Thursday, 5 July 2001, I lost my precious companion Frosty Friday, a white male Pekingese, who loved me way more than I deserved. I was devastated especially when I had put up his shade canopy for us to sit out the lazy days of summer together.
Sugar Plum's Blog
20 January 2002 - 23 February 2012
"I had the Time of My Life and I Owe All to YOU"
"I had the Time of My Life and I Owe All to YOU"
I am writing this blog with hopes of helping other dog owners to know what to watch for so that early signs of Cushing's Disease can be detected in their beloved pets and in doing so to try to avoid the devastating damage this disease can do to the dog's body if not detected early enough.
In the fall of 2001, I was searching the internet looking for a little Peke in need of some love when I stumbled upon the North East Pekingese Rescue group and made contact with a very nice lady there who found Sugar Plum and made it possible for her to come to live with me.This lady was a part of the NE Pekingese Rescue group and had a friend who knew of my parents. Because of this Sugar was allowed to come to Canada.
Sugar was a rescue dog, who had been picked up on a street in Mass, USA and taken to a pound and then was given a second chance in life when a wonderful couple in West Chesterfield, NH, took her into their foster care, Precious Pekes and Poms, until she was able to find her forever home with me.Between them and the lady from NE Pekingese rescue, they arranged transportation for Sugar to NS.
Recently I have come across a lot of information stating that rabies vaccination can be harmful for dogs.
Sugar traveled 2 days and spent a couple of sleep overs, to arrive in NS the 20th of January 2002, at 4:30 pm. Along the way she bit one of the girls who was transporting her. Thank you to the doggie railroad transportation system for driving Sugar from her foster home in NH to Saint John, NB.Special thanks to Dot who brought her to the ferry in Saint John.
In the fall of 2001, I was searching the internet looking for a little Peke in need of some love when I stumbled upon the North East Pekingese Rescue group and made contact with a very nice lady there who found Sugar Plum and made it possible for her to come to live with me.This lady was a part of the NE Pekingese Rescue group and had a friend who knew of my parents. Because of this Sugar was allowed to come to Canada.
Sugar was a rescue dog, who had been picked up on a street in Mass, USA and taken to a pound and then was given a second chance in life when a wonderful couple in West Chesterfield, NH, took her into their foster care, Precious Pekes and Poms, until she was able to find her forever home with me.Between them and the lady from NE Pekingese rescue, they arranged transportation for Sugar to NS.
15 Dec 2001, Sugar was given Vanguard 5 L a vaccination against distemper, parvovirus etc. Thomas J O'Connor Regional K-9 Control Center, Chicopee, Ma. 19 Dec 01, Sugar received her rabies vaccination, Memorial Drive Animal Clinic, Chicopee, Ma. At that time they thought she was over a year old. 17 Jan 02, Windham Veterinary Clinic, Brattleboro, Vt, Sugar was examined and given her health certificate to cross the border into Canada. Each time she was taken to the vets the record of her age increased by a year. She started out as 1 then 2 and then 3 years of age. I really don't think she was much older than a year. She received two needles within 5 days of each other. That was a lot for a 12 pound dog to have to deal with and likely she wasn't in the best of health at the time of the needles being a rescue dog.
Sugar's interstate and international health certificate was not signed by the USDA.
Sugar's interstate and international health certificate was not signed by the USDA.
Recently I have come across a lot of information stating that rabies vaccination can be harmful for dogs.
Sugar traveled 2 days and spent a couple of sleep overs, to arrive in NS the 20th of January 2002, at 4:30 pm. Along the way she bit one of the girls who was transporting her. Thank you to the doggie railroad transportation system for driving Sugar from her foster home in NH to Saint John, NB.Special thanks to Dot who brought her to the ferry in Saint John.
Sugar was given some cooked chicken for her lunch before she crossed the ferry to NS. When she arrived home she drank water and had her supper and because she wasn't house trained she went on the floor. Her stool was white in colour.
Sunday, Sugar's first night home asleep on the lazy boy and the second picture taken of her on Monday morning at the Milford Cap Site.
Thank you to everyone who made it possible for Sugar to come to NS. Without their kindness and help I wouldn't have had my precious Sugar in my life for the past ten years. She was the love of my life.
When Sugar peed on the snow her urine seemed very intense in colour, almost too orange. Sugar would only poop every other day but when she pooped it came out in two separate sections one for each day. She would do a day's worth and then walk a few feet and then do the second days worth. She would kick her back feet and when I thought she was done she would always do one more for me.
When Sugar peed on the snow her urine seemed very intense in colour, almost too orange. Sugar would only poop every other day but when she pooped it came out in two separate sections one for each day. She would do a day's worth and then walk a few feet and then do the second days worth. She would kick her back feet and when I thought she was done she would always do one more for me.
Sugar did try a few times to bit people but luckily no one was too badly offended and understood that she had come from a bad time in her life. She bite me 3 times, once on the thumb when I was trying to remove a tick that was walking across her forehead and this was the most painful bite of all. The second time on the nose and the third time on the cheek. Those times I had my face close to hers to cuddle her. She seemed to react like a wild dog would have with no knowledge of humans or kindness. She would go off the end of the scale with aggressiveness. I t was like their was no step between being okay, growling and biting. The growling stage was not there. She was fine one second and bit the next. Maybe this was because she may have been taken from her mother too soon.
At one thing it had been suggested to me that maybe Sugar should have been called "Spice". LOL
Sugar had an under bite that over time disappeared but a lot of the time her little pink tongue would stick out. She also had pinched nostrils and a large skinfold over her nose.
Sugar weighed 12 pounds and had a feisty little personality with a love for life regardless of the bad treatment she had already received in her young life. She was thought to be around a 1 1/2 years old. At that time the fur from her behind had all been shaved off but it quickly grew back in. She had a kink at the end of her tail a throwback to the early Pekes of China. The first few times I took Sugar out she would hesitate coming back in if thinking I am not allowed to go inside and would look at me as if to say do you really want me to come inside the house. For years she would sit and stare at the road as if waiting for someone to arrive.
From the time she entered my life I walked on air, I was overjoyed each day I woke up to see her and go through the day with her. I was in Seventh Heaven, Cloud 9. Such a joyful feeling to be in love.
Shortly after Sugar arrived I took on a 2 week job in Cornwallis and we traveled with a friend of mine to work. Sugar would sleep right beside my desk, we would eat lunch together and go for a walk together at noon time. It was a great experience having her with me.
We also walked together in the Walk a Dog aThon to support seeing eye dog funding. Sugar was always way out in front of the group of walkers.
From different things Sugar did, you could tell that she had been tied out in all kinds of weather, especially very hot and very cold and not fed properly. Sugar knew to wrap her tail around herself to keep warm and to get under a step when it was hot. She also knew how to get her head into a bag of garbage. Once I had put some chicken skin into a plastic bag, she quickly put her head in the bag and ate the chicken skin. So the next time I had chicken I gave her the skin and she said to me "Mommie I don't eat garbage any more, I have good food to eat now".
Since Sugar had been badly neglected as a puppy and young dog this likely resulted in chronic stress, fear, malnutrition and dehydration that produced elevated levels of cortisol in her body which would have resulted in her getting Cushing's Disease which led to her weakened muscles and premature death.
Since Sugar had been badly neglected as a puppy and young dog this likely resulted in chronic stress, fear, malnutrition and dehydration that produced elevated levels of cortisol in her body which would have resulted in her getting Cushing's Disease which led to her weakened muscles and premature death.
