Memorials Page 5

"Zebbie"

1997 - July 22, 2003

I wish I could let her go,
I wish she didn't have to fight so hard.....
If I knew then----what I now know......
Zeb would be here ----with us today.

Zebbie was a healthy and happy Newfoundland until she received her 3rd ProHeart 6 shot on July 1st 2003. She then became ill on July 4th, throwing up. We took her to our vet July 5th, we were sent home with pills (Cetalexin) for acid reflux.

Zebbie became sicker. She was coughing, she was still throwing up, and she could not keep food or water down, let alone the pills. We took her back to the vet July 7th @ 8 AM. This time the vet did a total body work-up, blood work, x-rays & esophagram. She was diagnosed with mega-esophague, hypothyroid & slight pneumonia. The vet said, "it doesn't look good, you may have to put her to sleep".

We were given injections of Naxel & Triamcinolone to treat her with and they told us to hold her vertically.... in order for her to swallow food & water --but she never kept very much down, this continued until her death.

We called another vet, who agreed that mega-esophagus is usually not reversible. We then called a friend and Newfoundland breeder about this condition. She said, "no way a 6 1/2 yr old Newfy gets this!" We called our vet back and suggested that the ProHeart 6 shot she had received must have caused this reaction. He then said, "I have already thought to that."

We continued treating Zebbie with the shots on the advice of our vet. He let us go on believing she just may pull thru. Then on July 11th, she started having small seizures. She had a high fever and was coughing up white mucous. On July 17th, she had a "Gran Mal" seizure. That was terrible to watch, neither Zebbie nor us knew what was happening. We took her to the vet a few hours after this seizure (our vet was on vacation), and an assistant vet prescribed Phenobarb. But by the following day.... she was so bad...coughing... runny nose... sleeping for hours after seizures. I just could not put her thru anymore suffering! We had decided to take her early Tuesday morning to put her to sleep and at peace.

Zebbie died in my arms 5:30 AM July 22, 2003.

It wasn't until I found an article on ProHeart 6, 2 weeks after Zebbie was cremated, that we realized she suffered every adverse reaction listed.... plus death! We called Fort Dodge Animal Health and the FDA and started inquiring about this killer drug. Fort Dodge concurred with our vet that the shot had nothing to do with her death.

We believe in our hearts..... it had everything to do with our Zebbie's death. She suffered terribly and we blame our selves for trusting our vet. We blame our vet for failing Zebbie. Our vet and Fort Dodge Animal Health should be held responsible for failure to warn about this drug and for failure to test for heartworms before administering ProHeart 6.

We have since sent her x-rays and blood work to a concerned vet in Texas. In his opinion....Zebbie did have heartworms (cloudiness in her lungs) and the mega-espogous was SLIGHT, not enough to kill her (which was probably brought on by the ProHeart 6 itself)

We miss Zebbie dearly ----we miss our daily walks in the woods----we miss our swim in the lake in the summer-----and especially we miss her in the waterbed EVERY night.

To say good-bye because of old age would have been hard,
But to say good-bye this way.... was DEVASTING!

Norma & Stan Kubacki
Hermitiage, TN 37076

"Sarah Lee"

July 3, 1999 - September 21, 2003

It Seems Like Only Yesterday

Sarah was a strong, happy and healthy 4 year old...in the prime of her life.

She was my baby....the love of my life. I
will always wonder if her early death... was an unnecessary one.

Sarah Lee was a Cocker Spaniel who passed away from
complications due to AIHA and AITP......possibly brought on by a Proheart 6
injection.

In January of 2002, Sarah Lee, was given a Proheart 6
injection along with her annual vaccinations. My vet at that time, highly
recommended the Proheart 6..... saying there were no bad side effects to the drug and that it gave better protection than the monthly preventative I was currently giving.

My other two cocker spaniels (her half-sisters) received the
Proheart 6 at that time as well, but no other vaccinations. Four months
later, in June of 2002, Sarah became very ill. She had what appeared to be small red bruises all over her body, including in her mouth and on her private
area. She was diagnosed with AIHA (Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia) and AITP (Autoimmune Thrombocytopenia). She was started on a treatment of high doses of Prednisone, antibiotics and fluids. She seemed to recover very well. Over the next 6-9 months we reduced her dosage of steroids and eventually weaned her off of it.

