HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY, BOOGIE!
What a difference two years can make.
As you can see from this picture, taken at our campground in Massachusetts, Boogie is still a happy, beautiful Beardie.
But now his apparent good health is supported by medication. Shortly after his 7th birthday, our wonderful dog was diagnosed with Addison's Disease, finally providing us with a reason for his frequent but previously unexplained illnesses. I have included some information about canine Addison's Disease at the bottom of this page.
In June 2004, we went to a friend's wedding in Arkansas, then to Beardie Camp at Purina Farms near St. Louis, MO. Near the end of July, we bought a new home, packed and moved. All of these events were stressful for this very sensitive dog, and he had frequent diarrhea and began refusing food . . . normal reactions for him when he is stressed.
I went away for a training session the first week of August. When I returned, it was time for Boogie's annual exam and vaccinations, and we decided to switch to a veterinarian near our new home. At his exam the previous year, Boogie weighed over 50 pounds, but when he stepped on the scale this time, he weighed only 36! I immediately became very upset, but the doctor said, "He's just an old dog." I replied that 7 is NOT old for a Beardie, and insisted something must be very wrong. The vet dismissed my concerns, gave Boogie his vaccinations, and sent us on our way. As I have always done when Boogie stopped eating and got sick, I tried everything I could think of to get him to eat again, and had some success.
Near the end of August, we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary with a big party in our new home, and for the first and only time since any of them came to live with us, we kenneled all three dogs for their comfort and safety. The kennel staff reported that Boogie had not eaten his meals, but that he had eaten most of the entire bag of treats we had provided.
We made another RV trip to Fort Worth, TX over Labor Day weekend to attend the wedding of another friend, and Boogie quit eating and had diarrhea again during that trip. We visited a nearby pet supply store and bought a couple of different kinds of food as well as a nutritional supplement, which I literally had to force down his throat.
When we returned home and his illness continued, I called the veterinarian who had been caring for our dogs since we moved to Colorado in 2001, and made an appointment for Boogie. When nothing was found on examination or in the stool sample, the doctor said that he was not comfortable with not finding a reason for Boogie's condition and weight loss, and suggested a "critical care" blood panel. We agreed and the blood sample was taken, then we took Boogie home.
At about 6:30 that evening, the vet called to tell us that he was quite sure that Boogie had Addison's Disease. A test specific for Addison's Disease was administered a few days later, and Boogie's responses were extremely low. He was given an injection of Percorten-V that day, and the low daily dose of Prednisone which had been started on the previous visit was continued. Boogie's improvement over the next few weeks was nothing short of amazing. The dog who would literally have starved to death if not bribed with special treats, broths and supplements was eating everything offered and looking for more! The diarrhea which had been occurring every few days was gone. Although I hadn't noticed a problem with his energy level before, he was noticeably more energetic after starting on his medications.
Other than one unexplained incident in April 2005 which resulted in a 3-day emergency hospital stay, Boogie has been stable ever since beginning his medications. Following the hospitalization, we retired both Scooch and Boogie from the weekly therapy visits which they had been doing for over a year to avoid the combined stress of a major grooming session followed by 3 hours of work. We keep their Therapy Dogs, Inc. registration current, and still take them to visit friends in hospitals occasionally.
In December 2005, we made what should be our last move for a very long time, and managed to keep it virtually stress-free for the dogs by moving into the RV in back of our new home a week before the real move. By the time the furniture arrived, the dogs had already been romping through their new home for several days and were delighted to have their familiar things join them.
As promised, here are pictures from our recent RV trip to Massachusetts, and a few taken recently at home.
Boogie rides under my feet for the entire trip in the RV, no matter how long. In this case, it was over 2000 miles each way! Shadow has recently started joining Boogie in this spot . . . guess he wants to make sure there is absolutely no place for me to put my feet! Actually, it's because there are two air conditioning vents and I always have one of them pointed down for Boogie.
It's very easy to tell when Boogie decides he's at home in the RV (usually by the time we stop for the first night). He hoards all of the bones, whether at home or traveling, so when he starts his collection, we know he's comfortable. Shadow generally plays with other types of toys, but every once in a while, he wants to chew on a bone as well.
But Boogie believes that
all bones are his, and Shadow only gets one when Boogie allows it.
As you can see, Boogie wasn't ready to share quite yet!
Nap-time is important, and the RV has some very comfortable places for a tired Beardie to rest.
The dash makes a very good place to check out his surroundings!
But it's always nice to get back home to his favorite nap spot . . .
. . . and to his own yard!
From the web site of Novartis
(http://www.percorten.novartis.us/),
the company that makes Percorten-V, which is
used to treat canine Addison's Disease:
Because it is so easily confused with many other diseases and frequently remains undiagnosed until the dog collapses from weight loss, weakness or dehydration, Canine Addison's Disease is often referred to as "The Great Pretender." If left untreated, the disease can be critical, even fatal.
Canine Addison's Disease occurs when a dog's adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones and other chemicals that help regulate many bodily functions, such as metabolism, blood pressure and stress response. While it is not contagious, it is not fully understood why dogs develop Addison's. The most likely cause is genetic; however, other possible causes include infections, immune system disorders and trauma.
Some of the most common signs a pet owner may observe in a dog with Canine Addison's Disease include:
* Anorexia
* Lack of energy
* Weakness
* Vomiting
* Diarrhea
* Weight loss
* Dehydration
Less frequent signs include:
* Bloody vomit or stool
* Excessive thirst or urination
* Loss of appetite
* Hair loss
* Shaking and tremors
Fortunately, Addison's Disease is generally very manageable, and with proper care and keeping a relatively calm and low-stress environment, the dog can live a long and happy life. Although we would certainly prefer that Boogie did not have this disease, we are grateful for every day with this gentle, joyful, loving dog!
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