FAREWELL TO A FRIEND

Our charming old gentleman Spencer has passed on to the rainbow bridge.  He loved life and fought hard to live every day to the fullest, but had definitely been slowing down over the last couple of months. 

Spencer was a loving goofy character right up until the end.  He loved his daily walks, and he loved meeting people even more.  Spencer was such a charmer that everyone who met him fell in love with him.  Spencer's foster family reports that this old boy took with him a huge part of their hearts.

Thank you all so much for helping this special guy!  Without you, Spencer would not have known happiness with a loving foster family for the last eight months.  Spencer went to the rainbow bridge knowing that he had a loving family who treasured every minute with him and lots of long-distance friends sending their love and prayers.  Goodbye sweet Spencer.

You can read Spencer's story below.

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Introducing Spencer, ACES' newest Safe Haven Setter: Spencer was adopted out by ACES six years ago and was recently returned because his family was moving. Spencer is now 13 years old and diabetic, and because his diabetes was not controlled consistently, Spencer has gone blind. When he came back to ACES, Spencer's glucose levels were out of control, and he had to be kept on an IV drip to maintain his electrolyte balance. Since then, Spencer has improved, but his foster family struggles to maintain his blood sugar. Spencer receives his insulin with his breakfast and is then tested 4-5 times a day with appropriate treatment. He gets another dose of insulin before bedtime. Spencer is on a special diet with added supplements to help control his disease. Spencer can still experience wild swings in his glucose levels, which can become either dangerously low or dangerously high without any warning. Spencer's foster family has done a great job with a dog who at first wouldn't eat. Now, he runs to his crate for his food.

Spencer's foster family sees a brighter dog than the one that came to them several weeks ago. Though blind, Spencer still manages to get around extremely well, and his foster family delights in his antics. Spencer gets excited when his foster mom gets her shoes because he knows he is going on a walk. He's adjusted well to his environment and can get around the house just fine. He's even resourceful enough to counter-surf. Spencer is definitely at home with his foster family, plopping down to nap wherever they are. He is loved, well cared for, and welcome to live out his days with his foster family.  Spencer has a lot of quality of life left in him, but Spencer will need our continuing help for the rest of his life.  Spencer's expenses run about $100/each month for insulin and supplies.

Thank you so much for helping this special boy.  Without you, Spencer would not have known happiness with a loving foster family for the last eight months.  Spencer went to the rainbow bridge knowing that he had a loving family who treasured every minute with him.

 

SPENCER UPDATES

OCTOBER 16, 2010

Spencer is a pretty sturdy old boy; he's 13 years, four months old now. It's amazing that he's doing so well given his age, diabetes, blindness and other medical issues. Spencer has had a couple recent scares on occasions when he wouldn't eat, which impacts his insulin schedule. Thanks to his foster parents' skill and dedication to balancing his blood sugar, Spencer is hanging in there and greets each new day with a happy woof! We're glad so many people remember to keep Spencer in their thoughts and prayers, maybe that's what keeps him going.

Spencer is quite a guy. Everyone who meets him is drawn to him. Spencer sidles up to people and puts that big old head in their laps. He has even been known to stand up and put his paws on his foster mom's lap. That's a pretty neat trick for a sightless dog.  Spencer must have been quite a character when he was well and could see. He still is a character, just slowed down a lot because of the disease.

Spencer knows where his crate is at dinnertime, though he usually eats in the kitchen on his bed these days. At bedtime, everyone gets chicken jerky. Spencer runs to his spot in the hall to wait for his treat. If you touch his nose with the treat, he'll sit and wait for his turn and he's very gentle when he takes the treats.

Spencer wants to send out a woof to all of you, his ACES friends. He's enjoying life because of your care and support. Thank you.

AUGUST 9, 2010

Surprisingly, Spencer is doing really well. He's given his foster mom a couple of scares but nothing like the near death experience he had over Memorial Day. Spencer is on antibiotics long term. He had an infection in his kidneys; that's what caused the cascade of symptoms that nearly cost him his life.

Spencer is what is called a brittle diabetic, meaning that he is harder to control. Thankfully, his insulin dose is working well. He is not having the wild swings he once did and because of that, he can have a little more variety in his diet.

