għandna istennija twila, huwa no wonder hu ma ħass tajjeb, huwa ferm aktar medikat. "Little ma hi taf eżatt kemm ta stenna! Aħna ttestjati lytes tiegħu darba fil-ġimgħa għal aktar minn tliet xhur. Kien ftit aktar minn 100 ġranet meta K tiegħu finalment qbilna sa ftit hawn nofs l-firxa. Hija bdiet lilu fil 0.5ml dak iż-żmien u għall-diversi xhur li jmiss, kien titbaxxa sakemm aħna laħaq 0.3 ml. Wara diversi xhur, aħna meħtieġa biex iġibu lura sa 0.32ml. Dik id-doża ilha taħdem kbira għal bosta xhur issa. Dan vet kien kbir mal-Percorten, iżda ma really think il Prednisone għandhom jitbaxxew. I talab tagħha jekk hi let me jippruvaw, jafu li nixtieq watch lilu mill-qrib, u hi jkunu qablu. Huwa issa jkollna 1mg kuljum.

U issa, aħna qegħdin hawn, mal-mediċini ottimizzati, fi kważi 6 snin qodma, aħna għandna l-puppy li huwa jkun ilu fl-ewwel post!

 

Aħna adottati Lexie minn kenn lokali tagħna f'Lulju 2010. Hija kienet stmata li tkun madwar 4-5 xhur qodma fil-ħin. My raġel u I miġjuba dar tagħha fuq “prova” filwaqt tagħna 2 ibniet kienu 'l bogħod fil-kamp tas-sajf, kif ir-raġel tiegħi għandha allerġiji u meħtieġa biex tara kif kien se jirreaġixxu. Well, Kont naf l-mument li kellna Lexie fil-kura tagħna li hija ma kinitx tmur lura għal dak kenn – hubby kien biss jkollhom jgħixu mal-allerġiji tiegħu!!

Fi żmien għaxart ijiem li jkunu magħna, Lexie kellhom episodju ta 'rimettar u dijarea, u vjaġġ imwerwra għall-vet fejn hi ittestjati negattiv għat parvo u ntbagħtet dar mal-istruzzjonijiet li jżomm l-ikel għal kuljum u mbagħad tibda dieta bland. Hija marret lura multa, u fuq il-li jmiss 2 snin se jmorru biex ikollhom bouts okkażjonali ta 'rimettar u dijarea iżda ma jidhirx li tkun xi ħaġa wisq serji. Hija kienet kuntenta u attiv, u deher li tkun l-aktar b'saħħithom. Matul ir-rebbiegħa u fis-sajf ta ' 2012, aħna ndunat sintomi oħra, inkluż għajnejn goopy, infezzjonijiet fil-widnejn, u kwistjonijiet tal-ġilda u pil. Hija bdiet jilgħaq saqajn tagħha eċċessivament, sal-punt tal-rawness. Il-kwistjonijiet istonku komplew u kienu jkollna agħar. Hija mħaddma faċilment mal-eżerċizzju u se jorqdu fil matul il-għodu, lanqas bothering biex tikseb sa jieklu breakfast. Wieħed Sibt kmieni f'Diċembru, 2012, aħna attendew il-parata Milied lokali u mbagħad għamel żjara lill-park kelb. Lexie biss stabbiliti hemmhekk bħala klieb oħra daħal madwar u imxamma fi tagħha – hekk b'differenza Lexie. Aktar tard dik il-lejla, I għamel żjara wara l-siegħa għall-vet magħha, kif hi kienet tħawwad u smelled umoristiċi (bħall-ammonja). Il vet eżamina tagħha u ma tara xejn ovvju ta 'tħassib, u qal li jiġu lura l-jum li jmiss għall bloodwork jekk hi deher li tiggrava. Well, li bil-lejl kienet horrible, bl Lexie tħawwad fil-saqajn tiegħi kif aħna ppruvaw biex torqod. Lura għall vet-jum li jmiss għall bloodwork. B'xorti tajba, vet tiegħi suspettati li Addison meta hi rat il-bloodwork. Sa dan iż-żmien, Lexie kien marid ħafna u kien ammessi għall-isptar għal fluwidi u t-test ACTH, li daħal lura pożittiva.

