Death from Distemper or heartworms is not quick, the suffering is immense. There is no cure for Distemper, and any treatment available is only meant to ease suffering or help the dog stay strong enough to attempt to fight the virus on it’s own. Distemper slowly destroys, the lymphoid organs, respiratory organs, gastrointestinal organs, and urogenital organs, one-by-one. Most dogs that die from distemper, die from neurological complications, many of which are horrific to witness: swelling of the brain, seizures, deterioration of mental and muscle function, paralysis, disabling muscle spasms, depression and an increased sensitivity to stimuli like pain or touch. Heartworms is as equally devastating. Read Livy’s story to understand why waiting to see if a dog gets heartworms to take action is not only expensive but very, very dangerous for the dog.
Ruby was very, very lucky to have survived and found a wonderful home to live out a healthy and happy life. Her illnesses were easily avoidable with simple and relatively inexpensive preventive measures. Sadly, heartworm prevention costs only about $7-$10 a month, and the DHLP-P vaccination, which protects against more than just Distemper, costs only about $8-$12 a year. The cost in your time to carry out this prevention is even less. We hope that Ruby’s story (below) and the suffering she had to endure will educate so that other dogs don't have to suffer or die from these preventable diseases.
Ruby was very, very lucky to have survived and found a wonderful home to live out a healthy and happy life. Her illnesses were easily avoidable with simple and relatively inexpensive preventive measures. Sadly, heartworm prevention costs only about $7-$10 a month, and the DHLP-P vaccination, which protects against more than just Distemper, costs only about $8-$12 a year. The cost in your time to carry out this prevention is even less. We hope that Ruby’s story (below) and the suffering she had to endure will educate so that other dogs don't have to suffer or die from these preventable diseases.
May 25: My German Shepherd
May 17: Olivia, Henrietta, Sunshine and Ruby
April 10: First Trip to the Beach
July 15: One week later.
It has been one full, action packed, roller coaster ride of a week since Ruby was pulled from the shelter. Oh, what a difference all the medical care, good food, and good company has made. Last week she could hardly keep her eyes open, she was too weak to lift her ears, it took all her effort to walk across the yard, and she needed a little extra help to stand steady. Look at her now! She's got a real spring to her step, although admittedly the burst of energy is small and short-lived. We aren't normally happy about this sort of behavior....but she actually has enough energy to jump up on you (to get petting, of course!) She gives a playful bark and a little play bow to the other dogs running in the agility field. She tries to skip and turn about in an effort to get your attention, but she still stumbles and loses her balance. She's definitely still working on building back her strength and coordination! In fact, the combination of her clumsiness, those long lanky legs and big ears remind me of a baby deer learning to walk. She's still skinny, but her waistline is beginning to fill out now (as it should, she eats like a horse). Her nose has pretty well dried up, same goes for the worms. She still hacks a little if she's walking too fast, but even this seems to be getting better and better. Every day brings yet another small improvement. We're still staying vigilant about keeping her very quiet, though. You can still feel the air pockets all over. The eerie, crinkly feel to her skin is enough to sober you to the fact that she's not out of the woods, yet.
