When I took that photo of Aurora a couple of weeks ago, everything had been going so well with her treatment for blood clotting that we had settled into a comfortable routine and were no longer much worried about her condition. Then, last weekend, smack in the middle of haying, she crashed. On Friday we had noticed she was quiet and subdued, but she’d been like that before and all was well. But on Saturday morning when I let her out of her crate, she wouldn’t or couldn’t walk — she just stood there, staring at me with her one eye. She usually bolts out of her crate, barks at me, and races down the stairs. Not this time. I carried her outside and set her down on the grass. She didn’t move. Then she tried to take a step or two and promptly sat down. When I picked her up to get her to stand again, I could tell she didn’t know where her back feet were. She was lost and listless.
A few minutes later Alayne was on the way to the emergency clinic in Littleton with her. I had called the clinic to alert them that we were coming, and I emailed them Aurora’s latest weekly test results from our internal medicine specialist, Dr. Marielle Goossens at Peak Veterinary Referral Center in Burlington. I then called Marielle and left her a voicemail explaining what was going on. At the clinic the emergency vet had already looked at Aurora’s reports that I had emailed. She told Alayne she was amazed Aurora was still alive and had made it this far with her condition. The vet said she’d known of only one other case of protein-losing nephropathy, the technical name for Aurora’s underlying kidney disease, and that was in vet school. That dog had only lived a week.
In effect, Aurora’s?kidneys aren’t working properly and are losing protein, but along with the protein they’re also losing the clotting factors — hence the blot clots that started her down this road and led to this diagnosis. Sure enough, at the emergency clinic Aurora’s kidney values were literally off the chart (her creatine wasn’t even registering on the machine), as were her liver values. Her red blood cells were off the chart at the other end, meaning she was now anemic. The vet — who we have worked with several times before and who is terrific — told Alayne she wondered if we had reached the end with Aurora.
That’s when Marielle called me back, and’soon she was on the phone with the emergency vet. Her first message: We can?get Aurora through this. From that point on, Marielle supervised?Aurora’s care,’talking with the rotating team of emergency vets throughout the weekend, telling them what tests to run and what treatments to provide. We have been in this situation before, and these emergency clinic veterinarians have told me they are grateful’they can turn to our internal medicine specialists for their additional expertise on these difficult cases. What they may rarely see in general?practice is something an internal medicine specialist has seen and treated many times.
So what was going on with Aurora? Well, she had started bleeding internally and wasn’t clotting. That meant adjusting her anti-clotting medications, giving her plasma infusions in the meantime, and other supportive care to give her body time to recover.
As the hours went by, the test results started getting better … and better. We kept haying throughout the weekend,?but it was hard to focus on the work with Aurora lying in the hospital in Littleton.
Late Sunday afternoon we were unloading a trailer of hay bales in the barn when Marielle called with the latest report. We figured we’d need to transfer Aurora to Peak on Monday morning so they could take over, but Marielle had better news: Based on the latest tests’the emergency clinic had called in to her, Marielle determined that Aurora should be in good enough shape to go home on Monday. She wanted to see one more test result Monday morning on Aurora’s clotting?profile, but if that was satisfactory, Aurora would be heading home and not to Peak.
At 7:15 a.m. Monday, as I was driving to Littleton to pick up Aurora, Marielle called again: she was happy with the clotting profiles the clinic had just run, and we could bring Aurora home! We’d need to repeat the blood work on Tuesday at our local clinic in Whitefield to make sure Aurora had maintained her progress, and if so, we wouldn’t need to take her to Peak until Friday.
The test results on Tuesday showed steady improvement – yay! – and so we are on track for Alayne to take Aurora to see Marielle tomorrow.
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Boy, I sure wish I could squeeze through this computer screen and give you two a big hug of support. We love you both so much for all you do for so many animals. XOXO
Wow, that’s sure good news about her recovery! again! It’s so good to hear that the vets will all work together to help the animals through their illnesses. Aurora is a lucky lady. Hopefully she is almost back to looking like that dog without a care in the world like in the photo above. Thank you for taking such good care of her Steve and Alayne.
Oh how scary! I’m so glad you have experts to turn to, and relatively nearby. Aurora is a lucky girl.
Boy, I never know when I start reading some of your posts how things might end up, but this is bad news turned to good….hang in there Aurora!!! You’re in the best possible place!
WHEW!!! Keep it up team: vets, you folks, and Aurora. That is wonderful news for all.
Phyllis
I’m simply in awe of your dedication to your furkids…
Aurora, keep up the good fight, sweet girl! You’re truly blessed to be at RDF…
I am so glad to hear Aurora is doing better. What a great team of vets and specialists you have- I’m so glad they work together.
Wow! With all you two have been through over the years with all your residents and their various issues, it’s like you went to vet school and beyond. Honorary PhD’s are in order. Sending good thoughts for Aurora, Widget and any one else that needs the power of positive thinking your way…….
Thank you for all you do for these sweet animals. They are so blessed to have you advocating for them! And Miss, Aurora, you are obviously a fighter who clearly wants to stick around for a bit longer for the rest of us to continue to enjoy you! You are all in my prayers!
YAY! And Hallelujah!!! So very thankful for this good news! Aurora, you hang in there honey, and fight with all you’ve got. You precious little gift from God…………and Steve and Alayne, I’m thrilled that you didn’t have any tragic news to share with us after the fact. Bless you for all you do!
What wonderful care & outcome! Hang in there Aurora! I sure wasn’t liking the start of that post.
Hugs from afar to you and all your most wonderful “staff” of caring folks 🙂
So happy to see some good news about Aurora! You’ve hit the jackpot with the wonderful veterinary folks of all specialties that care for all your babies. And all your babies have hit the jackpot being at RDF! 🙂
Animals are amazing creatures
vets are amazing healers
but you two are amazing healers of creatures with your hearts and soul
wow
I’m with Renee, couldn’t have expressed my gratitude any better. Thanks so much for all you do.
Thinking of Aurora and glad to hear the good news. Life and RDR–different every hour–wait —every minute!! Love you!
Oh Aurora! You are in my thoughts!