I believe my response to the vet would be an inappropriate post title

I took Maisy in for a just-being-super-cautious bladder ultrasound on Monday. It’s been six months since her huge bladder stones (and subsequent removal). Since that time, all of her UAs have come back great, and she continues to be on the prescription diet to help prevent a recurrence, so I figured it would be a pretty quick and easy appointment.
 
It’s like I don’t even know my own dog.
 
Of course she has bladder stones. Five or six, actually. All small enough to pass, but still. Wasn’t the diet supposed to prevent this? Yes, it should have, but… well, we’ve cheated. Oh, sure, her main meals have been the prescription diet, but she has still gotten the occasional bully stick and we definitely feed her off our plates… The vet didn’t think that would be enough to cause stone formation, but that’s what I’m going with because the alternative is more frustrating.
 
See, there are two main types of stones: struvite and calcium oxalate. Struvites can be dissolved by diet and are therefore the better kind to have. This is what Maisy had last fall. Calcium oxalate, on the other hand, have to be removed surgically. We don’t know which kind Maisy has now, so I’m going with the diet-needs-to-be-stricter theory.
 
The plan right now is to switch from the stone-prevention diet to the stone-dissolution diet and then do a recheck ultrasound in 6-8 weeks. If the stones go away, we’re all good. If they don’t… well, we’ll figure it out then. The good news is that the stone-dissolution diet can also be used for maintenance. The bad news is that every. single. dissolution diet on the market has eggs in them. Maisy is allergic to eggs. But hey, she’s already on steroids, so hopefully that will prevent any allergy issues.
 
Fingers crossed! On all fronts!

Hopeful for a Full Recovery

Cross your fingers, knock on some wood, put a rabbit foot on your key chain… anything to prevent me from jinxing things here, because I think Maisy might have a full recovery.

As you know, September was a hard month for us. First she landed in the ICU for what turned out to be immune-mediated inflammation of the spinal cord. Then, just as she was starting to recover, she ended up back in the ICU with some pretty bad bladder stones (and a very uncomfortable procedure to remove them). It’s been almost two weeks, though, and over the weekend Maisy started showing signs of being herself again.

She has more energy and stamina again. She’s enjoying her (short, for potty breaks only) walks again instead of plodding behind me like we’re on a death march. She’s even asking for longer walks. Her coordination seems to have returned as well. She’s not tripping over her own feet when going up the stairs anymore.

Her enthusiastic naughtiness is back, too. She’s bringing me tennis balls whenever I’m… well, awake, really! Last night she shoved open the bathroom door and insisted on sitting on my lap while I was in there. She’s joyfully nipping at my heels and running circles around me in the morning.

And, instead of sleeping in the other room or at the far side of the bed, she’s back to sleeping pressed up to me, and last night she slept in my arms for at least half an hour. Oh, I missed that! Perhaps of everything, I missed that the most.

I’m optimistic that she will have a full recovery. Visions of hiking trips and dog shows have returned, and I’ve begun making plans again.

Of course, that isn’t assured. Last night we did the first reduction in her steroid dose. She had been on 7.5mg twice a day, and now it will be 5mg twice a day for a week or so. We’ll see how (if) that changes things. She sees the neurologist next week, and I assume that we’ll discuss steroid use then. Worst case scenario (I think/hope!) is that she’ll be on them for the rest of her life. Since they don’t seem to be affecting her behaviorally, that’s just fine. After all, I take steroids twice a day, too.

The bladder stones actually seem to be the bigger issue at this point. She’s on a prescription diet that I hate, but that I also have confidence in. I’ve had a hard time not giving her little extras; she’s not supposed to have any treats at all. I have always shared everything I eat with her. I wasn’t able to do it cold turkey, but I’ve really cut back, and each day it’s a bit easier. I still plan to consult with a nutritionist at some point.

She will also need pretty regular monitoring, at least for a while. The U of MN Urolith Center actually has a lot of good info on it, with recommendations on how often to test and what parameters to look for. She will need a follow up urinalysis every 4-6 weeks until the specific gravity is less than 1.020, the pH is 6.5 or ungder, and there are no crystals. After that, follow up UAs should happen every 3-9 months. They also recommend either x-rays or ultrasounds every 6-9 months to evaluate for stones. Since none of the billion x-rays Maisy had last month showed any stones, I’ve decided to do ultrasounds.

For now, though, I’m just going to enjoy having my dog back. 

