  
Tillie was never claimed and because of the shelters extremely limited funds, she was given only minimal medical treatment during her stay there because she was a senior and they did not think anyone would adopt her. CCDR learned of her plight and immediately took her in, placing her in one of our foster homes so she could finally receive the medical care she needed. Tillie was given a thorough exam and blood tests, was spayed, had a dental, a heartworm test, and vaccinations. Tillie’s vet recommended additional tests be run and it was found that Tillie suffers from Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism). Cushing’s disease left untreated can damage the heart and the lungs and can cause other serious problems. There is no cure, but symptoms can be controlled through chemotherapy (Lysodren). The medication is not expensive, but Tillie will need periodic tests (ACTH stimulation tests) to monitor her dosage because too little will not control her symptoms well, and too high a dosage can lead to Addison’s disease. The tests run $143 each. Tillie has also been plagued with recurrent infections (as is common with Cushing’s disease) and is often on courses of Baytril for this problem. Her foster mom puts little “onesies” (one-piece outfits for newborns) on her to help keep her tummy clean and dry because her constant rubbing of her stomach causes abrasions that become infected.
Update: Tillie had a setback in September when she suddenly had trouble with her back legs. Her vet took x-rays and prescribed six weeks of crate rest. Since Tillie dislikes crates, she was instead confined to a comfy exercise pen where she could see all the comings and goings around her. However, she somehow managed to move the x-pen over to a fan several feet away, where her curiosity got the better of her and she bit the cord and shocked herself. She ended up in Emergency where she had to spend the night being closely monitored. In addition to some minor burns, she had eaten part of the cord so she was watched closely for any possible obstruction. Thankfully, she has now recovered from both frightening experiences and has the new name of Tillie T -- T for Trouble. Tillie continues to struggle with mammary gland infections. Unfortunately, Baytril quit working on this latest outbreak and so her vet did a culture test which showed she now has an unusual type of bacteria. The medication prescribed for her is Cefadroxil which upsets her stomach and so pepcid AC is given along with it. She will need to be on this medication for a full month. Since Tillie has now learned how to wiggle out of her onesies (which prevent her from licking her sore abdominal area), her foster mom must put an e-collar on her. Tillie T does not like wearing this collar or taking the Cefadroxil, but she is trying to be a good sport about it. Her medical bills have really mounted and any donations to help with her ongoing care. Would you like to be a buddy to Tillie? January – February 2005 Update Little Tillie went through a crisis in early January when she started having quite a bit of pain in her lower back and back legs. She was examined by a specialist at the University of Minnesota vet hospital who believed that, along with the muscle deterioration caused by her Cushing’s disease, she probably had a slipped disc. She was prescribed a month of crate rest so that her body had a chance to heal. In February, the chemotherapy that controls Tillie’s Cushing’s disease worked a little too well causing her to become lethargic and dehydrated. This is known as an Addisonian crisis and sometimes occurs when the cortisol level gets too low. Although rare, it can sometimes be fatal and Tillie had to spend 2 ½ days in the hospital with constant monitoring. The bill came to almost $1,000. She is back home now with her foster mom and is doing much better. She loves nothing more than to be held and is still hoping for the right family to come along and adopt her.
