nothing i wouldn't do for my Roo

Yesterday I took Kiera and Chelsea to the vet for their annual health exam. Chelsea has to be kept current on all vaccines because of our participation in Pet-assisted Therapy so her check up was pretty straightforward. And she's healthy! Yay!  The vet also said she's approximately 8-10 years old, which is pretty consistent with my guess of 8 or 9.

With Kiera, as always, it was a little more complicated. I was anticipating some blood work because my vet recommends "wellness screening" in mature animals to catch problems in early stages if at all possible.

The decision whether to vaccinate Kiera is always a struggle for me.  Kiera has problems with allergies, and hair loss previously attributed to allergies. She gets "special baths" every two week with a medicated shampoo containing salicylic acid. And you probably know I'm extremely particular about everything that goes in to her, especially food. I don't even allow her treats unless I'm sure they don't contain potential allergens. So you can appreciate that I'm also very uncomfortable with injecting her with something that might wreck havoc on her already out of whack system. I turn myself inside out weighing the pros and cons and in the end I follow my instincts and pray I've made the right decision for my dog. She don't have a voice so I need to weigh the facts, the risks, and make the very best decision I can, even if it seems to be the less of two evils, because obviously there are inherent risks in not vaccinating pets against known diseases. It  helps to have a supportive vet who will provide information, and work with me and not try to talk me out of what I believe to be best for my pets.


I would never recommend making decisions about vaccinations or heartworm prevention lightly. If this is something you're considering I urge you to talk to your vet and do your own research. At the end of the day there are pros and cons to each path, it is not black and white in any way, shape or form. There are a number of variables to consider including the pet's health, lifestyle, possible exposure to diseases etc. A supportive vet who will provide information, and work with you to find a solution you're comfortable with as a pet owner is really a treasure, please don't settle for anything less.

My vet recommended a more comprehensive screening of Kiera's blood work that would include thyroid hormone levels. I walked out of the vet clinic $370 poorer but my vet called me today and Kiera has a significantly under-active thyroid. This could explain the loss of fur over the past few years that another vet had attributed to allergies. Hypothyroidism is not uncommon among Cocker Spaniels although they usually look like little snausages. Kiera is quite lean. Other than the thyroid issue and some slight anemia (which the vet suggested may be attributed to the hypothyroidism) Kiera's blood work was completely normal. Great news.

I kind of feel like she's starting a new life today. Not in terms of age, she will still be 7, but she's been one of the oldest 7 year old dogs I've ever known. I think of Sarah/Alpha at that age and it's like night and day (though they were very different dogs in many ways). Her skin and coat will probably improve, and maybe I can even loosen my death grip-ish control over what she eats so she can have the odd treat at a dog park if someone asks. And I feel good about myself. There will be repercussions for the $400 that just disappeared out of this month's budget but I'll never have to question whether I've done everything I can to help her be healthy and happy. That's the kind of furmom she deserves and it makes me happy that I can be that for her.

If anyone is interested the outstanding vet is Sarah Machell at North Oakville Animal Hospital 
Sarah has never steered me or my family wrong. She took exceptional care of our beloved Sarah (dog) aka. Alpha in her declining years and made a generous donation to canine cancer research in Sarah/Alpha's memory when she died.  My parents' rescued Australian Shepherd Reilly is epileptic and again Sarah worked with my parents to provide them with information and options so that they can make decisions they feel good about.  And then of course there's Kiera - ruptured cruciate ligaments and now hypothyroidism, Sarah has seen us through a lot.  She even volunteers her services at the Oakville & District Humane Society.