Help this Ruby in the Ruff

Posted on behalf of Ruby's mom, Sarah.

Short Version:

Ruby is sick, veterinary care is expensive, and Cushing’s disease sucks eggs.

Long Version:

If you’ve ever met Ruby, you know that she is…something else. She wags her tail once a week. She is constantly plagued by ennui. She has all the warmth and zest of Greenwich, Connecticut. She is the Daria of dogs. And yet somehow, she has managed to capture the heart of anyone who has ever met her.

Ruby has had a “ruff” year and a half, to say the least. Buckle up and come with us on this nightmare journey of her medical issues over the past 12-18 months.

Ruby’s symptoms began in late 2021 when she started to have accidents in the house a few times a day. Her muscles started wasting away significantly, and she developed a pot belly. She was drinking nearly a gallon of water a day. Soon, she was no longer able to go on long walks, and eventually, she couldn’t even climb up the stairs.

After a very long road and about every test her vet could suggest, she was finally diagnosed with Cushing’s disease. Cushing’s disease is an endocrine disorder that causes excessive production of the hormone cortisol. It causes increased thirst, increased urination, lethargy, a pot-bellied appearance, thin skin, hair loss, and muscle weakness, among other symptoms. Cushing’s is treatable but requires expensive medication and multiple blood tests to determine the right dosage.

She started her new medication last week, but on Sunday started trembling and vomiting - signs of too much medication. After a visit to BluePearl and a pause on her Cushing's meds, she was doing much better but then declined rapidly a day later. She started shaking again, wouldn’t eat or drink and had bloody diarrhea, so back to BluePearl we went. They hospitalized her for hemorrhagic gastroenteritis and put her on IV fluids and nausea meds.

If that wasn't enough, while she was in the hospital she was seen by an orthopedist who noticed pronounced pain and weakness in her back leg. After an x-ray and an exam, they suspected either a tumor or a ruptured disc in her spine. Considering how quickly she had declined already, they recommended that she be immediately transferred to Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital for an MRI and to be seen by the neurologist for possible emergency neurological surgery. I picked her up and brought her to Mass Vet right away.

After being seen by a slew of doctors at Mass Vet, they did another ultrasound and found a blood clot almost completely blocking her femoral artery on the left side. She was admitted to Mass Vet for the night so she could stay on fluids and begin her blood thinner under medical supervision.

Ruby is now home and recuperating like the queen that she is. It will probably be at least a few weeks before she’s walking normally, but with the help of medication and some at-home physical therapy and massage (care of Nurse Me), the blood clot should break itself up over time and she should recover.

As you can imagine, the veterinary bills for all of these issues have been astronomical. But for anyone who knows me or has met Ruby, not treating her is not an option. I would do absolutely anything for this dog, even though she thinks I am, in her words, "unimpressive." With the correct dosages, routine follow-ups and other outpatient care, her Cushing’s symptoms should start to lessen dramatically and she should be back to the lovable dog we all unrequitedly adore within months.

I have spent nearly $10,000 over the past three weeks alone on this dog; finalizing her diagnosis, starting her on Cushing’s meds, one emergency outpatient visit, four straight days of inpatient hospitalization, two ultrasounds, x-rays, consults, a million blood tests and some very expensive medications. One of her blood thinner meds alone is almost $600/month, although she will only need to be on it for a few months. Her Cushing’s medication is currently about $350/month and she will be on that for the rest of her life. She will have follow-ups and bloodwork regularly with specialists and her regular vet.

I appreciate anything you can kick in for her care, and even though she will not show it, Ruby is also grateful. If you’re not able to donate anything, that’s okay! Thank you for reading this and sending good vibes to my girl.