THE FINAL CHAPTER IN MY RESCUE DIARY

Today was a very happy day!

I have been adopted and I am living with a wonderful new mom. Her much-loved Bichon, Daisy, died a few months ago and she has been very sad without a white fluff in her life. My new mom has a bird who has been grieving for Daisy, too. When Daisy passed away, he started pulling out his feathers and he stopped talking.

When I arrived, he became very excited and he said: "Hi, Birdie!" (he used to call Daisy, Birdie). He is chirping and is talking now.

We are all going to live happily ever after....

IS THERE A DOGGIE TOOTH FAIRY?

I had to get my teeth cleaned today. The doctor pulled 11 teeth! Good teeth are an indication of good health and my terrible teeth indicated how sick I used to be.

Now my breath is fresh. I can still eat all of the good food here. My rescue mom says now it is time to find a perfect home for the perfect dog (ME!).

DAY 70

When I arrived in rescue, I was rushed to the Emergency Hospital. My admittance sheet lists my condition as "prostrate".

I recovered sufficiently to go home after 3 days and await my visit to the internist and surgeon. After that examination, I was put back in the hospital and my condition was listed as "stuperous".

Look at me now!

Copy and paste into your address bar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g867LrOpts

DAY 67 - JULY 17, 2008

Today the final blood test results arrived from Cornell University.

Before my liver shunt surgery I had 30% liver function. The test revealed I now have 95% liver function!

DAY 54

My bile acids test and blood panel came back today.

The bile acids before surgery were:
Fasting -- 91.6
Post Prandial (after eating) 282.5

After surgery:

Fasting: 1.5
Post Prandial: 29.5

My blood work is excellent! My surgeon says I am a "normal" dog! I am well! I can stop taking all of my medicine but the doctor says to keep taking my supplements. This makes my mom very happy -- she LOVES giving me vitamins and supplements and healthy stuff.

I had a special breakfast today:
Oatmeal with yogurt and honey and watermelon -- I loved it!

We are still waiting for the C Protein test because that has to be done at Cornell University in New York, but we are pretty confident that it will show good results also.

I'm very happy and I smile a lot now!

JUNE 30TH - DAY 53

Today is my birthday and I turned 6 years old today.

I spent the day at the surgeon's having my bile acids tests, C Protein test and a blood panel done. We will get the results in a couple of days.

I weigh 14.5 lbs!

DAY 52

I had a bath today.

I SCREAMED as soon as the water hit me....I wanted out of that tub and I SCREAMED some more. Mom said I was a "dirty bird" and just kept washing me. I am going to the doctor tomorrow and mom wants me clean and beautiful.

That blow dryer thing scared me at first, but I kind of like it now. I got to lay in Mom's lap and she ran her finger nails up and down my back and up and down my legs, ahhhhhh! Then she gave me a massage.

I got a new collar today, too. My purple collar is waaay too small. Mom can't wait to find out how much I weigh now. We are all excited about my tests tomorrow. They will tell if my liver is functioning and if I will be healthy one day.

DAY 45

Every day someone will say to me: "How are you today, Quillah Willah?" and now I give them a kiss which means: "Very well, thank you!"

Surprise!
See for yourself! Just copy and paste the address below into your address bar!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaToLi4U0bM

DAY 39

Today I did the Bichon Buzz for the very first time. Some people call it the Bichon Blitz. It's a burst of energy and wild running 'round and 'round. It was fun!

My daddy played: "I'm going to get you" and I ran around the dining room and slid up and down the hallway. (They don't have carpet here because SOME bichons are not housetrained).

My mom was really happy and cheered and clapped. She doesn't have a whole lot of excitement in her life, so I try to please.

Day 29

I had to go back to my regular doctor today. The hair on my tail is dropping off.
The doctor says I have a fungus infection. I have to have medicated baths and salve put on the tail. My immune system is still weak, so I am susceptible to such things.

DAY 26

Today I went back to the doctor to get my stitches out. He was very pleased with my progress. He thinks I am doing WONDERFULLY! The only thing is: the pathologist did not find any portal veins leading to my liver….we will need to wait and see if they are generated as the liver regenerates itself. My mom asks everyone to pray for me. She is a sweet lady but emotional.

