Courtney once faced a myriad of medical problems and relied on a wide array of pharmaceutical meds and holistic products. Despite these efforts, her health issues were never-ending. Since 2015, at just 5-years of age, Courtney suffered from chronic gastrointestinal problems, IBD, recurring pancreatitis, frequent diarrhea and vomiting and a very picky appetite. She also had spondylosis
[calcification in her spinal column] and spinal pain. In 2022, a specialty clinic found several areas of erosion in her esophagus. The same year, she was hospitalized and diagnosed with severe Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), with nodules found on her adrenal glands. Courtney had required at least five different daily medications and regular visits to an Internal Medicine Specialist. Prednisone was so crucial that she wouldn't eat without it and she had been this along with her
other medications for many years. Ultrasounds and scopes revealed more ulcerations in her digestive tract and she frequently showed signs of digestive distress like gagging and air licking.
Courtney looked and acted like a much older dog. Her coat was sparse, brittle, and graying prematurely. She required weekly chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture treatments at my office, in addition to being on a very restricted diet. She also
suffered from chronic physical pain due to a congenital shallow patellar groove instability in her knee which worsened with age. Her medical problems were relentless, but her dedicated owners meticulously managed her care to keep her as comfortable as possible.
Between her weekly visits with me and regular appointments with her Internal Medicine Specialist, it was clear that Courtney herself felt like a much older dog. Her
gray-speckled fur and sad eyes were telling, and her stiff posture and movements indicated constant pain.
She became my patient when she was about 12 years old and had been suffering for 7 long years.
While I've had considerable success in treating complex medical issues in pets with my bag full of tricks, Courtney's case was particularly
challenging.