"Kiki"

July 17, 1990 -- August 22, 2003

A fatal reaction to 'Grapes'

Kiki loved children. A friend of mine came over with her new baby and Kiki insisted upon being on the bed and making sure he was fine. My friend took the picture and Jesse who is 4 yrs old now, has had this picture by his bed since he was a baby.

I lost within the last year my beloved Ridgeback Kiki. She was 13 and perfectly healthy, she hadn't had a shot except for Rabies since she was 5 and had been fed a semi raw diet for the last 8 years of her life.

Kiki got into some grapes in June and although I read all the articles I could find on it. Her initial blood work the day after was fine and she was so healthy I figured she hadn't eaten enough to bother her.

By July she was drinking extreme amounts of water and was ravenous. Another blood work up showed she probably had cushings. I did my homework on that also, and agreed to let my vet treat her.

Kiki died within 2 weeks of starting the treatment for Cushings. I blame myself and no one else. I was an informed owner, I know the dangers of the treatment, which actually puts the animal in Addison's disease but I went ahead anyway.

The treatment was successful but the patient died. In less than a week after starting the Lyodrin (?) I was looking at an old dog, she had totally changed. I said to my vet, that I knew that we had killed her.

Seems Kiki probably had an over abundance of steroids in her system for years which is why a 13 yr. old dog looked and acted like an 8 yr. old. Once we started the treatment and cut back on the natural steroids she changed before our eyes.

Kiki died at home in her sleep just short of the 2 week period after starting the treatment.

I knew she was going and I knew there was nothing that could be done, so instead of dragging her to the emergency hospital that night I let her go peacefully at home. My vet was very, very upset and said had she known what would happen she wouldn't have treated her.

I have very little faith in the veterinary community and the more I deal with them the less I want to be around any of them. I favor a more natural rearing, although I would still spay and neuter everything. I was so happy to find this site and group. I also belong to "JUSTSAYNO2VACCS" and other group on yahoo.

Carol