DAY 25

There are 3 dogs here that my rescue mom calls the Three Musketeers (Rory, Piper and Marvin). They love to play and run and wrestle. I snuck out of the house today and I RAN…..I ran faster than the Three Musketeers. They couldn’t catch me. I laughed and laughed – I ran faster than the boys.

My rescue mom almost died when she saw it was me “streaking like a greyhound”. She rattled the lid of the treat jar and we all ran through the doggie door and into the house. My rescue mom cried and hugged me and gave me 2 apple slices. She told me NO MORE RUNNING! And then she started laughing and hugging me. She is very nice, but very excitable.

DAY 24

Today was Mac’s birthday. He is a Bichon Cockapoo who lives at White Dog Cottage. He turned 17 today. I couldn’t have any cake but I did get apple slices. Mac got some, too. Because he is the oldest, he thinks he should have EVERYTHING! He also got a bit of ice cream. That made him happy

DAY 18

I am too shy and tired to play with the other dogs. I have to stay quiet because
I have an incision the whole length of my tummy. I have to eat about 5 times a day, which I LOVE. I especially love apple slices. My dad and mom put lots of supplements and medication in my food – I don’t care – I LOVE to eat! I am not out of the woods, yet. The two-week mark is very important and things can go wrong – sometimes the liver just can’t handle that new flow of blood.

DAY 17

My dad takes me out in the doggie stroller and parks me in the shade where I sleep while he does yard work. I’ve stopped crying. I feel safe here and I get LOTS of scratches and hugs and kisses.

DAY 15

I am back home at White Dog Cottage with my rescue dad and mom and lots of other white dogs. I am supposed to stay very quiet – no running, no stairs, no playing.

DAY 13 -- EVENING

The surgery went well.The doctor said that my liver is very small but the shunt was very large

DAY 13

Today I was taken to see an internist and a surgeon. I am up to 12 lbs. The surgeon put me back in the hospital and is doing surgery on me this afternoon. I have to stay in that hospital again for another day.

DAY 7

I’m at my new home now eating prescription food and taking medicine, they are trying to build me up somewhat. My rescue dad sleeps in the recliner with me on his chest. He gives me 6 meals a day and lots of medicine. I will stand a better chance having surgery if I can become a little stronger.

DAY 6

The hospital said I could go home. (I think they are tired of my crying, but I am feeling so sick and sad). I am so glad my new daddy is coming to get me.

DAY 3, 4, 5

When I am conscious, I cry for my new daddy. I really love him and I never want him more than 6 inches away from me. My rescue mom and dad come to visit me every day even though they live over 40 miles away.

DAY 2 -- EVENING

The doctors are putting me on IV fluids and antibiotics. They gave Daddy a paper about something called “euthanasia”. I weigh 10.3 lbs and I should weigh around 16 or 17 lbs. Things aren’t looking good. No one is smiling. But my rescue dad and mom said they want me to have a chance. So I am to stay in the hospital.

DAY 2

Today Julie’s very nice and gentle husband, Mark, took a day off of work to drive me 3 hours north to another nice volunteer, Charla.

Charla went to her vet to get me some food and when she got back, she thought I had died. But I was just sleeping very soundly, I was so weak and tired, you see. Charla prayed the whole time she was driving that I wouldn’t die before I arrived at the rescue. I like Charla, too!

I arrived this afternoon at White Dog Cottage. My rescue Mom and Dad, Jack and Robin, had already made an appointment for me with their vet for the next morning. However, I am so quiet and lethargic that they don’t think I will last long enough to make it to that appointment so my new rescue daddy, Jack, is taking me to the emergency hospital.

Day 1

I came to rescue today because I have a liver shunt and my owners can’t afford to take care of me. I have not seen a veterinarian in 2 years and I am very, very sick. A rescue volunteer, Julie, picked me up. She named me Quillah because I have quite the will to live – ahhh! (She became very attached to me and I really like her, too).

You see, a liver shunt is an abnormal vessel that allows blood to bypass the liver. As a result the blood is not cleansed by the liver which is one of the body’s filters.
The liver then cannot metabolize animal protein correctly and produces ammonia. Ammonia becomes ammonium, which is a central nervous system depressant. This causes neurological symptoms because it can get to the brain.
I am slowly but surely being poisoned and I am dying.
Julie is horrified by my condition and she called the director of the rescue. It’s decided that it is imperative that I get to White Dog Cottage with all speed.