Kelsie McKenzie

Last night, I had to do something that no pet parent wants to do. I had to take Mauja to the emergency vet.

On Wednesday, Mauja was having bouts of panting that seemed slightly abnormal but nothing too concerning. The heat and humidity, combined with Mauja’s above-average anxiety level, often lead to a bit more panting. I got her calmed down and relaxed relatively easily, so I didn’t think much of it. 

The next morning, she seemed fine, so I took her and Atka to their standard grooming appointment. She was panting a lot when I picked her up, but that’s nothing out of the norm. Grooms are stressful and exhausting for many dogs, especially her.

As the day progressed, I became increasingly concerned. She’d open mouth pant in situations where I couldn’t find a cause, but I was always able to get her relaxed and breathing normally.

While I knew this wasn’t normal, I wasn’t overly concerned since she was mostly acting like herself and ate her dinner just fine. After dinner, she crawled onto the couch with me, which she usually does when stressed. I decided to monitor for the evening and call the vet in the morning for an appointment.

Later in the evening, she started full-body panting and let out a few painful cries, so at 9:30 pm, I called the emergency vet, who suggested I bring her in immediately.

The vet could see her as soon as we arrived, and I felt every possible emotion. I needed answers, so I did what many of us do in these situations: run to Google (never a bright idea).

Google is a dangerous place when you’re already expecting the worst. Did her lung collapse? Was it heart failure? Maybe a terrible infection?

Mauja was my first Great Pyrenees and the girl who truly taught me to love and learn to understand the breed. She also turns 10 in two months, making me worry even more. I absolutely could not fathom anything happening to my girl.

The vet did the standard exam and found her pain point almost immediately. Mauja would not let the vet turn her head and cried in pain whenever she touched her neck or the top of the spine. Just remembering the noises she made is breaking my heart.

The vet suggested bloodwork and x-rays, and a financial woman came to the room to discuss costs. I’m incredibly thankful we purchased a pet insurance policy for Mauja when she was a puppy. Knowing I had pet insurance to back up this visit allowed me to focus on Mauja rather than worry about the financial obligation I was about to undertake. I didn’t have to choose which tests to prioritize. Making those decisions at midnight in my mental state at the time would have been impossible.

I authorized whatever was necessary to get to a diagnosis.

We decided to give Mauja a bit of anesthesia so they could manipulate her to get the best possible x-rays while causing the least amount of pain. I ensured the vet understood the specific anesthesia needs for Great Pyrenees, and they took her into the back.

I paced the room, repeating, “Whatever she has is treatable. She’s fine. It’s treatable. She’s fine.” I couldn’t imagine anything happening to her with Nick 7,000 miles away.

After what seemed like an eternity, the vet returned to the room to let me know she was stable and waking up from anesthesia. She had a chance to review her bloodwork and x-rays, and out of all the outcomes I had in my mind, we received a pretty good one.

The most plausible cause is Intervertebral Disc Disease, or IVDD.

“IVDD is a disease that affects the disc-shaped cushions of tissue between the bones on the back (vertebrae). These cushions (called intervertebral discs) have a thick, tough covering on the outside, with a softer, gel-like interior. Not only do these cushions keep backbones from rubbing against each other when your pooch moves, but they also protect the spinal cord from damage as the cord travels down the middle of the spine.

As your dog ages, the tough, outer portion of the disc may start to break down. At the same time, the inner portion of the disc may begin to harden. If the exterior breaks down enough, it can cause the interior to bulge out and press against the spinal cord. This can also be referred to as herniation or rupture. The pressure caused by the bulging disc can cause serious damage to the spinal cord. This is commonly called a “slipped disc.””

ASPCA

Mauja was sent home with a few medications and is on strict crate rest for a minimum of two weeks.

We had an extremely rough night. Between her pain level and the after-effects of the anesthesia, she really struggled to relax. Thankfully, this afternoon she’s doing a lot better. It seems the medications have fully kicked in, and she’s been able to get some sleep.

The plan is to keep her comfortable and quiet until her recheck in two weeks. Hopefully, we get good news then, and she can work her way back up to her normal daily activity and get back to enjoying her life <3

Stay tuned to learn more about IVDD and our pet insurance recommendation.

This story is sponsored by CUDDLY. Don’t worry—we only share information about products and services we truly love and support.

Rescue is kind of my thing.

When I was younger, I’d help any animal I came across. I can vividly remember riding my bike around our small neighborhood and finding an injured baby bird. I ran to my friend’s house, grabbed some gloves, and put him into our mailbox until I could get an adult (because my kid brain felt that was the safest place for him).

As I got older, I fell in love with the Great Pyrenees breed and became obsessed. Once I brought my first pyr home, Mauja, I was hooked. I started getting involved in rescue and trying to help as many as I could.