Picking Lexie up biex iġibu dar tagħha kien aqwa, time emozzjonali, kif hi dam lilna ma 'tali kuntentizza u ma kienx hemm għajn xotta fil-klinika vet!! Sa dan iż-żmien, I kienet sabet l-għajnuna permezz tal-komunità Addison online u kellhom vet kbir li kien lest li tipprova xi ħaġa ġdida – Low Doża Percorten. Illum, Lexie huwa 70 lbs u jieħu 0.4 ml ta Percorten, flimkien ma 'doża ta' kuljum tagħha ta 'Prednisone.

Nemmen li Lexie daħal fis-ħajja tiegħi għal raġuni. Joqogħdu li l-kenn kien ifisser ċertu mewt għall tagħha, Jiena konvint, u l-familja tagħna huwa kapaċi jipprovdi tagħha mal-kura speċjali hi teħtieġ. Minħabba tagħha, Għandi l-ġdida “ħbieb” fid-dinja kollha. Nista 'onestament ngħid li Lexie qatt ma kien aħjar – Dijanjosi Addison kien bl-ebda mod sentenza tal-mewt, imma minflok kienet kirja ġdida fuq il-ħajja!!

 

I adottat Dharma mill-kenn kontea meta kienet 8 ġimgħat. Hija kienet waħda mill 7 ġriewi, jgħixu fi dar trawwem. I jismu tagħha għan-natura pensive tagħha; għajnejn tagħha rifless ilmijiet fondi. I spiss Joke hi għandha personalità biss omm tista imħabba; hi huwa biss hekk ... UH, fard. Hi l-oppost ta 'l-affarijiet kollha tal-klieb stereotypically. Meta hi kienet 5 snin qodma, Wasalt dar mix-xogħol, nhar ta 'Erbgħa, biex isibu 7 vomits, u 4 diarrheas. I ħa tagħha għall-vet l-għada filgħodu. Matul il-li jmiss 3 ġimgħat(u ftit mijiet ta 'dollari), vet tiegħi ta ' 10+ snin dam testijiet tad-demm u, finalment, mibgħuta lilna dar ma 'dijanjosi ta' kanċer (ibbażata fuq "25 snin ta 'ivvettjar"), flixkun ta 'pilloli prednisone 20mg, u pat simpatetika fuq ir-ras. I marru għall 2nd opinjoni. Ġimagħtejn u diversi mijiet ta 'dollari (aktar) aktar tard, aħna żbarkati fi sptar sħiħa ta 'speċjalisti. Wara x-xogħol, fuq Erbgħa bil-lejl, Huma ma sonogram. Still ebda tweġibiet; bħala l- "espert" tkun fil-jum li jmiss. Xi ħadd ittestjar jissemma għall tal Addison (għall-ieħor $250). Il sonogram kienet $500+, u Jien nammetti, I kien fl-aħħar wit tiegħi, jistaqsi kif I jistgħu jżommu ħlas għal test bla tarf ebda tweġibiet. I qaltilhom I d jorqdu fuqu, u stenna għal aktar interpretazzjoni ta 'l-sonogram, l-jum li jmiss.

L-għada filgħodu, fi 4:20 am, I felt sensazzjoni fard fuq għonq tiegħi. Kien nifs Dharma ta, bilkemm. Kap tagħha kien fuq l-ispalla tiegħi, u hija ħadet me ftit li tirrealizza li nifs tagħha kien dgħajjef u erratiku. F'daqqa waħda, I realizzati korp tagħha kien contorted horribly, bħal pretzel. Għajnejn tagħha kienu kompletament vojta. I leapt mis-sodda, threw fuq il-ħwejjeġ, scooped tagħha up ma 'kutra, u dam għall-karozza. I raced madwar l-ibliet, għall-post aħna ntlaqgħet il-lejl qabel. B'xorti tajba, I d ġara li l-avviż kienu ta ' 24 faċilità siegħa. I magħmula l- 45 vjaġġ minuta fil 25. As I ġera permezz tal-bieb bil Dharma fl-armi tiegħi, qalb tagħha waqfet. U hekk għamilt tagħha nifs. I mogħtija lilha biex il-lavrant u qal, "Jekk jogħġbok jgħinha".

Il vet emerġenza dwar id-dazju mwettqa miraklu, u miġjuba Dharma lura għall-ħajja, mingħajr ebda ħsara permanenti. Iżda aħna xorta ma kinitx taf dak li kien ħażin ma tagħha. It-test ACTH sar, iżda r-riżultati se jieħu 24 sigħat. Huma ma kinux ċert hi se jdum dak twil. Huma ma kirurġija esploratorja, ibbażati fuq dak li raw fil-sonogram. Huma suspettati sadd. Kollha huma sabu kien glandoli adrenali żgħar anormali. I do not know kif hi baqgħu ħajjin l-kirurġija. Żewġ mirakli f'ġurnata waħda.

