living with canine addison's disease: kermit's story, part three (the diagnosis)

January 23, 2014 Kristen Carr

We're an active family, and we like to include our pets in the fun when we can. One of our favorite activities to do is a family is to hike in the local mountains. There are trails within walking distance from our house, and even more just minutes away by car. Our local hiking trails are totally dog-friendly. People are awesome about keeping their pets on leashes, and there is an unspoken poop pick-up policy that I love. You know how your dog will poop within five minutes of the start of a walk or hike, and then you have to carry the shit around for the duration? In our local mountains, dog owners pick up the poop, tie off the bag, then leave it on the side of the trail. Then we just pick it up after the hike on the way out. I always try to pick up a couple of extra, just to be nice. I also like the fact that there are trails for all skills of people and pooches. When we hike without the dogs, we head for the more challenging trails, but with our little pups, we head for the flatlands. Something for everyone!

The day we knew something was wrong with Kermit was a hiking day. We took him and N.A.S.H.A. on a flat hike, about two miles round-trip. It was something they had done many times before. Kermit loved the hike, as always, and did great. It was when we returned home that the trouble started. About ten minutes after we got home, he collapsed.

He came-to fairly quickly, and we felt terribly guilty. Had we pushed him too hard?

We took him to the vet, and when his blood work came back, the vet had a diagnosis: Addison's Disease. I had never heard of it. The vet explained that it is pretty rare in dogs, and it is something humans can have, as well, though it's not contagious. In fact, JFK had Addison's Disease.

So what is Addison's Disease, and what did that mean for Kermit?

Addison's Disease means that your adrenal glands are not functioning properly. It is hard to diagnose because symptoms can point to other things. In Kermit's case, to put it in layman's terms (which I desperately needed), his body was not producing the hormones necessary to deal with physical or emotional stress. So when we took him on that hike, his body wasn't able to deal with the exertion. Symptoms can be sudden or gradual and can stop and start, another factor that makes diagnosis difficult.

Common symptoms include: lethargy, depression, vomiting & diarrhea, decreased appetite, shaking, and muscle weakness.

Kermit's collapse was an acute episode known as an "Adisonian crisis." This occurs when the blood pressure drops dangerously low. There is no cure for Addison's Disease, but it can be managed with medication so that additional crises can be prevented and the dog can live a relatively normal life.

Kermit was prescribed a daily dose of fludrocortisone, a medication that had to be taken daily for the rest of his life and adjusted based on regular blood test results. Kermit was helped by the medication, and his Addison's seemed under control. We made sure he ate a healthy diet, gave him natural supplements, and made sure he got regular, moderate, exercise.

And plenty of love.

We were heartbroken. We knew he would eventually succumb to the disease, but it was our job to keep him as healthy and happy as possible. It was our responsibility to make sure his quality of life was maintained. Over the next few years, this became increasingly difficult.

living with canine addison's disease: kermit's story, part two (our lives before the disease)

January 21, 2014 Kristen Carr

Kermit was an oddball, and, even now, we sit around the campfire with friends, reflecting on his antics. (WARNING: due to the graphic nature of these stories, they may not be suitable for all audiences.)

with us one week

It was the first Saturday night after we adopted Kermit. B had gone to bed, and Brennen was at work late. I was sleeping. A strange noise woke me, and I felt something on my back. It was too late when I realized what was happening. The sound was that of Kermit hacking, standing on my back. On a positive note, he felt bonded to me already. Unfortunately, he vomited all over my back and hair. Totally nasty, right? Now imagine trying to get out of bed, into the bathroom, out of clothes, and into the shower without dripping dog vomit all over the house. Impossible? Why, yes, yes it is.

meeting the in-laws

Kermit didn't make the best impression on my husband's parents. They are more the "traditional" dog types, and Kermit was as odd in personality as he was in looks. Sweet and sour, basically. We'd planned a nice baby back rib dinner for them the night they arrived from the airport, and, somehow (actual how is a blur), he got a hold of a small bone.

Kermit tolerating N.A.S.H.A. as a puppy.

