My Little Girl...

WARNING: If you don't like dogs or have never owned one,
this post may seem 'over the top'!

INTRODUCING MY BABY GIRL:

She is stunningly pretty, a blue merle tri Miniature Australian Shepherd. She goes by the name 'Paige'. She has numerous nicknames she answers to as well: Squid, Paigey Girl, Wiggy-worm, etc. She was a gift from God in a time when I needed some company. I met her when she was only six weeks old, and brough her home at 8 wks old.

1) Five wks following mom 2) Eight weeks

3) Coming home! 4) Nine wks playing with Jazz

She's three now. She has brought so much joy to my life, my mom, my friends, and countless others in her St John Ambulance Therapy Dog visitations at the Walford Residence and the Jarrett Centre. She's got it all: looks, intelligence and a heart of gold! I can't imagine life without her!

1) Playing in the Bow River, Banff AB
2) Kicking Mule Ranch, Manitoulin Island
3) Fetching in the backyard
4) Visiting at the Jarrett Center


So, why this shrine-post of my dog?
Well, cause she's really sick right now...
She is weak, throwing up regularly, pooping blood, not eating, not drinking...just down right sick.

We spent a couple hours at the vet clinic last night doing blood work and stuff. The vet didn't like what she saw in the results of the blood work. Paige showed low Calcium levels. The vet was so worried that she took more blood and redid the test to be sure. Again, low Ca. The vet was still concerned enough to draw blood from her own dog and run the test, just incase the machine was malfunctioning. Her dog's Ca levels were normal. Apparently, a low Ca level is an indication of some rare disease that brings on sudden mild, but lengthy seizures which are more commonly fatal. This really scared me, because while aquiring her little brother, Jackson, I did some research on their father (they have different moms, but the same dad). Some dogs in his pedigree apparently have a history of seizures. Ya...not good....

The blood work also showed a bacterial infection, so she is on antibiotics for that. It's so hard, in her pathetic state to have to shove pills down her throat...I hope she forgives me later! The vet froze some of her blood to ship to a Lab down south on Monday where they can actually test for this rare disease. Until then, we can't leave her side, incase of seizure onset, and we have to force water down her throat too, as she is very dehydrated.

Please pray for Paige, my Mom, Matthew and myself as we navigate thru this time.

We all love this little gal and don't know what we would do without her!

LAS