Li jmiss, aħna stenniet. I kien qal li, jekk dan ma kienx ta Addison, Imbagħad kien hemm prattikament xejn li jistgħu jagħmlu, kif aħna'd diġà ttestjati għall, u kirurġikament mfittxija għal, kollha iżda l-aktar joskuraw.

Il-jum li jmiss, meta I ltqajna l-sejħa javżak me kien, fil-fatt, Marda ta 'Addison, I cried tiċrit kuntenti inkontrollabbli. F'dak il-mument, l-intier ta 'l-istress u l-dieqa ta' ordeal tagħna maħsula fuq lili fil-għargħar ta 'eżenzjoni. Kien finalment fuq. Aħna finalment kellhom risposta.

Stajt peress rifless fuq dik is-sekwenza ta 'avvenimenti. L-ammont insane ta 'flus jiswa biex jiksbu l-dijanjosi (ejja biss jgħidu l-talja finali kien aktar minn I jintefqu fuq il-karozza tiegħi) huwa biżżejjed li jikkawża xi ħadd biex jirriflettu. Jiddispjaċini biss tiegħi hija t-tbatija horrible li Dharma imġarrab. Unika sfida tiegħi hija klementi-vet oriġinali biex jintbagħtu us isfel f'din it-triq. Din l-esperjenza mgħallma omm ta 'żewġt itfal imkabbra dwar tip ġdid ta' l-imħabba. Wieħed li jipprevali, anki jekk ma jkunx neċessarjament HAVE biex.

 

Gracie is a 10 year old 134 pound English Mastiff. Gracie was abused until she was 6 months old. At that time she then went to a loving family. Unfortunately, that life ended all too soon with the tragic accident. The husband and the child of her family were killed in an automobile accident. Gracie comforted the mother for the next 6 xhur. The mother then had to move and could not take Gracie with her. This pained her so much. She looked into a rescue group.

The foster mom promised her that she would wait for the perfect family to adopt Gracie. Gracie stayed in foster for much longer than normal.

I had a mastiff who was diagnosed with Addison’s at 7 months old. She was the runt of her litter and was on death’s door when I rescued her. Once we found out she had Addison’s, she lived to 4 ½ snin qodma. Her kidneys, which were never formed correctly finally gave out on her. She was my first mastiff and I fell in love with the breed despite the issues she had. I decided that I needed to rescue another one.

I found Gracie on the website of the rescue group I had started helping with. I was just drawn to her and her story. I talked to her foster mom for hours about her. We both knew that she was going to come to her forever home with me. She was several hours away so the foster mom and I met halfway.

Right away Gracie came up to me and my daughter and she leaned on my leg and sat on my foot. The lean is everything for a mastiff. If they lean on you they like you. It was love at first sight for me and my kids.
Fast forward to 7 months later, Gracie crashed and could not get up my stairs. My son carried her up and into the car and we rushed her to my wonderful vet. I will never forget that day. Gracie was on IV’s and in a kennel with me sitting on the floor next to her. My vet walked in and sat on an empty kennel. He told me that he was going to do the test for Addison’s or that she could have some type of cancer.

The next day all four of my vets came into the room and told me that she indeed did have Addison’s. One of them said he stayed up half the night looking for mastiffs with AD and there just were not too many (at that time he could find none). They told me they were sorry that I now had my second Addisonian Mastiff.

I told them I was happy that it was indeed Addison’s. I already knew Addison’s was manageable and a dog could live a full and normal life with it. I even had some meds left over from my first girl. My first girl took .8 mg of Florinef 2 times a day. We started Gracie on that dose and kept playing with it over the next year. She finally ended up on 1.5 mg Florinef 2 times per day. She has been on that dose for 7 years now.

No one can tell me that this girl was not meant to come to live with me. Her foster mom had turned down other potential adopters because of the promise she made to Gracie’s owner former owner to find the perfect family.

When Gracie was 4 she somehow got out of my yard by going under my fence. I never thought a 134 pound dog would go under my fence but she did. She got hit by a car and Animal control had to get her by the pole neck chain because she was being aggressive. My neighbor saw animal control with her and told them that she lived with me. They knocked on my door on this Sunday. They had her good side facing me so I did not know she was hit. Then they turned her and she had a deep gash in her chest. My car was in the shop and I had no way to get her to the ER vet. Animal control drove me.

