Originally Posted by kjc  I have been in contact with Krystal. I don't know yet what the plan is with Kathleen or what she planned to do to help Melody. I am assuming that after speaking with the vet, it was decided to leave Melody with Krystal and begin medications, as Kathleen has health issues of her own to deal with, and was unable to go pick up Melody as was planned due to bad weather.
I am not trying to be rude here but there we many people including rescues that offered to help. Kathleen is the one that made her self available, yet she knew she had a medical condtion and an upcoming operation , this is what caused the OP To not pursue other avenues.. It was 4 days ago, I am very sure a rescue could have made travel arraingments by then NOW we are 4 days in the negitive? It wasnt decided by DR Tobias or a vet at UCLA what to do with Melody or if foods and meds were enough, Kathleen decided this and from what I am reading had no follow up plan if it didnt as she now has a medical condition and is getting an operation.
Update on Melody: Melody was/is very close to dying from the toxins not being removed by her liver. She weighs 2.6# and at that weight accompanied with her level of toxicity, prognosis is poor that she would survive a surgery to repair her liver shunt at this time, or even the trip to the hospital.
Again I am not trying to be rude here but who determined this? Im going to assume that you did not speak to the vet? Im also going to come right out and say that NONE Of us are vets here so we dont know for sure that this is the case!! I am also going to assume that the current vet is not qualified to determine if the dog can be stablized and prepare for surgury?
It appeared to me that it may take a day or two to arrange for a rescue to pick her up, that's when Kathleen volunteered to get her. That fell through due to the weather. I PMed Krystal to get Melody on antibiotics, lactulose and Denamarin immediately to at least help Melody's liver to recover, if at all possible and to at least begin getting the toxins out of her body making her healthier for the day she does have her surgery, and while arrangements could be made for whatever they decided to do.
Please clarify who is " they" , if Krystal has no finacial ability to get the liver shunt operation and as YOU state Kathleen has medical issues WHO , WHERE and when is this puppy going to get to those hospitals.
Melody started her meds and a new diet. Krystal mixed the new with the old, but Melody picked out the new and ate it. This made her stomach bloat this morning. It has gone down some, and Melody is still exhibiting neurological symptoms but has shown some improvement.
I read Krystals post about the food, she stated she came home and gave her a bowl of food and she ate it all up!! Did anyone remember to tell her that the food should be distributed only in small protions SEVERAL TIMES a day because from the sounds of the way she fed her NO ONE DID. All of us have good intentions here, but none of us are VETS NOR is ANYONE Qualified the fate of this puppy by speculation.. as many assumed this new diet and food were going to help , now leaving us 4 days behind that could have been life saving days for MELODY>
I still have questions that I'm waiting for answers on. Rescue is not totally out of the running, I'm looking into air travel to U of T through Pilots N Paws, Maybe a YT member there to get her off the plane and take her to the U of T, and now waiting to hear from Kathleen and Krystal for their decisions.
I know Kathleen was looking into having the surgery done in California, so waiting for an update there. And is there a rescue that could pick her up immediately? I know some of this is redundant, but I'm not familiar with rescues in her area and anything will still take time to put into action.
Its frustrating because 4 days have passed that would have allowed a rescue to get her!
And just to throw this out there: This is the 3rd LS/MVD case I'm aware of where the Vets and/or clients got a diagnosis and nothing further was done. In Melody's case, a low protein diet was advised but no meds prescribed. I don't know if the Vets are dropping the ball coupled by the clients not understanding the severity of LS/MVD or not understanding the options available or what. I'll be reading threads in a different light from now on. |