Wembley came into a shelter half naked, very thin, and not using one hind leg. (We guess that he’d been hit by a car, as his tail bone had a fracture and a right angle.) He was personable and charming but after a month there hadn’t gained weight nor grown hair but wasn’t lame anymore. When he came to us we got his yeasty skin healthy and he settled in quickly, loving the pasture and walks and riding along as guard dog for the little ones in the car. His temperament was wonderful and he cooperated with all the vet visits and treatments. But he didn’t gain weight and his gut was always upset.

After many diagnostics and working with a specialist, we started treatment for severe Inflammatory Bowel Disease and he gained 22 pounds! Then he was hit with demodex, so we treated that along with underlying allergies. All this effort paid off! His hair came in and he became a tall, long, very fluffy and impressive guy who glowed with energy – almost unrecognizable from the shelter days. But then the signs of pain and weakness developed, he couldn’t sit squarely or jump into the van, and he began withdrawing. The neurologist found a nearly ruptured disc at the end of his spine plus several other compressed discs at different spots, with a long band of arthritis bridging nearly his entire spine. Neurosurgery was unlikely to fix all the spots and would require a long confinement – and then the other discs were likely to go. Wembley started lying down immediately, even outside, lost his appetite, and got grumpy – constant pain had made his life miserable. With the help of his dedicated veterinarians we had fixed so many problems but this one was too much.

With much grief we said goodbye to Wembley – far too soon. He is very much missed.

May 2017

May 2017

August 2016

August 2016