SaberTails
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www.pbgv.org
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“WhenyouspeaktoLaci,shealwaystiltsherhead,show-
ingthatsheislisteningintently,”Ricksaid.“Shevisitedher
newvetforhercheckup(AnimalCareCenterofCastle
Pines,Colo.)andwasputonahydrolyzedproteindiet.Laci
wassomewhatonthethinsidewhenshearrived.Wehave
beenvigilantaboutkeepingLacionherprescriptionfood.
Shegraduallybegantogainweight,alwaysunderhervet’s
guidance.Abouteverysixweeksshereceivesherbeauty-
shoptreatmentatthegroomer.Lacicontinuedtogarner
allofourattentionuntilJune2014,whenweadopted
oursecondPBGV,Bogart.BoreliesonLacieverydayfor
guidance,andLaciremindshimoftenaboutwhoisboss.”
Rickcontinues:“Everythingwasgoingalongnicelyfor
LaciuntilOctober2014whenwenoticedherappetitewas
decreasingandshewaslosingweight.Thevettookablood
test,whichindicatedseverelyelevatedlivervalues,some
being20timesthenormalrange.Uponseeingtheresults,
Laci’svetreferredherimmediatelytoVeterinarySpecialty&
EmergencyServicesinEnglewood,Colo.Shestayed
overnight,receivingIVsandround-the-clockcare.Our
littlegirlenduredtwoultrasoundsandmultipletests,and
wasdiagnosedwithchronicliver
disease.Wepickedherupthenext
day,bringingBowithus.Lacinever
appearedhappierthanwhenthey
broughtherout.Lacinowreliesonfour
medicationsandvitaminEtwicedaily
tokeepherhealthy.Bothdogsenjoy
salmonjerkyandhome-driedsweet-
potatoslicesfordailytreats.”
Ricksays,“Lacicontinuesdowell
today.She’snineyearsoldnow,andhas
gainedbackherweightandcontinuesto
exhibitspunkandexuberanceforlife.
Recentresultsofherlatestbloodtests
showthathercriticallyhighlivervalues
havedecreasedbyhalffromwhatthey
wereinDecember.Shewasputon
cyclosporineinDecemberbecauseher
othermedscouldn’treducethevalues,
anditisworkingashoped.Wecanonly
lookforwardtoimprovedtestresults
againthissummerathernextround
oftests.”
Nowthattheweatherisbetter,LaciandBovisit
thedogparkontheweekends.Lacimixeswiththe
otherdogswhileBomakesfriendswithpeopleand
goesexploringbyhimself.Andtwiceweekly,Laci
andBogoforwalkswithadogwalker.Laciadores
attention.Shelikestohaveyoutalkwithher.And,of
course,thetummyrubsareanecessity.Mostnights
shesleepsonthebedwithRickandRhonda.The
hedgehogandthesquirrelareLaci’sgo-totoys.
WhenRickandRhondaarrivehomeduringthe
week,sheusuallygrabsoneandbeginschewingand
thrashingit.Thatcontinuesassherunsoutsidewith
thetoysqueakingalltheway.
Laci’sstoryisstillongoing,butRickandRhonda
continuetohopeforthebest.Andtheylovehertopieces.
LizhadbecomeveryattachedtoLaciduringherstay,
andvisitedherinhernewhomewithRickandRhonda.
“I’mthrilledtoseethatLacilandedinawonderful,loving
family,andIcannowresteasilythatshe’sinaforever
home,”shesaid.
LuckyLaci!Frombeingignoredinabackyardtoa
wonderfulhomewithviewsofagolfcourseandafamily
whoadoresher.ThankssomuchtoRickandRhonda
Brateng,LizWhitneyDVM,JulieShannonandLeone
CoryellfortheircontributionstoLaci’sstory.
I
Ifyou’veaddedaPBGVtoyourfamilythroughRescue,please
considertellingusyourstory.Youcansendtextandpicturesto
JoanMannatJMann17307@aol.comorjmannsox@gmail.com.
YouCanHelp.
TomakeadifferenceinaPBGV’slife,visit
thePBGVCA’srescuepage:www.pbgv.org/BreedInfo/rescue/shtml
andconsidermakingadonationtotherescueeffort.Noamount
istoosmall,andeverydonationisappreciated.
Left:Laciattheshelter.Page60photosshowLaciat
hernewhomeinthespringof2014.Belowleft:Laci
afterher“beautytreatment”atthegroomer.Laciphotos
courtesyofRickandRhondaBrateng
LaciandLiz
WhitneyDVMin
SteamboatSprings
justpriortoLaci’s
Nebraskatransfer.