National Brittany Rescue And Adoption Network Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa Region

It appears as if things have come full circle. Isanti found her forever home this week. The people have been following her story almost from day 1. She will be able to run and hunt and do lots of fun things. They are aware of all her injuries and are prepared to care for her if the need arises. So this story will have a happy ending after all!

It looks like Isanti is going to make it through her treatment ok!!

Update Aug. 18:

Morning!

I've been meaning to send you an update. Isanti is fine and has not coughed for a week or more so far as I know. I took her with me to a hunt test last Saturday so I could keep an eye on her. Worked very well. She gets her second injection Aug 21 and ought to test negative Aug 28 a Friday. I could probably return her Aug 29 a Saturday and take in Bugsy. Actually Friday afternoon would work assuming she tests negative that morning.

I don't know how it works if she tests positive! I better find out the actual program.

Isanti is the queen of the house and quickly comes right back in. I have let her off lease by herself in the back yard. She does her potty things and pops right back into the house. That's alot easier than a long walk on a long lease, especially after dark

Update Aug. 1:

Cathy, Deb

Its Sat PM and little miss bossy (Isanti) is home directing all social events. I picked her up from the vet's clinic Friday afternoon. They advised to try and keep her quiet and get her in for help if need be. Isanti did have another coughing/gag session about 4 AM today, Saturday. This one was not as severe as the last two. She has been fine since. She certainly needs her hugs and cuddles after these events. Everyday foreward is another step away from serious complications. Give it another ten days and she should only have the hic ups to exhibit for her heartworm complications. That'll be a big relief.

Dave

Update July 30: Isanti had a bad night, coughing up pieces of dying heartworms. That is the danger, asphyxiation. She was rushed to the vet where she will spend the night. It is a dangerous time for her so we will keep our fingers crossed.

We got a call one afternoon from a woman in Minnesota who was looking for someone to help out an animal control in a small town who had found an injured dog on the side of the road, that appeared to be a Brittany. She appeared to have a broken pelvis along with some severe cuts and deep bruises. The local animal control person was wonderful in taking her to a local vet as soon as our organization agreed to cover the cost.  There was an initial surgery to stitch her cuts and an xray to look at her broken pelvis.

It was left to us to decide if a plate needed to be put in her pelvis, so an appointment was made at our State Vet college. My wife took off work to pick up Isanti and bring her to the vet college. The vet college was wonderful and took her in that same day. It was dicovered just before the surgery during a routine exam, that Isanti also had a severly damaged knee with 2 torn ligaments. Her pelvis would actually heal ok, her knee was the danger. They also removed about 100(literally) ticks form her, many of which were full of blood. Some of the vet students were grossed out by the number and size of the ticks. That may mean Lymes disease for her in the future but there are more important things first. The surgery went well , 3 screws were put in her knee, and artificial ligaments were also put in. She is on crate confinement till the end of June, which she just hates.  Through it all she has kept her nice temperment and her love of birds. She may have been hunted.

She had great difficulty and was in much pain the first week or 2 after surgery. It was sad to see her in pain and she was crabby. She could not stand or even move herself around. We had her in a baby pen the first week, confined to a back room. I guess the first sign we had that she was getting better was when we realized she jumped out of the pen and was scratching at the door! So into the crate she went and only out to the bathroom with a sling to keep her weight off and a leash. She is getting better and seems to be making progress. It seems like she would take off and run if we let her 3 weeks after surgery. But it was not as happy as it seemed.

She was diagnosed with being heartworm positive. If you know about heartworm, it is pretty bad and the treatment is life threatening. We are not experts on this and have never gone through a treatment. It doesn't seem right that a nice dog would have to go through this along with everything else she has gone through. We have had several dogs like this, that have had several catastrophes in they're lives but still are nice dogs. There are several new methods of treatment for heartworm and we are researching them . Only when she has recovered from her car accident injuries will we begin her treatment.

Update June 26: Isanti went to see her doctors at the vet college and things are looking pretty good. Her knee is healed well and fully functional.  Her pelvis is not completely heeled but the process is going along fairly well. As long as she doesn't take a fall, things should turn out well. The next thing is to figure out her heartworm treatment.

Update July 20 From person doing the treatment:

Morning,

Isanti was dropped off about an hour ago to the vet's clinic. She will get her first shot today and remain in the vet's clinic til this friday afternoon when I can pick her up. The vet will keep her for the first five days to watch her during the most critical period of her treatment. I won't hear from them unless there is a problem. She then stays with me for a month under strict house arrest as this is the second most critical period of her treatment. This is where the real work for me comes in. Keeping a high energy dog like a Brittany quiet is no simple task. Isanti will not be allowed to romp or run with the other dogs. She is going to be pissed off for sure. Tough.

Isanti is quite the little cuddle muffin. She likes to rest on the couch and be petted.

David

Update July 24:

Cathy,

Isanti is now home with me, Friday PM. She made the first 5 days thru the vet clinic without a hitch. Isanti is scheduled for her second injection August 21, a Friday and then if she tests negative August 28th she is condsider free of active/live heartworms. The skeletons of heartworms can break loose as much as a year later and cause problems. I must add that caution in there. Anyway, it would be Aug 31 before I could handle another HWT dog, if I read the calendar right. I think we are on the same calendar for getting Bugsy into treatment.

Isanti is doing fine here at home, she is adorable and spoiled rotten. She is demanding and mouthy just like my girlfriends little female Brittany was. Said girlfriend, thinks this is very amusing, I don't.

Finances are tight for everyone. I've dropped two other charities I used to support. Some choices had to be made. NBRAN is it for the present.

Dave