www.Straydog.org UPDATE posted WEDNESDAY 12/17/03 at ~8:15 p.m. CT usa

Bill Arnold's Daily Straydog Log

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 17 2003

Erin's late report on Tuesday vet visits to both Dr. Morton and Dr. Reeves ...

Old Pup is doing fine

     I talked to Dr. Morton this morning (Tuesday) about Old Pup. The blood work from his high dose dex test came back just fine! The low dose test we did last week must have been off somehow, the doctor said. Old Pup doesn't have anything wrong with his adrenal glands. The problem that Old Pup had with the terrible diarrhea is irritable bowel disease which may be caused by a tumor in his colon, but we don't know that it's a tumor, and the doctor said that he would just let Pup live his life until the IBD raises it's ugly head and we'll treat the symptoms then. We talked a little bit more about Buffy, Fritz and Julie and I thanked the Doctor very much!

Our visit to Dr. Reeves in Tyler

     Tina loaded up Champ, Big Boy and Fritz for our acupuncture appointment with Dr. Reeves at two p.m. in Tyler today. We showed Dr. Reeves the dogs' blood work and told him about these fellas. He began three charts for them and wrote down his ideas and their diets and everything we're already doing for them. We also talked to the doctor about Old Pup's IBD, and Dr. Reeves suggested a diet more like the one we're feeding Julie and Anthony: lightly cooked meat, veggies and fruit. Pup's gut may be allergic to something, and he needs a more natural diet. He suggested some supplements and enzymes for Pup too. We need to see if we've checked for whip worms. Juana remembers that we checked for hookworms when he was having diarrhea, but we don't remember if we checked for whip worms. Dr. Reeves said he wishes that he had an old microscope he could give us so we could check for worms ourselves at the shelter! The cheapest one that he knows of that would be adequate for us would be about $450. He had checked into this from the last time we had talked.

     We also questioned Dr. Reeves about us having had two dogs now die of stomach cancer, Fuzzy and Buffy. Dr. Reeves thought that it could be a high ratio, though it might still be in the bell curve. Dr. Reeves said that other cancers among dogs seem on the rise now too, though.

     Dr. Reeves had blocked out an hour and a half for us, and he answered all our general questions too. We questioned him about an herbal heartworm protocol. We asked some questions about Ojay's Rimadyl and a safer pain reliever for this sweet Cocker Spaniel, as he'll need to be on a pain reliever for quite some time while his ears are healing. The doctor did give us a safer pain reliever for Ojay. We should have had a tape-recorder for all the questions and answers we talked about!

   Big Boy

     Big Boy was the first doggie we brought in for Dr. Reeves to see. We found out that this fella weighs a whopping 80 pounds! The doctor petted Big Boy and did two acupuncture solution treatments on the top of Big Boy's head for his epilepsy. We're to bring him back again in two weeks, and then two weeks after that. Tina asked if Big Boy could have a seizure from doing this treatment. The doctor said, yes, but that it would be a healing crisis, and that would mean that we were on the right track. Jason said he would make sure he'd check on Big Boy tonight but that he thought he was fine because Big Boy was barking at the coyotes this evening, as usual.

   Champ

     Champ got an electric stimulation acupuncture treatment, and special supplements for his kidney problems. The doctor said he should be drinking filtered water too. He needs to see him again two more times, like Big Boy. Champ was very nervous during his treatments.

   Fritz

     Fritz has had labored breathing for quite some time now. Dr. Reeves checked him out and thought that he might have an enlarged heart. He did the electric stimulation acupuncture on Fritz in different spots. Fritz was standing on the table with a smile on his face. He opened his mouth and began breathing hard when the doctor worked certain points. The doctor then used a silver tool like a pencil that made a knocking noise when he pushed it down on Fritz's body. He used this tool up and down along Fritz' back. Fritz liked this. At certain times when the doctor did this Fritz wagged his tail. Dr. Reeves also did a chiropractic adjustment to Fritz's neck and head. Our pretty St. Bernard/chow mix let the doctor do all these things with his tail wagging much of the time. "This is very strange," Tina said. "Fritz runs from me when I need to do some things with him in his kennel." "He wants help," Dr. Reeves said. "You can see it in his eyes."

     When we bring Fritz back in two weeks the doctor wants to check and see if there's an obstruction in his throat or windpipe. The sound of Fritz's breathing makes it seem like he may have an obstruction. Dr. Reeves said he would use light anesthesia so we are not to feed Fritz or give him water that day.

Dr. Reeves gives us a nice discount!

     At 3:30 p.m. we were done with everything. Because we are a no-kill shelter, the doctor gave us a nice discount on the supplements and his work. He seems to have a very big heart towards strays. He has two cats in his office with ailments that have been healed, and he told us he had just found a home for a dachshund that he had helped. A woman came in as we were leaving with pictures of her dachshund that who had died October 16th and a picture of her home, which she said was the "doghouse." She was the one who would be taking the dachshund that Dr. Reeves had helped.

Going home

     We drove the hour back home and got the doggies fed and settled in for the evening. Tina wrote up the instructions for the new supplements on index cards and set them in the kennel office next to the other supplement/medicine cards near the dog bowls. We'll begin making Old Pup the natural diet like we do for the other sick dogs next time the cooking is scheduled, which will probably be tomorrow night. And tomorrow we'll look forward to another day of caring for the wonderful dogs who have come our way. We feel so lucky that we are able to care for them so well, because of the friends and contributors who support us in this mission! Thank you again, everybody!