Rōna Stories

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 metsotso e, 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. E le, 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 - Addison's e tloaelehileng
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! Scroll down and you will also find her story auf Deutsch and en Español!

Ka February 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. E le, 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. Ka mor'a hore 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. E le, 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. Hona joale, 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.

ka Sepanishe

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 - Addison's e tloaelehileng
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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 lik'hilograma tse. We started noticing changes in him when he was about 3.5 le lilemo li (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^{go th} letsatsi la tsoalo. 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. E nkile 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 matsatsi a. 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.
Addison's e tloaelehileng
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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. Qetellong, 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. Qetellong, 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 dikgwedi tse.

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.
Matšoao a Atypical Addison
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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, ea 2.5 di ml tse 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? Hantle, 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.

E le, 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 matsatsi a. 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.
Addison's e tloaelehileng
Click setšoantšo ho hōlisa

 

Simba hlahile ka Feb 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, o ile a itihela fatše ba bang ba litepisi. O ile a qetella ka vet, hlalosoa e le fetisisa lethargic a sa khone ho tsamaea. Bloodwork ile ea etsa hore ka phumano ya "presumptive Addison ea" (ha ho ACTH teko). O ile a o ile a fuoa thunngoa ea Dexamethasone 'me ba bang IV maro a, romeloa lapeng ho nka Florinef, "Bakeng sa 2 dikgwedi tse, ka nako eo ba khaotse ho me le 'ne Prednisone ka letsoho haeba o ile a qala ho etella ho lapeng. "hae bongaka faele e baleha tjena joaloka Horror pale. Ka November ea 2010, o ile a ne e le "ho khoneha" Addisonian bothata, le ba hae ba potasiamo ka 5.6 (Range ho fihlela ho 5.8). Simba kamoo ho bonahalang kateng ne kakaretso ea 3 le maqakabetsi malapeng nakoana le la hae la pele lelapa la, 'me joale le mathata a 4th ka nako ya a inehele ho ea Standard Poodle ba pholosa.

A le lilemo li 6, Simba ba ile ba fihla e pholosa & la tlhokomelo ea. E pholosa le litho tsa Addison oa setjhaba ile a thusa ho fumana Simba tseleng e nepahetseng, switching mo Florinef ho Percorten 'me a ile ka qala le leqepheng le latelang mohato ea bophelo ba hae, e leng thabile haholoanyane!

Keith ke ba ne ba batla le ngoan'eno ho re River, ba ba neng ba feletseng ha e rata ho ba e "feela ntja". Ke neng ke latelang e ngata lintja e le teng kwa pholosa, 'me joale Simba a hlaha. O ile a ne e tšoana le clone ea River ka ponahalo, feela batle le ho feta. Ke feela ne a ke ke nka mahlo a ka theoha ena ratehang moshanyana. Re ne a sa tsoa lahleheloa 2 lintja banyalani ba bang ba ka lilemo, e mong ho e kankere, tse ling tse ka lebaka la mathata ho tloha inoperable multiple length sebete shunts. Ka kopana ka pholosa ile a leka ho bua me ke tlohe Simba, re re lokeloa e le nngwe le ha ho dintlha tse, empa ka tsela e itseng re o ile a ikutloa re ne re le tokelo ya batho bakeng sa Simba 'me a e ne e hantle hore re. Simba ba ile ba fihla lelapa la rona e ka March 23, 2013, ke ke nako e telele ka mor'a hore a 6th letsatsi la tsoalo, nang le assortment ea spreadsheets, lipilisi, le ditaelo. Hlooho ea ka ne a ho ohla. Ke ne ke tseba letho ka Addison oa, haese feela hore e ne e le haholo tšosang lentsoe la. Hae a holisang bana a 'me, Katey, ntiisetsa hore re ne ba tla ba hae tsehetso e feletseng hammoho le oa ea Addison oa setjhaba. Ke ile dihlopha tsa tshehetso hoopla, ka potlako empa a leta hajoale pele Posting. Ho ba motho ea lihlong,, e ne e ho le thata ho bua ho ea tetemang a basele, esita le haeba ba ba ne ba feela Inthaneteng. Hantle, e ne e ntho e molemo ke ile ka etsa. Bakeng sa Simba, e ne e se molemo ka lebaka ke ile ka hang-hang thusa sebetsana le eena, mpe mpo na ngai e ne e molemo - ke ile ka etsa tse ngata tse ncha tsa bohlokoa metsoalle, batho ba nang le eo ke na le ntho e le nngwe tshwanang - bohle re ba rata Addison koerad. Simba e ne e bile "phatlalatsa" bohle ka kontinente le esita le ka UK, kahoo o ile a a tla le hae sehlopha sa admirers, le Keith 'me ke ka lenyele ka sehlopha ka mo.

Qetellong ea June 2013, feela 3 dikgwedi tse ka mor'a hore re ile ba amohela mo, Simba qhomela tsoa Keith oa teraka e ka karache le robeha leoto. Seo latelang kaha sena Darling moshanyana! E ne e e mpe kudu khefu 'me a qetella le ea tsepe lekapa a letsoho la hae garena terata phuthetsoe ho pota-pota hae wrist. Re ba ile ba bolelloa hore e e ne e le 90% monyetla wa hore e ne e kankere, e le ne ba itokiselitse tse go ka diregang amputation lateloa ke chemo kalafo. Simba e ne e swathika le lumellane ka 10% hlakileng! O ile a ne e le e twingo le ba hae ba splint le apere ea hae ea "Bonnet,"'Me ka feela ha a ne a a fola, ne ho khutlela 6 ka mor'a likhoeli ya ho poleiti tlosoa.

Hore re tle re aa tla ho fihlela ho 2 lilemo tse kaha re ile ba amohela Simba - o e bile ho le monate. O ile a ke "ya gagwe motho,"Ha rata tse ling tse lintja. O ile a 's e loner, 'me o "sebedisa hloka mamello." O lenane la meds o hoo e ka bang nyamela - hang hantle medicated, fetileng letlalo dintlha tse nyamela, ho tšolla ile a khaotsa ho. Simba shebella tse ling tse lintja bapala empa ha ho mohla le hantle ile a ithuta ho le seabo ha a ne a le monyenyane. O ile a ile a tela e ngata ea hae ea "monate bocha" ka ho ba e Autism Service Dog, le ka ho ba e le a kula haholo. Empa nako ea hae o tlile - o o na le bo8 letsatsi la tsoalo ka ho etsahala - le o ile a o na le Mè & Ntate ba mo ratang haholo mme ne a tla etsa ntho efe kapa efe ho mo, mor'abo rona River ba ba neng ba o thabela ho ba le mo mona, a macha le morali'abo rona Pinot ea sa haholo lebala e le hore a growled ka ho mo letsatsi la pele o ile a ne a le mona, empa o ile a lintho li loosening ka. Simba le bolela "Prince" le hore 's seo a se ke!