We were initially concerned that he would choke as he made splinters of it, so Brennen tried to take it. Kermit went tasmanian devil on him and tried to make mincemeat of his hand, then ran off under, then behind, the couch. "Like hell!" Shouted my darling, practically turning the table over as he bounded after Kermit. In one motion, he pulled the couch from the wall and grabbed Kermit by the scruff of the neck, yanking him skyward. As he did, a fountain of urine streaked up and across the wall and all the way to the patio door. Kermit got his bone, but stayed outside for quite some time. We finished dinner before scrubbing the wall and putting the house back together. My father-in-law, who is not fond of "situations"–especially during dinner–commented when his son returned to the table "I wouldn't tolerate that during dinner." I just about spit my wine out laughing. I may have been the only one.

cheating on Lizzie

If you read part one, you know that Lizzie was a big black sweet-as-can-be pit bull, and Kermit's first "love." His next steady girlfriend was a big yellow stuffed duck given to my step son, who was five at the time. Thankfully B was never very fond of stuffed animals, and after laughing at Kermit's frequent courting rituals toward the thing, generously said "Kermit, you can just have it." That was best.

learning to use the remote

Brennen and I were chatting in the kitchen over a glass of wine, making dinner together, while B and Kermit sat on the couch watching a show. They were peaceful, and so were we. Until we heard a snarling tizzy, then crying. We ran out to the living room and asked what happened. It took B (unhurt, but shaken) a few minutes to calm down enough to be understood. Through the sniffles, he finally choked out "I...was...just...trying...to teach...him how...to use...the remote! Waaaaaaaahhhhh!" We didn't see it either, but I think we all know what happened.

i can't see out the window

Kermit absolutely loved to ride in the car. During most of his life, I drove a Jeep Wrangler. He would basically surf on the center console, panting the whole time, giving me an occasional kiss on the cheek. When he got tired, he'd wander the car. He could even stand on the passenger seat and put his front paws on the giant grab handle above the glove compartment. He'd ride along like that forever and deposit about a million nose smudges on the vertical windshield of the Jeep. Any time I took an actual human passenger, they'd ask "What is all over your windshield? I can't even see out of it!" Thanks, Kerm.

the office dog flop

When we adopted Kermit, I worked at a graphic design firm. It was a family-like environment, and the ultra-cool owners were a dog-loving couple who were happy to allow me to bring Kermit to the office. He would mostly sleep under my desk, but whenever a coworker would open the office door, he would trot over and flop down in front of them, then roll over on his back requesting a belly rub. We coined it "doing the Kermie flop."

um...what the fu¢& is your dog doing?

My brother-in-law, Greg, was visiting. We'd left Kermit to socialize with him in the living room while we prepared dinner. Greg said "Dude, get in here! What the fu¢& is your dog doing?"

There's Kermit in our papasan chair, leaning back in a semi-standing position, reaching down with his two front paws to his nether-region, pleasuring himself. Only that dog. I swear. We just shook our heads. Greg said "Good for you, Kermit."

If any of you who knew Kermit have a story to add, feel free to chime in!

living with canine addison's disease: kermit's story, part one (the adoption)

January 19, 2014 Kristen Carr

I have not yet mentioned our dog, Kermit, who passed away in September of 2011. I think I've avoided it for several reasons, but the bottom line is, it's just hard. Kermit was a spirited sweet pea of a dog. He looked funky and acted like a fool sometimes, but he was loved so very much.

Kermit came to us in December of 2002 at about six months of age. My friend, Maureen, called: "Kristen, I know you guys are looking to adopt a dog, and I found one! He was wandering the neighborhood, and I've put up signs and gone door-to-door. I've asked all the vets. The kids want to keep him really bad. They already named him 'Piggy,' but we can't have another dog. Todd will kill me. I want to keep him, too, but Todd really will kill me. I swear. But if you take him, then you can bring him over for visits and we can still see him..."

"Oh, wow," I stalled. "Okay, we'll come check him out."

"Come today," she urged.