She loved being outdoors in the good weather and never barked to come in the house. When she sat on the deck she would look around like a person would, enjoying the scenery. She jumped off the deck, but when her name was called she stopped in her tracks and was immediately picked up.
Early on I sensed that there was something wrong with Sugar but didn't know what it was. I later came to the conclusion that it was she was missing the puppy love attitude that all young dogs have. She didn't have the ability to go overboard on her love, her tail wagging her kissing were very minimal, but on the other hand, she was aggressive to the point of going overboard. Even with good food and a comfortable safe place to live that aggressiveness never left Sugar. She must have missed that loving nurture she should have had as a puppy and their was no amount of love that could bring that back to her. It was almost like she was not given that high gear to switch into but was given that very low gear called aggressive. Whether this was due to Cushing's Disease or the fact that she was wasn't loved as she should have been and was tied out as a very young puppy and never given the chance to have that uncontrollable happy flood her brain or she just wasn't wired for it. So nurture not nature really plays a big part in even a dog's life.
She appreciated being taken care of but she was independent and always had that far away look in her eyes. I almost felt that she was longing to be back with her original owners in spite of the bad life they gave her.
You could hold Sugar in your arms and she would melt into your arms and not wiggle or figget. You could tell she really enjoyed it although she didn't like to be cuddled up close to your face close she loved to be held in your arms and was just like a real live teddy bear. When you put your face into her fur, your nose was filled with the most fragrant perfume called "Eau de Sugar".
Sugar slept a lot and a long time each nap, I thought this was because she was such a good walker and eater. She wasn't a barker or a pesty dog. She wasn't the type to jump up on your leg for attention like some are. She didn't ask for much, she just like to have her meals on time.
Sugar liked to get up at 6 every morning but as she got older it was more like 7 or 8 when she would want to go out. 11 and 3 were her most hungry times of the day.
It wasn't too long before I realized that those little short Pekingese legs loved to walk so the first of many trips was taken the following Sunday, 27 Jan, 02 to the Federal park only 15 minutes away by car where Sugar enjoyed the water falls and walking the many nature trails provided there and sniffing deer poop. The only thing was she never wanted to turn around and go back so if you could trick her and take her in a circle she was okay. So began my love of walking which to this day I credit to my dear little friend Sugar. This was one of her missions in life. You could tell that Sugar wasn't use to riding in a car but it wasn't too long before she acquired the balance needed to be stable and not tip over when the car went around a corner.
When we walked I would sing, Sugar in the Morning, Sugar in the Evening, Sugar at Suppertime. Be my little Sugar and Love Me All the Time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH9HlmVfdyg&feature=fvwrel
Sugar was fearless, she approached everything she did with great excitement. There will never be another Sugar, no one can ever fill her shoes.When we walked I would sing, Sugar in the Morning, Sugar in the Evening, Sugar at Suppertime. Be my little Sugar and Love Me All the Time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH9HlmVfdyg&feature=fvwrel
25 Jan, 2002, sent MO $122.10 Precious Pekes and Poms Rescue. Difference in US money at the time.
Sugar arrived with a red collar. 1April 2002, purchased red harness for Sugar until now she was being walked with a collar. When she walked she liked to take the leash in her mouth, almost like she was taking herself for a walk but she never chewed the leash. One of Sugar's fav places to pee was on a pile of wet leaves.
When Sugar traveled in the car in her carrier, she would bark every time we would hit a bumpy place in the road. After a while she got use to it and didn't bark anymore.
Sugar wasn't afraid of the vacuum cleaner, she would play in front of it. She wasn't afraid of thunder either. Maybe she was a bit deaf. She liked to look out windows. When we lived in Milford we had windows that came down to her level but after we moved I had to hold her up in front of the windows in the new house so she could look out.
Sugar always knew the best time to wake up and go out. If it has been raining during the usual time that she would wake up she would wake up after it had stopped. If it was about to rain she would wake up early in time for us to get out and get our walk done and get back inside before it started to rain.
18 May 02, Gentocin Durafilm, antibiotic and steroid for eyes. Sugar always had a problem with eye infections. This was her weak spot. The begining of her autoimmune problem. It was very difficult to get the drops in her eyes and when I tried to punish her for giving me a hard time she turned and looked at me and said, "You wanted me to come here, now you are being mean to me". She spoke to me another 4 times, twice while still living and twice after she died.
Winter soon turned into spring, the ice went out of the lake and the pedal boat went in the water. With her little red life jacket on we canoed or paddled our way around the lake with Sugar as captain keeping a lookout for anything exciting we might discover such as loons, turtles or beavers. She was a great pal, so much fun to do things with.
The best part of the lake for Sugar was the frog pond where she would watch for her chance to grab one of them if they came within her reach. And there it would be all 4 legs dangling out of Sugar's mouth. Sugar believed in the catch and release and within seconds she would drop the unharmed froggy back into the water who would quickly swim away to be caught again another day. And so the summer turned to fall on the lake with many magic moments enjoyed by all.
Winter soon turned into spring, the ice went out of the lake and the pedal boat went in the water. With her little red life jacket on we canoed or paddled our way around the lake with Sugar as captain keeping a lookout for anything exciting we might discover such as loons, turtles or beavers. She was a great pal, so much fun to do things with. 
The best part of the lake for Sugar was the frog pond where she would watch for her chance to grab one of them if they came within her reach. And there it would be all 4 legs dangling out of Sugar's mouth. Sugar believed in the catch and release and within seconds she would drop the unharmed froggy back into the water who would quickly swim away to be caught again another day. And so the summer turned to fall on the lake with many magic moments enjoyed by all.
Sugar ran away from me twice, down a busy highway with me chasing behind her the first time. Luckily she stopped running within a few minute and I picked her up and carried her back home. The second time I didn't even know she had left the house. I was outside thinking she was inside and a car came along and stopped in front of the driveway. They had a dog inside their car and it must have spotted Sugar going along the roadside and the dog started to bark and Sugar followed them back to the house. Both times I was horrified, she could have easily been killed. I also was starting to feel like she didn't want to be with me.
Sugar liked to be dried off with a towel but she didn't like to have her face washed. Her ears were her very favourite thing to have rubbed. She would turn her head from side to side so you could do both for her. She liked to be brushed and hardly ever did a ingle hair come out in the brush. Every evening while the news was on TV I would brush her and she even got so she would lay on her back comfortably and have her stomach brushed. She had a lovely long, thick and silky coat. When the sun shone on it she was like silver. Even with Cushing's she never had bald spots but then every time I brushed her I would get a brush full. Because she was such a good walker and so active she kept her nails trimmed to a good length. I just hope that all that walking didn't contribute to added stress on her little body.
Sugar hopped out of the car while we were in a parking lot. I was afraid she had hurt herself and that she would run away or get run over. She was okay. We got very lucky.
Sugar would follow me into the bathroom when I was going to have a shower and sleep on the bathmat until I came out. If she didn't come in right away, she would push open the door and come in and lay on the mat in front of the shower. The first time she didn't come in the shower to be with me, I knew something was wrong and she never came in again. I still have the mat that has a couple of pulls in it from where she scratched and made a little bed for herself on it.
She slept on the bed with me and if I got too close to her in the middle of the night, she would make a little growl to let me know I was on her part of the bed. I would read outloud to her before we went to bed.
