Alivia was recently diagnosed with Cushing's - Alivia has passed

Hi Mary Beth-

I'm so glad to hear Alivia is doing so well! That's great! What a relief for you, huh? Hope she continues to do well!

Julie & Hannah

Oh Mary Beth such wonderful news! :p

Maxwell and Ali look so good. She is even looking at the camera again! So content.

We are also doing well. Every day is a blessing!

Love,
Rene & Angel Snoopie

Dear Susan
It is always great to hear good news.
Hugs Sonja and Apollo

Hi Mary Beth,

So glad to hear good news about Alivia, you so deserve it.:D:D

Don't wonder why, just enjoy it.

Hugs and love,
addy

Good News!!!!!! How wonderful!!!! You must be so happy Alivia is doing good!:) Give Alivia a kiss and hug for us:D

Thanks, everyone!

I have been having computer issues at home for well over a month, so I haven't been checking here regularly.

I am so fortunate to report that my precious Alivia continues to do great!! She has no symptoms of cushing's at all and has not been to the vet's in MONTHS! (Knock on wood!) Her last blood work was completely NORMAL. Her fur is thick and soft and has grown back completely. No more pot belly. She has a 6 MONTH regular check up scheduled with her internist on November 22nd. She probably will want to do blood work, but I almost don't want to do anything! I'm still nervous about doing anything that will rock the boat. I'm continuing her on the same food that I switched her to about 7 months ago and just keeping everything the same since it is working for her! I'll have to try to post some more pictures.

I do think of you all often.

Mary Beth I am beyond happy to hear sweet Alivia continues to be Cushing free.

I hope she and Maxwell continue to enjoy life to the fullest with their loving mom.

I have not yet tried the Chocovino. My doctor perscribed a week on the beach in Hawaii:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Not like that will happen anytime soon;);););)

love ya girlfriend,
addy

Mary Beth would love to see some pics!!! Glad everything is still going well --- Hugssssssss to you and Alivia

Alivia had her 6 month routine check up with her IMS on November 22nd. Her vet said, "Alivia had a miracle before and it seems as though she's had another." :D Ali's blood pressure was normal. She is only on maintennance Amlodopine and compounded low dose aspirin.

The IMS had no explanation for how well she is doing. She actually wanted to do an ultrasound just to "take a look at the adremal gland" because she was "really curious". I refused. I just saw no point in putting Ali through the stress of that for no good reason. She's been through more than enough. She has no cushings symptoms at all, so there is nothing to treat, regardless of what an u/s would show. Even her fur is completely grown back and soft (it had been dry, brittle and not growing for about a year). She finally has belly fur! Her blood tests were mostly normal, too, and the ones that weren't were not to far off and pretty much what has been Ali's "normal" for quite awhile. She is almost 14 years old and survived Immune Mediated Hemalytic Anemia.

Albumin 2.4 (2.7-4.4 g/dL)
Albumin/Globulin Ratio 0.7 (0.8-2.0)
Bun/Creatinine Ration 30 (4-27)
Amylase 1143 (290-1125 U/L)
Platelet Count 654 (170-400 10^3/uL)
Neutrophils 78 (60-77%)

Everything else was wonderfully, gloriously NORMAL!!! The vet was very pleased and agreed there was no medical reason to do an u/s. Ali was pretty nervous because this vet is where she was hospitalized for 5 days with pancreatitis so that might have contributed to the platelets being elevated. The vet was not concerned about that and Ali doesn't go back for 6 more months! So nice for her to get a break from vets!!

NEEDLESS TO SAY, I AM THRILLED!!!!! :D

Hope you are all are enjoying the holidays!!! Hugs and love to all your fur babies!

Mary Beth this is wonderful news. I am totally with you, no ultra sound, why go there?


Keep up the good work and just enjoy precious Alivia. What ever the reason for the miracle, lets just be thankful it happened.

GO ALI GO!:D:D:D:D:D:D

love and hugs and warmest wishes for the happiest of holidays and a wonderful New Year

love,
addy and the pups

Wonderful update, Mary Beth! Thanks so much for sharing! I am so glad Ali is doing so well and hope she continues to confound the vets with her miracles.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

Thanks, Addy! The IMS was NOT curious enough to offer to do the ultrasound at no cost, either. Although to be perfectly honest, that would not have changed my mind at all - I still would have refused it! Ali has been through more than enough. I won't put her through any unnecessary stress. Besides, it took her a year to grow that belly fur back from the last ultrasounds!! ;)

Thank you, Leslie. Alivia is proof that miracles can happen! (How about those blood values?!) She is a reminder for all of us that we should always give our babies the best chance we can. Although, everyone here already does that!

