Sept 1, 2010-May 23, 2011

I have been unable to write about this here for almost 2 months, but it is time to make the official announcement that Zinnia passed away on May 23, 2011.

She was struck by a car on the road in front of our house in the morning.  I was out on the driveway with her just minutes before the accident, calling her in but she was acting up.  She would not come when I called her, so I went inside to get dressed and as I did, I heard a bang, a yelp and a thunk.

She died instantly.

The woman who hit her by accident came barrelling down the driveway in her car, tears streaming down her face... we went out to the road together and Zinnia lay there, oddly still, fur rustling in the breeze.  She looked asleep, wth no gruesome injuries and only the tiniest bit of blood in her nose.  I am grateful she didn't suffer.

We cried together, and shared a hug.  I don't know this lady, had never seen her before or since, though I did get her name.  She waited with her while I got a blanket and drove over with my car to put her in the back. 

I laid her body in the backyard, then later on friends came to get her and bury her in their pet cemetary.

I was devastated for weeks, and have been able to rationalize that she was here for a good time not a long time, and that she taught me a LOT while she was here.

I hope she is running fast and free in Doggie Heaven, watching over us <3.

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Medications

After our consult with Dr Moira Drosdevich in Kelowna, Zinnia is on a few different herbal and holistic medications including:

Super EFF (essential fatty acids)

Lepsilyte- to reduce severity and frequency of seizures

DMG- antioxidant

Taurine- anticonvulsant

She was on Belladonna for the first 10 days.  Although this combination of meds hasn't stopped her seizures, it has certainly decreased the frequency and the intensity of them.  I do indeed have to call them seizures now as it appears that is what they indeed are :(

Onward and upward!  I am fairly convinced that we can at least improve her quality of life and reduce her episodes.

She is an otherwise healthy, normal, playful, snuggly young Toller puppy and will eventually be looking for a home of her own.

The latest

Zinnia has an appointment with our new holistic/traditional vet in Kelowna for March 30.  We are excited to see where the next step will take us in terms of her diagnosis and treatment.

Since the pups have been born, I have been a little behind on her blog.  Apologies for those following.

No major changes for the better or the worse to report: she has her fits/episodes/seizures about 5 out or 7 nights per week.  They are ALWAYS at night.  The earliest she has had one to my knowledge was this week at 7:45pm.  They are normally a few seconds to maybe 30 seconds in length.  Ever since the first week, when she targeted another dog (mainly Splash who was the closest in proximity) they are ALWAYS directed at me.  She wakes suddenly from sleeping, resting or dozing, begins to growl, snap and bark, her eyes glazed and pupils huge.  Then she 'attacks' me, normally my hands or whatever might be moving.  One time it was almost my head.  No matter what I do, whether nothing or restrain her, give her a verbal command, take her by the scruff, whatever... they seem to stop as suddenly as they started and then she is either EXHAUSTED by them or acting ashamed and slinks away.

There is very little about this dog while she is 'concious, up and about' that could be tagged as aggression.  She growled at me once in a normal state of mind when I took a toy away without the GIVE command.  She is excellent with ALL the other dogs, from the 4 week old pups to her 12 year old great-great granny.  She holds a special place in her Dad's and Mom's hearts and they treat her very well.  Even Bhindi is warming up to her, though in all fairness B has been busy pregnant or parenting pretty much since Z got here.  The last few days, they have been sharing toys nicely and engaging in some fun chase/play bow behaviour together.

So in a nutshell, we are no further along to a diagnosis or treatment for a few reasons, but with any luck we will have some new details in early April.

Thanks for following!!

Video of Zinnia yesterday