And so we danced in the sunshine and we were so very happy. Sugar's out going and larger than life personality and her love for life gave me a new found joy in my own life. She lived every minute and made it count. She got 101 % out of the moment. She enjoyed her food so much that watching her eat made my food taste better. After she finished eating, she would rub her face from side to side on the door mat before she went out and her body language told me that was was saying that was such a good meal and I enjoyed it so much. She walked with a bounce in her step and when we were outside she looked around and saw all there was to see. She played with Lola like a puppy until that dreadful Cushing's Disease took over her body. When she slept, she snored and fell into a deep sleep and rested. She was getting all she could out of her life and not just going through the motions. She was passionate and lived with her heart and was a free spirit with a burning light that shone so bright it was wonderful to be in the rays. I thanked God everyday for bringing her into my life.
Her Grammy had a male Pekingese name Rusty, and once Rusty came to stay with us for a week. Sugar and Rusty would stand on two legs with front paws on each others shoulders and waltz around the room together.
Then Sugar came into season, one that lasted far too long in my opinion so and after anxious trips 16 Sep 2002, South Shore Veterinary where she was given Apo Tetra. 26 Sep 2002, Bayview Animal Hospital, Baytril tablets and Baytril injectable. Finally on 5 Oct 2002. Riverside Animal Hospital, Sugar had her surgery. She was not to eat or drink before the surgery and when I was walking her into the clinic she sensed a puddle of water and made a beeline to it. It was hard not to give her water, she tried so hard to tell me that she was thirsty. She was given Lincocin another antibiotic. When I picked her up after the surgery she was ice cold. With the surgery over and done we moved on but this lengthly season may have resulted in damage to her pituitary gland which in turn may have brought on her Cushings Disease. Surgery is very stressful on the body. The sparkle in her eyes left and it took quite a while for it to return.
Sugar liked to be dried off with a towel but she didn't like to have her face washed. Her ears were her very favourite thing to have rubbed. She would turn her head from side to side so you could do both for her. She liked to be brushed and hardly ever did a ingle hair come out in the brush. Every evening while the news was on TV I would brush her and she even got so she would lay on her back comfortably and have her stomach brushed. She had a lovely long, thick and silky coat. When the sun shone on it she was like silver. Even with Cushing's she never had bald spots but then every time I brushed her I would get a brush full. Because she was such a good walker and so active she kept her nails trimmed to a good length. I just hope that all that walking didn't contribute to added stress on her little body.
Sugar hopped out of the car while we were in a parking lot. I was afraid she had hurt herself and that she would run away or get run over. She was okay. We got very lucky.
Sugar would follow me into the bathroom when I was going to have a shower and sleep on the bathmat until I came out. If she didn't come in right away, she would push open the door and come in and lay on the mat in front of the shower. The first time she didn't come in the shower to be with me, I knew something was wrong and she never came in again. I still have the mat that has a couple of pulls in it from where she scratched and made a little bed for herself on it.
She slept on the bed with me and if I got too close to her in the middle of the night, she would make a little growl to let me know I was on her part of the bed. I would read outloud to her before we went to bed.
She loved to nap under the antique fainting couch.
And so we danced in the sunshine and we were so very happy. Sugar's out going and larger than life personality and her love for life gave me a new found joy in my own life. She lived every minute and made it count. She got 101 % out of the moment. She enjoyed her food so much that watching her eat made my food taste better. After she finished eating, she would rub her face from side to side on the door mat before she went out and her body language told me that was was saying that was such a good meal and I enjoyed it so much. She walked with a bounce in her step and when we were outside she looked around and saw all there was to see. She played with Lola like a puppy until that dreadful Cushing's Disease took over her body. When she slept, she snored and fell into a deep sleep and rested. She was getting all she could out of her life and not just going through the motions. She was passionate and lived with her heart and was a free spirit with a burning light that shone so bright it was wonderful to be in the rays. I thanked God everyday for bringing her into my life.
Then Sugar came into season, one that lasted far too long in my opinion so and after anxious trips 16 Sep 2002, South Shore Veterinary where she was given Apo Tetra. 26 Sep 2002, Bayview Animal Hospital, Baytril tablets and Baytril injectable. Finally on 5 Oct 2002. Riverside Animal Hospital, Sugar had her surgery. She was not to eat or drink before the surgery and when I was walking her into the clinic she sensed a puddle of water and made a beeline to it. It was hard not to give her water, she tried so hard to tell me that she was thirsty. She was given Lincocin another antibiotic. When I picked her up after the surgery she was ice cold. With the surgery over and done we moved on but this lengthly season may have resulted in damage to her pituitary gland which in turn may have brought on her Cushings Disease. Surgery is very stressful on the body. The sparkle in her eyes left and it took quite a while for it to return.
16 Oct, 2002, new leash. We had a trip to PEI with her Grammy and crossed over to the island on a ferry boat. This was the second time for Sugar to be on a ferry boat.
After the surgery Sugar's coat came in lovely and thick and shone in the sun like silver. She put on a couple of pounds. Her stomach seemed to be quite round but I thought this was due to the surgery. The fur was always very thick on Sugar's stomach which I thought was likely due to the fact that she had been an outdoor dog and it was nature's way to protect her stomach when she laid on the ground in the cold weather.
Sugar would get green matter in her eyes caused from bacteria from scratches on her cornea caused by hairs rubbing on it from the skin fold. She didn't like me to do anything around her face so it was almost impossible to trim those hairs or get anything in the eyes to clear up the green matter so it was an on going battle. She also would get a green stain in the skin fold over her nose, usually this would appear in the summer. No one seemed to be able to come up with a reason for this. I believe it was the Cushings Disease, for it wasn't long after she was on her Cushing's medication that it cleared up and never came back. There were times also when I noticed brown saliva on her bottom jaw which may have had something to do with plaque on her teeth. The green was from iron the oxidizes, white blood cell accumulate then get warm and turn green.
Sugar loved her Grammy's cat "Happy Cat" and once when Grammy went away, we had Happy for a week at our house. Unfortunately Happy didn't have the same feeling for Sugar. Sugar loved to go and visit Happy in her house as well but Happy would find somewhere to hid from Sugar. Sadly Happy died before we moved to Kingston.
We continued our walks in the country to the Cap site to visit her Auntie Max and visits to see her Grammy and Rusty who played so cute with Sugar. We would visit on the weekends it was the highlight of our week.
She loved to go in the car and in the summer enjoyed the AC, Thank you very much. When we would go to visit Grammy, the first thing she would do when she got out of the car was to pee under the burning bush, a shrub that was just at the beginning of the walk to the front door. She never missed a chance to fertilize that area. Sometimes on longer trips we would take a lunch and eat together.
Sugar loved her new sweater and she would light up when she had it on. It was made especially for her by a lady in NS. A very close doggy friend of mine in Florida had spotted the ad on ebay. I sent her Sugar's measurements and picked the colors and we had a one of a kind sweater for Sugar.
She also loved a bath, well not so much the part being in water in the sink when she would howl to let me know she was upset but the part that followed when I would lay down enough towels to cover the bed and she would go around rubbing her head on the towels one side and then the other. This was the one time I could touch her head when I used the towel while she was still in the sink and would rub her head with the towel to dry her head and get a bit of the area around her eyes and nose cleaned up.
Sugar loved brown rice, lentils and chick peas but her very best treat of all was chicken liver especially if it was prepared by baking it inside the chicken. She was always ready to eat and would be quite vocal if the food was coming her way fast enough. She always knew when it was meal time just like she had a little clock in her head and it wasn't hard keeping to a routine with Sugar in charge.
Since Sugar had arrived in January missing Christmas that year, when the following Christmas arrived she discovered that it was great fun to sleep under the Christmas tree and so the tree had to be tied to the wall as a little insurance for all those concerned. Turkey was enjoyed by all and with Sugar in the house there was no need to time when the turkey was done, she always let me know just when whatever in the oven was cooked to perfection.