Happy holidays to all of you, my dear friends. I am wishing for miracles for each of you!

Dear Mary Beth,

I just wanted to thank you so much for mentioning the Benadryl anti-itch spray on Addy and Zoe's thread!! My older Labrador girl, Peg, has horrible winter allergies and yesterday morning when we got up, I saw that she had developed a hot spot on her flank overnight :(. I thought, oh no, here we go with yet another holiday weekend issue...:( :( I know how quickly little hot spots can turn into BIG NASTY hot spots.

I started out by putting on some cortisone cream yesterday morning, but the spot was still pink and oozy last night. I remembered you had recommended something to Addy, so I went back and looked it up and then ran out to the drugstore last night. I've given her three doses now, and the spot already looks better -- it is dry now and no longer pink :) :). So I'm hoping that this is going to do the trick. And if so, what a miracle!!

So thank you SOOOO much for Peg's early Christmas present. I think I'm gonna tie a red ribbon around the top of the bottle in honor of NOT having to go to the vet over the holiday weekend...;) :p

Marianne

That is wonderful to hear. I am going to try it on Zoe's paws. My IMS said I can't spray it near her vulva.

Good to hear it works .

hugs,
addy

So thrilled to hear that, Marianne! And, thanks for letting me know. I just recently discovered that, really by accident. I've had a book for a long time called The Dog's Drug Store. I was looking in it for the Benedryl dosage (which has never helped Ali all that much) and saw the Benedryl spray was also okay to use, so I thought I'd give it a try. It has helped her dramatically and I am still surprised no vet has ever mentioned it to me since it seems so simple and is also inexpensive. I'm so happy to hear it is also helping your Peg! I hope it continues to help and you can avoid a trip to the vet!! Keep me posted and I'll keep my fingers crossed!!

Merry Christmas!!

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope 2012 brings good things for all of you.

Happy New Year, MB, Ali and Maxwell:D:D:D:D

I hope all your dreams come true!

love,
addy

do you think that spray would help with toe cysts?

Hi, Skye.
I don't know if the Benedryl Anti Itch spray would help with cysts, but if they are itching it certainly wouldn't hurt to try. It's safe for dogs and inexpensive. For Ali's itches it seems to work better than oral Benedryl.

Good luck!!

Hi, Addy!! Same to you, Zoe and Koko.

I have to share a bit of good news with all of you. Today is Alivia's 14th birthday!!! There were many times when I thought she would not make it, especially given her sister and mother both passed away at the age of 13. But, Alivia truly is my miracle dog. She was the last of 4 puppies born. Her mother, Winnie, was small and had a difficult birth and one puppy was lost. Her 2 remaining siblings were born on February 23rd, but Ali waited until after midnight to make her appearance so she has a birth date of her own. She came into the world not breathing, but Winnie's human put his mouth over her tiny mouth and nose and gently breathed for her until she was able to breathe on her own. He said he was terrified she wouldn't make it and so relieved when she was breathing on her own. Six and a half weeks later, I met and fell in love with tiny, sweet Alivia Rose.

I think destiny brought her into my life. I had never had a dog and had never even given any thought to getting a dog. I thought I was strictly a "cat person". I also was not looking for a house, but saw an ad for a house about 2 miles away that really intrigued me. It had a super large dining room and kitchen. I had just bought my house 4 years before and was happy there. But, for some inexplicable reason I was drawn to see that house. My best friend tried to talk me out of it, using reason and logic, but when that didn't work, he gave in and went with me (it was actually just about midway between my house and his). The house was being sold by the owner and we were greeted by a little white dog named Winnie who followed us around the outside of the house with her stick, dropping it our feet and waiting for someone, anyone, to throw it for her. I didn't even know what breed she was. She was so full of life and had such a sparkle in her eyes. I don't remember a whole lot about the house, as we were so focused on the adorable white dog and when that became obvious, Winnie's owner told us she had recently had puppies and that they were in ...the kitchen!