Spencer is quite sure he's supposed to eat every ten to fifteen minutes even though he's doing so well with the three meals a day (high protein, low carb) and three snacks. It helps keep his metabolism up; his coat looks good, and he's gained some weight.

Spencer is a funny guy; he's very demanding, although it's endearing. He will lie on his side and woof until his foster mom goes to see what he wants and, generally, he's hoping for a treat. He is sound asleep when his foster dad leaves in the morning, but as soon as the door closes, Spencer starts woofing until his foster mom goes to see what he wants. And all he wants is his morning treat and some company. Then Spencer eats breakfast, gets his insulin and plops down and goes back to sleep.

Spencer is such a special boy. He keeps his foster mom hopping, but she loves his personality and says he is definitely a character.  Spencer's tail wags all the time, telling his foster family that he's happy and enjoying life.

JUNE 11, 2010

HAPPY 13th BIRTHDAY TO SPENCER!!!  Thanks to ACES, Spencer's life was saved in 2004 and when he was returned to rescue in March 2010, diabetic and blind, ACES saved him again.

Spencer got a Blue Buffalo dog food cake with mozzarella candles for his birthday dinner.  Spencer's foster mom molded a can of Blue Buffalo dog food into a cake, then decorated it with a small amount of low fat yogurt for icing, used mozzarella string cheese as candles and Blue Buffalo kibble for decoration.  Here are photos of his cake and of Spencer eating his birthday meal.

Spencer enjoyed his birthday and he looks pretty spiffy in his new "Ed Hardy" collar.  Spencer's vet even sent birthday wishes; he said it's refreshing for a rescue group to be able to do so much to preserve the quality of life of a chronically ill dog. Spencer thanks you for this birthday; he knows ACES couldn't do it without you ... the caring friends who have stepped forward to sponsor him. Spencer sends his love and says thank you all!

JUNE 7, 2010

Spencer is doing well.  He's surprised the vets, both the emergency and his regular vet, but Spencer is a strong boy. We're all amazed at his tenacity. What a wonderful spirit he has, he's really got a strong will to live. On the Sunday before Memorial Day, we weren't sure Spencer was going to pull through, but within 24 hours, he was up and walking and woofing insistently.

Today has been a good day for Spencer, he seems to be feeling better every day. He got up at 4:30 today because he was lonely and hungry. His foster mom will admit that she indulges him, but who wouldn't? Spencer has really adjusted to life in his foster home; he goes pretty much anywhere he wants to go, with the exception of out the doggie door. He's just can't seem to navigate it so far.

Good news, Spencer doesn't have Cushings Disease.  Now, we need to test for the other end of the spectrum, Addisons. Spencer's vet says Spencer will need to be on antibiotics for at least 6 weeks. It really seems that there's an infection in his body causing that overwhelming cascade of symptoms which caused him to spiral out of control. He had been on a course of antibiotics after the other hospitalization and he'd finished the antibiotics, then tested clean in the urine culture but the overgrowth of bacteria returned. In an elderly diabetic patient, secondary infection somewhere in the body can cause a catastrophic sequence of events, so we're just lucky Spencer's foster family was home when Spencer took a turn for the worse.

For now, he's doing well, he's had his dinner and he's sleeping on his doggie bed in his favorite room, the kitchen. He can't have anything but he sure likes to smell what's cooking.

JUNE 1, 2010

Spencer had a tough holiday weekend.  His foster parents were very worried about him on Sunday, and decided to take him to the emergency clinic.  They immediately started an IV and kept Spencer overnight Sunday and Monday.  They still believe there is a cause other than diabetes for Spencer's unpredictable reactions.  This time, Spencer had an ultrasound, which showed no evidence of either an adrenal or hepatic tumor and his spleen looked okay.

Spencer held his own throughout Sunday and improved on Monday. His foster family went to visit him on Monday and they couldn't believe the difference in him. He was up and wagging his tail and happy to see them. Spencer ate a whole can of his food out of his foster mom's hand and they stayed with Spencer as long as the vet would let them stay.

