10/19/11 - Yesterday, I got home from work and promptly took all the dogs out for a walk. It was a little chilly, a little breezy, and the squirrels were busy hiding acorns for winter! There is a big acorn tree two houses down from us, and the cars parked underneath are constantly bombarded by falling acorns - it's amazing the cars aren't dented!
Anyway, all the dogs were feeling so spirited, it made me laugh just to watch them. I grew up with horses, and fall was always the most fun time to ride because the horses were so spirited and sassy - just full of themselves! This is how our dogs were acting yesterday. Reo was in her full-on "stalker" run. She has a special way of trotting along when she's "hunting" for squirrels. She gets lower to the ground and takes longer strides (as opposed to her normal min pin hackney). It made for a fun, brisk walk.
This morning it was the coldest it's been so far since the summer, with a little rain to boot, so none of the dogs was interested in being outside for a second longer than needed! They did their morning business and then ran back, shivering! Reo, being Reo, was feeling sassy and so promptly attacked two of her toys after coming inside while she waited (not-so-patiently!) for breakfast.
Fall is in the air!
In March 2011, our Miniature Pinscher, Reo, suddenly went blind and was diagnosed with SARDS (Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome). We were given no hope for vision recovery, but through research, perseverance, love, tears, and a lot of luck, we brought our dog back from a serious illness, and restored some functional vision in about 5 months! This is our story, our journey...and we hope that by sharing our story, we can help other dogs diagnosed with SARDS!
BLOG DISCLAIMER
**DISCLAIMER** Please note: I am not a veterinarian, and the purpose of this blog is solely to educate, provide resources, and share Reo's story. In this blog, I will present research and information on the theories of SARDS to which I subscribe, along with my own narrative. If you think your dog may have SARDS, or adrenal exhaustion/Plechner Syndrome, please seek veterinary care right away!
If you are just beginning your SARDS education, I suggest you start with the blog post from August 22, 2011 entitled "SARDS Resources". If you'd like to know our trials, tribulations, and joys from the beginning, start with "But first...Reo!" and click chronologically on from there.
If you would like to read my suggestions as to how I would approach treatment for a newly-diagnosed dog, check the November 16, 2011 post "If I had another SARDS dog" (and then read my blog more fully for appropriate context).
Though we have decided to suspend Reo's retinal protection supplements in September 2012 (see September 16, 2012 post "Decision for Reo") due to the fact that she had very little remaining vision, I am still strongly supportive of our treatment approach, and know that it changed Reo's health and longevity in a positive way. Feel free to comment and ask me any questions - I am happy to help if I can!
Update: Reo became an angel on October 21, 2014. She had a profound kidney infection, causing acute kidney failure, and she was unable to recover. The contributing factors to her decline are covered in my February 16, 2015 blog post "Farewell to Reo".
Though I do not regularly update this blog any longer, much of the information is still relevant (though some of the links may be out of date). Feel free to join the conversation at "SARDS Dogs United" on Facebook.
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