Pinot ke cocker spaniel / mini-poodle Remix, hlaha ka la May 4, 2009. O ile a a phela 5 lilemo e le lelapa la eo ke tsebe letho. Empa feela pele a 5^{go th} letsatsi la tsoalo, o ile a ile a tlisoa ea Emergency Clinic le moroto blockage le hang feela ha ba a hae matla ka ho lekaneng, o ile a o ne a e mosese cystoscopy. O ile a o ile a romeloa le lapeng, empa khutlela a letsatsi kapa a mabeli a hlobaetsang. The vet ne a batla ho leke bakeng sa Addison oa empa ka nako eo lelapa la hae ile sa fihla ba bona ba selebaletsoe 'me a kōpa hore o behoa ho robala. The vet lokisetsa ho ba le hae nehelane ka ho eena 'me o ile a ne a fumanoa nang le ACTH qalong ea May. O ile a ka nako eo a phela e latelang 4 dikgwedi tse tleleniking. Re ba ne ba le tleleniking le River mme letsatsi le le ba ile a re ho le rona ka Pinot 'me ba tlisa eena ka ho ea kopana re. O ile a potapotoeng a, bounced ka ka bencheng, le feela ne a ke ke laola hae matla a. O ile a e ne e bolo ya fluff le cuteness. Ho fallela hammoho, Ho ohla (Maemo a Poodles In Hlokahala) o ile a nka taolo ya hae 'me a Keith' me ke khothalletsa hae. Pinot ke khanya! Hae letsatsi la pele, o ile a ka ho toba le latched holim'a ka bobeli Keith & Nōka, 'me le kajeno ba bobeli hae ka sehloohong squeezes. A le tleliniking, ba ne ba a mo fa 1.0 mg, ea Prednisone mong le e mong le letsatsi leo le o ile a boima ba ka 14 lik'hilograma tse. E le, Pinot ne matla incontinence mathata a. Re sebetsa lowering hae Pred empa le ha e e ne e ho fihlela 0.2mg, o ile a ne a ntse a leaking. Re ile ra leka a mo fa Propalin (Microwave e) le feela ba bang ba katleho. Empa hang o ile a ile ka qala ho nka Stilbestrol (Des) letsatsi le letsatsi, o ile a e bile omme ka botlalo.

U ka inahanela hore ho ohla o ne a sa hantle potlakela maotong a bona le batho ba ne a batla ho amohela ena feletseng Darling sebōpuoa. Ba bang ba ba ne ba thahasella ho lekaneng ho e ithuta ka Addison oa & nahana ka hae, empa dutlang e ne e le sebetsana breaker. Ka nako eohle, Ke ne ke a ngola ka tsela eo a babatsehang o ile a e ne e, Ke ne ke oela haholoanyane le lerato le eena ke. Re tla ho fallela nakoana ka e tla hloka 7 letsatsi tsela leeto 'me ho tloha re se re ne 2 maemo a poodles, re ne ke sa nahane re ne re ka amohela e 3^rd,. Re qetella re ile a etsa qeto ho "lepheo ho ba le" - Pinot e ne e haholo khethehileng ho lumella mang kapa mang thabela hae. O ile a ke le rona, 'me re e matleng a hae le eena. Le ntle ho, o ne re esita le nahana ka ho nka hae hole le River! E le, ka Aug. 21, 2014, Pinot ile ea e-a rona ka ho sa feleng. O ile a ke e joalo e thabela. O ile a nehelana u disilipara ha o tla ka, le hoja ho ka 'na SE KE UA ba hao, empa e e hlahisa le joalo la Darling Bum wiggle leo le sa tsoa lokela ho nka ho e khomarela. O ile a ke ho feletseng lemaletse ho squeaky lintho tsa ho bapala - a fumane se seholo le squeakier molemo - sena ke le ho lemalla hore o arolelanang le River 'me ba na le tse seng kae squabbles holim'a "molemo ka ho fetisisa" e' ngoe. Pinot o hapa lipelo tsa rona le tla 'ne ba ba ka ho sa feleng.

 

Klara hlahile ka sa bo12 oa August 2009. O ile a ne a lula a ea nyakaletseng 'me tsa phela lelinyane la ntja, ke phela joaloka bashanyana le e kholo ho tseba ho eketsehileng ka tsohle tseo ncha. Liphetoho o ile a tla ka mor'a hore a hae a pele mocheso. O ile a e ile ea e la khetha jang, eo ke nahana ne a tse amanang le ho hormonal liphetoho. O ile a ile ea e-o thotseng le o ileng a itšoara mabifi hakae, ha lintja o ile a tla haufi haholo le, le fa e le molemo ka ho fetisisa ntja buddies. Ba batso boea a le pel'a maoto a reteleha ea bohlooho.

Ka nako eo hape ba ne ba qeta nako e telele ha lintho tsohle ne ho bonahala eka oke. Nakoana ka mor'a hore hae 3rd letsatsi la tsoalo, tsohle ba mpefala. O ile a ne e mpe kudu tsebe go tshwaediwa ka selotlolo manganga libaktheria. Ho fumana ho ruruha laoloa, tsebeng le likotopo tsa ho ba ne ba hloekisa tlasa thethebatso e. The ritsa ha seretse ho ile a qala. O ile a ile a qala ho hana dijo tsa gagwe. Ka linako tse ling, o ile a ja letho bakeng 3 matsatsi a. Ka linako tse ling, o ile a ne letshollo kapa vomited. A ho tsieleha, re ile a qala ho Joke hore haufinyane re ne ba rōna monyako tleleniking. Tsebeng tshwaetso ne a ntse a etsa hore khathatso le Klara a gagwe wa bobedi, tsebe ho hloekisa tlasa thethebatso e.

