Shaking Up Mia's Treatment

Sometimes it takes a storm to see the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Such has been the case with my holistic treatment of Mia, who was exposed to kennel cough (totally my fault, and I've been beating myself up ever since). It's been difficult to tell where the bordetella ended and the mitral valve disease began (or vice versa). There were days when Mia was like a ragdoll with no energy. I kept her hydrated with coconut water and fed with chicken-and-veggie organic baby food, to increase her energy level. As she's moved through the kennel cough--which basically has to run its course with some nutritional and supplemental support from me--the coughing didn't improve; in fact, it changed and became a dry cough. And that brings me back to her heart disease. The thing about mitral valve prolapse is it can seem like it's getting better, because, as the disease progresses into congestive heart failure, the murmur isn't as defined as before. I'm no doctor, but from what I understand, that's what's called a soft prolapse as the valve tissue deteriorates; it masks the seriousness of it. That seems to be what's been going on with Mia. And it took Mia's bad cold to bring it to my attention. We didn't get much sleep for a few nights, because Mia would sleep 30 minutes and wake up for two hours, coughing. Then, she had a great day and I thought we were over the hump. But, once again, she had a bad night. That's when it hit me that it's not just the kennel cough; her heart disease is progressing. A vet tech friend told me I should put Mia on heart meds. But I don't want her to go through renal failure (a side effect to some meds, which I imagine is painful). If Mia dies of anything, it will be congestive heart disease and not a fatal side effect to prescription drugs. So, I got back on the Internet. I found a site--Canine Heart Health. And that's when I discovered the benefits of cayenne for the heart. Here's something about its reported benefits:

One of the greatest herbs in the world, used by the famous Dr. Richard Schulze and Dr. John Christopher to heal thousands of people and animals from heart disease, circulation problems, internal and external bleeding etc. Its healing power is only questioned by those who have not used it. The hotter the cayenne, the better; it is natures heart food. Cayenne not only feeds the heart, it stimulates circulation (a must for any disease) and therefore gets more oxygen-rich blood to the oxygen starved heart... . It intensifies the metabolic action of the other herbs. It is extremely safe and should be used daily. To show what a miracle worker cayenne really is, Dr.Christropher related the experiment performed by medical doctors in the eastern United States--and printed in the medical journals. They put some live heart tissue in a beaker filled with distilled water, and feed it nothing but cayenne pepper, cleaning off sediments periodically and adding nothing else but distilled water to replace that which was lost from evaporation. During the experiment, they would have to trim the tissue every few days, because it would grow so rapidly! Having no control glands (pituitary and pineal) the tissue just continued to grow rapidly. They kept this tissue alive for fifteen years. After the doctor doing the experiment died, his associates kept it alive for two more years before destroying it for analysis. This shows the tremendous regenerative and healing power of cayenne, especially upon the heart.

If successful, it could be a major turning point in herbal support for Mia. Tomorrow, I'm adding cayenne, along with ginger (which complements cayenne), to her daily supplements. I'll let everyone know how it goes. Fingers, toes and paws crossed!

Mia Improves!

Mia -- finally -- is stabilized. Between regular applications of stem cell-derived cord blood serum (exudate) on her chest and more pure (CarniPure) L-carnitine, along with twice-a-day doses of ubiquinol CoQ10, vitamin C, E and magnesium, Mia now goes half a day without coughing. This morning, she didn't cough at all. And the crackle sound in her lungs is gone -- at least for now. I had run out of the ubiquinol form of CoQ10 and was using up a bottle I had of regular CoQ10, and she wasn't coming back as quickly from the bronchitis. So I bought a new bottle of ubiquinol. What a difference! Also, instead of giving Mia coconut water from a carton, I've been getting baby coconuts and giving her fresh coconut water (and also giving it to Rosy, my basset-heeler mix who has melanoma -- but so far shows no signs that the cancer is progressing). Mia likes the fresh coconut water much better than in a carton. It costs me a dollar more per day for the fresh coconut, but it's worth it. I also give her half a teaspoon of coconut oil twice a day. She hates it, so I open her mouth and pop it in (it's OK; she gets a big hug afterward). The way i've been able to manage Mia's disease is to periodically shake up what I do. What worked yesterday sometimes doesn't work today. My plan is to try my best to keep her at this level, where she's comfortable. When she has a set back, it takes about two weeks to pull her back to where she was before. She's a little trooper; it's as if she knows that the few minutes it takes twice a day to pop in her supplements are good for her. When the supplement bottles come out, she walks over, sits next to me and waits to take them. It's just part of our day. She used to cough for a few minutes at the start of our walks, and she's not doing that now either. So it feels like she's in a good place. All I have to do is monitor her and try and maintain it. Photo, top, of Mia at a book signing for Pawprints of Katrina, and, inset, Mia on a walk in Sunset Cliffs in Ocean Beach during a recent trip to San Diego.

