60
www.pbgv.org
Summer2015
ISaberTails
L
aciwassurrenderedbyherfamilytotheBoulder,Colo.,humanesociety
in2013.Shehadbeenwiththemsincepuppyhood,buthadstarted
nippingattheir6-year-oldchild.Sadly,Lacispentmostofherlifeinthe
backyardbeingignoreduntilherfamilytookhertotheshelter,whereshe
wasforseveralweeks.Shehadasevereinfectioninbothearsandwasinvery
poorcoatcondition.Theshelterdidafullbodyclipandbegantreatmenton
herears.Lacihadtobesedatedtoworkwiththem;itwasfeltthattheprob-
lemwithherearswaspartofthereasonthatshewasnippywiththechild.
Apparently,shehadinfectionsthroughtheyearsandtheownerswerenot
diligentatfollowingupwithearcare.
PBGVCAmemberLeoneCoryellreceivedacallfromPBGVCARescue’sJulie
Shannon,tellingheraboutLaci,andaskinghertopickherupattheshelter.
LeonewasgoingtofosterLaci,butshehadfivedogsofherownatthetimeand
asickBouvier,soLeonebrought
LacitoLizWhitneyDVM.Liz
fosteredLaciforatimeand
helpedheroutsomuch.
Lizsaid,“Oncewediscovered
howbadLaci’sotitiswas,PBGV
Rescueallowedmetokeepher
untilwecouldgetthatunder
control,andmanageher
conditionandnecessary
procedures.Theunderlying
problemwasallergic(atopic
dermatitis),andshedidhave
somegeneralizedskinirritation
anditchingofherfeetand
belly.Shewassedatedthree
timesforearexamsand
cleaning;thefirsttwotimes,her
eardrumswerenotintactand
shehadamiddleearinfection.
Thelasttime,theearswere
finallyhealed.Shewastreated
withacombinationofan
antifungal,antibioticsand
steroidsorally,plussomelocal
medication.Shewasalsoplaced
onaprescriptionkangarooandoatdiet;shedidrespond
welloverfour-to-sixweeksoftreatment,andtheplanwas
forhertostayonahypoallergenicdietlongterm,and
thentreatflareupsastheysurfaced.”
Onceshewasbetter,PBGVRescuewantedLaciintheir
networkoffosterhomessoshewenttoSherylBradbury
inNebraska.LacididwellatSheryl’swithallofherdogs,
andshewasgroomedtolookmorelikeaPBGV.After
aboutfourweeksinNebraska,shewasplacedwithRick
andRhondaBratenginColorado,soshewastransferred
back!BetweenLiz,CSUVeterinaryHospitalandanother
vetfriend,BronwinHansen,Laciwasgiftedwithhun-
dredsifnotacouplethousandofdollarsofmedicalcare.
BeforefindingoutaboutLaci,RickandRhondahad
visitedLeone’shousewheretheywereintroducedtoher
TheStoryofLaci
IForeverHome:StoriesfromRescue
byJoanMann•JMann17307@aol.com
PBGVstosolidifytheirideaofadoptingarescue,andenjoyed
meetingallofLeone’sdogs.TheypickedLaciupinDenveron
Nov.5,2013fromSheilaStaar,whotransportedLacifromthe
OmahaareawhereLacilivedwithSheryl.
Rickremembers:“Weweremadeawareaheadoftimethat
Lacihadspecialneeds.Whenshefirstarrived,Laciwalked
aroundwhiningforafewdays,butthewhininggradually
subsidedonceshesettledin.Shearrivedwithacomplete
carepackageduetothecaringeffortofLiz.Lacibondedto
usquickly,eatingandbehavingwell.Sheimmediatelytook
tohertoysinthehouse.Shereceivedourundividedattention,
asshewasouronlypetatthetime.Laciisapolitelittlegirl.
Herbackyardbacksuptoagolfcourse,whereshecansiton
thepatiostepandwatchpassersbyduringtheday,andsee
deerinthemorningsandevenings.”