As sometimes happens in cases of advanced Cushing’s disease, Tillie’s back legs have become almost useless to her. It is a condition called steroid myopathy. She can stand for a short period of time, and she can take a few “bunny hops,” but her back knees do not bend, the muscles are not working right. Her vet said that steroid myopathy is almost always progressive and recommended getting her a cart. So, that is exactly what CCDR did. We bought a cart (wheelchair) for Tillie so that this precious little dog will once again have mobility other than scooting around on the floor. She can zoom around her foster mom’s house and also in the large fenced-in yard. These carts are not inexpensive, but this will add so much to the quality of Tillie’s life, and that is important. Some good news about Tillie. Although she was getting along just fine in her cart, she was still having a substantial amount of pain in her lower back and her back legs. The muscle rigidity (the exact name for Tillie’s problem is pseudomyotonia and is a more rare complication of Cushing’s) was progressing as predicted, and even standing to just potty seemed to be getting more difficult for her. In the hopes of alleviating some of her pain, Tillie was brought to see a vet who specializes in acupuncture. By the third session, Tillie was no longer in constant pain and was able to once again walk just a little bit. The vet showed her foster mom how to correctly massage Tillie’s back legs twice a day so that they don’t become completely rigid again. This has made another big difference in the quality of her life. She has come a long way from that cold January day when she was found abandoned in the snow. Tillie is truly a remarkable dog, and we here at CCDR greatly appreciate any donations toward her continuing care. Tillie continues to go in for acupuncture treatments every 6 weeks. We have found that this is the only way to keep her walking and pretty much free from pain. She has remained Addisonian which means she is on a low dose of prednisone and must have monthly electrolytes testing plus an injection of DOCP. She is now well known at the vet clinic as she is a regular there, and the staff all love her! With the acupuncture and the daily leg massages given to her by her foster mom, Tillie has been able to get around a little more. She surprised everyone when she was able to walk up to a park a block away from home by herself (instead of being wheeled up to the park in her double buggy). She was proud of herself and enjoyed the attention of the kids playing at the park. She played so hard she became exhausted and had to be carried home, but this is just what she needed for her emotional wellbeing. Tillie is very thankful for the medical care she has received through CCDR as it has given her a good quality of life. Without it, her foster mom does not believe she would still be alive. Donations toward her continuing care are very much appreciated. - thank you, Miss Tillie "T" It has been just over a year since Tillie suffered an Addisonian crisis. Testing has determined that her cortisol level has remained low and so her vet feels that she will now remain permanently Addisonian . This means that she will still need her monthly DOCP injections, but will only need periodic electrolytes tests. She has been doing well on a small dose of prednisolone every third day. On those days that she seems to be a little stressed, she is given a little extra pred. All in all, Tillie has been happy and has remained mobile thanks to the daily leg exercises (bends, stretches, massages) given to her by her foster Mom. She has lost a pound (not an easy feat when she is unable to do much walking) and is looking better these days. She still has that bit of feistiness in her spirit which has endeared her to so many who have met her. At her last check-up, Tillie’s vet noticed that she has some broken teeth. They do not seem to be causing her trouble at this time, but that could change. Her foster Mom was told that Tillie is high-risk for being put under anesthesia and may not be able to survive it. The Cushing’s syndrome she suffered with before she was brought into rescue took its toll on her physically, and her poor teeth are part of that. If she does undergo anesthesia for a dental, it should be done by a dental specialist at the Univ. of MN vet hospital as they have the staff and equipment necessary to deal with special-needs dogs like Tillie and could carefully monitor her. Since Tillie is not in immediate pain or discomfort, no plans have been made at this point to have her undergo this dental work. Miss Tillie T has been enjoying the companionship of the other dachshunds
in her foster home. She is constantly kissed and fussed over by Phoebe
(a retired puppy mill breeder), and is playfully attacked by a young pup
who adores her. Together they wrestle around in the big doggy bed,
and this is probably what led to Tillie losing a whole pound! She
is a happy dog these days. She is doing well and is never lacking
in needed medical care provided for her by CCDR, and in the love and attention
she is shown in her foster home. If you would like to help CCDR continue
to give Tillie the care she needs and deserves, please find it in your
heart to make a donation for little Buddy Tillie.