Ntango wana, o ile a ho pheta-pheta ne letshollo, ho hlatsa, le, pipitlelano. Re ile a qeta Keresemese le Selemo se Secha Eva tleleniking. A teko ya likokoana-hloko ba ne ba mpe. The bloodwork e ne e e babatsehang. Tsebeng tshwaetso 'na a khutla.

Mariha 2012/2013, re ne re e hlollang meteo. Lotho ea lehloa le ea letsatsi. Ka lintja rata lehloa le Klara hulela ka ka boeena o ka har'a lehloa. O ile a ne a se na monate. U ne u ka bona hore o ile a o ne a sa etsa hantle. Boholo ba nako o ile a robala. The vets ile a fumana ha ho na lebaka.

Ka February 2013, e ne e le go feta. Letshollo, ho hlatsa, o ile a ne ho bonahala eka ka bohloko, o ile a hana dijo tsa gagwe, empa noa lotho ea metsi. The vets a re, "Re lokela ho ema ho. E ka 'ka lebaka la hae mocheso. "Ho letsatsing le hlahlamang ha ke ile a tla hae, Ke ne ke e e makatsang boikutlo – ntho e a tsoela haholo mabe awa. Ke mohlape hape ho sepetlele 'me ea vet ne a batla ho romela ke tsamaee, “Re can't fumana letho. Ke nahana hore ke hae mocheso!”

Ena e ne e le ho hongata haholo. Ke ne ke halefa 'me a kōpa ya nyakisiso. “Ntho e itseng ke le phoso ka Klara. Ke ke ke a ea!! Etsa mosebetsi wa hao!” Ba ile ba etsa e feletseng teko ya madi a 'me joale, ea vets ba ne ba a tsoenyeha haholo. Hae potasiamo e ne e 7.6 a mefuta e fapaneng ya 3.5-5.8. Hae sulfur e ne e 139 a mefuta e fapaneng ya 144-160. The bloodwork ile a re bolella bophelo ba hae e ne e a le kotsing. O ile a ne a ka ho feletseng dehydrated. Qetellong, ba batloang ho sesosa. Chefo, renal ultrasound maemong a, leptospirosis. O ile a o ile a fuoa e IV le infusion mekotla. Ke ne ke nka Klara lapeng. Re a tsoela letsatsi le letsatsi ya tliliniking 'me ba ile a etsa le liteko tse ling. Ba ile a bua ka renal ho hloleha ha empa ile a fumana ha ho na lebaka. Klara madi a makgabane li ne li tšoaroa feela ke infusions empa le tse sa thusa haholo. Mali makgabane ba ne ba hobe le ho feta. Ka matsatsi a, o ile a ne a matla a fepa, empa o ile a lahleheloa ka ho eketsehileng boima. O ile a ile ka isoa ICU 'me re ne ba itokiselitse ho lahleheloa ke hae. The vets a re ba ne a batla ho leke ho qetela ntho e. Ba a re e e ka ba Addison's Mafu 'me a batla ho etsa ACTH teko. Sesosa ile ha fumanoa. Klara ne Addison oa le kalafo ile ha qalisoa. Letsatsi le hlahlamang, Ke ne ke nka lapeng la hae.

O ile a hlaphoheloa ka potlako le tsohle ne ho bonahala eka ntle. Leha ho le joalo, o ile a e ne e se le matla joaloka bophelo bo botle lintja. Ke ke hobane'ng ha Ke switched ho tloha Florinef ho Percorten.

Ka thuso ea sehlopha, re ba ile ba sebetsa ho fumana Klara's molemo ka ho fetisisa lethal dose. Hona joale, o ile a weighs 27 lik'hilograma mme a fumana 0.40ml ea Percorten mong le e mong 28 ka matsatsi a 1mg ea Prednisone letsatsi le letsatsi. Molemong oa ka, ho ke ke joaloka e le mohlolo ho bona kamoo o ile a o thabela bophelo ba hae ntle le dithibelo dife kapa dife. Hona joale, hoo e ka bang 2 ka mor'a lilemo, Klara o ikutloa a molemo ho feta ho leha e le neng. Switching ho Percorten ne a molemo ka ho fetisisa qeto leha e le neng. Klaraismentallybalanced,nyakaletse, sebete, le ba sebete. 'Me ka mor'a hammoho letsatsi le leng ha mosebetsi oa(o ile a oa ka ke mothusi mokoetlisi, Ke 'na le mokoetlisi oa lintja) a sa e o matla a tloha ho bapala thabo ka botlalo le khaitseli ea hae le 'na le!

I am Annet and I live in The Netherlands. We have 4 lintja, two English Cocker Spaniels, a Boomer and a Belgian Griffon. One of the cockers – his name is Flip and he is 4 le lilemo li – 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.

Ke rata ho ngola, empa ke lula mona staring ka letho skrine, tsaba hore ke sitoa ho etsa Pepsi pale ea toka. Ke kopanela pale ena ba le lona bohle tsepa hore seo se tla thusa motho e mong. Re ile ba amohela Pepsi ha a ne a e ne e ka 6 le likhoeli li ka December ea 2003. O ile a ne e le e ikhethang 'me a makatsa ntja, empa ha ba kaofela ba ile ba tsa habo bona tsela e khethehileng?

Pepsi o ne a e boholo tloaelehileng mbwa-dulago go, empa a le bothata ba ho ho feta mafu a ho feta lintja tse ngata etsa. Ka mor'a hore a reteleha tse tharo, o ile a ntshetswa pele diso hae bosading. Ka mor'a hore maeto a 'maloa ea vet, 'me joale switching vets, le ho leka ba bang ba dikgetho tse ding, re ba ne ba ho nahana ka buuoa e le hore reconstruct hae bosading. Leha ho le joalo, o ile a ile ka qala tla downhill ka potlako. O ile a ne a ho lahleheloa ke boima, sisinya, 'me boholo ba tsohle, Ke feela ne a tseba ho hong ho phoso. Re ile a vet ka mor'a hore vet moo ba ileng ba tsohle leleka 'na a re o ile a e ne e "feela ho ba baholo le Lokisa fase." Ka nako eo ke ne ke e eena ka nako ea vet ofising beke le beke ka likhoeli. Re esita le o ile a leka switching vets banyalani ba bang ba linako tse ling. Hae matla a ne a fokotseha ka potlako. Hang, o ile a ne a ke ke esita le tsamaea tseleng le ka jareteng sa hlokahale hore robala le ho nka khefu. O ile a ne a le mathata ho ba le mantle a mokhatlo. Ke ile ka nka ea mo vet ofising hape, moo ba ileng ba fumanoa hae le colitis. Re fihla hae, 'me o sitoa ho tsoa ka koloing.