Then her first birthday party was celebrated with all you can eat turkey, one of her favourites. Sugar loved to eat, she appreciated anything you gave her. She never left a scrap of food on the saucer or floor. When the bags of groceries were brought in the house and sat on the floor she would "peke" her head into each bag to see what was in them. Sugar also liked pan fried haddock, shrimp and scallops. When I think back there was hardly anything she didn't like to eat. I would also add olive oil, flax and vitamins to her food.
Looking back I remember her drinking water and honking and when I looked this up on the internet, I found that collapsed trachea as the reason for this. I mentioned this to many of the vets and they didn't seem to take me seriously and no xrays of her trachea were ever done. She developed a more serious problem that seemed to come out of the blue. It may have had something to do with a full stomach and that pushing on her lungs and or windpipe. Her jaw would lock and she would gag or choke for air. I guess reverse breathing is what the term for it is. When this happened, I would try to put my fingers between her teeth to open her mouth and at the same time hold her body close to my waist and gently squeeze her body to a more round shape than flat. This would help if I could catch her in the beginning of the spell.
30 Jun, 03, Riverside Animal Hospital, Baytril and Vetropolygcin (steroid) for Sugar's eyes. 17 Jul, 03 Baytril. 6 Nov, 03. This was the begining of her eye infections that never really seemed to go away and if they did it wasn't for very long.
2003, Lunenburg Reunion, I finished my book on the Fader family and attended the reunion with my mother and Sugar.
Because Sugar was always hungry I suspected that she might have had worms and so took her to the vet in the Greenwood Mall. She prescribed a worm medicine for her. When I got home I checked the med on line and didn't like the sounds of it and didn't give it her.
Time passed very quickly as it does and in January 2005, when Sugar had been with us for 3 years and was likely 4 yrs old when Lola was adopted and came into her life as companion and playmate. Lola was another little Peke girl from the US. Lola has a spotted tongue a throwback to the early Pekes of China. They got along great and became best of friends, walking buddies and tag you are "it" partners. Here you can see them playing a game of chew the ear, a favourite among Pekes.
Feb 2005, Annapolis Royal Animal Hospital. Sugar had her teeth cleaned, and at that time it was noted that some of her teeth were positioned sideways on her upper jaw. Some teeth were removed. She had blood work done and it was noted that she had hyperplasia, enlarged gums. She received penicillin and Torbugesic injection (sedative) 12 teeth were extracted. She was given Rimadyl caps non steroidal anti inflammatory and Clavamox tabs. It was noted that she would benefit from having nares ressected and a nasal fold reduction. She also had crackling sounds in her larynax or trachea. Sugar wasn't much of a dog to chew on rawhides or cookies. She would hide them for later. So to be sure that she didn't have tartar and plaque buildup in her mouth so that bacteria would not find a place in her heart and weaken it I was always aware of keeping her dental checkups up to date. It would have been good to be able to brush her teeth but she didn't like anything in or around her face. She also had blood work done at that time.
Not long after that we all made a big move to be closer to Grammy and her cat Happy and dog Larkie. When I was cleaning out our previous house I found several old dog biscuits that Sugar had hidden. She put them in some really good hiding places. That was before I got Lola. After Lola arrived on the scene when I would give them treats, Lola would eat hers and watch where Sugar hid hers and then go and get it and eat it too.
We lived next door to Grammy and could visit everyday instead of just on the weekends and special occasions. As in the previous house, the new house was filled with her energy. This was her mission when she was appointed to me. Sugar loved her Grammy's cat "Happy Cat" and once when Grammy went away, we had Happy for a week at our house. Unfortunately Happy didn't have the same feeling for Sugar. Sugar loved to go and visit Happy in her house as well but Happy would find somewhere to hid from Sugar. Sadly Happy died before we moved to Kingston.
We continued our walks in the country to the Cap site to visit her Auntie Max and visits to see her Grammy and Rusty who played so cute with Sugar. We would visit on the weekends it was the highlight of our week.
She loved to go in the car and in the summer enjoyed the AC, Thank you very much. When we would go to visit Grammy, the first thing she would do when she got out of the car was to pee under the burning bush, a shrub that was just at the beginning of the walk to the front door. She never missed a chance to fertilize that area. Sometimes on longer trips we would take a lunch and eat together.
Sugar loved her new sweater and she would light up when she had it on. It was made especially for her by a lady in NS. A very close doggy friend of mine in Florida had spotted the ad on ebay. I sent her Sugar's measurements and picked the colors and we had a one of a kind sweater for Sugar.She also loved a bath, well not so much the part being in water in the sink when she would howl to let me know she was upset but the part that followed when I would lay down enough towels to cover the bed and she would go around rubbing her head on the towels one side and then the other. This was the one time I could touch her head when I used the towel while she was still in the sink and would rub her head with the towel to dry her head and get a bit of the area around her eyes and nose cleaned up.
Sugar loved brown rice, lentils and chick peas but her very best treat of all was chicken liver especially if it was prepared by baking it inside the chicken. She was always ready to eat and would be quite vocal if the food was coming her way fast enough. She always knew when it was meal time just like she had a little clock in her head and it wasn't hard keeping to a routine with Sugar in charge.
Since Sugar had arrived in January missing Christmas that year, when the following Christmas arrived she discovered that it was great fun to sleep under the Christmas tree and so the tree had to be tied to the wall as a little insurance for all those concerned. Turkey was enjoyed by all and with Sugar in the house there was no need to time when the turkey was done, she always let me know just when whatever in the oven was cooked to perfection.Then her first birthday party was celebrated with all you can eat turkey, one of her favourites. Sugar loved to eat, she appreciated anything you gave her. She never left a scrap of food on the saucer or floor. When the bags of groceries were brought in the house and sat on the floor she would "peke" her head into each bag to see what was in them. Sugar also liked pan fried haddock, shrimp and scallops. When I think back there was hardly anything she didn't like to eat. I would also add olive oil, flax and vitamins to her food.
Looking back I remember her drinking water and honking and when I looked this up on the internet, I found that collapsed trachea as the reason for this. I mentioned this to many of the vets and they didn't seem to take me seriously and no xrays of her trachea were ever done. She developed a more serious problem that seemed to come out of the blue. It may have had something to do with a full stomach and that pushing on her lungs and or windpipe. Her jaw would lock and she would gag or choke for air. I guess reverse breathing is what the term for it is. When this happened, I would try to put my fingers between her teeth to open her mouth and at the same time hold her body close to my waist and gently squeeze her body to a more round shape than flat. This would help if I could catch her in the beginning of the spell.
30 Jun, 03, Riverside Animal Hospital, Baytril and Vetropolygcin (steroid) for Sugar's eyes. 17 Jul, 03 Baytril. 6 Nov, 03. This was the begining of her eye infections that never really seemed to go away and if they did it wasn't for very long.
2003, Lunenburg Reunion, I finished my book on the Fader family and attended the reunion with my mother and Sugar.
Because Sugar was always hungry I suspected that she might have had worms and so took her to the vet in the Greenwood Mall. She prescribed a worm medicine for her. When I got home I checked the med on line and didn't like the sounds of it and didn't give it her.