I went running in the door screaming that she had Addison’s.

The vet on call was the husband of one of my vets that cared for Gracie. Gracie was on death’s doors; she went gray and limp. They dosed her with high amounts of prednisone and put in a chest tube. She had air around her lungs. Since the ER vet could talk to my vets that night, the plan was to Gracie to my vet in the AM for surgery. The ER vet was just not comfortable working on a dog with Addison’s.

The next day my wonderful, amazing vets waited until their lunch hour to do her surgery so all four of them could be in there and monitor her. Her sternum was broken and they could not do anything about that. They were able to close the wound and keep her safe. She recovered from that.

I fixed all of my fencing however, from that day forward she is very scared of cars on the roads.

About a year after that, Gracie started to gain lots of weight. My wonderful vets (have I mentioned how much I love my vets) did a thyroid test and sure enough she had low thyroid. The weight came off as soon as she was put on meds and she was back to her happy healthy self.

In 2011, tragedy struck my household. My children’s father was killed in a car accident. Gracie is the kind of dog who reads people so well. She comforted me and my children the same way she did with her first owner.
Gracie continues to be by our side whenever we are feeling down. Once again, no one can tell me that this girl was not meant to be in our lives.

About a year ago Gracie developed acute onset glaucoma and went blind in her left eye. My vets were able to shrink her eye so she would no longer be in pain. She could lose her other eye at any time, but so far the drops I put in her good eye are working.

Gracie also has chronic subcutaneous cysts all over her body. She has two that keep popping and becoming infected. She now takes antibiotics every 30 days for 10 days and that is working well. Because of her age and her Addison’s, the vets and I have chosen not to remove the cysts.

Through all of this, Gracie has always been a fighter and a champion. Nothing gets her down. My vets continue to be amazed by her.

Gracie turned 10 on Feb. 5, 2015.

No one thought she would live this long. She is still a happy girl, gets around great and is the love of my life. She is truly my heart dog.

This is more than a story of a dog with Addison’s; this is a story of a dog that was put on this earth to comfort her families though the good and the very bad times.

Addison’s is just one part of her story but it also shows that a dog with AD can live life to its fullest and get through the tough times also.

 

Kindle is a grey Belgian Shepherd (Tervueren) born in 2007. She was always (hindsight is a wonderful thing) a fussy puppy with food but otherwise normal for the first few years of her life and excelled both in the breed show ring and in her first agility competitions.

In August 2011, she started to appear a little lethargic – seemed fine otherwise but just didn’t have her normal drive in training and was just a bit quiet. A week later, she threw up a whole chicken neck which she had been given for dinner 2 nights prior so off to the vet we went. By this stage her litter sister had just been diagnosed as Typical Addison’s so I made the vet aware but as her sodium and potassium readings were normal, the vet dismissed this possibility. He did pick up an issue with her heart so we had a full heart test done which did show some anomalies in the rhythm. We were referred to the National Veterinary training facility who listened to our story and the first they did was run an ACTH test and bingo we had our answer. Kindle had Atypical Addison’s.

For the next 18 xhur, she was maintained on Prednisone alone and got her drive back, continued to compete in agility and was very well indeed. We had moved cities and really fell on our feet finding a relatively young vet who had been really involved with a few Addison’s cases during his first couple of years in practice.

In the December of 2012, we were out of town at a show and she just didn’t seem “right” on the Saturday morning. We whipped her to the vet who did bloods and told me she was in full renal failure and would probably not last the night. Madankollu, one look at her sodium and potassium levels told me she was in an Addisonian crisis and I convinced the vet that this was what was going on. It is often hard to get out of town vets to listen to you as he did not know her history and also happened not to know anything about Addison’s either. He was great, however, and went along with the mad woman who insisted he write a script for Florinef which I grabbed from the local pharmacy. He looked up starting doses and she stayed at the clinic overnight. I will always be grateful that he listened and tried for me as the prospect of driving around a strange city on a Saturday afternoon trying to find someone who knew about Addison’s really did not appeal.

He rang first thing in the morning to say that she was bouncing around the cage, had ripped out her drip line and was generally being a pain in the butt. He could not get over the difference to the very sick dog who had arrived the previous afternoon. They ended up keeping her in for 48 sigħat, at the end of which I think they were well pleased to get rid of her 🙂 . She was “helping” in the kennels and getting cuddles from everyone.

