Monday, July 6, 2009

Out in the open

What a weekend! Hoping everyone had a pleasant holiday, ours turned out wet and weird.

Our usual trip to Hanson's Grove was a short 45 mins. It was raining, parking sucked and 1/2 the usual vendors weren't there. Sad actually as one vendor who I always think about buying something from and don't, I had actually saved up to purchase something this year-bummer. So up to Mt Vernon where a few of those missing vendors turned up. We had fun, wandered and headed to Marion for the rest of the afternoon.

I will say we did come away with a few prizes-a couple collie prints and Meredith found a hug, no GIGANTIC jar of marbles. The kid will never complain about loosing her's as she's more to spare, hahahaha. Anyway, I did find one collie statue that I hadn't seen before, so the day was not a total loss.

Now on the out in the open part. I don't hide things about the health of my dogs. I will be open and honest, not hide or tell one person this lie, another this one. I don't bend the facts and I stand my ground. Funny, I've heard of people belittling others for their stance on health, say they are better then others for what they do, yet their own follow through lacks. Okay, here it is, if you are going to go on and on about testing, then test. Don't breed a dog before the test results are available, don't buy a dog dog from untested lines and if you are so big on testing, then wait for the offical paperwork to be in your hands before you brag about how much you test. Stick to your guns, draw a line in the sand, or shut your trap. Oh and be forthcoming about your dogs-all of them, dead or alive and give the real reasons for a dog's demise. Sorry, got that off my chest-it's been a bad weekend.

For me even if it's a dog not envolved in our breeding, such as the collies, the pom or the 14 yr old lab, if it gets sick, you will know about it. So Hope, the lab, has a large tumor, has had it for a long time. It's growing and she's got fluid on her lungs and heart now. We are treating with love as you do have to realize that some times treatment does give you a few months or a year but in all honesty is it a good quality of life balancing vet visits, drugs and everything else? Doc and I are on the same page and Hope's happy, so leaving it that way. But this weekend, she was beyond goofy so she's not the issue right now. .

At issue is that I came home Saturday afternoon to a 5 1/2 week old puppy have seizures. Called Doc, tried a few things-maybe her blood sugars low, maybe Mom snapped at her and she is hurt. Nope, so off to the EIVSC(emergency and specialty clinic). I love this place and in all honesty it's worth the $$$....$$$$ you spend for their services. So the puppy spent Saturday night and Sunday night at the clinic. Now on meds, with no clear idea what's wrong, she's not seizing now, happy, eating, drinking, pooping and peeing. Waiting for the results of one more test before we decide the direction to go.

We've done all the research this weekend into the pedigree, bloodlines, asked multiple breeders about their lines, it's been covered. So at this point, it's limited to this puppy, for what ever reason, she's gotten the short straw. Honestly, we are hoping it's something toxic-though the house is totally dog proofed, but she might be just the one pup to have a super sensitivity to what ever it is or a super rare occurance of chemical drift off the neighbor's field. Could be a liver shunt. Don't know, might never know, but what we do know is that it's not something we could have tested for on the parents, grandparents or so forth. Not something that will show up further in the line. Just happens. But one think I know is that I'm am open to anyone who wants to ask questions, open to anyone who chooses to use this against me and my breeding program, and I am open to say I don't know why or how, but that everyone I know needs to know the truth.

Oh, her siblings, perfectly fine, not one thing out of place and not one looking anything but adorable. So please keep little Dawn in your prayers. She's home tonight, back with her siblings and hopefully, it's just a random act of God-only he knows why.


Later gators....
C

6 comments:

penni said...

Cindy, We can test our hearts out, but "stuff" still happens. Sometimes there is nothing at all to trace back to some dog six generations ago. Sometimes its just the particular dog's reaction to overheating, for example, or some odd allergy.

I can't imagine that anyone would blame you for this unexpected issue. I hope it resolves. If it's something that can be identified and for which we can be watching, it's an addition to our arsenal of knowledge.

I hope it was a one-time event for the little girl, and that she grows up to be healthy and well.

Sharrie said...

My heart goes out to you. I have had a dog with one time seizures and another with repeated seizures. My positive thoughts are with your little Dawn.

Dawn said...

Hugs to you and the little pup. Sometimes things happen. Many dogs can go on to live a happy good life even with seizures. My brothers shorthair is 13, he has been having issues since he was 12 weeks, managesd with medication. Little Dawn can go on to a full wonderful life, assuming nothing else crops up as a root cause. Also, as stated maybe it was a one time odd reaction to something.

Sherilyn said...

Hoping that it was a toxin like we discussed this weekend...seemed to be the consensus from those other breeders I conferred with this weekend. Keeping her and you in our prayers that we hear good news tomorrow, and she'll grow to be strong and healthy. Hugs to all!

Anonymous said...

Nobody said breeding was easy and if they did they don't do it right do they. Sometimes crap is crap. Hope your little one is OK.

Pam in Saint Paul said...

Cindy, our thoughts are with you and little Dawn. So sorry to hear about this...

~Pam and Jeanette and the furkids in Saint Paul MN