Well, hello, Dolly!

Mia has another new friend, this one a special needs partially paralyzed chihuahua -- and Mia's none too thrilled about it. That's because Dolly is still a puppy and wants to chew on Mia's legs and play nonstop (it's easy to tell Dolly's paralysis doesn't hold her back from much). We're looking for a forever home for Dolly. Here's a story, below, I wrote about her for Best Friends Animal Society's Web site. I'm also including an adorable video of Dolly that will make you laugh. Tiny rescued dog displays a big heart By Cathy Scott, Best Friends staff writer (Courtesty of Best Friends) A tiny paralyzed puppy -- found all alone on a city sidewalk -- has a new lease on life, all because of a kind veterinarian and Best Friends volunteers. Dolly, a partially paralyzed long-haired chihuahua, was found last October abandoned on a street in Riverside County, California. Just two months old, she was taken to an animal shelter, where a volunteer veterinarian was asked to put her down because of her paralysis. “The staff fell in love with her, but she was deemed special circumstances due to her legs,” Dr. Ron Friedlander says. “Her greatest feature was her attitude; she did not know she was not a normal dog.” Because she weighed around just three pounds at the time, she was kept in the shelter’s receiving area. “Many people were able to play with her,” Friedlander says. “She would sit in the palm of your hand and try to lick your face. If you put her on the floor, she would scoot across the shelter almost as fast as a normal dog.” Once the shelter’s five-day hold was up and no one had applied to adopt Dolly (previously known as Twinkle), Friedlander took her to his emergency veterinary clinic. Three days later, Catherine Macias, who volunteers with Best Friends’ Los Angeles Programs, walked into the clinic and was told about Dolly. She found a temporary foster home for her. Because of a sore on her leg that turned gangrene, Friedlander removed one of Dolly’s rear legs. Now, because there’s no possibility of rehabilitating her remaining rear leg, that too is being amputated, so she can scoot around better without the leg -- which is straight and in front of her -- getting in the way. In Las Vegas, Cassandra Schneller took Dolly in to care for her following the surgery. “She has an enormous heart in such a tiny dog,” Schneller says. She took Dolly to work – diapers and all. “I brought her with me to work every day and any public place that allowed dogs,” she says. “Dolly had a passion for life and loved every part of it -- people, dogs, toys, treats, outings. If she wasn’t in someone’s arms, she was moving faster than I could keep up with her.” While with Schneller, she even learned to play fetch. Now, Dolly is staying with my dogs and me. The exposure to and affection from people she received from the moment she was plucked off the streets has paid off. She’s a happy, active, well adjusted six month old who adores people and other dogs equally. The one thing missing in Dolly’s life is a forever home with someone who has experience and is dedicated with caring for an incontinent, disabled dog who needs regular diaper changes. “Her good looks and charms make it impossible to not want the best for this little doll,” Schneller says. Click on the image to the right to see a video of Dolly in action.

Hopeful News About Mia's Treatment

I've delayed writing an update about Mia's progress, because it took her so long to improve. Now, however, her bronchitis is gone and, best of all, her coughing is finally subsiding. She'll always have a cough, I think, because of MVP, but the degree she was coughing was terribly worrisome. The crackling from her lungs was problematic. While I sometimes still hear a crackle, it's no longer chronic. Now, for the exciting news: My friends Harriet and Al Needleman (pharmacist and naturopathic inventor) have made a huge contribution toward Mia's treatment. Al has generously set aside a germinating stem cell derived cord blood serum (exudate) for Mia. The serum is applied externally. It's expected, in Al's words, that it will help "increase capillary blood flow to the congested area, helping to oxygenate and remove toxic bi-products to the lymph system." The second generation of the exudate, which won't be ready for about four months (to develop the process and establish a manufacturing protocol), will have an expected "effect on the perfusion of blood to tissue," to, in layman's terms, help improve the damaged mitral valve tissue -- and, if it works, add years to Mia's life. Until the second generation exudate is ready, Al suggested I read an article, titled "Anatomical studies on lymph drainage of the heart in dogs" by W E Morgan and P B Gray, published in the British Heart Journal, to give me insight into "opportunistic lymphatic drainage," which "surely would make Mia healthier and more comfortable." in the meantime, he expects the first generation to help some. Indeed, Mia already feels better and has made some small gains, which, with this disease, are huge. Photos, of Harriet and Mia, and Mia napping against me, courtesy of the Needlemans.