Ke ne ke tseba ena e ne e e, kahoo ke feela a boela a kgutla ka koloi le mohlape Chicago FSS - motseng o moholo oo. Ka hare ho 10 metsotso e re kena ya tshohanyetso sepetlele ka Chicago, o ile a ne a selelekela fumanoa le Addison oa Mafu, le ke ile ka bolelloa o ile a mohlomong ne a ke ke ile e 'ngoe bosiu ntle le kalafo. O ile a ile a lula ho na le 3 kapa 4 matsatsi a ha ba ntse ba a hae maro a ka, le matla a eona e khutlela. O ile a ne a e ACTH teko entseng ho tiisa hae Addison oa Mafu. E le imoloha kaha ke ne ke ho ea nka hae nyoloha a tsoa ka sepetlele, Ke ne ke boetse ripitliloeng ho ithuta hore hae kalafo e ne e tla chelete hoo e ka bang $400 ka khoeli. Ke ne ke e sa tsebe kamoo ke ne a tla khona, empa re ba ne ba tla ho leka ka tsela.

Ke ha ke ile ka qala etsa lipatlisiso ka ke, eaba o fumana K-9 Addison oa sehlopha se ke kolotang Pepsi oa bophelo ba ka ho. Ba ile a thusa ke utloisise lefu lena le, joang ho hlalosa hae le liteko, le ho hae ka ho le letona lethal dose ea meriana. Ka mor'a moo, re ke ke ra hetla.

Ho tlatselletsoa ho 1.4 di ml tse Percorten-V mong le e mong 28 ka matsatsi a 1 mg, ea Prednisone letsatsi le letsatsi, Pepsi nka le tse 'maloa a tlatsana le. O ile a qetella phelang 7 e hlollang haholoanyane lilemo tse e nepahetseng tekanyetso ea hae meriana e leng, ebile, feela chelete 'na ka tlaase ho $80.00 ka kgwedi. Pepsi a phela ho ba 11 ½ o le lilemo li, e leng le ntle e khōlō bakeng sa 130 boima ba ntja. Pepsi o ile a shoa ya kankere letsatsi pele ho Thanksgiving a 2014.

Ho ka phumano ya Addison oa Mafu e ka ba tšosang a bile a tsosa, empa Pepsi e ne e ka bopaki ba hore u ka phela le thabileng nang le morero bophelo ba ka le e nepahetseng meriana. Ka lebaka la Pepsi, mong le e mong hore ama hae ile a ithuta haholo ka ka bophelo le lerato le bogwera. O ile a tla haholo hloloheloa.

 

Valentino o ile a tla bophelo ba ka Feb 2007 ha a ne a ile ka a holisang bana a ka mor'a hore e haufi etele ka phahameng bolaea bolulo. O ile a e ne e halofo ea hora hore a se euthanized. O ile a e ne e le emaciated itaola sieo ba bangata ba moriri oa hae o la hae mahlakore a (letlalo la hae, e ne e e khanyang benyang pinki!) le sekotwana sa moriri o joaloka Mohawk la hae fatse khutlela, bekha batlang e 30lb – o ile a ke hona joale e bophelo bo botle 55lb. E nkile 3 dikgwedi tse ho tsosolosa a mo bophelo bo botle, le nona. Ka nako eo ho, Ke ne ke e se e le a holisang bana a ho hloleha ha, le Valentino neng ka! O ile a robala ba bangata ba bao ba pele 3 dikgwedi tse pakeng tsa lijo le ho tla potty pele a ne ho bonahala ho se lopolotseng. O ile a qala ho matsoao a lethargy, ho hloka matla le ho hloleha ho fumana hare / ka ntle ea koloi e bakeng sa banyalani ba bang ba ba likhoeli le ha a ntse a felloa takatso ea lijo ka ho feletseng, O ile a qala picking ka dijo tsa hae ho leka ho ja, Ke ne ke tseba ho hong ho phoso, empa ha re vet ka nako eo (lekhetlo la ho qetela!) leleka hae le boitsoaro bo sa “etsa lintho tsoa”. Joale o oa oa a Aug 2007 le ka leeto la rona le Addison oa Mafu ile a qala. Hae vet sitoa “lumellane” Valentino a e mong beke le re a ea ho motswalle vet ba ba neng ba khona ho lumellane re a. Ho ho le thata ho tseba haeba a sa AD ka 'na ba' nile ba waxing le waning pele ga ha a ntse a e ne e bile e le a kula ha ke qala ho ba mo. Hae liha a ne a le Aug 19, o ile a ile a qeta 2 matsatsi a ka ikhethang, sepetlele, le ka Aug 25, o ile a ikutloa hantle hore a leka ho abscond le Keresemese letata e neng e draining ka kichineng teba – Ka lehlohonolo o ile a ne a nabbed en Khao flagrante le letata a pholoha ho sebeletsoa Keresemese lijo tsa mantsiboea e le ne a rerile!

Valentino was started on Florinef/compounded fludrocortisone at .4mg (le tlaase ho kgothaletswa ba hae boima) le 2.5mg Prednisone a 12/07 – empa ho se-electrolyte ne ba phethahetse (!) bakeng sa selemo. Ka mor'a selemo se, hae-electrolyte a tsoa laola, and he had weekly increases in his Florinef, ho fihlela a fihla 2mg empa ho se-electrolyte ba ne ba sa ntse ba sa le tlas'a taolo.