Like most, I have learned a lot about the disease in the years since her diagnosis. She is now a happy, healthy, energetic, nearly 8 year old who screams around like a puppy with absolutely no side effects at all. She is the biggest gannet around food and will eat anything – we now have to be careful she doesn’t get overweight – what a difference!

She retired from agility at 7 years only because she had broken her leg as a 2 year old (she really has been my problem child) and I wanted her to stop before it caused a problem for her later on.

Her medications are just part of our everyday life and you would never know she has the disease. Her Florinef dose is pretty high but it is what it is and she is fine on it. Those out there promoting information and assistance to people with Addison’s dogs are amazing. Thank you all!

 

Skye is a beautiful Tervueren who shares her life with Denise Strom in Sweden. To save you some “googling”, a Tervueren (alternate spelling Tervuren) is a Belgian Shepherd, named after a village in Belgium. Skye now weighs 24kg (53 LB) and is 6 snin qodma. She was diagnosed with Typical Addison’s just one year ago early in 2016 at the age of 5. She was treated with Florinef initially and managed very well although her sodium levels were always on the low side.

Then throughout October & November 2016 she suffered numerous bouts of bloody diarrhea. Increased doses of Florinef, up to 0.8mg daily, and extra prednisone failed to prevent recurrences. Denise joined CARE in November and presented Skye’s symptoms while asking for advice. She credits Merrie Gahr Spiekerman who asked if Skye had been checked for pancreatitis. Denise was pondering this possibility when Skye got diarrhea again and this time she could not stand up. Skye was rushed to the Emergency Clinic where they performed a “quick test” which was positive & pancreatitis was later confirmed by the specific cPLI test. Luckily, it was a mild attack. Skye received pain relief, an increase in prednisone, and most importantly, her food was changed to a low fat diet.

Denise waited two months before reporting on Skye’s progress to make sure that all went well. Since the change in diet almost 2 months prior, Skye has been healthy and stable on Florinef 0.6mg and 5mg hydrocortisone, and her electrolytes are great. Denise’s vet is reluctant to reduce the hydrocortisone at this time since Skye has been doing so well.

Skye had never had bloody diarrhea before she got Addison’s so this was one symptom that stood out. Denise wanted to tell Skye’s story because she suspects that Skye is not the only dog with increased susceptibility to bloody diarrhea and/or pancreatitis following an Addison’s diagnosis. Of course, this may not be applicable to others, and in fact it has not presented as a highly probably issue among the many canine members in CARE, but it is worth bearing in mind.

Skye – Denise S.
Ikklikkja immaġini biex tkabbar

Denise sends her sincere thanks to the members of CARE, in particular to Merrie. She notes that the Florinef information in CARE’s files does make reference to avoiding fatty foods, something she was not aware of before.

Daisy is a Jack Russell Schnauzer mix who shares her life with Amanda Hutcheson & her husband Justin. She currently weighs 14.8 lb and is treated with 0.2ml of Percorten every 28 jiem. Daisy is roughly 8-10 yrs old, she certainly didn’t come with a birth certificate!

Daisy was picked up from an older couple in Texas who was coming to visit family in Beaufort SC where Amanda lives. They listed her in many online “dogs available” groups with no success. Amanda heard of her and immediately took her in, with her hair completely matted and basically looking & smelling very gross. Daisy was shaved down, bathed, and got a clean bill of health from the vet. She had found her forever family!

Two years later, in March 2014, Daisy got run over by a golf cart driven by Amanda. About a month later, Daisy’s mood started to change, her appetite decreased, and she was dehydrated. A visit to the vet for a steroid shot and some IV fluids seemed to perk her up & she was back to her normal self.

Another month went by and the same things happened again, so back she went to the vet. This time they did bloodwork along with the usual steroid shot & IV fluids. The vet’s conclusion was that everything was perfect.

Another month, and now it’s June. Daisy crashed – hind leg weakness, dehydration, no appetite, not drinking, basically doing nothing. The vet who was contacted told Amanda to bring her in the next morning. Amanda slept in the bathtub with Daisy that night & got her to the vet early the next day. Daisy was barely alive. The team sprang into action to save her and she stayed at the clinic for over a week, fighting to stay alive. The vet suspected it was either Kidney Failure, kanċer, or Addison’s. Thousands of dollars and about a week later, Addison’s was confirmed with the ACTH stim test on June 23, 2014.