Then in September of 2003 Sarah had a relapse.

She woke up, on the morning of the 19th, very pale and lethargic. Shortly thereafter she collapsed and we rushed her to the vet. This was a new vet clinic that had not treated her previously. Sarah did not get the proper care soon enough due to the fact that they insisted upon running tests to come to their own conclusion on the cause of illness. Even though I had informed them of her previous history and stressed the importance of her being treated quickly. They believed it to be a tick borne disease. The test came back negative. Only then did they begin her on an IV and steroids.

Sarah stayed at that clinic over night and we picked her up on the morning of
the 20th. The vet clinic was closing for the weekend so we had to move her to
a 24-hour emergency clinic. When we picked Sarah up, the vet assured us that
she was doing better......but .... when we arrived at the 24-hour clinic, Sarah
urinated a large amount of blood. The 24 hour clinic checked her PCV and found it to be only at 10 percent, normal being 37-55 percent. She was immediately started on a blood transfusion.

They gave her two blood transfusions and gave her vitamin K and kept her on an
IV. By the next morning of the 21st ... she had begun having seizures, neurological problems and was vomiting, urinating and passing very large amounts of old blood. Sarah was too weak to lift her head and was almost non-responsive. Her liver was shutting down.... she was so jaundice her skin and eyes were orange. None of the vets on staff had seen an AIHA patient that bad.

At 2:30pm on September 21st, 2003.... I made the choice to help Sarah Lee cross over to the Rainbow Bridge and peace.

I have been told that both these diseases are common in Cocker Spaniels and
may be hereditary.......however, there is no history of this disease in her
bloodlines. Both of her half-sisters, who also had the Proheart 6 injection with
out any other vaccinations, are fine. When I asked the vets at each clinic
if it was possible that the Proheart 6 injection was to blame ..... one responded
with a resounding "No! It's perfectly safe." (This was, of couse, the one
who administered it.) Another said "It is one of many possibilities, but
that they really have no idea what causes AIHA." and the other just shrugged his shoulders and changed the subject.

Amber H

"Greta Cole "

October 30, 1997 - August 15, 2003"

I was a typical little Mini Schnauzer, full of life and loving
and waiting for my forever Mom and Dad.

My name is Greta Cole and I was born on Halloween. I was the smallest of my litter.
It was a rainy November night that I picked my parents out. They were at my fur mom and dad's home at a party when we were shown off to them. I immediately knew they were mine, as I crawled as babies do to my momma and put my head right in her hand and just sighed. Well, that was all they needed. A month later, they came and took me to my new home where I made
myself the absolute queen of their lives. It was just us three and we were a tight family. I also had a human brother and sister who I also adored, but not as much as I did my momma.

When ever she was gone I would sit in my dad's chair by the door and look for her and when she came home my world was all right. I loved to sit in their easy chairs with them and snooze and I loved to play chase the dad. He would spin me around and I would chase him all over the house and just when he was about to catch me, I would jump on my mom's chair which was my "fort" I knew Dad couldn't get me there and then when he would leave, I'd jump out and chase him and the game would begin all over again. It was so much fun!

I also was their alarm clock. Every night around 11:00, I'd wake up and stretch and go to the stairs and look at them and then look up and they knew it was time to go to bed. And I'd get under the covers and lay down snug between them and all was well.

I also loved to go out in the woods behind my home. Dad would take me on walks and joy upon joy! He'd take my leash off and let me run and scare the squirrels up the trees, and dad would also take a ball and let me chase after it and we'd play the chasing game. I also loved to ride in the car. Dad would take me with him on his job when he had to go to the Lake.
There were lots of woods to play in and I would walk with him as he did his job. No cars to worry about either. I lived for those days. And I would also let the neighbors know I was outside, cause I'd bark as soon as the door was open and out I would fly. I had a wonderful home and family...