Re o ile a fumana vet 1.5 segelhose hōle ea neng a ikemiselitse ho sebetsa le rona 'me qala Valentino ka 1.8ml, e neng e nkoa e le “tlaase lethal dose” a 2009, tekanyetso lethal dose e ne e a batla a ka 2ml (Ke hopola ke nahana ke ne ke esita le fumana 2 doses tsoa mong le e mong vial ka ya kgwedi le kgwedi litšenyehelo ba ka bang $100 ho hang bakeng sa Percorten-V!) Ho theosa le lilemo, re butle-butle fokotswa ka 10-20% ka nako. Re ile ra qala ka 1.8ml a 7/09 'me ha aa esita le fihla 1ml go go go go 9/10, .75di ml a 6/11, .5di ml a 10/13, hona joale .4ml a 9/14. Re kaofela e ne e e ngata ho feta khomaretse mekhoa e tloaetsoeng khutlela ka nako eo le re ne ba se na lekaneng Info ka ho ea theola tekanyetso ya meriana………haese ka ka liphihlelo tsa ba litho tse ling tsa sehlopha. E ne e bohle ba bacha tšimong ea! Haeba tlaase lethal dose ithuta e ne e bile teng ka 2009, re ka be a ile ka qala ka .95ml le gotten ho Valentino oa tlaase-tlaase lethal dose hore boholo pejana 'me ka pholosoa chelete e ngata ka Percorten-V le kgwedi le kgwedi-electrolyte hlahlobo ya bonase. Ha ke re lekaneng ka pharologano ha a ka tlaase tekanyetso ya meriana o entse a joang Valentino o ikutloa a ho pholletsa le le khoeli ea hae-electrolyte lula le ntle haufi le bohareng ba bo-fapaneng pakeng tsa tekanyetso ya meriana. O ile a qeta lilemo etsa “ok” – mopey, lethargic bakeng sa 2 mor'a libeke tse mong le e mong thunngoa, ikutloa ho se hokae perky ka beke pele ho ea hae e latelang thunngoa e ne e ka lebaka la, ka nako eo ikutloa lethargic hape ha a a e 'ngoe thunngoa – empa hona joale o ile a lintho li etsa “e khōlō” tsohle moodle moodle nako e telele ka ka tlaase haholo lethal dose ea Percorten-V! Hammoho le ka ho fetisisa morao tjena Percorten-V fokotsa, Ke boetse ke bile khona ho fokotsa hae Prednisone ho .5mg – o ile a kopa e hovering pakeng tsa .75mg mariha ho 1.25mg lehlabula ka lilemo. We have also switched to liquid Prednisolone as his liver enzymes became elevated and he was shedding a lot……….

PES – Valentino mahlomoleng a e le kula, sa batleheng itaola e ne e ho bululeloa bakeng sa ya mozindo boitlamo le ho kenya letsoho a liphoofolo boiketlo ba dintlha tse di mo San Antonio! Joang ba bangata ba lintja feela joaloka Valentino ba shoele hobane ho na le ne ho se na e mong ho hata bakeng sa ba ka pel'a e tlamang 72 ka lebelo la itaola tšoara nako neela moea?

 

E pholosa ne a tsohle pups spayed kapa neutered pele isoa lapeng. Argus ne a neutered ka likhoeli tse peli li, 'me re tlisa le eena hae hamorao letsatsing leo. Matsatsi a mabeli hamorao o ile a e ne e leqhoa le bata 'me qhaqhasela ka thata haholo. Re shebella hae incision site matshwao a tshwaetso le phuthetsoe a mo likobo ho leka ho mofuthu le mo. Thapameng eo re o ile a nka mo kenya ka vet hore ne a entse ke qeta ho buuoa (45 metsotso e hōle). The vet a re o ile a ne a ho ba le karabelo ya buuoa a ba a ne e tla ba ntle. O ile a ile a mo fa enta le mpha ba bang ba lipilisi ho fana ka bakeng sa seng kae tse latelang matsatsi a. Ke latelang hoseng, o ile a e ne e ho ka ba molemo. Re a tsoela ho bona rōna vet e ncha ea lelinyane la ntja hlahloba. Hang-hang ba o ile a nka hōle dipilisi hore re ba ile ba fuoa 'me a re le lelinyane la ntja lokela ho ho fuwa tsena. Ha ke hopola seo dipilisi ba ne ba, empa thunngoa e ne e Dexamethasone me hona joale ke lumela hore ke seo hula mo, ke seo neng se etsahala.

O ile a e ne e le e fapaneng haholo pup ho feta leha e le efe re bile ka pel'a hae. O ile a ne ho le mellower ho feta leha e le efe pup ke ne ke le le. Hetla morao, ho hlakile o ile a o ne a bontša matsoao a hae Addison oa letsatsi e mong. O ile a boka le fokotseha tse ka bang peli lilemo tse. Nakong ena, re a lahleheloa "seaplane mor'abo rona,"Khothalletsa tse peli tse dintsanyana di le bakeng sa libeke tse 'maloa mong le e mong, 'me joale tlisa e' ngoe lelinyane la ntja malapeng a rona. Ka December 6, 2010, Argus tlohela ho ja. Letsatsi le letsatsi tsoela pele e 'ngoe letsoao (khama e tsehali bofelo bofokoli, thothomela ka baka la, leqhoa le batang, joalo-joalo). Rōna vet a re e ne e libaktheria hae tummy – o ile a tla fumana holim 'a eona - fepe phehiloeng raese (ha ho le liteko ba ne ba matha). A banyalani ba bang ba ka mor'a matsatsi a, re a ea ho e fapaneng vet ea ileng a re hae litho tsa ka hare ba koale fatse 'me le o ile a lintho li shoa – a ke a ee!!!! Ha ke ntse ke jara Argus, draped ka matsohong a ka ho la boraro vet, Ke ile ka nahana ke ne nke tlisa le eena hae. The vet ile a mo fa diedi le ya a matha e teko ya madi a, setuloana le liteko, -x-ray, eohle mesebetsi, me ba 'na mo ho na le. Bosiung boo o ile a bitsoa 'me a re, “Ke belaella ntho e ke batla ho leke bakeng sa hoseng.” Ka bosiung boo o ile a ile a hlalosa eohle ntho e ho 'na. O ile a ile a lula ka diedi le ya a la hae la pele thunngoa. Up ho fihlela ntlha ena, ha a ntse a le monna oa ka ke chenchana lutse le eena, o ile a ile a re fa nyenyane a arabela. The vet ne ke batla ho a ke a ee hae hobane a o sa ntse a ne a ke ke ja. Letsatsing le latelang, Ke ne ke tsamaea ka hare le ka ile a mo bolella Ke ne ke batla ho nka le eena hae. O ile a qetella o ile a lumela haeba ke a tšepisa ho mo in haeba ke ne ke sa gotten mo ho ja e latelang 12 lihora tse. Ha a ne a mo ntša, o ile a qhomela hohle rona le vet a re, “Yep, o ile a lokela ho ee hae!” E le butle-butle a o ile a tla ho pota le ho ja 'me re ba ile ba fallela Christmas mekete ho ea ka ho morali'abo rona e mong ntlo le ba ne ba o thotseng le o ka hloko nang le tsohle tseo re ile a etsa. Joale sena vet ile a re ho mo mong le o mong 28 matsatsi a ho hae thunngoa, mo fa hae Prednisone letsatsi le letsatsi 'me a tla phela e bophelo bo bo tlwaelehileng.