Time passed very quickly as it does and in January 2005, when Sugar had been with us for 3 years and was likely 4 yrs old when Lola was adopted and came into her life as companion and playmate. Lola was another little Peke girl from the US. Lola has a spotted tongue a throwback to the early Pekes of China. They got along great and became best of friends, walking buddies and tag you are "it" partners. Here you can see them playing a game of chew the ear, a favourite among Pekes.Feb 2005, Annapolis Royal Animal Hospital. Sugar had her teeth cleaned, and at that time it was noted that some of her teeth were positioned sideways on her upper jaw. Some teeth were removed. She had blood work done and it was noted that she had hyperplasia, enlarged gums. She received penicillin and Torbugesic injection (sedative) 12 teeth were extracted. She was given Rimadyl caps non steroidal anti inflammatory and Clavamox tabs. It was noted that she would benefit from having nares ressected and a nasal fold reduction. She also had crackling sounds in her larynax or trachea. Sugar wasn't much of a dog to chew on rawhides or cookies. She would hide them for later. So to be sure that she didn't have tartar and plaque buildup in her mouth so that bacteria would not find a place in her heart and weaken it I was always aware of keeping her dental checkups up to date. It would have been good to be able to brush her teeth but she didn't like anything in or around her face. She also had blood work done at that time.
Not long after that we all made a big move to be closer to Grammy and her cat Happy and dog Larkie. When I was cleaning out our previous house I found several old dog biscuits that Sugar had hidden. She put them in some really good hiding places. That was before I got Lola. After Lola arrived on the scene when I would give them treats, Lola would eat hers and watch where Sugar hid hers and then go and get it and eat it too.
Sugar wouldn't really come when she was called. She loved to be dried with a towel after coming in from a walk in the rain.
14 Mar, 06, Sugar had breathing problems and was taken to the Greenwood Animal Hospital. 14 Oct, 06, Sugar and Lola had diarrhea from inflammation of the small intestine. They received apo sulfatrim for infection and an antibiotic injection.
30 Jun 07, Sugar had green matter in her eyes (Conjunctivitis) from scratches from the hairs on her nasal fold. She was given Maxitrol eye drops. It was very difficult to get it in her eyes. 11 Jul, 07, Baytril for her eyes. 17 Jul, 07, Revolution for fleas. 28 Aug, 07, Baytril for her eyes.
Sugar was the life of the party. When she was given something to eat that she really liked, she would take it into the dining room to eat it.
12 Oct 2007, Time for Sugar to get her teeth cleaned for the second time and blood work done. The results of this test showed low blood sugar and low Amyl. She was given Clindamycin for infection before and after the surgery. She did not lose any teeth. She had Metacam for pain and an antibiotic injection. 31 Oct 07, Baytril and Isopto Carpine to be taken orally. I stopped the Isopto Carpine, it was making her drool puddles when she slept. It is eye drops but could be taken orally. 2 Nov 07, Maxitrol (steroid) eye drops. 7 Nov, 07, Maxitrol.
Sugar could walk 4 times a day for about 15 minutes each walk. I thought it was great that she could and I also wanted to keep her heart healthy as heart disease is very common in Pekingese. This is Sugar taken April 2008.
12 Apr 08, Maxitrol drops for eyes. 27 Jun, 08, Maxitrol, 28 Jun, Maxitrol, 14 Jul, Maxitrol.
Her favourite movie was "Must Love Dogs" followed by "The Holiday" and we called ourselves "The Three Musketeers" like the families did in that movie. Her favourite song was "All God's Creatures Got a Place in the Choir".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iP27eatYxE
One of the first serious health problems that I noticed with Sugar was that is seemed like her eyes were becoming cloudy. I took her to the vet in Greenwood who said that she was going blind and prescribed eye drops for her. Getting them into her eyes was just the hardest thing to do because she would bob around so much that most of the drops either ended up in her nose, or mouth, anywhere but her eyes! Now I know that the problem wasn't coming from the outside but the inside. I just hope that the drops made her eyes more comfortable and was worth the stress of getting them in. Be sure to get eye drops that do not contain steroids. Steroids can cause a type of Cushing's Disease.
Sugar's skin was bright pink most of the time. It showed quite easily through the white fur.
One of the first serious health problems that I noticed with Sugar was that is seemed like her eyes were becoming cloudy. I took her to the vet in Greenwood who said that she was going blind and prescribed eye drops for her. Getting them into her eyes was just the hardest thing to do because she would bob around so much that most of the drops either ended up in her nose, or mouth, anywhere but her eyes! Now I know that the problem wasn't coming from the outside but the inside. I just hope that the drops made her eyes more comfortable and was worth the stress of getting them in. Be sure to get eye drops that do not contain steroids. Steroids can cause a type of Cushing's Disease.
Sugar's skin was bright pink most of the time. It showed quite easily through the white fur.
31 Jan, 09, Sugar wheezing and coughing, chewing on her feet, rubs face and very hungry. Reverse sneezing. No heart murmurs. Given Metacam and Novo Bio Clav(anti biotic). Weight 15 lbs, a bit overweight and temp 37.9, normal.
In Apr 2009, I began to clean out my mother's house, starting with the basement. This was a very time consuming project and I am afraid that Sugar's declining health was not noticed as much as if I had been home with her the whole time as I would have normally been.
29 Jul 09, Revolution for fleas.
Sugar had started to show signs of slowing down, she wasn't at the front now she walked at the back of the group. I bought her a comfort harness but it didn't make any difference. I stopped walking her as far. She no longer was as anxious to play with her sister Lola.
In the fall of 2009, my Mom moved in to stay with us and brought her little male Peke Larkie. Sugar liked Larkie a lot. Now there were 3 little Pekes to walk. Larkie was older but he could still out walk Sugar. Indoors, Sugar still liked to try to encourage Larkie to play with her but he wasn't going to regardless how hard she tried.
18 Mar, 2010, took Sugar to new vet in Berwick and he prescribed Fucithalmic eye drops. This was a bit easier to get into her eyes. She still wouldn't allow me near enough to her eyes to trim the hairs on her nasal fold away that were too close too her eyes
My mother passed away 20 April 2010, but her love for animals continues in her family and hopefully future generations. My parents were Pekingese breeders and were founders of the Digby TLC Animal Shelter.
27 Apr, 2010, Berwick Animal Hospital, Fucithalmic eye drops for Sugar. Around this time I noticed that Sugar was walking with a limp and now suspect it could have had something to do with the time she caught her leg around the computer wires.
4 Jun 2010, separation from husband. Now the stress was gone from our lives.
This is Sugar taken 1 Jul, 2010 two days before she started showing signs of Cushing's Disease. On the
3rd & 4rth of July 2010, Sugar had two nights in a row of panting and circling the inside of the house each about the same time in the night lasting for about 2 hours each time. No matter what I did, I couldn't get her to stop. I took her out, gave her water, put her on a cool wet towel, rocked her in the rocking chair which she loved, nothing relaxed her or made her feel more comfortable. The following morning 5 Jul, 9 years after Frosty died to the day, we went to the vets in Greenwood to see what was causing these abnormal actions. Sugar weighed 14.6 pounds, had wheezy lungs, an enlarged heart and arthritis in spine. There was something on lateral pushing the trachea upward and she had an infection in nasal fold. Xrays were done and the misdiagnosis was given that Sugar had a heart problem. Furosemide 40 mg (for fluids)was prescribed. After taking the pill, the following 24 hours were pure hell for Sugar as she experienced severe vomiting and diarrhea. The medication was stopped and 10 Jul, 10 back to the vets. She lost weight, 13.8 pounds and temp 38.6. She was given fluids subcutaneous, antibiotic in jection and blood work. High urea, low alkp, low amyl, low glu and low CL. 17 Jul, 2010, ADK9/Fel food which she didn't care for but ate some of the Hollistic dry and canned. She seemed to be returning to her old self. 23 Jul, 10, back again to the vets this time for urinalysis. 24 Jul, fluids subcutaneous and Fortekor 5 mg BP. Also nutrical which she really liked. Same terrible results with the Fortekor as the Furosemide, severe vomiting and diarrhea. Drinking a lot of water. Sugar always had such a lovely pink tongue and it confused me to think that she had something wrong with her heart. 27 Jul 2010, food but she wouldn't eat it so returned some and threw some out. Bought 2 more tubes of nutrical which she would eat. Tried every type of dog food in the grocery store and health food stores, canned and dried but she wouldn't eat any of it. Then I noticed that her tongue could not pick up the food. She was so weak that she could hardly walk.