New Development

Mia has bronchitis. She has a crackle sound coming from her lungs. So, today I'm doubling up her probiotics and also giving her fresh coconut water from a baby coconut, instead of from a container, to up her immune system. I'm also picking up some yogurt to give her. Typical treatment for this is antibiotics and/or steroids. I'm opting to go the homeopathic route. She doesn't feel well, but she's not lethargic. She panics out a bit when she coughs, and that turns into more of an asthmatic reaction. I stand her up, against my side, rub her chest and neck, and she calms down and breathes easier. She's resting right now and sleeping well (amazing how when she's awake, she coughs, but once she's asleep, she rests peacfully). Fingers and paws crossed that she sails past this. I'll keep you posted.

Who's the Boss?

Boss, Mia's temporary playmate for 6 weeks, finds a new home By Cathy Scott (Reprinted with permission from Best Friends Web site) Boss the Chihuahua faced a sure death sentence if sent back to the pound for misbehaving after he was adopted by an elderly person in an assisted-living home. Terrified of wheelchairs and walkers, 2-year-old Boss was “terrorizing” residents at the Las Vegas facility, where he’d lived for just two months, according to the home’s manager. He had to go. The day before he was to be returned to the shelter, however, a plea for help was issued from Oli Lewis with Sin City St. Bernard Rescue, who heard about Boss’s plight. Lewis couldn’t take in a small dog because of the enormous size of her St. Bernards, so she called me and I picked up Boss at the eleventh hour and took him home to foster. Boss was given his name because he was, to put it mildly, bossy. He was terrified of large dogs, new people and, especially, wheelchairs and walkers. When he was in what he perceived to be a frightening environment, his way of coping was to lunge, bark and bare his teeth. Sherry Woodard, Best Friends’ animal behavior consultant, evaluated the tiny dog to help me guide him past that behavior. When told that Boss was affectionate and sweet toward his 85-year-old former person, Woodard said, “That is who he really is.” The other behavior, she said, was a defense mechanism. Woodard suggested that Boss be allowed to get used to his foster environment, away from the noisy assisted-living home, and just be allowed to be a dog. His elderly person’s reaction when he barked had been to hit him. When he first met Woodard and barked at her, he didn’t get a reaction, other than positive words. Woodard described him as clearly confused and trying to cope in the environment he was forced to live in. Luke, Boss and Lydia In his foster home, I gave him reassurance and affection coupled with regular walks, a few hikes, trips to PetSmart and Petco, and rides in the car to drive-through restaurants – all to help him acclimate to new things and new people. Slowly, his fear disappeared and Boss became a happy, playful dog. Even better, six weeks after leaving the assisted-living facility, Boss has found a forever home with a family in St. George, Utah. He’s an example, Woodard says, that pet behavior can change with time and positive training, which is one of the goals of a No More Homeless Pets campaign to find pets forever homes. “Defensive behavior based in fear is so common in the dogs I meet,” Woodard says. “They need help to learn how to enjoy their opportunities for relaxing and enjoying a better life.” Today, Boss has that new opportunity for a better life with teenagers Lydia and Luke and their father, Dan Oliver. When Boss arrived at his new home, he was happy to be there, wagging his tail and looking up at his new family. The first thing they did was to take him shopping for a winter jacket. “He’s going to be the best-dressed dog in Utah,” Oliver says. Photo of Boss by Gary Kalpakoff Photo of Luke, Boss and Lydia by Dan Oliver