"Uh, okay. I'm pretty sure we can be there in a few hours. Will that work?"

"EEEEeeeeek! I can't wait for you to see him! I already took him to the vet, and he's healthy and fixed and everything. Just a little skinny. But he's all good." Then there was a pause. "I have to warn you, though. He's kind of...odd looking."

That was all I needed to hear. As far as looks go in a dog, the funkier the better!

Brenenn drove us over to Maureen's house, and I was already committed in my mind to bringing home our first "baby" since we'd been married. My head was spinning and my mouth followed suit. I speculated about what he looked like and what he would be like, how B would love having a dog, and where to go to purchase the definitive collar. Brennen rolled his eyes.

We were both a little nervous when we arrived at Maureen's. I figured we could hardly say no, even if we wanted to.

We walked in, and Maureen grabbed my arm. "C'mon! He's in the back yard with Lizzie." Maureen had a gorgeous home on the cliffs of Southern California, so her view from the back yard was nothing but ocean. Gorgeous. This became the backdrop for our first encounter with Kermit. There he was, a brownish long-bodied ratish-looking bow-legged giant-eared possible canine. He didn't run to greet us because he was busy getting busy with Lizzie, a giant black pit bull. "He likes big black women," Maureen said, pointing out the obvious in her usual uncensored way.

Brennen cracked up. "Oh my God," was all I could utter.

"Piiiiiiiiigyyyyyyyy!" Maureen squealed affectionately. Thankfully, he was easily called-off of Lizzie, who was ever-tolerant. Kermit came bounding over, his long body bobbing like a see-saw. He panted with a curly tongue and his giant ears flopped around. Their permanent state was one up, one down. "Isn't he funny?" Maureen asked.

"Yes, he is," I agreed, giggling. "He's hilarious!" Kermit (Piggy) kissed us and wiggled around, and then went back to Lizzie.

"Poor Lizzie," Maureen sympathized with her dog. I did, too. Kermit was relentless.

"We'll take him, right, honey?" I turned to Brennen.

"Do we have a choice?" A rhetorical question, really.

"You can change his name," Maureen said. "The kids just called him Piggy. Whatever!"

We rode home with our new dog on my lap. We decided "Kermit" would be the perfect offbeat name for the guy, but kept "Piggy" as his middle name. Kermit Piggy entered our family.

...and immediately lifted his leg on the couch...

So for the first few months of his life, he thought his name was "OUTSIDE!"

Kermit Piggy at approximately one year of age, a few months after he came into our lives.

only the great die young: a tribute to bambi

January 5, 2014 Kristen Carr

We've been taking care of Bambi for a couple of years, now. When we started, her brother, Chunk, was also in the picture. Great (in every sense of the word) Danes. Chunk passed a while back, and Bambi became a big sister to her new cocker spaniel brother, Koko. He's feisty...all puppy.

We were supposed to take care of Bambi this weekend while Koko went to burn off some wild energy with his parents at the lake.

But we got the call.

"Our beloved Bambi had to be put to sleep today. Her left lung was full of fluid, and the vet suspected cancer...we're so sorry."

You're sorry? The thing is, these awesome pet parents knew the bond we had with Bambi. She was unique, and so was our relationship with her. It was often a family affair, but it was actually my husband who took care of her most, and it was the two of them that had the most special bond. She would eat well for him, romp with him, and get over-the-moon excited when he came around. She'd let me take care of her as second fiddle, and she'd allow me to cuddle with her on her bed (which was large enough to accommodate the both of us) out of some sense of obligation, I presume, but it was with Brennen that she was truly in love. And he in love with her. I knew it was a source of pride that she favored him. Our clients knew that, and while I did my best to send my condolences her way, she sent just as many to us, recognizing our loss.

Bambi was a sweet girl to the core, though quite camera-shy. I would try my best to photograph her but not violate her space. She seemed to know if I was fake-texting in order to capture her image on my iPhone. Brains and beauty, that one had.

We last saw her two weeks ago, and I was able to capture her with her jumbo-dog toy, which is about the size of my four-year-old daughter.

