SaberTails

ISummer2015

www.pbgv.org

61

“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.