Daisy came home weighing only 4.3 LB. and she was initially treated with Florinef. Amanda joined CARE early in July 2014. After her diagnosis, Daisy had 3 more Addisonian crises throughout the remainder of 2014. Fuq Diċembru 3, she was switched to Percorten & daily Prednisone and she has remained stable ever since.

Daisy continues to impress everyone she encounters & loves them all. Florinef is a great option for dogs with Addison’s if their bodies can absorb it & they are on the correct dose. Daisy’s body just couldn’t metabolize it properly.

It’s been an amazing journey over the last two years with everyone that we’ve met in CARE. We are so very thankful that we still have Daisy with us and cannot thank this group enough for the knowledge & understanding everyone has. You all are a blessing and we are glad you all are a part of our lives.

One added note from CARE is that because of her experience with Daisy, Amanda decided to become a vet technician & has only one year left in her studies. Congratulations Amanda, and thank you Daisy.

 

Aħna ndunat li Lucydog deher li jkollhom infezzjoni bużżieqa. I ħa tagħha lill-tabib nhar il-Ġimgħa tiegħi off. Kien ikkonfermat li hija kellha UTI u wkoll infezzjoni fil-widnejn. Huma ġibdu demm, iżda stenniet li tibgħat fuq it-talba tiegħi peress li tkun ieħor $200. Huma kienu mħassba li hija ma kinitx tiekol, iżda dehret seta 'kien minħabba li hi biss ma tħossok tajjeb.

Qabbdet antibijotiċi u deher daqsxejn aħjar, iżda xorta ma kienx tiekol. Hija kienet li rogħda / tħawwad, iżda hi t-tendenza li tagħmel dan ħafna meta morda jew enfasizzat. I bdiet tikseb kkonċernati meta hi ma kinux lanqas tiekol mudullun, għalkemm. Imbagħad konna tnejn fuq ix-xogħol l-Erbgħa. Meta sirt dar, I marru fl biex let tagħha barra mill kennel tagħha li jmorru potty ... u hi ma setgħetx toqgħod up. Ma setgħux anki jiksbu saqajn tagħha biex jikkooperaw biex tikseb minnhom ċatti fl-art. I freaked u immedjatament marru u ltqajna-telefon, imsejħa Will u qal "Lucy ma jistgħux jimxu." I mbagħad sejjaħ l-vet, li Thankfully ma kinux magħluqa għadu (kieku fil 15 minuti) u huma told me biex iġibu tagħha ASAP.
Se ltqajna dar siegħa u nofs wara jew hekk, u dawn kienu kapaċi jistabbilizzaw tagħha. Huma ħasbu li jista 'jkun il-marda ta' Addison, li kienet Thankfully jitfejjaq. Hija tippreżenta fil-klieb żgħar, huwa aktar komuni fin-nisa, u kellhom lottijiet ta 'sintomi komuni. Xorta se ħasbu li jista 'jkollhom deidrazzjoni severa biss kien. Wara 2 iljieli scary magħha fil isptar doggie għaliex hija xorta ma kienx b'saħħtu biżżejjed biex jimxu, ir-riżultati tat-testijiet tad-demm ikkonferma Marda ta 'Addison. L-infezzjoni UTI u widnejn imbuttat korp tagħha fis-kriżijiet u hi kien probabbilment qrib għall-mewt (jekk dak I kien mwaħħla fuq ix-xogħol għall- 45 minuti itwal dik il-ġurnata? omg). B'xorti tajba, huwa jitfejjaq ma 'injezzjoni ta' kull xahar, wieħed hi se jkollhom bżonn għall-bqija tal-ħajja tagħha. Iżda li l-ħajja se jkun twil u kuntenti.

Allura, aħna xorta jkollhom Lucy-ħajja li tirregola mard tagħha. Imma I am kuntenta li jirraporta li tip I kif dan, Lucy hija loudly chomping għadam rawhide li xtrajt tagħha fil-gaġġa tagħha dritt lura lili. U minbarra paw imqaxxar fejn hija kellha l IV u super-frekwenti peeing minħabba meds rkupru tagħha, hi pjuttost ħafna lura lill-istess ol "Lucydog. U aħna imħabba tiegħu. I am very thankful li vet tagħna taha djanjosi malajr u korrett u ltqajna tagħha lura fuq saqajn tagħha (litteralment) malajr.