And now, I run my own kitten rescue focusing on orphan neonatal kittens and special needs.

Like I said, rescue is kind of my thing.

Mauja and Atka came from an amazing, reputable breeder, so I knew their backstory. I knew how they were treated, who their parents are, where they lived, and more. Even though I wasn’t there to witness it, I trusted what I was told about them—the breeder had a great reputation.

But Kiska is a different story.

I was on a trip and heard about a litter in poor shape. I banded together with local pyr rescue people, and we headed out to check out the situation.

Even though I’ve had her since she was about 7 weeks old (and she’s 3 now), I don’t know her whole story. Here’s her story as I imagine it—told by her.

Kiska’s unspoken story

I don’t remember much from before coming to my forever home, but I remember being cold and scared.

Oh, and itchy—extremely itchy.

I lived outside with my brothers and sisters (I think there were eight of us, it’s hard to remember at this point). The floor was really hard and cold, and at nighttime, we’d shiver and huddle together.

We also didn’t get to spend time with our mama. We were with her to start, but one day, my siblings and I were on the porch, and she was out in the field.

She was whining because she couldn’t get to us, but the human wouldn’t let her in. We would run up and down the fence together which was fun, but I really just wanted to snuggle my mom. We watched her and learned how to bark. If there was a shadow or a weird noise, she’d bark, bark, bark, and we’d do the same.

The humans didn’t like that. They’d yell at us to stop, and we were scared so we hid. My mama didn’t hide though. She was strong and she’d keep barking. She said she had to protect the chickens and the black cat.

I liked that cat. Occasionally, he’d jump over the fence and snuggle with us. It was nice because he always smelled like mama—it was comforting.

I never really got to see humans though. The person that lived in the house didn’t come visit us much. She’d come out and give us food and water, but the buckets were huge, so she didn’t have to do it very often.

Did I mention I was itchy? I’d scratch and scratch, but I couldn’t make the feeling go away.

Then one night, some other humans came to visit. My siblings were a bit nervous, but I was absolutely terrified. I tried to crawl into a shelf, but I knocked things over, scaring myself even more. I eventually hid behind a rake and hoped the humans would leave.

But they wouldn’t.

Eventually, one came over and picked me up. I was so scared and couldn’t stop shaking, but it felt… good. I let her keep holding me, and I felt so calm. When she put me down, all I wanted was to be held again. I stayed close by her so she knew, and touched her leg over and over to remind her I was there.

But then she left.

I don’t know why she left. I was so sad, and so scared. I finally felt warm and comfortable, and then she left me. I couldn’t believe she left.

But when the sun came up, I couldn’t believe my eyes. She was back! I was so happy my tail wouldn’t stop wiggling. She came onto the patio, picked me up, kissed my face, and we walked out together.

She took me to a new place, and while I knew I was safe with her, I had never left my patio, I had never left my siblings, and now I couldn’t see my mom. I couldn’t make the drools stop, and I threw up on her a few times on the drive.

I had baths—a lot of them—but they removed the itchies! I think they said it was fleas? I quickly became a new girl and couldn’t wait for our adventures.

I got a new collar, a new leash, and a new raincoat. Mom said, “Puppies in Seattle need raincoats.” Whatever that means. I didn’t like it, but it made all the humans ooh and ahh. I liked the attention. I learned that humans can actually be pretty good. And you know what? My new life is pretty awesome.

CUDDLY: Help for shelters and rescues

Kiska and her littermates were lucky enough to have the support of many people to get healthy and find amazing new homes, but having resources is always difficult for rescues to come by.

That’s where CUDDLY comes in.

CUDDLY enables rescues to create fundraisers and wishlists to support animals in their care. Their mission is to help save as many animals globally through community, innovation, and creativity, and they currently have over 2,000 animal welfare organizations on board.

My heart broke as I browsed through all the animals in need on CUDDLY, but at the same time, I was overcome with emotion seeing all the support. There’s so much negativity in the world right now, but seeing strangers come together to save animals warms my heart.

I was especially touched by the work Angels Journey Home Animal Rescue is doing for these puppy mill puppies. Kiska was in better shape than these babies, but I can understand the blood, sweat, and tears that are going into getting them healthy (and flea-free).

I encourage you to take some time to explore CUDDLY and see if there is an animal that speaks to you. Some organizations are in need of supplies, while some are requesting monetary donations for veterinary bills.

If you work with a rescue, I’d also encourage you to look into how the platform can help you save more animals. I know I’ll be registering my kitten rescue soon. CUDDLY is an invaluable tool for any animal welfare organization.

Share your pet’s story

What’s your pet’s unspoken story? What do you think your pet would say about his/her life before being adopted? Share their story on any social media platform using the hashtag #MyUnspokenPet. I can’t wait to read your stories!

It’s hard to believe Tikaani has been with us for four months!

