In Loving Memory of my dear Shasta June 21, 2008 - March 28, 2017

My dear Shasta, the world is a lot less bright without you in it, but I know you are running around and have your energy and sight back enjoying all the sights and smells you love so much! You brought your daddy and me so much happiness for almost 9 years. It never would have been long enough, but your legacy will go on through Dr. Plechner's SARDS research and our 2 Hearts Animal Haven rescue. You were very special and made everyone who met you smile. You will be so greatly missed my love bug! xoxo June 21, 2008 - March 28, 2017 Shasta had been doing really well and seemed to prosper with her new little sister, Roxy, in tow. Shasta was the happiest dog I ever met, despite her health struggles. She was still going on two walks per day, playing with her sister, eating well, and jumping up on me to tell me it was time to play every day at 4pm. Then suddenly, one day, she did not get up in the morning when it was time for breakfast. I coaxed her to get up, and she finally did, and she ate her breakfast. I kept a close eye on her, but started to think it was her back hips giving her arthritis since a few months back we were told her hips are giving her quite a bit of pain due to her bottom vertebrae were pressing together. Later that day she went on a walk and seemed to feel better. She ate dinner and cuddled before bedtime. The next day she seemed ok and acted normal again. Then the day I was leaving for a business trip she acted a little sad, but she had eaten some of her breakfast. Her daddy was going to take her to the vet to get some arthritis medicine and make sure nothing else was going on with her. My husband came home to check on her at lunch time and told me that he got her to eat, but she wasn't too excited about it, and didn't want to go for a walk. He was taking her to the vet and would call me as soon as he found out what was going on. At 5pm I got a call from my husband saying that the vet wants to keep her over night, and I said no, and that I would come straight home from my trip. I asked him to have the vet give him instructions on whatever meds we needed to give her and I'd be home to take care of her. I had been down this road before and two things were on my mind. She was not going to pass without me if it came to that in some hospital with no one around and they were probably over reacting anyway. I went back into my meeting to finish up and tell them I had to leave the conference early as I had a family emergency, but my husband started blowing up my phone. He said the vet did an ultrasound and the results were grim. Something had ruptured inside of her and her abdomen was filled with fluid. They said she was in a lot of pain and didn't think she would make it through the night. I asked them to wait as I was heading home. At this point I was hysterical. I was 3 hours away and had to decide if it was worth her being in pain for me to say goodbye or to let her go without me. I'll never forgive myself for going on that business trip when I knew she was not 100%. And I always wonder if I made to the right decision to let her go. What if they we wrong and she wasn't as sick as they thought? I always did whatever was needed for her and I was sure we could fix her again no matter what the cost. But my husband was distraught and he was there with her until the end, and I was thankful for that. I told Dr. Plechner what happened and he was devastated for me. He had been emailing me about dog food and things to try that wouldn't irritate her stomach. He was always so responsive and helpful. I never thought I would lose them both in the same year, let alone THIS YEAR!!! I hope that if you come across this Blog in search of information on SARDS or other endocrine imbalance issues, that you look to Dr. Plechner's website, books, and Facebook page for assistance as he truly was a brilliant man. I can't tell you how many things he has resolved for me over email that had taken local vets multiple visits and expensive tests to run and medicines to try... and he had offered a quick and simple, inexpensive solution. References for Dr. Plechner: www.drplechner.com www.2heartsanimalhaven.org Facebook - @drplechnerdvm Facebook - @cureforsardbydrplechner Facebook - Shasta - A Story About SARDS