Nikki
has won more trophies, sashes and awards.
She's featured in book, magazine and newspaper articles and was
chosen by our state government to promote it's review of the Dog
Act.
She has her Canine Good Companion certificate and has won first
prize in every single competition (serious or fun) that has been
held, in each of the dog events that we've ever been to.
Nikki could be taken to formal meetings where she'd lie quietly at my feet until
invited to interact with those present. In informal settings she was always interesting,
eager, content, lively, alert, very interactive, outgoing, sociable, happy, friendly
but never lost her mischievous sense of humor.
She'd confidently initiate social interaction with total strangers and always
be welcomed.
Nikki had her annual booster vaccination in December 2003. I'd
responded to the veterinarian's promting and advice that annual
boosters are "essential" to ensure that the diseases
being vaccinated against won't affect the dog.
Just 24 hours after the vaccination, Nikki didn't seem to know
me.
She
was restless, anxious and generally acting very lost and confused
around her familiar home territory. She didn't know her doggy
door and didn't know her Buster Cube - from which she got her
'breakfast' each day.
She was frequently going around in circles with her nose to the
ground as if her balance was disturbed. Otherwise, she was following
the walls while inside the house and the fence line when outside.
It was as if she needed guidance to get her bearings or else
was needing actual physical support to move around.
She whimpered when she laid down and, most alarming of all, she
was either totally unresponsive to me or had moments where she
almost seemed to fear me.
I called our regular vet (the one who had vaccinated her)
and had to insist on having Nikki seen and assessed. When
we arrived it
was evident that the vet felt uncomfortable, she didn't know
what was wrong and suggested Nikki could need a CT scan of
her brain.
I took Nikki on the following day to a Holisitic veterinarian
who immediately recognized the adverse reaction to the vaccination
and treated her homepathically.
What a relief! Nikki slept calmly that night and from the next
morning, she seemed like she sensed herself that she was 'returning'
from a hell that she had found herself suddenly and unexpectedly
propelled into.
From that point, Nikki slowly returned to her old self - although
for more than 3 months she was quickly and easily fatigued. She
developed a 'crusty' nose which proved very resistant to all the
therapies she was given but this is now almost back to normal.
She acquired a tendency to lick her feet a lot and she has also,
developed an allergy to beef, but we're managing those things and
she gives every indication that she feels very well in herself.
Her
enthusiasm is back and she's now ready to participate in
everything that's going on around her.