Maisy's Home! (Again)

On Wednesday afternoon, we got the results of Maisy's spinal tap and adjusted her medications. One of the things we did was increase her steroid dose. I was warned that one of the side effects would be an increased need to urinate, so when she asked to go out frequently on Thursday morning, I didn't think much of it. But on Thursday afternoon, we noticed that she wasn't actually going every time she squatted. Then she started to squat every thirty seconds, no matter where she was (including in the house, and she is very well housetrained).

I took her to the ER, where an x-ray showed that her bladder was huge, indicating a blockage. They weren't sure what was blocking her since they didn't see any stones, but did a therapeutic cysto (they stuck a needle through her abdomen and into her bladder in order to remove the urine that way). Yesterday they did an abdominal ultrasound and found several small and one large stone (approximately 7mm, which is about the size of a pinky fingernail, I think).

A lithotripsy was performed. This is a non-surgical procedure where they put a small video camera up her vagina and then used a laser to break up the stones. Then they did a combination of stone basketing (not really sure what this is- Dr. Google isn't very helpful!) and urohydropropulsion (a urinary flushing technique) to remove the smaller bits.

Lab analysis showed that the stones were struvite, which is the best kind a dog can have. Struvites are usually the result of an infection, especially staph infections. As you may remember, Maisy was found to have a UTI caused by staph when she was in the ICU a few weeks ago.

Originally, they planned to keep Maisy overnight, but she recovered from the anesthesia quickly and they felt she would be “more comfortable” at home. When I picked her up, I found out what that meant- apparently any time someone came near her, she would snap at them. She was brought out to me in an e-collar with bright red stickers on it that said “CAUTION: MAY BITE.” Poor Maisy. I really don't blame her (I would feel bitey, too!). Oddly, on her discharge paperwork, they said “She is a very sweet girl and we really enjoyed working with her.” Ha.

The plan going forward: She will continue the steroid treatment for the inflammatory disease of her spinal cord, and we're adding in antibiotics for a couple weeks and pain meds as needed. She was also sent home on a prescription diet and orders to follow it strictly. Maybe it was just trigger stacking, but this was the first time I actually cried throughout all of Maisy's health woes this month. And oh, how I sobbed on the phone with friends. I didn't realize how important  it is to me to be able to share junk food with her.

Anyway, Maisy is home and doing well, or at least, as well as she can considering the circumstances. She's very, very tired, but when she's awake she's happy and playful. I am so glad she's here with me. I have no idea what the future looks like, and only a small idea of how it might change, but she's here, and for that I am grateful.

Finally, I just wanted to answer some of the questions I've been getting:

Is this related to the inflammatory disease of her spinal cord?
It's highly unlikely. More than likely, it's just some seriously bad luck. The thing is, Maisy has had recurrent UTIs her entire life (including a previous scare a few years back), so this was bound to happen at some point.

Why didn't they catch this when she was in the ICU before?
I don't know, but I don't think it's because they missed something. They did all the diagnostics they should have. She had two UAs/UCs, and a ton of x-rays. The x-rays she had on Thursday night didn't show the stones, either.

Have you considered a raw diet/supplements?
Maisy was actually on a raw diet before all this started and we used supplements (cranberry, fish oil, and probiotics, mostly, although we'd run out a few months back and I hadn't gotten around to starting them again because money has been tight). When things settle down in a few months (and I have the money again), I'm going to schedule an appointment with the nutritionist at the U to discuss diet again. Although I believe in the prescription diets, I also hate them. I don't think there's any actual meat in the one Maisy's on.

Speaking of money...
Have I mentioned how grateful I am for all of you? To date, I have spent $6,957.77 on Maisy's health care this month alone. There will be more bills to come (neither issue is resolved at this point), but hopefully they will be smaller. I have received $4,444.03 in donations, so I only have to pay $2,513.74 out of pocket. This is still more than what's in my emergency savings, so I'm in the market for a third job. Even so, I cannot even express how thankful I am for everyone who has supported Maisy and I in the past month. I'm not sure what I would have done without your financial assistance.

If you're local, please consider signing up for one of my reactive dog classes to help me pay the bills! I also do private lessons. Email me for more info about either one. I have a class starting next Friday for easily distracted sport dogs and/or mildly reactive dogs that isn't full yet!

I also make and sell quilts and weighted blankets. The weighted blankets are great for people with sensory processing disorder (also autism, insomnia, anxiety, etc.). The shipping for quilts isn't bad, but for the weighted blankets, it gets expensive. Email me for info and pricing. 