Today, his foster mom moved Spencer to his regular vet for a Cushings test. We know that he doesn't have years left, but his foster family wants to give him the best life possible during his remaining time. They are amazed that Spencer has such a strong spirit and wish that everyone could feel the energy and love he exudes. Hope springs eternal. Please keep the positive energy coming for him. Spencer sends his love and gratitude.

MAY 27. 2010

Spencer is doing well; he's had a good couple of days. He saw othe vet last Tuesday for a follow up.  The vet said he looks good and increased his insulin; so far, so good. His appetite is great, the canned food helps a lot, so does the chicken his foster mom cooks for him. Regular exercise has given Spencer better muscle tone in his back legs, which has helped him develop a hearty appetite.

Spencer has settled into a schedule of 5:30 am, like clockwork, he's up and ready for breakfast, then meds and a potty walk and he goes back to sleep for a while. Spencer's foster family has put big foam dog beds all over the house for his comfort.  His favorite spot is in the kitchen, guess it puts him closer to what he loves (and can't have), food! He gets a midday meal and then dinner and meds at 5:30. It's a big commitment for Spencer's foster family but Spencer is so grateful and they think he is a wonderful, loving dog.

Spencer's foster mom got the biggest reward of all last week. She was sitting at the table, looking at the mail, and Spencer came over and put his head in her lap. Then he put his front paws on her knees and stood up like he was trying to get into her lap and he licked her face. What a wonderful kiss! The granddaughter in Spencer's foster family absolutely adores this old boy; they lie on the floor together while she watches TV. She knows Spencer is blind so she tells him all about what she's watching.

Spencer would like to thank everyone for all you've done for him. His foster family is planning to celebrate with Spencer on June 11th, that's Spencer's 13th birthday.

May 16, 2010

Spencer has done really well in the past week.  His sugar levels are a little high but he's on an even keel.  The vet increased the insulin a little last week and plans to check him frequently.  The 6 am, 6 pm meal and insulin schedule has seemed to work best for Spencer, with two snacks and a meal in the middle of the day.  He's eagerly eating his meals and he woofs in anticipation.

This old boy is such a great guy. When it's time to check his sugar, he goes into the bathroom and plops down on the floor and offers up an ear.  His foster mom rubs his ear to stimulate the blood flow and then starts. The poor guy has been poked so much that it's hard to find spots that are not tender. Every once in a while, he cries a little but he's so good about it. He knows he has to be still until the meter beeps, then he gets an ear massage with a baby wipe and of course, a big hug. This routine is repeated every four hours, except when he's sleeping overnight.

Spencer has found a place in every room to call his own and his foster mom has put dog beds down for him in some of the oddest spots.  He really likes the one in the kitchen but the 3-inch thick ortho foam doggie bed puts him 3 inches closer to whatever is on the counter. He's very resourceful and a very talented counter surfer. When his foster mom was cooking chicken breasts for doggie dinner and left the room to turn up the news, Spencer had the lid off the pot before she returned. He's that fast. Amazing for a senior, diabetic dog.

May 4, 2010

Spencer is home!! Spencer got to come home this evening; the new insulin seems to be doing exactly what it's supposed to.  Spencer sure was happy to be home!  He's had some dinner and he's settled down.  Spencer's foster family has put dog beds all over the house for Spencer's comfort.  Here's a photo of him lying on the bed in the kitchen, hoping he might get a bite of something ... anything.  Spencer is looking much better, thanks to the help and love he is receiving from everyone.

 

May 3, 2010

Spencer was planning to move from the ER to his regular vet today, but they decided that it was best for him to remain at the ER at least for the rest of day. They now believe that he's having a reaction to the insulin product he is on and they want to try a new insulin but he's got to be monitored for 24 hours until they make sure it's working.  Spencer has had wild swings in his glucose levels, but because his foster mom tested him frequently and kept a chart, that has been an enormous help in getting a handle on what's happening.

Spencer's foster mom helped out more by getting the new insulin and bringing it back to the ER, along with Spencer's own food because he refuses to eat the food used at the ER.

Spencer's foster mom spent time with him at the ER and could tell that Spencer was hoping to go wtih her when she left.  However, the ER vet says this is Spencer's only chance.  If we don't switch the meds and get a decent result, we're running out of options.  The vet is optimistic though because we discovered the high-low swings before Spencer lapsed into a coma.