29 Jul, 2010, the decision was made to change vets and so I took her to the Berwick Animal Hospital. After a couple of minutes of examination by Dr Bruce Bowker, it was announced that there was no audible heart murmur but Cushings Disease was suspected. Before the Cushings Test was done, we had to go home and gain a pound. 13 pounds 9 oz. This was a major task as Sugar no longer could use her tongue properly to pick her food up and her legs would slide out from under her when she stood up. With the aid of a syringe we managed to get the weight on, the ACTH test was done, 24 Aug. The results came back positive for Cushings and the vetoryl medication was started. 9 Sep, 13 poinds 13 oz, second ACTH test to see if it was working and it was her numbers were way down from the original count. Thank you to Dr Bruce and the staff at the Berwick Clinic for finding out what was wrong with Sugar. The one thing I noticed that Sugar had common to Cushings patients was the hump on her back that went away after she had been on the medication. I think her angel wings were stored in that hump.
8 Nov, 2010, Fucithalmin eye drops. Nov and Dec Vetoryl. Jan 2011, vetoryl. 16 Feb, 2011, reverse sneezing, facial fold infection and left eye. Convenia (antibiotic injection) Fucithalmic drops for eyes. 4 Mar, 2011, 14.3 pounds. Convenia injection. Apr and May vetoryl. 10 May, Fucithalmin for eyes. June vetoryl. 9 Jun, 2011, dental cleaning, 8 minor extractions.Convenia injection.
May 2011, her friend Larkie died.
8 Nov, 2010, Fucithalmin eye drops. Nov and Dec Vetoryl. Jan 2011, vetoryl. 16 Feb, 2011, reverse sneezing, facial fold infection and left eye. Convenia (antibiotic injection) Fucithalmic drops for eyes. 4 Mar, 2011, 14.3 pounds. Convenia injection. Apr and May vetoryl. 10 May, Fucithalmin for eyes. June vetoryl. 9 Jun, 2011, dental cleaning, 8 minor extractions.Convenia injection.
May 2011, her friend Larkie died.
17 Jun 2011, Sugar panting, because she left out too long in the heat by sitter. Jul and Aug vetoryl. 12 Sep mucus in eyes, chronically inflammed, skin fold and serious discharge from nose. Fucithalmin to both eyes and convenia injection. Oct and Nov vetroyl. 14 Nov, 2011, Revolution. 28 Nov, 2011, 14 pounds. blood work and IV in hospital all day. 30 Nov, Metronidazole for stomach. 13 Dec, 2011, third ACTH test and the numbers came back very good. Serum pre, 11.6 and serum post 42.1. 24 Dec 2011, cerenia for vomiting. 20 Jan Fucithalmi drops for eyes and Jan vetoryl.
28 Jun 2011, a year ago, 7 months before she died
In spite of all her short comings, Sugar was independent, strong and had a will to live. I know that she appreciated what I did for her although she didn't have the ability to outwardly show that she loved me on occasion she would kiss me but it was very rare. We had so much fun together, I thought it would never end.
Sugar's eyes were deteriorating and she got so she would head in the direction of a light, even if it was a small night light.
Sugar never really recovered to where she had been the first of July before I had taken her to the Greenwood Clinic. She continued to have difficulty picking up her food with her tongue but she discovered that she could chase small cubes of meat up the wall and it would eventually fall into her mouth. This took a lot of time and patience on her behalf but she didn't give up and with a little assistance we kept her weight at the 14 pounds the vet wanted her to be.
She minded the heat and so the house was kept at a temperature of 68, anything higher and she would pant.
Time passed and because of her difficulty in walking in November a pet stroller was purchased and this opened up the world to us. Now we could walk and take Sugar with us and she loved it. Not only did it get her out of the house and down the street but she was out in the fresh air and in motion. It was a real treat for all of us to be able to go out and have her included in the walks. In December while walking the three little dogs just a few minutes from the house, Larkie was attacked and badly shaken by a large male chocolate lab named Snickers who lived across the street. I was couldn't believe that he lived through the attack but he died a few months later. He was 11 and his heart had been badly comprimissed. And this is how we sadly became "the three musketeers".
A year passed by and she didn't seem to be getting any worse but not any better either. 9 Jun 2011, She had her teeth cleaned and another test for Cushings. Her numbers were fantastic. I was so happy but still worried. The worry never goes away once you get the diagnosis. That is what you do when they are sleeping, you worry and pray. I never prayed so hard in my life and I begged. I begged God to make her better so we could have more time together.
To make things easier for eating, I would put her in the clothes basket the one I carried the clothes to the clothes line in and put a small towel in it to prevent slipping so she could brace her legs against the sides. Now she would walk her food up the side of the basket and get some of her meat in her mouth. But to make sure she was getting enough to eat, I would blend some food to a soupy texture and she would dip her tongue in and out and some would get in the stomach that way as well. Her menu would consist of the following: Breakfast, I would blend scrambled egg with plain yogurt; Lunch, blended no salt added canned salmon with yogurt and Supper some chicken, rice and carrots. A treat before bedtime was yogurt and honey which she would eat twice as fast as the rest of the mixtures. The vet approved of her having Ensure/Boost and she loved that as well and would get excited when she heard the sound of me shaking the bottle. I also gave her baby food and mixed that with yogurt to give her a bit of a variety. Another thing I tried was adding flax seed meal to her food. She never gave up her love of food regardless what sloppy mixture she given and she tried so hard to get it in although a lot of it would be on the outside of her.
In the morning, after breakfast, I gave her the vetoryl capsul usually with the aid of the pill popper although sometimes I opened the capsule and put it in olive oil and gave it to her with a syringe. After she was cleaned up we took a stroll around the block and back home for a bit of a nap before lunch and the same routine would be repeated. I sometimes would have a light jacket on when I gave her the vetoryl and this spring when I brought the jacket out of the closet I noticed on the sleeeve a small stain on it from her food. I will never wash it.
And that was the way our day would go. Although life was not as it had been, we were still happy to be together. Each night when we went to bed, I always thought this is one last day we will have together and in the morning I said to myself make the most of this day, our time together is so precious.
There were times during her stroll we would encounter a friend and or neighbour and stop for a few minutes to chat. Sugar would become impatient and vocally complain or rock the stroller as if to say lets get going.