Supplementing the Dog

In my entry on what I feed Maisy, I mentioned that I give her a “supplement cocktail.” Because I’m a completionist, I simply could not let that go without further explanation! So, today I’m going to tell you about the supplements I give Maisy. All of them have been discussed and/or recommended by Maisy’s vet, Dr. Cara White.

Every morning, I mix up a cocktail for Maisy. Because I use a number of things, and because some are powders, others are liquids, and there is the occasional capsule, I use a scoop of canned cat food as the base for mixing it all together. (Thankfully, my cat Malcolm is willing to share.) Her supplements include:

Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes and Probiotics- This is a powder, and I give 1/4 teaspoon daily to aid in digestive health. My vet started her on it because Maisy was on a less-than-ideal prescription food at the time, and she wanted something to help Maisy “de-tox” from the icky stuff in that food. I have continued using it because stress can disrupt digestion, and Maisy had relatively regular bouts of loose stools. Since starting this product, she’s done very well, digestively speaking.

Animal Essentials Omega 3 Plus- This is a liquid supplement, and I squirt approximately 1/4 teaspoon daily into her supplement mix. It’s the only one I don’t measure exactly. This product includes both animal and plant based essential fatty acids, which are more complete than using just one or the other. Omega 3s are helpful for allergy symptoms, and generally help improve the skin and coat, which is why it was prescribed for Maisy.

A custom mix of five different Bach Flower Remedies: Vervain, Aspen, Mimulus, Chestnut Bud, and Rock Water. Maisy’s vet does a lot of homeopathy, and although I remain skeptical, it is hard to deny that some of it seems to help. After beginning this mix, Maisy’s reactivity did reduce. Was it due to training? A reduction in pain or allergy symptoms? Or did the flower remedy help? I have no idea. I do know that the Bach Rescue Remedy helps me a lot when I feel stressed, so I’m not willing to dismiss it entirely. Maisy receives 4 drops daily.

Ruta 30C- Another homeopathic remedy, this one prescribed specifically for Maisy’s occasional muscle twitches/spasms. She receives 3 drops daily.

Animal Apawthecary Tinkle Tonic- This liquid supplement is given daily, one week on and one week off. Maisy receives 0.5mL per dose. It contains a mixture of herbs designed to promote urinary health by disinfect, soothe and protect the urinary tract. Maisy’s vet recommended she take this product because of her recurrent UTIs.

Solid Gold Berry Balance- Another product recommended due to Maisy’s recurring UTIs, this is a powder that is given three times a week, 1/4 teaspoon per dose. It helps balance urinary pH and flushes bacteria from the bladder.

Maisy also has a few occasional or as needed supplements. Right now, she’s taking Standard Process Ligaplex II, one capsule twice a day. She’s been on it for a few weeks, and will be on it for a month or so longer. Her vet gave us this one because Maisy was very tender in the right shoulder, and the Ligaplex helps repair damaged connective tissue. I do think this one is working; she’s had far less stiffness on that leg since she started taking it.

Maisy receives Arnica, another homeopathic remedy, after her chiropractic adjustments and when needed for injuries. It’s a natural anti-inflammatory, and it does seem to help Maisy’s adjustments “hold” better. I used it twice a day for several days after she was attacked by that off-leash dog.

Maisy also receives two things when we are going into stressful situations such as trials. The first is Rescue Remedy. I have no idea if it helps Maisy, but as I mentioned earlier, it really helps me feel calmer at trials, and it’s marketed for pets as well, so we both take it. She gets four drops on a treat.

The other is Comfort Zone Dog Appeasing Pheromones (DAP), which I buy in a spray form and then apply to her collar, my pants leg (on the heel side), and her mat or crate pad. I do think this one helps; Sara shared some with us at a trial last year when she saw that Maisy was really wound up. After using the DAP, she was able to calm down, focus, and go on to win high scoring mixed breed that day.

Whew! Who knew she received that many things? So… what do you guys use for supplements, and why? Did your vet recommend them, or did you choose them yourself? I can’t wait to hear what you do.

Feeding the Dog

In the dog world, there are two things which will predictably provoke arguments: training methods and dog food. I’ve spent a lot of time discussing training on this blog, I haven’t really talked about what I feed my dog, so let’s do that today!