Mia's Amazing 6-month Check-up Results

It's been just over two years since Mia was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse and I was told she had six months to a year to live. On Thursday, I took Mia to see Dr. Patti at Best Friends Animal Society's sanctuary (where my full-time magazine and Web site writing gig is, which is why I get vet care done there). X-rays (or radiographs) were taken and a sonogram done. Mia had been having coughing episodes, so I was worried sick that I'd learn her heart disease had progressed. Her heart is already so enlarged that it fills her chest cavity. Anymore pressure and it would be painful for Mia. Before lunch, I dropped her at the clinic and picked her up at the end of the workday. Dr. Patti (one of the vets featured on National Geographic Channel's "DogTown" series) had incredible news: Mia's heart has not enlarged since her last visit! And there's no fluid in her lungs. Dr. Patti also took blood so she could get a good gauge as to how the rest of Mia's system is doing. On Saturday, the work-up came back from the lab. "Mia’s blood work looks great!" Dr. Patti wrote in an e-mail. (Can you hear the audible relief as I write this?) Her coughing is caused because her enlarged heart is pushing upward and causing pressure against her trachea (if I repeated that correctly). So, I'll try and get Mia into a better exercise regimen, now that the days are longer and not so cold, and take an lb. off of her (she only weighs 9 pounds). I'm also continuing the supplements I've been using (my own program, not the doctor's, although I run everything past the vet before I add or take away a supplement). Even better news is that Mia is not yet in congestive heart failure -- which is the end stage for mitral valve prolapse. Happy New Year, Mia -- and Dr. Patti too -- is what I say! Photo (top) of Mia lounging on cottage bed on the Best Friends sanctuary grounds. Photo of Rosy taking a walk on the road in front of our cottage.

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

Gene Discovered in Mitral Valve Disease

Study: 'Close but No Cigar' A study has discovered a gene present in adult patients diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse.

It's not a new study -- 2005 -- but it's new to me. I read everything I can get my hands on about the disease. There has yet to be a comprehensive one done with dogs. I do know from reading about the disorder in canines, from what literature is out there, that it's found more often in certain breeds and that it's considered genetic. Mia's vet told me it's sometimes seen in overbred dogs, which makes sense with Mia, since she's a full long-haired Chihuahua.

It's also widely seen in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. mitral valve disease in these dogs has shown them to have lifespans of just one to three years. Not good statistics. In other breeds, especially the smaller ones, like Mia, the disease doesn't cause early death because it often doesn't develop until they're older. In Mia's case, however, she developed it young. She was rescued from the storm water in New Orleans when she was only 2 or 3. Now she's around 5 or 6 years old.

We knew when Mia was first examined at the triage center that she had a heart murmur. Little dogs often do. But it's most often because of innocent flow murmurs, not MVP. Then, when she became lethargic (as described in an earlier blog post, below), I took her to the doctor and ultrasound and radiographs were done, and that's when we learned the sad news. She received a Grade 5 (V) -- graded from 1 to 6 -- which meant her murmur was quite loud, with the vibration felt with fingertips without a stethoscope and with a precordial "thrill." Not good. The latest gene study, however, gives me hope, because they've isolated the gene, which means we now know what the tissue consists of and, for Mia, what supplements she can take to help her valve tissue heal. In the meantime, I'm still doing CoQ10 enzyme therapy, along with other supplements, to keep her ticker ticking. To sum up, here are the words from Dr. J Am Coll Cardiol from the American College of Cardiology Foundation:

"Having identified 3 chromosomal loci for mitral valve prolapse does not in itself load the train with genes, but it does suggest that the caboose is waiting to hitch it," the study says. "Let us hope that with our ability today to rapidly sequence DNA and evaluate new candidate genes we will enable the train to leave the station soon."

Photo, by Cathy, of Mia sleeping, with Lois Lane (a chihuahua puppy who was with Mia and me for two months), under the desk in Tylertown, Mississippi, at the triage center for Katrina pets.

Treatment on a plane

On the plane from Las Vegas to Santa Fe, NM, Friday afternoon (more about the fabulous trip to Santa Fe with Ali MacGraw later), Mia started coughing. I tried to calm her. She does that occasionally at home and I prop her up, gently pat her chest and it goes away. It didn't work, so I instead punctured a gel capsule of ubiquinol CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) and squeezed it under her tongue. Within seconds, her coughing stopped and she was fine again. A gal in the seat next to us asked if I had given Mia a tranquilizer. I explained what it was, that it improved her heart's pumping ability and circulation, and she said she would not have believed it had she not seen the quick reaction for herself. I learned about putting it under her tongue from my friends Harriet and Al Needleman. Al's a pharmaceutical inventor/manufacturer of nutritional supplements. Al had suggested it for times just like this, when Mia has difficulty breathing, so that the CoQ10 goes straight to her blood stream without delay. Mia pictured earlier this year at the Mardi Gras Barkus Parade in New Orleans' French Quarter (we'll be going again next year). Photo, below, of Gracie Breland and Mia. Photos by Barb Davis. It wasn't the flight that caused Mia's coughing; she has those bouts at home. It just happened to occur on the flight. Once she stopped coughing, she lay on my arm and fell asleep for the rest of the flight. I've been giving her a teaspoon of coconut oil twice a day instead of just in the morning, and that seems to be helping. She's doing well.