Fate was with us that day, because there were three puppies - a male that was promised to the owner's nephew and 2 adorable females. My friend, Jeff, was immediately interested in one of them with a patch of brown and black fur over one eye (she became his beloved Patches), but I thought the other one was PERFECT! There was something about her eyes that made me start imagining if, having no experience, being a single parent and working full time, I could actually raise a puppy. The owner was also very picky about where the puppies would go to live. He was especially attached to Alivia (who he had named Olivia for vet purposes) since he had literally breathed life into her. He was also adament that they could not leave their mother until they were at least 8 weeks old and not a day sooner. So, for the next week and a half we visited "our" puppies. I took my daughter and her boyfriend (now husband) to see Ali and she fell in love, too. Ray was very accomadating in letting us visit multiple times. I know he was checking us out to see if we were "worthy" before agreeing he would sell them to us. During that time I purchased all the basic supplies and, well, the rest is history! Ali has had my heart from the first day I saw her.

I actually sometimes tell Alivia the story of how she came into my life. She listens intently and tilts her head as if she is taking it all in. ;)

I almost lost her when she was 7 years old due to immune mediated hemalytic anemia, but she fought through that and, after many trips to Ohio, we had her second miracle . The vet specialist there said she did things medically that he could not explain. He used the word "miracle".

Then about a year ago she was diagnosed with cushing's due to a right adrenal tumor. I was devestated. For a few months it was one thing after another and a few times I was sure I'd lose her - severe pancreatitis, a serious skin condition, etc. It was during that time that I "met" all of you. You helped me through it all and once again my little miracle dog rallied. Her most recent blood work was completely normal. She has a local specialist now and she said her only explanation was that she had another "miracle".

I don't take for granted how fortunate I am to still have Alivia in my life. I am thankful for each day with her. My funny, little girl who would run circles around the house at full speed when you told her to go "Faster, faster" now occasionally still gets the glint in her eyes and the pep in her step and goes "Faster, faster". Now, it is limited to circles only around the kitchen, but she does it with gusto and boy does it ever make my heart happy! :D

Time to go frost Alivia's homemade grain free apple carrot birthday cake and celebrate her life!

Oh, Mary Beth,

What a delightful update on our sweet Alivia! I love her story. One would have to be made of stone not to see that the two of you were meant to be together. I think the both of you are miracles - she couldn't have done what she had without you by her side.

Happy 14th Birthday, Alivia!
And many more!

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

Oh Mary Beth, thank you so much for sharing this story of your sweet Alivia Rose. It brings tears to my eyes to think of Winnie's human bending over her tiny form and breathing life into her newborn lungs. I was in need of hearing about a miracle today, and with Alivia -- we are gifted with a lifetime of miracles. :) :)

I send all my best wishes to you and your baby girl. Even at 14, I know she is your precious baby, and will remain so forever.

Happy, Happy Birthday to our dear Alivia Rose!!!!!!!!!
Marianne

Thank you Leslie and Marianne! Alivia was fortunate to have arrived in the world completely loved. I am forever grateful to Winnie's dad, Ray, for breathing for her until she was able to do it on her own. That takes a special animal lover. He moved away soon after, but continued to keep in touch and sent a Christmas card to Ali with love from her mother, Winnie, every year. The cards stopped when Winnie would have been around 13. I assume she passed away and it became too hard for Ray to continue.

On a happier note, I posted a couple pictures of Alivia with her birthday cake! And, yes, she will ALWAYS be my baby! :D

MB, I hope Alivia has the happiest of birthdays !!!!!

I am so glad you shared your sweet miracle pup with us. I love the story and thank you for telling it to us.

Give many hugs to sweet Ali with the most beautiful eyes and don't forget to give Maxwell a special hug today as well!!:D:D

all my love,
addy
Zoe and Koko send woofs for a happy brithday greeting too:D:D:D

Oh Mary Beth, I am so happy you get to celebrate Alivia's 14th birthday!!! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALIVIA!!!! :D:):p

Miss Ella is sending her wished also!!! :p

Happy Birthday, sweet Alivia!!!!

Hi Mary Beth and thank you so much for sharing your heart warming story of how you and Alivia came into each others' lives. I must admit that she most definitely seems to be a walking miracle, several times over. :D Happy birthday, dear Alivia, and many, many more.

Hugs,
Glynda

Happy birthday, Alivia! Have fun celebrating!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes for Ali! I gave her extra hugs from each of you. Your thoughts truly are appreciated. I hope all of you are doing well and get a little bit of good news, too. Miracles certainly do happen! :D

I posted a couple of pictures of Ali with her birthday cake!