Maisy’s diet is kind of complicated. I feed a combination of kibble, pre-made/frozen raw, and whole/bone-in meats. Maisy also gets some fruits and veggies, both cooked/pureed and fresh, and of course, she has a supplement cocktail, too. So, not only is there a fair amount of variety, but I further complicate matters by keeping track of the rough amount of calories I’m feeding.

“Normal” people think this is excessive, but the truth is, I feed the way I do for a reason. I think the part that throws people the most is the calorie counting, but honestly, I think it’s the most important part. Argue all you want about the comparative benefits and risks of raw, kibble or home-cooked, but when it comes down to it, the best thing you can do for your dog is to keep her at a healthy weight. This is doubly true for performance dogs, as well as the long-backed among us. Both kinds are at risk of injuries, especially to their joints, and since Maisy has already had some back issues at the tender age of three, it is especially important that I keep her slim. And, at 17.2 pounds, she is on the slender side of normal. There is absolutely no excess fat on this dog, anywhere.

Okay, on to what I feed. The anecdotal evidence for raw food is pretty overwhelming, and in fact, my vet recommended that I consider switching to raw. My problem is that there are a lot of ideas of how to feed raw, with very little science to back up which way is best. This makes me hesitant to start with, but even more nerve-wracking for me is the idea of balancing the calcium to phosphorous levels, not to mention all of the other nutrients. As a result, I tend to favor the pre-made raw mixes that meet the AAFCO definitions of a “complete and balanced” food.

My favorite pre-made raw food is Primal. I chose it primarily because of the size and shape: it fits perfectly in a medium Kong, and Maisy gets one or two cubes every day for breakfast. She eats the duck variety, a flavor I picked for a couple of reasons. The most important consideration is that Maisy has food allergies to lamb and eggs (she’s also allergic to a whole host of environmental factors, ranging from grasses to wool to human dander, a fact I don’t believe I’ve mentioned on this blog before). Anyway, while many of the pre-made raw products include eggs, Primal doesn’t. It’s also one of their lower-calorie options, coming in at approximately 50 calories per ounce. And finally, it’s generally considered a “cooling” food in Chinese Medicine, and although I’m not entirely sure I believe in that, people I respect do, and since all of Maisy’s issues (physical and reactivity-wise) are ones that would be blamed on a heat imbalance, I’m willing to try it. Even if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t hurt, either.

For supper, she gets kibble in a food toy. I probably wouldn’t feed kibble at all, but Maisy loves the toys, and they provide her with valuable mental stimulation, so we keep them. Most of the time, she gets Taste of the Wild- Pacific Stream, which is a grain-free, fish based kibble. Maisy loves fish, and it’s generally considered a cooling food. Depending on what else she ate that day (including number of treats, and whether or not she asked for extra at breakfast), she’ll either get one-third of a cup (120 calories) or one-half of a cup (180 calories). Sometimes, though, I’ll give her Wellness CORE: Ocean instead. This product is also a fish-based, grain-free kibble. It has more calories, so she only gets one-third of a cup, for 150 calories.

I also add in some fresh foods. Although this isn’t “complete and balanced,” Monica Segal says you can replace up to one-fourth or so of your dog’s daily calories with other foods without unbalancing the diet. This includes treats, of course, but I use such small treats that it doesn’t make up that much of Maisy’s diet.

Once or twice a week, I’ll give her some raw meat, usually chicken quarters because I can pick them up cheap. I usually remove about half of the skin and any excess fat, plus I usually cut the quarters into three, with the goal being a 3-4 ounce portion. I do feed it bone-in, and although that was scary at first, she’s had no problems crunching through, and honestly, it’s kind of cool to watch her use her teeth the way nature intended. Sometimes she’ll get a bit of extra beef or turkey instead- whatever I’m eating that night.


Whenever I have leftover veggies, or just veggies I need to get rid of before they go bad, I’ll cook and puree them, then put them in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, they fit well in the Kong, and at 10-15 calories, make a perfect snack on the days she asks for more food. I’ve also done this with canned pumpkin and even ground turkey.

And that’s what I feed my dog. I don’t know that it’s the “perfect” diet, but I’m very comfortable with what she’s eating. I feel like she’s getting a nice variety of foods, and I don’t worry about there being a possible imbalance of nutrients like I used to. Best of all, Maisy loves everything she gets, and she’s very healthy right now. And really, what more could a girl want?

Anyway, I’d love to hear about what you’re feeding your dogs. Do you feed a “complicated” diet, or do you trend towards something simpler? And why do you choose what you do? Let me know!