On day in July dad took me to the vet's office for my check up and shots and I heard them talk about a new medicine that was supposed to protect me from heartworms for six months. My dad was skeptical at first , but they assured him that it was safe and that I would be better off than with the tablet I ate once a month. So, he called my momma and they agreed to let the
doctor give me the shot.

Everything was ok until about 9 days later. My mom had had an operation on her leg and a neighbor came over to give me my afternoon walk since daddy was at work, and as usual I was all excited. Suddenly, I felt funny and I just fell down and started to whimper and my legs were moving like I was running. Mom knew it was a seizure as she was human nurse. The other nurse lady that was there helping her took me immediately to the vet.... where he did a bunch of tests on me. He told my dad, that I was ok but to keep a record if I had another one and that my white blood cells were up. The vet told dad that it was probably a result of my seizure and gave me some antibiotics.

Well, that night I was my old self and my dad and I went down the street where a car had had a accident. I didn't know then that this would be the last time I would walk with my beloved dad. The next morning , I started on my antibiotics and I ate breakfast. A few hours later I threw it up and started to lay around. I was not feeling well. My dad called the vet and told him what happened, and the vet told him to stop giving me the medicine and to watch me the rest of the weekend end. He said I should be my old self in a few hours and not to bring me in as I didn't tolerate antibiotics too well and this wasn't the first time.

The weekend progressed and I get getting weaker and weaker and started running a temperature. My mom tried to call the vet, but he was out of town and the on call doc said that if I wasn't better by Monday to take me to see my regular vet. Well, by Sunday evening, I had gotten to the point where Mom and Dad had to carry me outside to let me go to the bathroom. Dad said my pee was dark and smelled bad. They gave me water and Gatorade to keep me hydrated, but I just didn't have any appetite. I spent my last night at my wonderful house with my daddy holding my head and stroking my fur and talking to me.

Monday, I was so weak... that I couldn't hold my head up. I was just so sick! My daddy, got dressed and carried me out to his truck and off we went to the doctor as fast as he could go safely. We got to the office just as they opened up and my daddy told them to take good care of me and that he would be back to see me that afternoon. I guess he figured that what I had was bad but the doctor would fix me up in a couple of days.

Well, he did more tests on me and found that my white cells were killing off my red cells as fast as my bones was making them and that I was seriously ill. So he gave me transfusions, fluids and called my parents to tell them that he wasn't sure if I would make it. Well, my daddy came by just as he said he would and spent the next half hour talking to me and the vet.

The tests that Dr. Smith ran on me came back the next day and he said I possibly had AIHA and it was often fatal, but I wouldn't give up. I didn't want to leave my humans. SO I hung on for the next couple of days. I got better, but by Wednesday, my liver and kidneys were starting to fail, I was getting weaker. My daddy brought my momma that afternoon and I was so glad
to see her. I kissed her hands and face, I was so happy , but I was so weak. They said that my human brother Chris would see me on Thursday. I went to sleep looking forward to that, but deep down I knew that I wasn't going to be able to stay with my family much longer.

The next morning, the doctor came in and checked me and then called my mom and dad to come down to the office ASAP as my dad was often fond of saying. They brought me to them and we went into the exam room. The doctor put me down on the floor and I was so tired and weak, that I just couldn't stand up for more than a few seconds. So I heard my parents ask if there wasn't any hope or anything he could do. The vet said that he'd done everything he could to help cure me, but that there wasn't any hope left. He said I only had a few hours or a day at best. So my daddy did the best thing he could for me. He told the doctor to help me cross over the Rainbow Bridge. The doctor asked if they wanted him to do it away from them, but both my parents said no. They wanted to be with me as I left them. So, the doctor got the syringes with the medicine and put them into my IV. I left them in a few seconds. I left them with their wonderful sweet voices telling me that they loved me and they would miss me so much and they thanked me for picking them out to be my parents.

I watched them from over the bridge as they took me home for the last time and then to my dad's sister's farm. Dad took me down to this little pond in the woods and picked out a nice shady dogwood tree. He dug my grave on a hot summer day and placed my little body in it. He put some trees around it to mark it out. A few weeks later, he brought a marker for me and put it on my plot.