To make things easier for eating, I would put her in the clothes basket the one I carried the clothes to the clothes line in and put a small towel in it to prevent slipping so she could brace her legs against the sides. Now she would walk her food up the side of the basket and get some of her meat in her mouth. But to make sure she was getting enough to eat, I would blend some food to a soupy texture and she would dip her tongue in and out and some would get in the stomach that way as well. Her menu would consist of the following: Breakfast, I would blend scrambled egg with plain yogurt; Lunch, blended no salt added canned salmon with yogurt and Supper some chicken, rice and carrots. A treat before bedtime was yogurt and honey which she would eat twice as fast as the rest of the mixtures. The vet approved of her having Ensure/Boost and she loved that as well and would get excited when she heard the sound of me shaking the bottle. I also gave her baby food and mixed that with yogurt to give her a bit of a variety. Another thing I tried was adding flax seed meal to her food. She never gave up her love of food regardless what sloppy mixture she given and she tried so hard to get it in although a lot of it would be on the outside of her.In the morning, after breakfast, I gave her the vetoryl capsul usually with the aid of the pill popper although sometimes I opened the capsule and put it in olive oil and gave it to her with a syringe. After she was cleaned up we took a stroll around the block and back home for a bit of a nap before lunch and the same routine would be repeated. I sometimes would have a light jacket on when I gave her the vetoryl and this spring when I brought the jacket out of the closet I noticed on the sleeeve a small stain on it from her food. I will never wash it.
And that was the way our day would go. Although life was not as it had been, we were still happy to be together. Each night when we went to bed, I always thought this is one last day we will have together and in the morning I said to myself make the most of this day, our time together is so precious.
There were times during her stroll we would encounter a friend and or neighbour and stop for a few minutes to chat. Sugar would become impatient and vocally complain or rock the stroller as if to say lets get going.
Sugar's body was bent into the shape of a C. Her tail no longer wagged and she couldn't hold her head up for any length of time. Come to find out in Feb that she had problems with her discs, which could have been the reason she was in the shape of a C or because she didn't have the muscles to hold her head and tail up it put strain on her spine.
I was constantly on the lookout for new Cushings information on the internet, trying to find something that would help her. One thing I was curious about was why she lost the black pigment in her black teddy bear nose, it was now a light pink.
1 Nov, 11, I had the carpet taken out and new flooring put in and bought a air cleaner in Dec thinking it might help her breath better and I think both helped her.
14 Nov, 11, Revolution. Both Sugar and Lola had fleas, hated to give her the chemicals.
One night in the fall, Sugar had an episode where her eyes rapidly shifted from side to side. I called the vet and she said that it would go away and in about an hour it was gone and I was thankful that we had made it over another hurdle. She never had this again.
28 Nov, 2011, bad night Sun, vomit and diarrhea, stayed all day Mon in hospital on intravenous. Slow recovery but she was able to come home at suppertime.
1 Dec 2011, Antibiotic, Sugar's stomach.
13 Dec testing ACTH and 14 Dec 2011, ACTH testing results, 11.6 and 42.1. Ideal Range.
Dec 24th 2011, Stomach upset, Cerenia tablets. Started to give Sugar yogurt instead of milk, helped a lot. Mixed her salmon with yogurt and she liked it.
Sugar would wander around at night and get lost and not find her way back to the bedroom so I bought a playpen for her. She loved it.
Wednesday 22 Feb 2012, Sugar had a fainting spell. I was carrying her in the house after she had gone to the bathroom and she cried out as if in pain, went limp and her tongue went blue. I put her on the countertop and after some gentle compressions applied to her back she came to and her tongue returned to the normal pink colour. At that time I thought this must have been a heart attack. I put her in her bed and she seemed to have returned to normal. So I relaxed a bit as I watched her settle down and go to sleep.
Unfortunately this happened again after supper and later on in the evening but to a lesser degree. I called the vet but got the answering service who called the vet on duty and then I was called back. We discussed the two incidences and it was decided that I bring her in to the clinic in the morning.
I put her to bed in her playpen on her heating pad and went to bed with her at the foot of my bed. I stayed awake listening to her breathing and when the daylight came I got up and prepared us to get ready to go to the vets.
8:15, 23 Feb, 2012, We arrived at the animal hospital just before the vet did and soon we were in the exam room. After he listed to her heart he couldn't find anything wrong so he took a urine sample and did an xray. The sample was good but the xray showed few degenerate discs in her spine. So Sugar was given a needle for any pain associated with the disc problem and also it was to help reduce any inflammation. Also some metacam drops were sent home with her to have at supper time for pain once the shot had worn off.
Once home Sugar rested well because of the pain killer and when she woke she went to the bathroom without having a fainting spell. I was so happy, I was on cloud 9. She napped again and when she woke up she ate and went to the bathroom and walked from the kitchen to her bed in the other room and shortly afterwards passed away at 4:30 pm. I was devastated especially since I thought we had make it through one more disaster.
Thursday, 23 February, 2012, 4:30 pm, Sugar died in my arms taking her last breath and if I had known how to do CPR I would have tried to resuscitate her but instead, she was buried the next day in the back yard along side her little friend Larkie.
A couple of days after she died, Sugar came to me while I was working on the computer, all I could see in front of me was a lovely green field and two Pekingese playing together. The white one came closer to me and it was Sugar, she said " Don't cry Mommie, I am happy now". At first I thought the other dog was Larkie but later realized that it was her first love Rusty.
I would recommend that you attend a pet first aid workshop and learn how to do CPR on your dog, there are several sites on line with illustrations and good explanations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AFrUiRIeVo
I would advise, that you get copies of all tests and records of visits from the vet on your dog, read them through carefully and google what you don't understand.
Later after the horror of her death faded a tiny bit, my mind started to focus on what had happened and I turned to the internet to search out heart attacks, brain seizures and fainting.
The site that comes the closest to describing what happened to Sugar is one that suggests trachea collapse, a problem that developed with the rings of the trachea have become weakened by Cushings Disease and collapse not allowing any air to flow into the lungs.
http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/tracheal_collapse.htm
Forum for collapsed trachea/reversed sneezing
http://www.terrificpets.com/forum/14273.asp
This is a very good site to help you understand Cushings Disease and how horrible it is.
http://www.kateconnick.com/library/cushingsdisease.html
This is a Cushings forum.
http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/index.php
This site really describes Cushings Disease and early detection
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/09/21/cushings-disease-caused-by-pet-stress.aspx
28 Nov, 2011, bad night Sun, vomit and diarrhea, stayed all day Mon in hospital on intravenous. Slow recovery but she was able to come home at suppertime.
1 Dec 2011, Antibiotic, Sugar's stomach.
13 Dec testing ACTH and 14 Dec 2011, ACTH testing results, 11.6 and 42.1. Ideal Range.
Dec 24th 2011, Stomach upset, Cerenia tablets. Started to give Sugar yogurt instead of milk, helped a lot. Mixed her salmon with yogurt and she liked it.
Sugar would wander around at night and get lost and not find her way back to the bedroom so I bought a playpen for her. She loved it.
Unfortunately this happened again after supper and later on in the evening but to a lesser degree. I called the vet but got the answering service who called the vet on duty and then I was called back. We discussed the two incidences and it was decided that I bring her in to the clinic in the morning.
I put her to bed in her playpen on her heating pad and went to bed with her at the foot of my bed. I stayed awake listening to her breathing and when the daylight came I got up and prepared us to get ready to go to the vets.
8:15, 23 Feb, 2012, We arrived at the animal hospital just before the vet did and soon we were in the exam room. After he listed to her heart he couldn't find anything wrong so he took a urine sample and did an xray. The sample was good but the xray showed few degenerate discs in her spine. So Sugar was given a needle for any pain associated with the disc problem and also it was to help reduce any inflammation. Also some metacam drops were sent home with her to have at supper time for pain once the shot had worn off.
Once home Sugar rested well because of the pain killer and when she woke she went to the bathroom without having a fainting spell. I was so happy, I was on cloud 9. She napped again and when she woke up she ate and went to the bathroom and walked from the kitchen to her bed in the other room and shortly afterwards passed away at 4:30 pm. I was devastated especially since I thought we had make it through one more disaster.
