{"id":24018,"date":"2014-01-24T20:04:55","date_gmt":"2014-01-25T01:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/?p=24018"},"modified":"2014-01-24T20:04:55","modified_gmt":"2014-01-25T01:04:55","slug":"henry-the-dog-is-special","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/henry-the-dog-is-special\/","title":{"rendered":"Henry the Dog Is Special"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I first laid eyes on Henry the Pekingese<\/a> at the ASPCA in June 2006, I immediately noticed his deformed front paw, shaky back legs and blond eyelashes, in that order. I was still mourning Mr. Chubbs<\/a>, my elderly Pekingese, who had to be euthanized a few weeks earlier after his lifelong neurological disease escalated into paralysis. As a result, I was wary about taking on another dog with a chronic condition — but I didn’t immediately head for the hills because I LOVE Pekingese.<\/p>\n

\"chubbs-shirt-nov-2003-2\"<\/a>

Mr. Chubbs and me in 2003. Click for original post.<\/p><\/div>\n

The volunteer I was working with suggested the paw could be a food allergy and the tremor could be nerves, but I know canine health problems when I see them<\/a>. I asked the vets at the pound to give me a proper diagnosis before I would agree to take Henry — then known as “Sushi.”\u00a0 After several appointments that ruled out allergies, viruses, fungi, bacterial infections, cancer, and injury, no definitive diagnosis had been made. Henry kept batting his blond eyelashes at me, and further resistance was futile. I took him home and renamed him after Henry VIII<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"henry_july4_2006_3\"<\/a>

Henry when he first came home in July 2006.<\/p><\/div>\n

The left front paw immediately became a major issue. Ultimately, it was found to be defective in a couple of ways, involving missing ligaments and an excess of cystic tissue. The paw was easily irritated and when it was, Henry would lick it endlessly, which would lead to a worse infection. The only thing that stopped the licking was the cone of shame<\/a>. After poor Henry was confined to the cone of shame for months on end, a surgeon at the Animal Medical Center<\/a> adapted an operation usually performed on cystic Cocker Spaniel ears for Henry’s foot<\/a>. Henry still has flare-ups, but he’s much improved and only needs the cone of shame and antibiotics occasionally.\u00a0 However, on a regular basis, if anyone tries to get Henry to walk in a direction he doesn’t want to go in, he lifts his bad foot and limps ostentatiously. As soon as he’s going where he wants to go, the foot is all better. It’s a miracle!<\/p>\n

While the paw drama was going on, the tremor in his hind legs — always identified by post-ASPCA vets as some kind of neurological problem — didn’t bother Henry. (I did nickname him “Mr. Shaky Pants” though.) Over time, the shakiness spread to his front legs, but he was still able to function normally until very recently, when I noticed he was slow to lie down and had some trouble supporting himself when he was eating. Arthritis and\/or back problems that can affect older dogs in that way, but I was concerned it was related to Henry’s longtime condition, so, this week, Henry and I met with the neurology team at the Animal Medical Center. After a thorough examination, they reported to me that he had an awesome personality and was one of their favorite dogs ever.\u00a0 Awww! Then the doctors told me the name for Henry’s rare condition is “orthostatic tremor,” and that when it is diagnosed at all, it’s in Great Danes and a few other giant dog breeds. Pekingese are often described as big dogs in little bodies, but this is taking it too far! Yet the symptoms<\/a> all add up:<\/p>\n