In June, Tillie’s foster Mom noticed Tillie was experiencing pain at tooth-brushing time. She was also acting pretty lethargic. Tillie was examined by a dental specialist who said that Tillie’s dental could not be put off any longer, even though she was a high risk for anesthesia now due to her advanced age and being clinically Addisonian. On July 10th, Miss Tillie underwent oral surgery and had to have many extractions, including her 4th premolars which were abscessed. It is a wonder how she could have maintained her sunny disposition all this time as she must have been in quite a bit of discomfort from the condition of her teeth caused by the lack of medical care she received before coming into rescue with CCDR. She was in surgery for three hours and many prayers and healing thoughts were sent her way. Tillie must have a powerful will to live as she survived this hurdle as well. When her healing process is over, little Tillie T should be feeling a whole lot better and have more energy. Her life is good now thanks to the caring folks who have helped by sending in Buddy donations for her. If she could talk, she would say thank-you from the bottom of her heart. Tillie T has been doing remarkably well. When the weather was still mild, she was able to manage short little walks. She has not needed her cart for awhile, although her back legs will always remain stiff (from myotonia caused by Cushing’s), and she will always need her daily leg exercises and massages to help keep them as limber as possible. Thankfully, Tillie has grown to actually enjoy these sessions and the extra attention she gets at this time from her foster Mom. Tillie is still a sweetheart. She always welcomes the new fosters, is never crabby and is just a really good little dog. Even if she never finds a forever home of her own, she is safe and happy as a CCDR foster dog. If you are thinking of making a contribution for one of our special Buddy dachshunds, please consider little Tillie T. Thank you! With the cold Minnesota winter, little Tillie was not able to go on many walks. The snow and the cold really seem to affect her more than they would a healthy dog. With the reduced exercise, her body seemed to stiffen up and her back feet showed the beginnings of trying to knuckle under, making it difficult for her to get around Tillie needed to have another acupuncture treatment as that seems to be the only thing that keeps her walking and keeps any back and leg pain under control. After one session, she seemed to be feeling better. Thankfully, now that the weather is nice again, she’s back to her regular little walks which she loves so much and which are so good for her in keeping her mobile. Her Addison’s has been under control, and Tillie is still the sweet little dog her foster Mom and so many others have fallen in love with. As always, any donations to help with Tillie’s medical expenses are very much appreciated. No donation is too small to help this precious little dachsie. Tillie had a nice summer. She loved to lay in the warm grass and feel the sun’s warmth. She has a very low energy level, but she enjoyed quite a few short walks around the neighborhood. Tillie has met one of her neighbors, a very sweet woman named Margarite (90 years young!) who has invited Tillie over to her home to visit. Tillie absolutely loves the extra attention she gets when visiting. She really is a social butterfly at heart. Her Addison’s disease has remained stable, she continues to get a monthly DOCP injection, and her quality of life is still good. She sends her heartfelt thanks to those sending in Buddy donations for her. No amount is ever too small to help this sweet senior dachsie. Little Miss Tillie is pretty proud of herself. She has lost a little weight and is looking very svelte! She did this gradually, by cutting back on her portions a bit, plus eating a lower calorie food. When she goes to the U of MN vet hospital for her monthly electrolytes injections, her favorite staff tell her how beautiful she looks. Tillie is so happy that the weather is finally turning warmer. She is unable to do much outdoor walking in the winter, but now that spring is here, she plans to start visiting the nearby park again. Her back legs are quite stiff (side effect of her former Cushing’s disease), but she is able to walk a block or two. The walks will be good for her as she recently lost her good friend, the neighbor who liked to invite Tillie over to her home. This neighbor, Margarite, lived to be 91 years, and was one of Tillie’s biggest fans. Tillie has watched the other foster dogs go to a home of their own.
She has been sweet to all of them and is still patiently waiting for a
family to come along to adopt her. Any donations toward her continuing
care are much appreciated.
|
Last
January a man found a little dachshund wandering alone in the woods near
his farm in Wisconsin. For 4 days he kept her in his cold barn before
he was able to bring her to a local animal shelter. Tillie was lucky she
didn't suffer from hypothermia due to the wind chill temperatures being
in the minus zero degrees range.
Tillie
is VERY lovable! She is sweet and affectionate and can melt you with
her beautiful dark eyes. She is also a rascal and can be a bit stubborn,
especially when there’s something she really wants (like a good bone or
a car ride)! She speaks up to let her desires be known. She
talks by muttering, by out and out barking, and also by making the cutest
little whimper noises. If talking doesn’t get her what she wants,
she resorts to body language -- head nods, whole body nods, you name it!
Tillie is a determined little dog but she had to be to survive the snow
and below freezing temperatures of the woods of Wisconsin!
Tillie is a sweetheart, and it is unimaginable how anyone could have abandoned
her in the middle of nowhere since she is not the kind of dog who would
run away. We suspect that is what happened to her. We can only guess
that maybe her former owner knew she was ill and left her in the woods
to die.
Because
of Tillie’s Addisonian crisis last month, Tillie has not required any chemotherapy
but instead has been on a very low dose of prednisone. Her adrenal
glands may never start producing an excess of cortisol again. If
this happens, she will never have to take the Lysodren again, which will
make it easier to control her condition. She still needs periodic
ACTH stim tests and monitoring of her electrolytes to see how well she
is doing.