I really wish I knew what happened earlier in his life, but we’re just going to push forward regardless. He’s living the good life and learning a lot.

Once he trusts you, he’s extremely eager to please—he always wants to make his people happy.

Quick recap

• Kaani trusted me after spending 48 hours straight together.
• It took about 76 hours for him to start to trust Nick. Nick wasn’t with him full-time, but Kaani knew I thought he was okay, which helped.
• If Kaani could see a person—no matter how far away—he lunged and barked like crazy. He wanted people to know he meant business.
• He had very similar reactivity to dogs.
• He would pick fights with the floofs (usually Atka) about once per day.
• We couldn’t have all four dogs inside at the same time without the risk of a fight. We would rotate: Kiska and Kaani inside, Mauja and Atka outside, the switch.
• When it was time for everyone to come inside in the evening, he had to go upstairs to his crate.

Check out this quick video of Tikaani’s progress over the first few days with us!

4-month progress

Tikaani and the floofs

Things were a little rocky between all four dogs at first, but that was to be expected with all of the changes Kaani was going through. Although Kaani was a bit nervous, the first intros went great. Mauja, Atka, and Kiska were pretty respectful with his space to not freak him out too much.

Kiska and Kaani bonded almost instantly. I think a lot of it is because they’re so close in age. They seem to have a similar relationship to Mauja and Atka, who are also just a year apart.

Everyone was able to be outside together without an issue. We struggled when we brought them inside. Kaani would lunge at Mauja in the evening, causing Kiska to jump in as well. Then we had three dogs going at it.

So, we did a version of crate and rotate. Two inside, two outside. It definitely helped everyone relax. After a few weeks, I was able to have all four inside without an issue during the day. Dinner time seemed to be the tipping point. Kaani would get tired and snippy.

Thankfully, he absolutely loves his crate, so he was happy to go hang out in the evenings.

Because of this, I was definitely worried about all the hotel stays during our move from WA to VA, and our next home being an 800 sq foot apartment.

They continued to improve over the weeks. We had a few hiccups, but overall, things were great.

Once we moved into the apartment, everyone got a little feisty again (definitely can’t blame them!). There were a few scuffles, but nothing as bad as it used to be.

It only took a few weeks for everyone to settle in—I couldn’t tell you the last time we had a fight here. Everyone is being very respectful of space, and they can even enjoy bully sticks within a few feet of each other without any issues.

Related: How to Muzzle Train Your Dog

Tikaani and strangers

When I first got Kaani, he would bark and lunge at every stranger he saw. It seemed he wasn’t the dog to actually bite based on my experiences with him. He’d grab your arm, but never clench down. He wanted you to know he meant business.

Can’t say I blame the guy.

I’d want them to know I’m not messing around if someone smacked me with a baseball bat (or something similar since we don’t know exactly what happened).

We’ve been working on a few things to help with this: the check-in, confidence, leave it, and general comfort around strangers.

The check-in and leave it are a very similar concept—although one is prompted and the other isn’t.

Kaani is learning the check-in, so he can recognize his own level of discomfort. He looks to me if he sees another person and is feeling uncomfortable. Then he gets all the praise and treats for being able to make that decision on his own.

But sometimes, it’s too much and he can’t think to check-in. That’s where leave it is important.

If Kaani starts to show signs of stress and forgets to look to me, I instruct to leave it. We’re still perfecting this skill, but he’s doing really well. I teach my dogs that when they leave it, they should look up to me (rather than just ignore the item/person).

Kaani looks to me and the treats start flowing.

He’s made a lot of progress, and he can now walk calmly past people 90% of the time. We’ve had strangers within 10 feet of us, and he handled it extremely well.

We still have a lot of work to do, but I’m extremely optimistic.

Tikaani and friends/family

Tikaani is slowly warming up to people he sees more frequently. In fact, just a few weeks ago, my best friend was able to watch the dogs for the evening so we could enjoy a soccer game.

Not only did Kaani want to take treats from her, but he adored her affection! I couldn’t get over the videos of him running up to her for attention.

I thought my heart was going to burst.

He’s also doing really well with my mom and sister. He doesn’t want to be pet by them, but he’ll gladly take treats! String cheese is the key to becoming his friend.

So now, Kaani is completely comfortable with myself and Nick. He’s 98% comfortable with my bestest, Jess. He can handle being around my mom and sister for a bit until he gets overstimulated. I think with another visit or two, he’ll be loving them as well.

The next step is getting Kaani comfortable with another male. This is definitely going to be challenging because he is much more fearful of men. It took a long time for him to completely warm up to Nick, so introducing another male figure is going to be challenging.

He’s been making great progress with my dad, so we’re going to keep working on building that relationship.

Every day, Tikaani learns that the world is just a little less scary, and it makes my heart happy.