Argus ke 60 liponto, le o ile a fuoa 2ml ea Percorten mong le e mong 28 matsatsi a ho likhoeli tse robong ke vet theknoloji e. O ile a a 5mg kela apotheek ea Prednisone bakeng sa banyalani ba bang ba ya dikgwedi. Ba wa pele ke ile ka fumana e ne e tlhahisoleseding e mabapi le Prednisone. Re ba ne ba ho fana ka ho e bosiu le ke ile ka fumana o ile a lokela ho ho e hoseng, hore re tle re a fetola hore. Ka nako eo ke bala sehlooho se ka dosing 'me re a hore ho fihlela 2.5mg. Ka khoeling ea borobeli ke bona Argus 'bophelo bo e ne e e se ea tlhaho. O ile a ne a se na spunk. O ile a ne ho bonahala eka lethargic. O ile a ne ho feta ya teng ho feta phela bophelo bo! Ke hore ha Qetellong ke ile ka fumana Internet sehlopha. Mali a le liteko le-electrolyte - SEO? Le ea mong oa hona ho etsoang. E ne e nako e e 'ngoe thunngoa' me ke kena ho bua le vet (eo ke ne ke sa bonahala ka likhoeli tse 'maloa). O ile a o ne a falletse ka ka leboea ho bula a le mong tshebetso. Ke ile ka botsa ho bua ho e mong oa tse ling tse vets. The vet hore owns mohaho ile a re diteko tsena di etsoa hang ka selemo le lethal dose ea Percorten e ne e tla feela fetola haeba a sa boima a fetola le Ke ne nke ke etsa se thunngoa ke. O ile a ne a ke ke mamela lentsoe le le leng ke ile ka re kapa sheba Info ke ile ka leka ho hlahisa ho eena. Maikutlo a hae ile a re ke ne ke e ho fumana le le matla 'qala ho etsa di-call fonong. Ke fono a buisana tse 'maloa vets ka lilemo tse latelang banyalani ba bang ba ba matsatsi. Kaofela ba ile ba ne a tseba tsohle ka Addison oa. E mong vet qetellong mpitsa le ka pel'a ke ne ke mo botsa ntho efe kapa efe, o ile a ile a botsa le 'na ha ea-electrolyte (“Lytes”) ba ne ba ho qetela lekoa. Ha a ne a ile a re hore re ho etsa eo ea pele ho bona haeba a ne a e ne e loketse ho e 'ngoe thunngoa' me haeba se ho hlokahala hore ho theolela, Ke ne ke tseba ena e ne e vet ke lokela ho leka. Ka mor'a hore ha u lytes ditshupetso tse dingwe dipoelo ea vet ile a re, "Re na le nako e telele lalla, ho ha se makatse o ile a ha o ile a ikutloa hantle, o ile a haholo ka medicated. "ne o ile a tseba feela ka nako e kae ea ya go leta! Re lekoa hae lytes hanngoe ka beke tse fetang tse tharo dikgwedi tse. E ne e ka holimo hanyenyane ho 100 matsatsi a ha hae e K qetellong a ho fihlela ho a batla a ka holimo bohareng ba bo-fapaneng. O ile a ile ka qala yena ka 0.5ml ka nako eo 'me ba ea likhoeli tse' maloa, e ne e theolela ho fihlela re fihla 0.3ml. Ka mor'a hore likhoeli tse 'maloa, re ne ho hlokahala hore e tlisa e khutlela ho fihlela ho 0.32ml. Hore lethal dose o ntse a sebetsa e khōlō likhoeli tse ngata a hona joale. Ena vet e ne e e khōlō le Percorten, empa a se hlile ha se nahana hore Prednisone lokela ho theolela. Ke mo botsa hore o ile a e ne e tla re ke leka, tseba hore ke ne ke tla shebella mo haufi-ufi, 'me o o ile a lumela. O ile a hona joale kena 1mg letsatsi le letsatsi.

'Me hona joale, mona re ba, le meriana optimized, ka hoo e ka bang 6 le lilemo li, re na le lelinyane la ntja e le hore a lokela ho nile ba ba le sebaka sa pele!

 

Re ile ba amohela Lexie ho tloha tsa habo rona bolulo ka July 2010. O ile a ile ha hakanngoa ho ba ka 4-5 le likhoeli li ka nako eo. Le monna oa ka ke tlisa lapeng la hae ka “teko” ha a ntse a rōna 2 barali ba ba ne ba ka rarolloa ka lehlabula kampong, e le monna oa ka o na le kulisoa le hlokahala ho bona kamoo a e ne e tla itšoara joang. Hantle, Ke ne ke tseba motsotso oo o re ne re e Lexie tlhokomelong ya rona hore o o ne a sa khutlela le ba bolulo – hubby e ne e tla feela lokela ho phela le ba hae ba kulisoa!!