Spencer's foster family visits as often as allowed and Spencer is so happy to see them every time they visit.  Spencer loves ice cubes and the ER didn't have anything but sealed ice packs, so Spencer's foster mom takes him a bag of ice cubes every time she goes in.  Here's a picture of Spencer chomping on ice cubes in the ER.

 

May 2, 2010

Spencer did well through the night.  His glucose went down overnight but rose again in the morning.  The ER vet ran some basic tests last night and Spencer's liver enzymes are elevated.  The vet feels that there's an underlying infection in his body and she suspects it's his mouth. She's starting him on a course of antibiotics to begin with.  Spencer's regular vet was planning to clean Spencer's teeth but wanted to wait until Spencer is more stable.

Spencer has to stay at the ER until his glucose is under control.  We'll continue to post Spencer's progress, so check back often.

 

May 1, 2010

Please send prayers and zen Spencer's way.  He's been doing well since the episode of hypoglycemia until today.  His glucose was very high before dinner, then higher after eating and getting his insulin.  After another 15 minutes, his glucose reading was so high that it didn't register on the meter, which means immediate medical attention is needed.  So Spencer is back at the ER, where they are trying to get his glucose down and doing diagnostics to see if there's an underlying infection.

 

April 24, 2010

Spencer seems to have made a pretty good recovery.  He's never stopped wagging his tail, but he really acts like he's feeling better.  Spencer gets up at five every day for his first meal of the day and to go for a little walk.  Spencer was definitely not getting much exercise, and he loves his walks.  Getting Spencer on regularly scheduled meals, exercise and insulin will ultimately be best for him but it may cause some spikes until his body adjusts to the schdule. More calories burned makes him require more food and less insulin. The vet even said that a trip to the vet, groomer, or visitors in the house can cause a diabetic dog to stress and either not eat as much or eat too much of the wrong thing.

The concept of the canned food stimulating his own digestive juices is working and the extra meal and frequent snacks has helped a lot.  His insulin dose was also reduced by 3 units and he seems to be doing okay.  Spencer needs to gain at least five pounds; he was 53 lbs when he came to ACES, which is way too thin.

For today, Spencer is having a pretty good day. He was just outside wandering around in the flowers, enjoying the sun.

 

April 23, 2010

This morning, the ER vet said that Spencer's glucose reached a high between 3 and 5 am.  They gave him a meal and a small dose of insulin and asked that his foster mom bring some of his own food so they could check his glucose before and after that meal.  Spencer ate like he was starving and his glucose was within a normal range for then, so she discharged him with the recommendation that he be take to his regular vet to continue monitoring him for the rest of the day. The ER vet said there was no doubt in her mind that Spencer would have collapsed and expired had he not been brought to the ER. 

After observing Spencer for the day, his regular vet feels as if we've got him on the right path, though it's going to mean we adjust his insulin on a daily basis, concurrent with the glucose testing and his feeding schedule.  Both vets recommended that Spencer eat more canned food because it delivers more of what his body needs to stimulate his pancreas faster than the dry food does.  

Spencer was up and wagging his tail this morning.  Thankfully, he's back to being alert and seeking food. Spencer has the most kind personality, he's the epitome of what a Setter's personality should be.  The vet said one thing is for sure, Spencer is a survivor.  Spencer is stable now and back in his foster home.

 

April 22, 2010

Spencer is spending the night at the emergency vet. His blood glucose dropped seriously low after eating and getting insulin. Spencer was fine at dinner, but a little later, he couldn't stand up and even though his foster mom gave him glucose and high calorie treats, his levels didn't rise so Spencer went to the Emergency Clinic.

The ER vet really thought Spencer would stabilize within an hour, so she gave him two bowls of high calorie food, some other meds and said if his levels come up within the hour, then he could go home.  After a little more than an hour, his blood glucose was still low, so he had to stay.  Spencer's foster mom brought his bed and a toy so he wouldn't feel alone.

No matter how bad he feels, Spencer still licks your hand and wags the piece of a tail he's got left. Spencer only has about half of his tail left.  In his previous home, Spencer developed a sore that wouldn't heal and eventually had to have part of his tail amputated.  The photo is of Spencer in the ER.