# Minnie update (long!)



## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

Minnie a couple of months ago, before things went wrong!










The short version: Our rescue, Minnie, became very ill very suddenly, was hospitalized and diagnosed with leptospirosis, and with round the clock care at the vets from Monday to Saturday, she pulled through and is home to continue her recovery!

The long version: Minnie was rescued by the American Maltese Rescue Association last fall, when we were called by the City of Sacramento animal shelter. She had come in as a stray with an eye injury, and they eye could not be saved. (See her on the AMAR’s “Special Angels” page. American Maltese Association National Rescue Program ) She’s been in my home in a sort of “Leave it to Beaver” urban neighborhood of 1950s homes with good sized lots and mature trees. And, apparently, disease-carrying wildlife!

Some of our Spoiled Maltese friends and aunties may have noticed me writing in the Health forum about the disease called leptospirosis and about the need to vaccinate. The dog I was writing about there was our darling Minnie! 

Last Sunday Minnie ate breakfast and seemed to be her perky self. However, she did not eat dinner Sunday or breakfast on Monday. In other situations I might not worry about a dog skipping a meal or two, but Minnie is so little, and she became increasingly lethargic. In the early evening I took her temperature and it was 103. I took her to the vet clinic we usually go to, which provides emergency services as well. They admitted her and began providing supportive care and had tests run. It took a couple days for the diagnosis to be confirmed, but it was definitely leptospirosis. Tests showed she was having kidney and liver problems. Her red blood cells were down. Her heartbeat was irregular. She did not eat for days, and when they tried to feed her by tube, she tore the tube out of her nose. Then, almost suddenly, it seemed, the intravenous antibiotics and other medicines did their job, and she went from still being lethargic one day to trying to escape from her crate the next.  And she went from tolerating syringe feeding to eating from a bowl. 

I brought her home Saturday afternoon.  By this morning (Sunday) she was eating a normal amount, although some by hand. She will have to be on two different antibiotics for a while. After that the vets want her to be vaccinated, as there are several different leptospirosis bacteria. 

The vets told me they think that she will not have any long-lasting effects from her bout with the disease. 

I’m thankful that my vets and their staff were aware that leptospirosis occurs in this area and knew how to treat it. They say it might be under-diagnosed, as an animal’s illness might just be diagnosed as kidney failure, without diagnosing the cause as being leptospirosis. They told me it responds very well to antibiotics, so that if antibiotics are administered before the specific tests for leptospirosis are run, the tests might come back negative. 

And this disease can be transmitted to humans, although it takes more than a casual contact. I called my own doctors to ask what to do. They said it comes on like the flu; just watch for symptoms and call if I get ‘em. 

Miss Minnie is napping now and has taken over the best new bed and blankets here. She is looking a little more poodle-like, with both ankles shaved. But her darling little face, and her behavior, is as much a Spoiled Maltese as ever. 

As you can imagine, days of 24 hour care, IVs, blood tests, and radiography have been very, very expensive. Thank heavens for credit cards!


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## Betty Johnson (Feb 24, 2013)

Thank goodness she is on the road to recovery. What a strong little girl. Hugs!


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## Zoe's Mom88 (Apr 25, 2011)

I can't believe Minnie had to endure another setback after all she went through. As I was reading the story I thought it was going to have a sad ending but I am sooo happy Minnie is now back on the road to recovery.....again. 

I do hope she heals so that she can find that furever home she deserves. Hugs to you and to beautiful Minnie!


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I'm so sorry to hear about what Minnie has gone through. I just saw that she was on Petfinder/AMAR for adoption on a FB post by Bron tonight so never would have thought anything was wrong. Is she well enough to be adopted out already? What area are you in? I seem to remember a map at some point showing where lepto is prevalent and don't think it is in my area. 
Will be sending AMAR a donation for my birthday in a few weeks to help with the expenses.


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

Thanks for your kind words and thoughts. She is getting better but i didn't feel she ate enough on her own tonight. It's a bland diet and kind of sticky. I hand fed her some, and then she gave herself away by enjoying the Pill Pockets a little too much.  I'll try her regular food tomorrow morning. She has to be on antibiotics for 3 weeks so she probably needs to stay put to be sure her recovery goes well. 

We are in Sacramento, near two rivers and river parkways, and parks and a college campus--lots of habitat for several of the "critters" that can carry it. But I've read that it is found in cities, too, because one of the critters that carries it is ... the rat. 

My advice, as always, would be to find a vet that you have confidence in and go with what he or she says. 

Donations are much appreciated! :grouphug: I feel so bad that lack of a $20 or so vaccination has led to vet bills more than 100 times that amount!


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

I'm so glad she's on the road to recovery. You're right - urban areas are not exempt from Lepto because of rats and other critters. In the Chicago area, we've actually had coyotes in the city of Chicago so if it's present in wildlife in the area, you can assume your pet is at risk.


