The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

'Glimmer of hope'
Vet: One key gauge is "the lowest I've
ever seen it on a dog that's still alive'

A personal story by the editor of PhDispatch.com
MOUNT SAVAGE, March 31 -- MacKenzie, 8 years old in December, unwrapped her "lump of Coal" on Christmas morning like any other child that had gotten on Santa's naughty list.

In this case, however, "Coal" was not a rock-hard mineral but a rather soft, four-legged bundle of fur. From the beginning, he liked to eat. A lot. And sleep. A lot. While his stepbrother, Rudy - about four months his elder - liked to romp and roam the neighborhood - scaring chickens and cows and bringing home the occasional coyote skin or deer leg - Coal would, instead, hover near the bottom of the kitchen stove in hopes that something fell to the floor.

All is not well with Coal. He was vet-checked in mid-February and his pale gums were thought to be associated with a routine case of roundworms. Coal was treated for worms and, seemingly, there were no issues. Once home, Coal's personality did not change. At the time, it seemed that was merely his disposition. We joked that we should have named him "Eeyore," after the old man-like curmudgeon of a donkey from the Disney classic.

But now he's fighting for his life. And if Dr. David Rawe, of Casselman Veterinary Services, is right, he'll likely lose that fight. It turns out that roundworms were not the only issue. Instead, what is now diagnosed as hemolytic anemia caused his gums to go nearly white and, over the final 24 hours before being taken to the vet, also robbed him of his one true delight - eating.

In short, he became lethargic the night before we took him to the vet. When he had diarrhea in the middle of the night, we decided to drive to Casselman Veterinary Services first thing Wednesday.

It wasn't a moment too soon.

"That's a very sick dog," Rawe told me and MacKenzie after only a few minutes of evaluation.

Rawe drew blood - except what came out couldn't have been blood. I've never seen blood be so watered down. It seemed more like Kool-Aid. Rawe also mentioned liver failure as a primary concern.

Rawe said we had options. We could authorize a blood transfusion - with absolutely no guarantee. Or we could let him go. We chose the former, and threw out the financial risk. All we could do was hope.

By 3 p.m. Wednesday, Coal had at least survived the transfusion. Still no guarantees, but the vet said if he stabilized over the next day or two, they could begin the next step in evaluation and consideration of treatment options, if any.

Early Thursday morning, MacKenzie and I drove up to Grantsville to see Coal. Rawe had told us over the phone that Coal was alert and seemingly energetic - but that could be a short-term result of the blood transfusion. By no means was he out of the stretch, Rawe said. But he added, noting a key marker in evaluation that had improved to 22 and was only six when we took him in, "that's the lowest I've ever seen it on a dog that's still alive."

So I prepared Kenzie for the worst. On the way there and once in the lobby, Kenzie was told to be ready. This could be the last time she sees Coal.

The visit was all too short, but very nice. From Kenzie's perspective, Coal's eyes "got all bug-eyed" when she walked into the room to see him. He took a treat from her and wagged his tail. I wonder, though, how much of it might have been a show - a dog trying to be brave for his master.

After several minutes, it seemed as if Coal realized he wasn't going home with us. His eyes went back to looking mostly at the ground. His shoulders seemed to sag.

After saying our goodbyes, we left. MacKenzie went back to school. When we filled out the "reason" for being late, we wrote in "ill family member."

Quickly - and politely - where one of the administrators said that at least one fellow administrator didn't believe a dog should be considered a member of the family.

I was raised around animals - horses, dogs, cats, sheep, chickens and, in the local streams, plenty of fish. Until Coal and Rudy, though, it had been quite a while since I've been a part of a family with a pet. And I guess I'd reached a conclusion that a dog couldn't be a member of the family.

But I looked at the school official today and said, "try telling that to my 9-year-old little girl."

-----

3.31.2011, 3:15 p.m. - Coal's fate is not yet final. He could improve, although the liver damage seems to concern Rawe even if Coal can recover from everything else.

PhDispatch.com editor Kevin Spradlin lives in Mount Savage with his wife Stephanie, sons Noah and Josiah, along with MacKenzie.

Rudy and Coal were brought home within 24 hours of each other in late December. They have completely changed the family's lives.