Ruby is doing VERY well this morning. I've got my other dogs blocked off in the rest of the house (they aren't happy) while Ruby is toddling around the studio as I do some work on the computer this morning. What a BUSY BODY….she's feeling GOOD. She's only come over for petting twice so far (no time for that today!) She's spent the last 45 minutes sniffing everything, hopping every so often (she's beyond happy to be somewhat free from the crate and an x-pen, I think), putting her bone in the crate…then out….then in….then out. I'm not getting much work done watching her antics.
I gave her a ball full of kibble and that's been a big hit. She launches it with her foot as hard as possible across the room and sends kibble (and the ball) flying EVERYWHERE. I’m going to be picking kibble from the keyboard for quite some time! Nothing dainty about this girl! She’s going to be a wildfire when she's back to 100 percent. I can definitely see a difference in her wobbling; it’s definitely more under control, now. She wobbles, but doesn't run into everything like she has been doing. Let's keep our fingers crossed she's made it through the worst and she continues to improve......
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