Ka hare ho matsatsi a ho ba le rona, Lexie ne ho hlatsa le letshollo, le a tsoha loeto go ya kwa vet moo a ileng a lekoa mpe bakeng sa parvo le o ile a romeloa lapeng le litaelo tsa hore withhold lijo bakeng sa letsatsi la 'me joale qala monyebe ja lijo. O ile a bounced khutlela ntle, le ka lilemo tse latelang 2 lilemo tse ne ba tla ea pele ho ba le ka linako tse itseng bouts ea ho hlatsa le letshollo empa e ne ke sa bonahala eka ho na le ntho e tebileng. O ile a e ne e le thabileng le le mafolofolo, le ne ho bonahala eka boholo bophelo bo botle. Nakong ea selemo le lehlabula ea 2012, re a hlokomela tse ling tse matsoao a, ho akarelletsa le goopy mahlo a, tsebe tšoaetso, 'me letlalo le le boea dintlha tse. O ile a ile a qala anal hae paws o feteletseng, ho fihlela a rawness. Ka mpa a dintlha tse a tsoela pele le ne ba fumana hobe le ho feta. O ile a fatigued habonolo le ho ikoetlisa le e ne e tla robala ka nako ya go hoseng, a se a sa bothering ho tsoha ho ja lijo tsa hoseng. Moqebelo o mong mathoasong a December, 2012, re ba teng ba sebakeng seo Christmas le parade 'me joale ile a etsa go etela ka ntja boikhathollo. Lexie feela beha teng e le tse ling tse lintja o ile a tla le ha e le sniffed ka ho mo – e le ho fapana le Lexie. Hamorao mantsiboeeng ao, Ke ile ka etsa e ka mor'a hore-lihora leeto la ho ea vet le eena, ha a ntse a ne a sisinya le smelled qabola (joaloka ammonia). The vet hlahloba hae 'me a sa bone ntho efe kapa efe totobetse a amehile ka, me a re ho khutlela e latelang letsatsi le letsatsi ka bloodwork haeba a ne a ne ho bonahala ho ho ho hobe le ho feta. Hantle, bosiung boo e ne e tsabehang, le Lexie sisinya ka maoto a ka ha re ntse re ile a leka ho robala. Back to vet e latelang letsatsi le letsatsi ka bloodwork. Ka lehlohonolo, ka vet belaela Addison oa ha a ne a ile a bona ho bloodwork. Ka nako ena, Lexie e ne e a kula haholo 'me a ile a lumela ho sepetlele hore diedi le ya ea ACTH teko, e leng a khutla ntle.

Picking Lexie ho fihlela ho tlisa lapeng la hae e ne e ka tsela e makatsang, maikutlo nako, ha a ntse a ba ile ba mathela re a joalo thabo le ho na le e ne e se e ommeng le e leihlo le ea vet tleliniking!! Ka nako ena, Ke ne ke fumane thusa ka Inthaneteng Addison oa setjhaba le ne e kholo vet ea neng a ikemiselitse ho leka le ntho e ncha – Low Dose Percorten. Kajeno, Lexie ke 70 liponto 'me o 0.4 di ml tse Percorten, hammoho le hae letsatsi le letsatsi lethal dose ea Prednisone.

Ke lumela hore Lexie o ile a tla bophelo ba ka molemong le lebaka la. Lula eo bolulo ne e tla ba ho ne ho bolela itseng lefu bakeng sa hae, Ke kholisehile, 'me lelapa leso ke khona ho fana ka hae le tlhokomelo e khethehileng o ile a hloka. Ka lebaka la hae, Ke na le ncha “metsoalle” tsohle tsa lefatse. Ke ka botsepehi ba re Lexie o s'o ka molemo – Addison oa hlahloba e ne e ho hang ha le kahlolelo ya lefu, empa ho e-na e ne e e ncha a ntshe ka bophelo!!

 

Ke ile ba amohela Dharma ho tswa ho seterekeng bolulo ha a ne a e ne e 8 le libeke li. O ile a e ne e e mong oa 7 dintsanyana di le, lula ka a holisang bana a lapeng. Ke e mong ea bitsoang hae bakeng sa hae pensive tlhaho; mahlo a hae a a bonahatsa metsi a tebileng. Hangata ke Joke o ile a o na le le botho feela 'me ne a ka rata; o ile a ke fela a etsa joalo ... uh, makatsa. O ile a 's ka lehlakoreng le fapaneng ea lintho tsohle stereotypically ntja. Ha a ne a e ne e 5 le lilemo li, Ke ile hae a tsoa mosebetsing, ka Laboraro, ho fumana 7 vomits, le 4 diarrheas. Ke ile ka nka ea mo vet hoseng ka le hlahlamang. Ka lilemo tse latelang 3 libeke tse(le tse mmalwa le makholo a liranta), ka vet ea 10+ lilemo tse a matha mali a le liteko le, qetellong, o ile a romela re lapeng le ka phumano ya kankere (thehiloeng ka "lilemo tse 25 vetting"), botlolo ya 20mg prednisone matlapa a, le le kutloelo-bohloko Pat hloohong. Ke ile ka bakeng sa 2nd maikutlo a. Libeke tse peli le makholo a 'maloa liranta (hape) hamorao, re lula, sepetleleng tletse ditsebi. Ka mor'a mosebetsi, ka Laboraro bosiu, Ba ile ba etsa e sonogram. E sa ntse e se na likarabo; e le "setsebi" sa ne e tla ba a letsatsi le le latelang. Motho e mong boletsoeng diteko tsa Addison oa (e mong $250). The sonogram e ne e $500+, 'me ke lumela, Ke ne ke la ka le babyalebaby fela, ipotsa joang ke ne ke 'ne lefella sa feleng teko le se na likarabo. Ke ile ka bolella ba ke ne ke robala e, le emela hore ka ho eketsehileng tlhaloso ea sonogram, letsatsi le hlahlamang.

Latelang hoseng, ka 4:20 a.m., Ke ne ke ikutloa se makatsang se a ikutloa joang ka molaleng. E ne e Dharma oa phefumoloho, batlang e. Hlooho ea hae a ne a le lehetleng la ka, 'me ke ile a batla a ho hlokomela hore hae ho hema e ne e fokola' me tsela e sa tsoaneng. Ka tsohanyetso, Ke e phethahala 'mele oa hae ne a contorted tse tsabehang, joaloka pretzel. Mahlo a hae a ba ne ba ka ho feletseng letho. Ke leapt a le betheng o, lahlela ka liaparo, scooped hae ka le kobo, le ba ile ba mathela koloi. Ke raced ba pholletsa le motse, ho ea sebakeng re kopa bile bosiung ba pele. Ka lehlohonolo, Ke ne ke ileng sa etsahala ho hlokomela ba ne e le 24 hora setsing. Ke ile ka etsa 45 motsotso leeto a 25. Ha ke ntse ke sprinted ka monyako le Dharma matsohong a ka ka, pelo ea hae ile a khaotsa ho. Me ho joalo le ile a etsa hae ho hema. Ke ile ka nehelana ea mo mohlanka le a re, "Ka kōpo thusa hae e".