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing. Alivia continues to do fantastic! No symptoms of cushing's...KNOCK ON WOOD! I have been in search of a high protein, low fat, grain free food made in the USA. A couple weeks ago I started giving Ali and Max Evanger's - they both LOVE it. There's one flavor that is actually whole chicken thighs, cooked in a way that the bones are soft and edible. The all meat varieties are not nutritionally complete, but they also have a vegetarian flavor that is, so I add that to their meat. They have a lot of varieties of "complete" dinners, too. You can actually see and recognize the ingredients in this food! It's good to see them get so excited for their dinner now and they have liked all the varieties. I think it is helping Ali some with her itching, but that is still not resolved completely. Wish I would have found this food years ago! Also, I have been giving them unsweetened organic coconut flakes for a treat. They love, love, LOVE it and it is supposed to be good for skin and fur. Alivia's fur is so thick and long now that I had to schedule her for a haircut - first one in about two years!

Happy Spring, everyone!

What a fabulous update! So happy to hear that Alivia is doing so well.

I, too, use Evanger's from time to time...there is a pet store close to me that carries high quality pet food.

Please do keep us posted...sending hugs to you both, Lori

Hi MB,

I am so happy to hear Ali is still doing well and I hope she continues for a long time.

Maxwell and Alli sound like they love their new food!!!!

Kepp up the good work.

love,
addy

Good to hear from you, Mary Beth, especially with such a great update! :D I hope things stay the same or get even better for you all.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

Thanks, Lori, Addy and Leslie! 14+ years and I am stilll learning about what's best for them! A new store opened near me called "Healthy Pets". It was opened by a woman who worked with pets and kept seeing the same illnesses over and over so she started doing a lot of nutritional research and believes it has a lot to do with poor quality diets. They have all the highest quality products in one place and she is very selective on what she carries. Anyway, it makes things a lot easier for me!

Even though Ali is doing well, I still can't completely relax and probably never will. I worry that something could set things off again. I try to keep things as stress-free as possible for her. I still watch her like a hawk for any changes. But, mostly, I try to appreciate every day I have with her and I make sure that she knows she is loved.

I am sitting in a coffee shop waiting for Alivia and Maxwell to finish at the groomers! Wow...it has been so long since I've done this. Alivia's fur did not grow at all for nearly 2 years, so there was no reason for haircuts. She had a bald belly from being shaved for ultrasounds for so long. But, she has gotten so shaggy in the last few months!

I'm thrilled that she is doing so well, but I never take it for granted. On one hand, I'm thrilled she needs a good haircut, but on the other, nervous that the stress of the groomer visit could "trigger" something. That fear stays. Which is why I am sitting here waiting to pick her up as soon as possible! I'll have to post a picture of Ali with her new 'do!

Even though I am not here very much, I think of all you and your babies often.

Well, girlfriend, I want to see a picture of Ali with a new do!!!!!!!!

Happy beyond words she is doing so well. Just enjoy.

love,
addy

Well, Alivia has been doing so well but unfortunately there has been a bit of a change in her in the past week or so. She uses puppy pads if she gets up during the night or has to go before I get home from work - I noticed bright red blood on the pad about week ago. Not a lot but definitely noticeable. That only happened once, but her appetite was off for a couple of days, too. She seems to be walking a little differently - subtle and hard to explain but I see a change. And she is panting more. She is just not herself. I worry that her kidneys are failing. She saw her internist today. She lost one pound since she was last there 6 months ago. She did blood work and a urine culture. Said it could be a UTI and some symptoms could be her showing her age. Won't know much until we get test results. 6 months ago she amazed everyone when her blood tests were normal...I'm afraid we won' t be that lucky again but, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this is just a little blip that a round of antibiotics will take care of.

So sorry to hear that Alivia is not feeling well, an UTI can make a dog not want to eat and feel lousy. An urine culture will show what antibiotic to use and will be hoping that this issue will clear real soon. Please keep us updated.

Love and hugs,
Lori

Hi Mary Beth,

I am sorry to hear Ali is not feeling well. Hopefully it is an UTI and a dose of antibiotics will set her right.

She is our miracle dog:):):) So give her lots of love from Addy.

Try not to worry, I know, easier said then done and let us know the results of the urine test.

love,
addy