Adding Supplements to Mia's Regimen

Mia has had a rough few days. It really felt like she was fading away. She went into awful coughing fits, and her abdomen was a little distended. So I got back on the Internet and did more research. Then, after my sister recommended marine phytoplankton. I went to the Vitamin Shoppe two days ago and picked up a bottle. While there, I ran into my friends Harriet and Al Needleman. Al, a pharmacist and naturopathic inventor (the real deal), recommended flaxseed oil as well. I'm alternating Omega 3 and the flaxseed -- every-other day -- so that I don't overload Mia's system. Tonight is the first night in a few days where Mia is breathing easier. When she starts coughing, it turns into an asthma attack. But not tonight. It's such a relief to see her comfortable again. Thank goodness it mostly happens in the morning and at night. It scares her when it does, and she just wants to be held. Hopefully, this stretch is behind us for now. It reminds me of early October when she went through something similar. We got past that and she returned to the level she was at earlier. So, it looks like once again that's what's happening. Tonight, I also for the first time gave her Kombucha tea (administered using an eye dropper). It's loaded with enzymes that are good for her, so we'll see if that helps too. I looked it up to double check that it's okay to give to dogs (it is). I worry about excess fluids in Mia's system, because of her distended abdomen, which could interfere with her breathing. Her tummy is smaller tonight, so that's a good sign too. Mia has an appointment in early January for a sonogram, radiographs, blood work-up and an exam. Hopefully there won't be any surprises. I was asked by a friend if I was going to put Mia on blood pressure and water pills as her symptoms become more acute. The possible side effects are profound, including kidney failure. especially for a small dog. I can't bring myself to do that to her; it's just not a risk I'm willing to take. Also, I would imagine renal failure causes discomfort in the lower back. For now, Mia is stabilizing once again, so she should have smooth sailing at least for the next couple of months. Right now, Mia is stretched out next to me, sleeping peacefully -- no coughing tonight! Photo of Lois Lane, left, and Mia by Troy Snow.

Ginger and Mia together again

I just noticed that a photo of Mia with Ginger, another rescued Katrina dog, is on Pam Smith's Blogger profile. (Very nice surprise, Pam.) The photo was taken last summer at the book-release event for Pawprints of Katrina. Lois Lane, a rescued Chihuahua puppy I took back to Utah with me, came from the same yard as Ginger. It was heartwarming to see Ginger and Lois Lane together, because they knew each other from their former back-yard breeding home in Franklinton, Louisiana. For all we know, Ginger could be Lois Lane's mother. Their owners moved out three weeks before Hurricane Katrina hit, abandoning 21 dogs -- most of them breeders and some in cages -- to fend for themselves outside in a yard. Just days after the storm in one of the earliest animal rescues, Ginger and Lois Lane were saved together, along with a handful of other dogs from that property. Ginger's story didn't end there; she became quite the celebrity (read it here) after an overzealous volunteer took her home without telling anyone (she was later returned and Pam and Gene Smith, from Alabama, adopted her). Back in the Tylertown triage center in the make-shift office, Ginger was there for a week with Mia, Lois Lane and me. It was so cute seeing them together again, at the Best Friends sanctuary, three years later, like no time had passed. Photo of Ginger, left, and Mia by Pam Smith.

Ubiquinone or Ubiquinol ... That is the Question

Mia has been coughing a lot more lately, which definitely worries me. She's been coughing regularly throughout the day. Then it occurred to me why; I was using up the remaining bottle of Q-absorb (100 mg) instead of giving her the ubiquinol form of CoQ10. So, I braved the slushy snow today (yes, it snowed most of the day in the Las Vegas valley) and drove to the vitamin shop near me that sells ubiquinol CoQ10. Mia was sleeping when I got back, so I let her be. But when a coughing episode awakened her, I gave her 300 mg's (three capsules) from the ubiquinol bottle. The coughing ended almost immediately and she hasn't coughed in several hours. I won't do that again, try to use up a bottle just because I happen to have it in the house. The absorption rate of ubiquinol has been proven to me several times over to be far superior than ubiquinone. CoQ10 in ubiquinol form is about $15 more for a bottle of 60 gel capsules, which, at a minimum of 600 mg's a day that Mia takes, adds up. My No. 1 goal, however, is for Mia to be comfortable, and just a few days without the ubiquinol form of CoQ10 caused her discomfort. It's well worth the added cost to see her rest easy.

Mia's New Friend (sort of)

This week I took Mia and my other two dogs to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary to have animal expert Sherry Woodard evaluate Boss, a little dog I rescued the day before Thanksgiving. He's a tiny, sweet dog but he's been mistreated and shows defensive behavior toward people and large dogs. I didn't plan on taking in another foster dog right now, especially at the holidays. But how could I say no? The plea came in from Oli Lewis with Sin City St. Bernard Rescue. She doesn't take in small dogs and knew that Boss's days were numbered. So she called me. One of the positive things is that Boss hasn't bitten since I met him (and I was the one bitten, on the leg, but not seriously). When I went to meet him with the possibility I would foster him, he was being held by his 85-year-old person. Boss lunged, barked and showed his teeth. The woman who had him suddenly dropped him, and Boss fell to the floor, hitting his chin on the tile. Then she raised her hand like she was going to hit him. I asked her, "Please, don't do that. He's just scared." I knew then that he'd be going home with me. The assisted living facility he was in was calling animal control the next day to have him taken to the pound -- a sure death sentence for a fear biter. This behavior escalated over a two-month period living at the facility. He barked, growled and carried on with residents at the facility. The woman told me Boss was afraid of wheelchairs and walkers. Each time he growled and barked, he'd turn and look at the woman for a reaction. He did the same thing with Sherry and me. He didn't get a reaction from us, other than positive. Sherry said he clearly was confused and trying to cope in the environment he lived in. While at the facility, before taking him home with me, I asked the woman to pick him up again, so I could see how he was with her. Despite her harsh discipline of him, he turned into this sweet little guy who looked up at her adoringly and kissed her face. Boss barked at photographer Gary Kalpakoff as he started to take photos of Boss. Gary was wearing a baseball cap, so maybe that was part of it. Boss didn't try to bite him -- just barked and didn't growl, so that was a positive change. After spending time with Sherry, she had great news: The sweet side of Boss is who he really is. The other side comes out of fear. What he needs is to get his confidence back and know that no one is ever going to hurt him again. Mia, my little Chihuahua, has bonded with Boss. He liked her from the start, but Mia wasn't so sure; she was growly with him. Now, they sleep next to each other. She just takes a little time to get used to a new dog. My other two -- Woody and Rosy -- are giving him his space, because he's wary of bigger dogs. Boss has finally stopped barking at Woody (which Woody greatly appreciates). Today, the badness in Boss's life is behind him. With time, we'll find him a great home in a quiet atmosphere with someone who understands he may display defensive behavior in the future. In the meantime, I'm giving Boss reassurance, holding and hugging him up a storm and basically just letting him be a dog. He's a sweet little guy with a funny disposition. He loves to be outside and run. I don't think he's ever been able to do that before. As for Mia, she's accepting him as he is too. Photos by Gary Kalpakoff