Ya tshohanyetso vet le mosebetsing etsa e le mohlolo, 'me a tlisa Dharma a boela a phela, ntle le ofe kapa ofe wa senya. Empa re ntse re ne ke sa tsebe se fosahetseng le eena. The ACTH teko ne a etsa, empa ditshupetso tse dingwe dipoelo ne a tla nka 24 lihora tse. Ba ba ne ba a itse gore o tla ba teng nako e telele hakaalo. Ba ile ba etsa go tlhotlhomisa ho buuoa, thehiloeng ka seo ba se bone sonogram. Ba belaela e blockage. Tsohle ba ile ba fumana e ne e tsela e sa tloaelehang nyenyane adrenal litsoelesa. Ha ke tsebe kamoo a a pholoha ke qeta ho buuoa. Mehlolo e 'meli letsatsi le le leng.

E 'Ngoe, re a leta. Ke ile ka bolelloa hore, haeba e e ne e se Addison oa, ka hona ha ho e ne e hoo e batlang e se seo ba se ka etsa, ha re ntse re kopa se a ntse a diteko tsa, le ngaka e ka batlile ka, tsohle empa ka ho fetisisa hlaka.

Letsatsi le hlahlamang, ha ke ile ka ya call mpolella e ne e, haele hantle, Addison boloetse ba, Ke ile ka lla sa laoleheng mpinzoli ya esengo. Ka hore motsotso, go tsenywa ga khatello ea kelello e le bohlokong bo boholo ea rona ketsahalo eo e bohloko hlatsoa ka lebaka la ka a ka ka moroallo oa liphallelo e. E ne e qetellong ka. Re qetella re ne e le karabo.

Ke ho tloha ka nahana ka hore tatellano ea liketsahalo. The hlanya ho na chelete e e chelete ho ea hlahloba (a re ke re re feela ho qetela le mangwe a filwe e ne e ho feta ke ile ka qeta ka koloi ea ka) ke ho lekaneng ho e etsa hore mang kapa mang ho bonahatsa. Ka feela a soabile ke tse nyarosang mahlomola ao Dharma a mamella. Ka feela bothata tšoarelang ea pele vet bakeng sa romela re fatse e le hore tsela. Phihlelo ena o ile a ruta 'me tse peli tse ba seng ba hōlile bana ba ka ka e ncha lerato la mofuta. Ea e tla nkuwa, le hoja e ha se hakaalo hore e NA ho.

 

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 dikgwedi tse. 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 o le lilemo li. 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 dikgwedi tse, 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. Leha ho le joalo, 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 lihora tse, 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 le lilemo li. 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 & Pulungoana 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. Ehlile, 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.
Click setšoantšo ho hōlisa

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 matsatsi a. 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, bakeng sa kankere, 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. Ka December 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.

 

Re a hlokomela hore Lucydog ne ho bonahala eka ho ba le senya tshwaetso. Ke ile ka nka hae ho ea ngakeng ka Labohlano theoha. E ne e tiisa hore o ile a o ne a e UTI le e boetse e le tsebe tshwaetso. Ba ile mali a, empa a leta ho romela ka ho e kopo ya me ya kaha seo se ne e tla ba e 'ngoe $200. Ba ba ne ba a amehile ka hore o ile a ne e se ho ja, empa nahana ho ka 'na ba' nile ba hobane o ile a feela ne ke sa ikutloa molemo.

O ile a a lithibela-mafu le ne ho bonahala eka a batla a molemo, empa a sa ntse e ne e se ho ja. O ile a ne a ho ba le ha thothomela hohle / sisinya, empa o ile a atisa ho etsa seo e ngata ha a kula kapa a a hatisa. Ke ile ka qala ho fumana amehile ha a ne a ne a ke ke esita le ja moko oa 'ona bone bone, leha ho le joalo. Ka nako eo re ba ne ba ka bobeli mosebetsing Laboraro. Ha ke fihla lapeng, Ke ile ka a ho lumella mo ntsha mo hae kennel ho ea potty ... 'me o ile a ne a ke ke ema. Ne a ke ke esita le fumana hae paws ho sebelisana ho fumana hore ba tjapalle fatše. Ke freaked me hang-hang a tsoela 'me ya fono, bitsoa Will 'me a re "Lucy ka ke a tsamaea a." Ke ka nako eo bitsoa vet, e leng ka lehlohonolo ne a sa koaloa leha ho le joalo (ba neng ba tla a 15 metsotso e) 'me ba ile a re mo tlisa ASAP.
Tla fihla hae ka hora le halofo hamorao kapa ho, 'me ba e ne e bile khona ho tsitsisa hae. Ba nahana ho ka ba Addison boloetse ba, e neng e ka lehlohonolo phekoleha. E hlahisa ba ba botlana lintja, ke tloaelehile haholo tsehali, 'me a lotho ea le matsoao a tloaelehileng. Tla e sa ntse e nahana hore ho ka ba le tsoa matla dehydration. Ka mor'a hore 2 tšosang le masiu a le eena ka doggie sepetlele hobane o ile a e sa ntse e e ne e se matla ka ho lekaneng ho tsamaea, ea teko ya madi a ditshupetso tse dingwe dipoelo a tiisa Addison oa Mafu. The UTI le tsebe tshwaetso pushed 'mele oa hae ka bothata' me o e ne e mohlomong haufi le ho shoa (ho thoe'ng haeba ke neng ke ile a khomarela mosebetsing bakeng sa 45 telele ka metsotso e letsatsi leo? he batho). Ka lehlohonolo, ho ke ke phekoleha le ya kgwedi le kgwedi ente, e mong o ile a tla hloka bakeng sa bophelo bohle ba hae. Empa e le hore bophelo bo tla ba bolelele le bo thabileng.

E le, re sa ntse re ba le Lucy-bophelo bohle ho laola ho boloetse ba hae. Empa ha ke thabela ho ba tlaleha hore joalokaha ke thaepa ena, Lucy e ka lentsoe le phahameng chomping e rawhide bone bone hore Ke ile ka reka eena ka hae gorole tokelo ya ka mor'a ka. Le tse ling tse ho feta a shaved paw di ka moo a ileng a o ne a e IV le super khafetsa peeing ka lebaka la hae hlaphoheloa meds, o ile a 's le ntle haholo khutlela e tšoanang ol by' Lucydog. 'Me re e rata. Ke 'na a leboha haholo hore ha re vet ile a mo fa e ka potlako le e ke matsoao a eng' me mo khutlisa ka maoto a hae (ka ho toba le) ka potlako.