[107barney]

I don't know if I posted about Daisy and her diagnosis of PLN. Almost two years ago, we started to see Daisy lose protein in her urine. My regular vet tested her a couple of times to rule out common causes like urinary tract or kidney infections. Unfortunately, Daisy still continued to lose protein and was referred back to her internal medicine specialist. He has treated Daisy's liver disease (microvascular dysplasia) and Inflammatory bowel disease for many years. He really scared me when we talked about the protein-losing kidney disease. He told me that the kidneys can have high blood pressure inside the small glomerular filtration system and that this can cause the dog to throw a blood clot and potentially have a stroke or death! So he wanted to put her on medicine. She started a high blood pressure medicine and a tiny dose of aspirin. I cried all the way home imagining how tiny 2 mg of aspirin would be. I have to have it made special for her because it cannot be suspended in any flavoring due to her allergies.

I started the medicine and Daisy started to improve. Later, LadyJane's dog Olivia was diagnosed with the same condition and told me how horrible the prognosis was! I didn't ask the internal medicine specialist about the prognosis, and I was convinced that she'd be lucky to see a year, if that.

It's been almost two years now and she is improving! I'm stunned! Her total protein is 7.2 which is the high end of normal and her albumin is also great. This means Daisy isn't losing protein through her body. Her kidney levels are also very good. Her liver is good for her, and will never be "normal" but even those numbers look ok (ALT was 183). Her urine protein ratio to creatinine which measures how much protein her kidneys are leaking is much lower than where we started.

Her doctors continue to be amazed she is still alive. They say things in like "natural selection would have selected against her" or "I can't believe she's still alive" or "wow, these are surprising numbers." yes, I cover her ears when they talk about how ill she is. But I know she knows...

She was so adorable the other day geting her blood pressure taken with her tiny little leg in a tiny little cuff. She just layed there very calm and sweet like she always is.

I thought I would share, I always seem to have bad news and this seems a little happy for once. Although my new vet suggested I not go outside when there is lightning.

This is why I am so passionate about getting good and proper vet care. I have seen what is possible. It hasn't always been easy mentally or financially. It's been very hard actually. I can't change who Daisy is, or the facts of her horrible breeding. But I can help her live as happily and comfortably as possible.

I love this dog.