They come back to see me every chance they can, but I'm with them all the time. They have a new baby now, yet they haven't forgotten me. They have my picture on their computers and Dad has one on his bulletin board. I know Katie loves them and I wish I could have stayed, But the Master needed a good Schnauzer so he called me home.

Well, that's my story. I hope you learned something from it. I know my parents did. They KNOW that the ProHeart 6 stuff hurt me and caused me to leave them too soon. They just didn't know how dangerous it was. If they had.... they wouldn't have given it to me. When they took their new Schnauzer, Katie to the vet, they told them "NO !!!!! ProHeart 6 !" and dad told the vet that if they ever mentioned that drug to him again, he would find a new vet immediately. And he has told everyone about my misfortune.

Greta Cole.

ProHeart 6 is a dangerous drug and if I could sue the SOB's at Ft.Dodge, I would. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be anyone that will take the case. We can sue the hide off a human doctor, but when it comes to our fur babies, the attitude seems to be, "They're just dumb animals and you can replace them." Well, I'm here to tell you that's BS. There isn't a day that goes by that we don't think about and grieve for our Greta. Katie is as loving as Greta, but she's as different from Greta as Greta was form Katie. For example, Greta would "sing"... she'd match you volume and tone while Katie just "talks".

We need to tell the people that look after our pets to be as concerned for their well being and health as they are about running their business. Isn't the health of our babies worth more than a few darn dollars for a drug that hurts more than it helps?

But I guess that the FDA and Ft Dodge will continue to look the other way and count their darn profits as we watch our babies suffer and die from this crap.

I just wish that I didn't have to write this history of a beloved friend, confidant and partner like Greta.

I wish she was still here with us.

Lloyd Cole

"Dazzler"

1997 - September 10, 2003

I sure do miss this sweet and beautiful dog. There will always be a very special place in my heart for him.

I got Dazzler, a Sheltie, from Triangle Sheltie Rescue, operated throughout NC. He was brought into their care in June, 2002 and received a ProHeart 6 injection the next day after heartworm tests were negative. Dazzler began to have nosebleeds the day after that. He was taken back to the vet to be examined, but nothing was found as a cause of the nosebleeds. The nosebleeds occured intermittently for several months, and I knew this had been the case when I adopted him on November 1, 2002. Dazzler did not have a single nosebleed after he came to my home, and he was not due for another ProHeart 6 injection until December 2002.

I took him in for his check-up and it was time for his 6-month ProHeart 6 injection. The very next day, he had a nosebleed that advanced to a very frightening stage. I literally kept a vigil over him as he continued to bleed profusely. I contacted the vet and was told to monitor him. Dazzler eventually stopped having the nosebleed. In June 2003 I put him back on chewables rather then ProHeart 6, but then he had nosebleeds intermittently from that point (Dec. 2002) until I contacted the vet again... about how they had increased in frequency and duration about August, 2003. The vet instructed me to go to the School of Veterinary Medicine at NCSU, as all of the tests he could run, x-rays and everything else had been done with no apparent reason showing up as to the etiology of the nosebleeds. At the School of Vet. Medicine, Dazzler was given a CT scan and extensive examination under sedation. This revealed a large neoplastic tumor that had spread throughout the back of his nasal cavities, through the criboform bone behind his forehead and into the soft palate.

There was no cure for this condition and he was beginning to suffer a lot by not being able to eat (he could not breathe while he ate), apparent pain and very low energy.

I loved that dog to pieces!!

I decided to have him euthanized, which I thought was going to kill me emotionally, and I held him and talked to him during the process, telling him he was the best dog in the world, that he was beautiful and that I loved him very much.

I had him cremated and have his ashes in my daughter's room at her request.

There is no way to be able to tell for sure if the ProHeart 6 injection caused the tumor. Apparently, this tumor was a very rapidly growing one... as all x-rays prior to my getting him were clear. I made absolutely sure he was not given a ProHeart 6 injection at the next "due date" in June 2003. This was due to the horrible time he had immediately following the one in Dec. 2002. Dazzler was given the monthly chewable.

I have since adopted another dog from the animal shelter and she will NEVER be given a ProHeart 6 injection!! She will get monthly chewables only to prevent heartworms.

Jean Whitfield