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

I am happy that she's getting better. So sorry that she had to go through this. What a rough life for her, but what a wonderful foster she has. Thank you!


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Poor little girl ,she's gone through so much. Let's hope this will be a last set back and she will be on the road to recovery for good.


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## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

wow what a happy outcome.... I am so glad your little fluff is feeling well.


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## lmillette (Apr 23, 2012)

The poor baby! I'm so glad to hear that she on the road to a full recovery. Margaret, you take such wonderful care of your fosters and thank goodness she is with you!! Thank you for everything you do for these babies.


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## maltese manica (Nov 6, 2012)

Reading this post was just really scary but I made me happy to know that she is a fighter!!!! Thanks for posting this!!!


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

Sending prayers that Minnie continues to get better and better.


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## Yogi's Mom (Jan 6, 2013)

*Oh Minnie-You sweet Baby Girl God Be with you and Please stay well. What A Wonderful Mommy you have.*
*I was Scared reading the post also-I was thinking Another Cry is about to happen but so very very Happy. Nickee**

*also I Live in pa-All wooded area-wildlife is everywhere -even on my porches. What is the shot i need-? WAs it Lepto- I remember this i think there was lots of pros and cons about it?*


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

Thank goodness for Margaret!!!!. If she hadn't acted as fast as she did and perhaps waited till morning to get Minnie to the vet, I am sure the outcome wouldn't have been the happy one we have.
Margaret is also great at research and got so much information on this disease, along with her vets help. I guess if one stays in Rescue long enough or working with animals, we end up seeing everything. I live in the country and do have a lot of wild life on the farm too. 
I found it very informative that the blood work to test for the disease, needs to be drawn BEFORE any antibiotics are started, or you will get a negative on the test. The treatment would not be the same if we didn't have the positive results and am sure she would still be ill or worse. 
Minnie has turned into one of our most expensive Rescues with her ER vet stay and 24hr care, but so happy it was a good out come and we still have a live dog.
Many times you have the huge vet bill and the dog didn't make it. 
AMA Rescue is very fortunate to have Margaret as one of our foster homes. 
I am very fortunate to have her as one of my Northern Cal. foster homes that I can totally rely on.
Hugs, Edie


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## gopotsgo (May 21, 2009)

Dear Margaret,
You are the best! Thank you for the update. I remember being shocked when I heard by accident what was happening. As the hubs says, "never would have thunk it". It is much dryer here in Southern Cali and we do not live near any water ways but you can never be too careful with the health of our pups. Give the sweet little one a belly rub from me.

GG


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

Thanks, everyone, from Minnie and me. 

Minnie ate a little better this morning, with the help of chicken baby food.  And other little glutton dogs to egg her on. 

If you would like to trudge through what I think is a very good (but) scholarly paper from 2010, there is some information there of interest to laypersons, too, such as where lepto is more frequently found, what dogs are more at risk of the disease (scary--they say small dogs), and that there is really not an especially high percentage of vaccine reactions. 

2010 ACVIM Small Animal Consensus Statement on Leptospirosis: Diagnosis, Epidemiology, Treatment, and Prevention

As Edie says, when we do rescue, we see so much ... One of the authors treated a little white dog I had back in the 1990s when he was a resident at the U of Calif. vet school. I thought he ws great. And he's now a professor at Cornell vet school. 

Edited to add my usual: Find a vet you trust and who you believes keeps up with developments in vet medicine, and discuss it with her or him.


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

My edit time expired, or I would have modified what I said the article said about small dogs to delete the word "more". Sorry! It says:



> In areas where wild animal species access suburban backyards, small breed dogs with minimal contact with water sources may be at risk. Contact with rodents also may pose a risk to these dogs, as well as dogs residing within cities


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## Leanne (Sep 6, 2012)

Margaret, What a roller coaster ride little Minnie has been on. Are you sure she is not part feline and maybe has nine lives??? LOL.... So glad you are there for her! I will always have a big space in my heart for sweet Minnie. Give her a big hug from her Lulu in Minnesota.


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

Thank you, Leanne. :grouphug:


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## hoaloha (Jan 27, 2012)

Margaret, you are awesome. I'm so glad you took her in when you did! Thank you for the info on Lepto- your experience makes the reality of such underdiagnosed diseases much more evident. Hope minnie feels completely well sooN!


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I haven't plowed through the article yet, but I promise I will. We know all about lepto here, unfortunately! Sending Minnie get well wishes & applauding you Margaret!


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

Thank you.  :grouphug:
Minnie is doing better, one meal at a time. She was playing with Charlie Chihuahua before breakfast. Then she ate quite a bit on her own, and more when I hand fed her.  Then I washed my hands for a long time.


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