Don't give up.

[Lara Kretler]

(Cross-posted to the ME dogs Yahoogroup list)
This is a note for any of our newly diagnosed folks who may be wondering if your dog can have quality of life with ME. I don’t want to call anyone out by name – I think many of us have had these doubts and questions. I can only share about our situation and hope that it helps. I know it can be really hard to keep fighting, especially when your veterinarian may be saying things like “euthanasia is an option” and “this is a very difficult condition to manage.” We’ve thought about euthanasia several times.

When Jack was first diagnosed with ME in 12/08, we wondered if we could handle it. We struggled for a while but then got into a groove and it became really manageable! Then we couldn’t believe that we had ever considered euthanasia – Jack became his happy, healthy old self. The only time you knew he had a condition was a mealtime or when drinking water, and even that became “normal” to all of us.

Then he had a bad relapse of symptoms and was diagnosed with MG and thymoma (cancer) in 5/09. It was devastating and when they told us about this major, radical, risky surgery, we looked at our boy and thought is this fair? Is this what he would want? But Jack seemed like he was still fighting so we decided to keep fighting along with him. We paid for the expensive surgery and were absolutely AMAZED by how well he recovered. It was clearly the right thing to do! We haven’t seen any MG symptoms since (although he is still on the Mestinon and he won’t have another titer test for another month or so). His ME symptoms were still really bad until we got his Pro Collar. At first he didn’t like it, but we praised him when he wore it and so he left it on, and then he realized how comfortable it is and how much it helps him. If anyone does not yet have one of these amazing collars, it’s the best $25 you will ever spend on your ME dog – just go to Amazon.com or any pet products site and get one. Jack’s a lab mix and wears a size L if that helps. I do not get any kickbacks from Pro Collar, but I am a true believer and cannot say enough good things about them!

After the surgery, Jack’s recovery made us know we had done the right thing. His Pro Collar helped his ME symptoms and he was soon back to his healthy, happy, goofy self. Even mealtimes didn’t seen odd, he has come to enjoy being held and pampered in the Bailey position (we choose to hold him up to eat/drink - we will probably build a chair but for now it’s a really special, intimate bonding ritual for all of us). He’s our baby and he loves the attention.

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, at the end of May, Jack regurged and aspirated and came down with a bad case of AP in his right lung. He was critical, had to be hospitalized and almost died. His blood oxygen level was down to 50% and the emergency care vets told me he may not make it. The next day he was still alive but so weak and hating the tube in his nose – I thought… is this fair? Should we let him go, and help him on his way? Is it cruel to keep him alive with all of these problems and an uncertain future? But then after a few rough days, he stabilized and came home. He rested a bit, but then all he could think about was chasing bunnies in the yard. One evening we were lying with him, my husband and I on either side of him, and Jack got up to get his favorite toy and bring it back to bed with us. That’s not a dog ready to give up and go to sleep forever!

These things, and the way Jack enthusiastically eats and accepts his Bailey holds, and the way he begs for walks, the energy he has when he chases his favorite ball, and the way he pulls me down the street like a tug boat on our walks... all of these things make me realize that we did the right thing with the surgery, we did the right thing with not euthanizing him, and he most DEFINITELY has a great quality of life even with ME and MG.

Don’t give up until you’ve tried everything. That includes the Pro Collar, vertical feeding, elevated sleeping, different food and med combos, etc. Your dog is worth it! You know he/she would do the same for you!

We keep Jack’s Pro Collar on all the time, 24/7 except when he goes outside to run around and terrorize the neighborhood bunnies and birds. Anytime he might lie down, he wears the Pro Collar. It looks like a life preserver and it really has proven to be a life preserver in our case. Jack is loving life and hopefully has LOTS more years left in him. And we plan to do our best to be ambassadors for this condition and educate everyone we meet about ME and the fact that THERE IS HOPE.

Hang in there! :)

~Lara and Jack (8 yr old lab/pit mix taking Metaclopramide, Famotidine and Mestinon – and we wear our Pro Collar ALL THE TIME!)

Jack’s Facebook fan page

Tribute video I made about Jack the wonder dog

[Lara Kretler]

We got ours at Pet Supplies Plus but I know you can get one on Amazon.com too - or maybe call your local pet store and see if they can carry them for you?

[Tara Chumsae]

Thanks for the info! Where did you get the pro collar?