We talk about what a shame it is that Great Danes have such limited life spans. Such big hearts, so much love, yet so little time. Bambi, you were one of the greats.

can dogs be vegan?

December 12, 2013 Kristen Carr

As a professional pet sitter, I see a wide variety of canine diets. A big part of my job is to maintain the established routine for the pets in my care as best I can, so whatever they eat on a regular basis is what they eat when I'm feeding them. I don't judge–well, mostly I don't. I see both high-quality and low-quality kibble, canned food, raw diets, dehydrated food, and homemade food. Regardless of what the pets in a family are eating, I have to believe that their owners are feeding them the best they can with the knowledge and finances available to them. I try to keep my clients educated about the benefits of feeding a high-quality diet. That being said, I am not an animal dietician, and I am constantly learning.

Whether dogs are carnivores or omnivores is hotly debated. The argument that dogs should be fed meat is largely based on the belief that dogs are carnivores, meaning they eat only meat. In fact, dogs are omnivores. "In the wild" is almost a mute point, now, since they have been domesticated for so many generations, but if in the wild, they would eat a diet of mostly meat and some plants.

Eager faces as I'm scooping their homemade vegan food into their bowls.

As an aspiring vegan, I was particularly interested in the vegan diet my client, Karla, feeds her dogs. I may have just stepped in a pile of poop, because I understand that feeding a vegan diet to a typically meat-eating creature who is at your mercy for, well, everything, could be quite controversial. To me, it's less controversial than feeding your pooch a bag of low-quality kibble composed mostly of fillers, artificial colors, and preservatives, which doesn't have much meat in it, anyway, but most people don't bat an eye at the person in the big box discount store throwing a 50-pound bag of complete garbage in their cart, then feeding it to their dog for the next month. So I decided to learn more about the vegan diet for dogs, and Karla helped me understand her story. She has fed her Papillon, Chi-chi, and Yorkshire Terrier, Abby, a vegan diet for almost one year.

WM: Can you tell me a bit about your journey to becoming vegan?

Karla: I've been vegan for a few years, and I was vegetarian for a while before that. My reason is a combination of my love for animals and for a healthy, happy, lifestyle. There's so much information about living vegan, and once I started opening myself up to it, this lifestyle just fell into place.

Karla has two school-aged sons.

WM: Is your whole household vegan?

Karla: I only cook vegan at home, however, my boys live with their father part time, and they do eat meat there.

WM: So what made you decide to feed your dogs a vegan diet?

Karla: Being vegan, I would encourage anyone to eat this way. I hadn't even considered the possibility of switching my pups to a vegan diet until a friend suggested it. I started researching what they can eat and made the switch. I had been under the same impression as many others, that they needed meat to be healthy.

WM: What were your dogs eating before?

Karla: I previously had them eating organic dog food that was free of fillers, etc. The expensive stuff!

WM: Have you noticed any changes in them, health-wise, since you started feeding them a vegan diet?

Karla: Chi-chi has had the most noticeable change. He was a little on the heavy side before, and now he's very healthy. I've also noticed that his coat is healthier, now. As a hair stylist, I believe you can tell a lot about someone's health by their hair and skin. The same goes for our pups!

WM: What research did you do before embarking on this diet for them, and how do you know that they are getting all of the nutrients they need?

Karla: It helped that I'd been eating this way already. I know what I need to be eating in order to get all of my essential amino acids, etc. All I've done is transfer that to Abby and Chi-chi.

Abby and Chi-chi absolutely love their vegan meals.

WM: There is a growing trend to feed dogs a raw diet, and many people will say that dogs are carnivores, so they need meat. They will likely say you're not feeding them what they need. What do you say to that?

Karla: This is also said about us, but the truth is that we and our pups do not need to eat meat to be healthy, and, in fact, we are healthier with a plant-based diet. My dogs love their plant-based lifestyle. They did not get as excited as they do now when they were eating the old stuff!