Year in Review, Part 3: My Education and Growth

One thing Maisy has really done for me is turn me into a better dog owner and trainer. If Maisy were not reactive, I very likely would not have spent so much time learning about training, nor would I have developed some of the skills I have worked very hard to acquire. In this entry, I want to share some of the things I’ve done to become a better trainer, as well as some of the things I’ve changed at home to help Maisy feel better.

I think one of the biggest skills I’ve developed is in my ability to read dog body language. Like most owners, I was pretty oblivious to what my dog was telling me with her body. Now I can generally pick out the main components of what’s going on. Although I still struggle to read the body language of other dogs, especially the brief and subtle displays, I’ve gotten much better at reading Maisy’s body language.

I went to one dog-related seminar this year in March, when I spent two days with Pat Miller (who, incidentally, thinks Maisy is cute). It was a great seminar, and I learned a lot. We covered a variety of topics, including a general overview of operant and classical conditioning, dog body language, and a special afternoon session on Constructional Aggression Treatment.

I did a lot of reading, and currently belong to 42 dog-related yahoo groups. I also read the following books:
The Culture Clash, by Jean Donaldson
Bones Would Rain From the Sky, by Suzanne Clothier
Getting in TTouch with Your Dog, by Linda Tellington-Jones
Control Unleashed, by Leslie McDevitt
The Hidden Life of Dogs, and The Social Life of Dogs, by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
Don’t Shoot the Dog! by Karen Pryor
A Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs, by Caroline Knapp
Click Your Way to Rally Obedience, by Pam Dennison
Reaching the Animal Mind, by Karen Pryor
Click to Calm, by Emma Parsons
Through a Dog’s Ear, by Joshua Leeds and Susan Wagner
Ring Wise: A Handling Manual for Competition Obedience, by Marie Sawford
On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals, by Turid Rugaas
Successful Obedience Handling, by Barbara S. Handler.
(I’m working on a few more, but I probably won’t finish them by the end of the year.)

I also watched two dog training DVDs: The Language of Dogs, by Sarah Kalnajs and Crate Games, by Susan Garrett.

I volunteered as a trial steward at a UKC obedience trial in November, and I learned a lot. I watched everything closely, and took away some great tips which I have incorporated into my work with Maisy. I also learned that trials are only as stressful as you make them. The judges genuinely want each team to do well, and the other teams barely pay attention. This has gone a long way towards reducing my ring nerves, although I know there’s a lot of work left to do there.

I also made a lot of changes in Maisy’s life. One of the most important things I did was introduce treat dispensing toys for her meals. Maisy eats supper out of these every day. She has a Buster Cube, a Tricky Treat Ball, a Bob-A-Lot, and our favorite, the Tug a Jug!



These toys are vital to keeping us both sane. Maisy has a lot of energy, and being able to expend some mental energy during meal times really cuts down on her anxiety. I also improved Maisy’s diet by switching over to pre-made raw for breakfast, with high-quality, grain-free kibble for supper. She takes probiotics and fish oil daily.

Maisy switched to a holistic vet this fall, and has received regular chiropractic treatments. She’s also got her first massage today! I have never seen this dog so relaxed. This may sound like extravagance, but keeping her pain free is incredibly important when managing her anxiety.

Maisy and I have gone to a ton of classes, including CU-style classes, rally and advanced obedience. We have had a couple of private lessons, and even took a few tracking lessons this fall. It was really neat to watch Maisy use her innate abilities, and really taught me that I have to trust her as much as she has to trust me when we’re working together.

Finally, I would be completely remiss if I didn’t share what might be my favorite Maisy-related moment from 2009: the night in March when she got me out of a speeding ticket.

I was driving to a dog training class, and was apparently going a bit too fast. Okay, I was at least 15mph over the limit, so I knew when I saw those lights in my rear view mirror that I was going to get a ticket. The officer walked up to the passenger’s side window to ask for my license and proof of insurance.

I couldn’t find it. I apologized profusely, but the officer looked at me sternly. Then he noticed Maisy, who was sitting safely buckled in her seat, wagging her tail in large, loose circles, and with the biggest doggy smile possible. He did a double take, then smiled at her.

“You know what?” he said. “Don’t worry about it. Just slow down.”

I thanked him, and then, as I drove away, I thanked Maisy.

And I need to do that again today. Thank you, Maisy, for everything you have done, for everything you have taught me, for loving and trusting me, for simply being yourself. I could not ask for a better dog.