Mia's diagnosis and holistic treatment

Okay, down to the business of Mia's background. She was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse -- a death sentence for dogs -- in December 2006. She turned lethargic so I took her to the vet. After X-rays, blood work-up and a sonogram, I was given the bad news: She had severe MVP, her heart was enlarged, and she had six months to live. The good news, however (and I tried to concentrate on that) was that she was not yet in congestive heart failure. My goal was to stave off congestive heart failure as long as I could. Mia was put on Enalapril, an ACE inhibitor, and lasix, a beta blocker. I went home and hit the Internet, searching for remedies -- mainstream and alternative. I also spoke with two holistic veterinarians I'd met at Best Friends' triage center in Mississippi, where they volunteered following Hurricane Katrina. I spoke to a friend, who had just entered naturopathic pre-med school, and he told me, "Take her off of the blood pressure medicine. The side effects are too risky." I lowered her dose but continued giving it to her. I was hesitant, because many of the data I was finding recommended the meds. I decreased her activity level, because the vet had recommended it. Then my friend later suggested I give Mia coconut water daily. That was the summer of 2007. The results were astounding. In the middle of triple-digit heat, when Mia had trouble breathing at times, her symptoms and asthma disappeared. I then began weaning her off the meds. Next, my sister told me about coconut oil -- organic -- and the benefits. I checked for myself, then went to Whole Foods and bought it. I gave Mia COQ10, hawthorn and probiotics. She did great for a few months. Six months later, the sonogram showed that her heart had actually decreased in size. Then, a few months later, Mia began coughing again and having difficulty breathing, mostly at night and first thing in the morning. I researched COQ10 as an alternative treatment some more, and, in the process, found a pediatric study of mitral valve prolapse. I couldn't find a study done on dogs, so this was the closest thing to scientific research for treatment of Mia. It said exercise was actually good and could help keep the heart strong, so I let Mia do whatever she wanted to do -- if she wanted to run, I let her. If she wanted to stop and came over to me, I picked her up. Then I found this study. I started giving Mia Taurine. I recently talked to someone who was familiar with supplements, and she suggested I put Mia on L-carnitine and the ubiquinol form of COQ10. I saw an immediate improvement in her energy and activity levels. It took about two weeks for it to kick in. She had a bad bout for several weeks. They included panic attacks when she couldn't breathe well. Now, I prop her up against my arm, half standing, rub her chest and it goes away. It's really just a matter of taking her mind off of it. Now, all I have to say to her is, "Settle, Mia. You're okay," the panic attack stops and she breathes normally again. So, that's it in a nutshell -- kind of the CliffsNotes version. One thing, I recently boarded her at my local vet, in a three-dog run with my other two, and when I got home Mia was so upset. She regressed and had a terrible time breathing for about a week. I increased her COQ10 to three times a day (100 mg each capsule), and I now try to take her with me. I do take Woody and Rosy with me too when I can. I rarely went without them until my book tour started, and I couldn't take them with me. Now that it's winding down, we'll get back to our usual routine. I go to southern Utah a lot, and they're always with me there (they love hotel rooms and are great car travelers).

Doggy drinking-fountain etiquette

Mia, as seen in this video, is as feisty as ever, despite her medical condition. In this video clip, taken in the summer, Mia gets bossy with Hollywood, my 95-pound Mastiff-yellow lab mix. Pay close attention in the beginning to when she looks above her head as Woody approaches the drinking fountain. Being the sweet boy he is, Hollywood just rolls with it and backs away, moving to the other side. He knows Mia's behavior like the back of his paw! Today was a good day for Mia. She did well with just some coughing. Tonight I gave her an extra COQ10 capsule -- opened it and put the contents under her tongue -- and her asthmatic-like bout almost immediately stopped. More about that later.