WM: They do get excited. I notice a huge difference in a dog's poop depending on the diet, and I see a lot of dog poop. With few exceptions, the lower the quality of dog food, the softer and stinkier the poop. I notice that Chi-chi and Abby's poop is reflective of what you are feeding them. It's a bit seedy, and is firm, and not very stinky. I noticed a change in my own poop when I transitioned to a vegan-based diet, too. Sorry to have to go there, but poop is a big deal for dog owners. What do you notice about their poop?

Karla: Just like with humans, poo is a huge indicator of the health of our pet. Initially, they were going more than normal, and so did I when I switched to a vegan diet. This is due to our bodies' ridding of everything that has built up. Once this adjustment was made, I noticed that they go pretty quickly after a meal, and there's not much of a smell to it. I've also noticed that their urine is odorless, now (I have pee pad pups).

WM: I noticed that about their urine, too. I take care of a few "pee pad pups," and your place isn't as stinky. I hardly notice it. How did you figure out how to make your own food for them?

Karla: Initially, I started following recipes online. There's a great one on the PETA web site.

WM: Do you always feed them the same recipe, or do you switch things up?

Karla: I switch it up, now, because they eat pretty much what we eat (other than what's toxic or poison for them). Even when I switch up their food, there are no issues with their bowel. Switching it up is a wonderful treat for them and for us. They're much happier.

WM: Will you share their favorite recipe with us?

Karla: I'd love to!

WM: How large are the batches you make, and how long does it keep?

Sometimes Abby and Chi-chi's homemade vegan food makes me hungry. I can't say that about canned food or kibble.

Karla: I make a mixture of quinoa and beans at the beginning of the week and typically just add the rest to it as I feed them. They're eating the majority of their fruits and veggies raw, at this point, so I just cut those up nice and small and mix them in. If I'm heading out of town, I'll make a decent batch of everything for my amazing pet sitter to give them, and that can last in the fridge for up to a week.

WM: Thanks for the compliment! So what about cost? How does this vegan dog food compare to feeding a high-quality kibble?

Karla: Oh, it's cheap! I get a large amount of fruits and veggies at the local farmers' market weekly, spending around $30 for the whole family. Hemp protein is $15 for a few-months supply, and quinoa–the most expensive out of it all–costs me about $5 per week. They live a healthier life, costing me less, as well.

WM: That's great. Thank you so much for sharing your story.

•

I know Karla to be a loving, responsible pet owner, and Abby and Chi-Chi are happy and healthy. Their breath doesn't stink, and I know, because I'm all about pooch kisses! Their coats are some of the softest I've felt. They are full of energy, a healthy weight, and always eager for meal time. From what I've observed, the vegan diet is working well for them and definitely deserves further exploration. I plan to try Abby & Chi-chi's Vegan Dog Food recipe and see if my picky pooch will go for it.

Dogs do not require meat. They require protein. Though meat-based foods are the most common source of that protein, it is not the only source. Dogs can get their protein from beans, quinoa, etc. We often become so focused on the source of the nutrients that we forget about the nutrients, themselves. The key factor in any diet is that it provides the needed nutrients. Dogs can have their needs met through a vegetarian or vegan diet.

As for longevity, we know that vegetarian and vegan dogs live as long or longer than their meat-eating counterparts, as long as the diet is meeting their nutritional needs. They benefit from good health and typically don't ingest as many preservatives and contaminants, so they are usually quite healthy. Most research says that a nutrient-rich, plant-based diet is a good long term choice for dogs. Dogs with certain ailments such as allergies can often find relief in a vegetarian diet, so those dogs definitely see their quality and length of life improve.

There is such a wide variety of diet choices for our dogs, and pet owners have very strong opinions about the diet they choose to feed their pet. Have you tried feeding your dog a vegan diet? What do you think about dogs going vegan?

This article by me appeared in its original form in November 2013 on Hybrid Rasta Mama, a blog to which I contribute regularly, and has been reprinted with minor changes with permission.

Please hop on over to Hybrid Rasta Mama and check out my December 2013 article, Veterinary Acupuncture for Prevention and Treatment.