Daisy
Canine Pet of the Month - July/August 2024
Daisy is a 14-year-old mixed breed dog who has visited AHS regularly since she was adopted by her owner in 2011. She has always been a very sweet girl and her owner has done a good job keeping her updated on all her care including vaccines, heartworm meds and dentistry. She has always been very healthy except for one thing—her weight. Daisy’s owner is an older adult who showed his love for her by feeding her frequently. Whenever he ate, she ate and he was a sucker for her big brown eyes. Because his mobility was limited, Daisy got almost no exercise. This is a bad combination and Daisy slowly went from chunky to overweight to morbidly obese. Her mature adult weight was 32 pounds and she peaked at 52 pounds. She was unable to move around the home very well and she had no interest in stairs or walks. She lived a very sedentary life.
As her owner aged, he required more constant supervision and his daughter took over his and Daisy’s care. She listened intently to our conversation about Daisy’s weight and became very motivated to help her. She began restricting Daisy’s calories and preventing her father from feeding Daisy from the table. She also started a consistent regimen of walking.
Daisy’s excess weight slowly and steadily began to come off and, over the course of two years, she lost 20 pounds-back to her recommended weight. She became much more active and energetic. Her attitude improved and she became much more ambulatory. She is doing better now than she has in the last six years. Because of her weight than and return to a much better quality of life, Daisy is AHS’s canine Pet of the Month!
Gherkin
Feline Pet of the Month - July/August 2024
Gherkin is a male middle-aged at that presented with a severe upper respiratory infection. Gherkin has been a healthy kitty up to this point. Antibiotics were started. The respiratory infection worsened, and Gherkin became more lethargic. On a follow up exam, Gherkin’s gingiva were noted to be quite pale. A blood screen revealed severe anemia and dehydration. Gherkin’s bone marrow was trying to regenerate the blood, but was not keeping up. This is typical of immune-mediated (autoimmune) hemolytic anemia. Gherkin was hospitalized and rehydrated, and corticosteroids started. Gherkin started to feel better and resumed eating. His red blood cell count improved. A new broad-spectrum antibiotic was started. Gherkin’s upper respiratory signs resolved, and his anemia has continued to resolve and currently, Gherkin is having his corticosteroid dose gradually reduced. Gherkin is an odd case, and we feel his sever respiratory signs set off his hemolytic anemia. We are so glad Gherkin is back to feeling himself again! His recovery earned him our feline Pet of the Month honor.