Thursday, 23 February, 2012, 4:30 pm, Sugar died in my arms taking her last breath and if I had known how to do CPR I would have tried to resuscitate her but instead, she was buried the next day in the back yard along side her little friend Larkie.
A couple of days after she died, Sugar came to me while I was working on the computer, all I could see in front of me was a lovely green field and two Pekingese playing together. The white one came closer to me and it was Sugar, she said " Don't cry Mommie, I am happy now". At first I thought the other dog was Larkie but later realized that it was her first love Rusty.
I would recommend that you attend a pet first aid workshop and learn how to do CPR on your dog, there are several sites on line with illustrations and good explanations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AFrUiRIeVo
I would advise, that you get copies of all tests and records of visits from the vet on your dog, read them through carefully and google what you don't understand.
Later after the horror of her death faded a tiny bit, my mind started to focus on what had happened and I turned to the internet to search out heart attacks, brain seizures and fainting.
The site that comes the closest to describing what happened to Sugar is one that suggests trachea collapse, a problem that developed with the rings of the trachea have become weakened by Cushings Disease and collapse not allowing any air to flow into the lungs.
http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/tracheal_collapse.htm
Forum for collapsed trachea/reversed sneezing
http://www.terrificpets.com/forum/14273.asp
This is a very good site to help you understand Cushings Disease and how horrible it is.
http://www.kateconnick.com/library/cushingsdisease.html
This is a Cushings forum.
http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/index.php
This site really describes Cushings Disease and early detection
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/09/21/cushings-disease-caused-by-pet-stress.aspx
"With respect to the coughing and choking, this can be caused by cushing's, especially if the dog is overweight. High cortisol interferes with all kinds of metabolic functions, including fat and muscle proteins. Fat redeposition to the thoracic area, combined with the muscle wasting and enlarged liver creating pressure on the esophagus, it's more difficult for the dog to breath so they pant, cough and gag. In my experience, the coughing and gagging are a lot more pronounced in dogs with advanced heart problems and collapsing trachea."
Now the house seems so empty without her, she had such a huge personality and she filled the rooms with her presence. I long to hold her and feel her warm body and silky fur against my face and to smell the intoxicating fragrance that was Sugar. She was my best friend. She was always ready to go for a walk or to go in the boat or car with me. We ate together and slept together, she gave my life purpose and was the glue that held everything together for me. Sugar like the rest of my dogs before her were my life. Some people travel (Eat Pray Love), some gamble, some party and entertain friends, some are sports nuts, anything to disconnect from the trials of the day. My dogs were and are my comfort, my walk on the beach, my soft pillow to land on, my escape from reality, my chocolate and my drug of choice.
She has been gone for 8 weeks month now and I am still devasted.. Part of me died with her. After weeks of research I feel that Sugar had suffered years with Cushings before it was diagnosed and even though the drug was working for her, her body had been compromised and there was no turning back the damage that Cushings had done to her.
Now the house seems so empty without her, she had such a huge personality and she filled the rooms with her presence. I long to hold her and feel her warm body and silky fur against my face and to smell the intoxicating fragrance that was Sugar. She was my best friend. She was always ready to go for a walk or to go in the boat or car with me. We ate together and slept together, she gave my life purpose and was the glue that held everything together for me. Sugar like the rest of my dogs before her were my life. Some people travel (Eat Pray Love), some gamble, some party and entertain friends, some are sports nuts, anything to disconnect from the trials of the day. My dogs were and are my comfort, my walk on the beach, my soft pillow to land on, my escape from reality, my chocolate and my drug of choice.
She has been gone for 8 weeks month now and I am still devasted.. Part of me died with her. After weeks of research I feel that Sugar had suffered years with Cushings before it was diagnosed and even though the drug was working for her, her body had been compromised and there was no turning back the damage that Cushings had done to her.
Sugar you were a very brave little girl and you are my hero. You never once gave up the fight. Not only did you live the length of your life but you lived the width of it. I only wish that we could have had those last years together without Cushing's Disease. You were such a sweet little girl and you suffered so much.
I would like to thank all my kind friends who have supported me through my loss and helped me research the sites on line looking for an explanation for Sugar's death. Special thanks to Sherry for her constant flow of information and web site addresses and to Elenore who shared with me an insight on dog's souls by sending me the book, "Pets Tell the Truth". http://www.petstellthetruth.com/
Sugar was a classy little girl, I wrapped my heart around her and we became one. She was my world and now life without her is unbearable. She was my first rescue but in fact I was the one who was rescued. Thank you Sugar for the great ten years we had together, those years were the closest we could come to being in Heaven on earth, you were my oversoul and you got me through the darkest days of my life. I only wish our time together could have been much longer than it was. I miss you so much and I will always love you my soft white fluffy cushion of comfort.
Sometimes angels reincarnate as animals in order to help a particular person during a very hard time in their life. These animals don't usually live very long lives and are called back when they have finished their missions.
With pets you are always in the honeymoon type of relationship with them. I was on a Sugar high 24/7 for ten years. When I felt a bit down all I had to do was to look at Sugar and I was fine. She was like eating strawberry shortcake, 24-7 and never gaining any weight. This Sugar didn't contain any calories, just pure pleasure.
Wait for me baby I will see you on the other side of the bridge, until then I will love you and miss you every minute of every day.
Today I planted some white bleeding hearts from your Grammy's garden on your grave baby. I added a little fence with 2 frogs on it, remembering our first summer together at the lake. It was the best ever. There are ten stones around your grave, each one marking the ten years we had together. I wish there had been more, many more. I will never forget you, you never leave my heart or my mind. I miss you so much and I will Love You Forever my precious little girl.
3 months after Sugar died, 23 May, 2012, I planted a Mardi Gras Rhododendron in the back yard in your honor baby,, it is beautiful like you are. You were one of a kind and no one can fill your shoes. You filled my life with joy and were the life of my party. My life will never be the same without you. There is an ache in my heart that will never go away.
A few nights ago while walking Lola it was near dusk and I spotted a young deer in the subdivision. It was chewing some grass on the front lawn of a neighbour's house. I stood very still and it raised it's head and turned and looked right at me and made eye contact. It was Sugar, she said, "Look at me Mommie I am a deer now". She had always been fond of the deer at the national park when we use to take her there for walks in the winter. We always saw deer and deer tracks.
A few nights ago while walking Lola it was near dusk and I spotted a young deer in the subdivision. It was chewing some grass on the front lawn of a neighbour's house. I stood very still and it raised it's head and turned and looked right at me and made eye contact. It was Sugar, she said, "Look at me Mommie I am a deer now". She had always been fond of the deer at the national park when we use to take her there for walks in the winter. We always saw deer and deer tracks.
Sugar, My Security Blanket
Thanks to Tracy for this wonderful painting of her.
"The death of a beloved pet is one of the worst experiences that life can give you."
I saw a little white dog beside me when I was paining the west side of the house, I felt your presence and looked down and there you were sitting beside me.
Since you left baby I have seen a perfect heart twice in the lawn chair on the deck. Not a minute goes by in the day when I don't think about you, what you use to like to eat, the cute little things you did to make me smile and light up my heart. You were such a precious angel. I miss you so very much.
Your little light still shines on your grave, even in the darkest nights of winter.
I'm sorry for that. I am also a pet lover and I don't know what to do if my pet was died. Sometimes my pet has a skin disease and I always bring it to a veterinary to cure that skin problem. Then my pets doctor gave me a Convenia, He told me that these medicine can cure it. You may learn how to care our pet's health here.
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