| JoJo's Battle with Pancreatitis |
JoJo's first and most serious attack of pancreatitis happened when he was about seven years old. We had left him in a kennel (the last time we ever did that) and he keeled over when they came to give him his evening meal. It was like he had been holding off until someone could help him. Our vet was unable to reach us because we had changed hotels and we had forgotten to let him know where we had gone (last time we'll ever do that too). At first he wasn't sure if he should treat him, since he didn't have our permission, but as he watched and waited, JoJo's heart kept on beating even though he was barely clinging to life. JoJo was quite the little athlete in those days, and that strong, healthy heart and his indomitable will were what kept him alive. The doctor decided to treat him and took him home and cared for him in his own living room over the weekend. When we came home, we received the bad news by phone the next morning. We rushed in to find JoJo unconscious and attached to IVs. The nurses said that he was still feisty, and sick as he was, he still HATED cats. In fact, a couple of times when they felt he was slipping away, they carried a cat in front of his cage and he would spring back to life out of sheer spite! Well, we visited JoJo day and night for a week and a half, and it was a roller coaster of ups and downs. After one particularly perilous relapse, I cried that I didn't want him to suffer and that maybe we should put him down. |
| The vet however, reassured me that if JoJo made it through this episode, he would most likely go on to lead a strong and healthy life. JoJo began to get better little by little, and when we first brought him home, he was weak as a kitten. He could only eat very soft, bland food and I had to carry him outside. But day by day, he grew stronger until he was nearly back to his old, bossy self again. After that, he stayed pretty healthy, with occasional attacks brought on by stress or when his taste for gourmet fare led him to sample off limits thievings that were high in salt or fat. If he got into one of these things, I could tell in minutes. He would walk stiffly with an arched back, and his tummy would rumble very loudly. At those times, I would sit with him on the couch, rubbing his belly until he felt better, which happened within an hour most of the time. A couple of times, when he didn't get better, and I took him into emergency. He always recovered quickly after these bouts, however, and none of the later attacks were as severe as the first. We kept him on a diet of Canine ID from Science Diet. It is low in salt and fat and protein. My only suggestion would be that if you can find a more natural brand (preserved in Vitamin E), do it. JoJo later died of brain cancer and I always wonder if the preservatives in his dog food played a role in causing it (guilt, guilt, guilt). Other than that he enjoyed snacks of fresh veggies, plain rice and other no salt, low fat foods. He seemed to be healthier and had less tummy trouble on a close-to-vegetarian diet. We tried to keep him away from situations that caused stress, although being a "type A" personality, and a great internalizer of his emotions (he was sort of the Lee Iaccocca of dogs), And so, this could be nearly impossible to do. But most important, JoJo never gave up. And neither did we. And we had seven more years, and many happy adventures afterward. The story of JoJo's battle with meningioma is at www.jojoreader.com
Copyright 1999 Barb Emaus |
