Recent Losses
It seems like that wretched time of year again when there are quite a few people having to say goodbye to their furry soul-mates. It is with tear-stained cheeks that I read each one of the tributes to the ones who have gone, and I know that even if Toga were to shatter all records and live to be 50, it will still be too soon to say goodbye to her. Realistically, I know that at 5.5 years old, with autoimmune concerns, we're halfway there at best. I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has made and kept that final promise to allow their dogs to go with "dignity" when the time has come. So often I have seen animals whose owners refuse to let go and prolong the suffering of the pet for their own selfish needs. I know I will be devastated when the time comes for Toga, but I have promised her that I will override ever fiber of my being that wants to keep her with me forever and I will do what is right and allow her to go when she tells me it's time... Cathy B... I know there're kangaroo, horse and mountain goat in the woodpile... any chance of there being tortoise too? ;o) Hoping for records, but preparing for reality, Jessi and Toga (geez Mom, lighten up!) Anchorage, AK
RE: Loss of pigment on nose
Mary- I have experienced pigment loss several times through the years with Toga. She has Immune Mediated Poly-Arthritis (IMPA), and has lost the pigment on her nose and around her mouth with the onset of each bout of the IMPA flaring up. It took several episodes for me to realize the two were connected, and I always made the connection after the "crash". (sort of like when Toga is acting very strange all morning and we have an earthquake a couple of hours later and I say "duh" no wonder she was acting weird) I now keep a very close eye on her pigment since it seems to act as a barometer and allows me to gauge when another flare-up is coming long before she actually crashes. This way my vet and I can be proactive and adjust her treatment at the first sign of trouble, rather than being reactive and treating the much more serious crash itself. Knock on wood, but we have been pretty lucky in the past year and a half at preventing any major flare-ups, just a few minor ones along the way. I'm sure there are plenty of other things that can cause pigment loss, but I know several people who have reported the same symptom in IMPA dogs. Toga was two years old when she had her first crash, and she lost not only the nose pigment, but her lips went from black to translucent gray in the months preceding the actual crisis. Best of luck to you and your Berner boy that his pigment loss is due to something much simpler. Regards, Jessi Braga and Toga Anchorage, AK
RE: Help on a partially torn cruciate ligament!
Cindy- My Berner girl, Toga, suffered a partial tear of her left ACL in February of 2001 at the age of 3 1/2. It was a very minor tear and wasn't diagnosed until May (everyone thought her mildly dysplastic hip was bothering her). She had a TPLO (tibial plateau leveling osteotomy) the first week of June '01. Four hours after surgery she was standing on all four legs and wagging her tail. By the time she had her stitches removed two weeks later, she was full weight-bearing on the leg and I was already going crazy trying to figure out how I was going to keep her on complete bed rest for six more weeks! Needless to say, it was a very long summer for both of us. She got the final okay from the orthopedic surgeon to go back to being a dog the first week of October and was finally allowed to do the running, jumping and playing she had been doing for a month anyway! :o) Now, a year and a half post-op, she does have some arthritis in that knee joint (most likely from waiting so long to do the surgery), but she runs around like a maniac on it with no problems at all. Her knee angle was 30* prior to the surgery and the surgeon said they see tears and ruptures most often with angles greater than 22*. So, she has almost a 70% chance of tearing the other one at some point in life. Knock on wood, but so far, so good! I assisted on a traditional repair on a Golden Retriever that was about the same size as Toga (85 pounds back then) and six MONTHS after surgery he was still favoring that leg. I've heard similar experiences from numerous other owners. The traditional repair is almost half the price of the TPLO, but in my opinion the TPLO is the only way to go. The extra money spent at the outset repays itself tenfold in the faster and more complete recovery time. Best of luck to you and Paws!! Regards, Jessi Braga and Toga Anchorage, AK
Name and Address Change
For those of you who have me on your mailing lists, please make the following changes to my name and address: Jessica Braga (formerly McCabe) 200 W. 34th Ave. #685 Anchorage, AK 99503 Thanks! Jessi, Toga and Smokey Blissfully single again in Anchorage, AK!
