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Saturday, December 22, 2012

More Active



Pugs is more active, but still sleeps often. Her ears are clearing up(infection), and she is more active! When people won't donate to help save her life we took a more alternative approach. A Clove of fresh garlic enters her system daily. How do we do this when Pugs hates garlic? We bake them in cookies!!!



The tumors have stopped growing, which is a great sign, but the garlic does not reduce the mass, so by the beginning of next year we are going to start pugs on the mushrooms.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Garlic

Garlic is really a miracle drug. Just a few short months of putting garlic cloves into Pugs food and she is more active and healthy. Pugs plays with Sage more and seems less in pain.
Pugs did get an eye infection and I am currently treating it with tea bags steeped in water for 5 minutes and it is starting to clear it up, as long as I apply it once a day. The tumor in her breast stopped growing, but it is not minimizing, so I need to find a wonder drug that might help with that.

We will be moving to a cheaper apartment so we might have more money for her medication. It is also quieter, so maybe that will help her situation, or at least her healing abilities. I am seriously thinking about setting up a nonprofit for service animals and assistance dogs who may need help with expensive treatments and surgeries. I think that would be benificial to not only the animals, but to the people who need them. 

Thursday, November 15, 2012

An Infection

Pugs is still here although no one has donated to her treatment. An awful infection around her eye is being treated with Black Salve, but the wound looks horrible. Deb still insists that she wants Pugs cremated and I have checked several services in the area for the best price, but until we come up with the money Pugs will have to suffer through. She is being loved on and cuddled with every day. Pain medication helps the pain, and she is still loosing weight despite the fact she is eating. Only god knows her fate!

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Goodbye

Pugs Yelped today, so I gave her the last of the pain medication. I am not sure how I will be able to manage her pain tomorrow. The sore around her eye is getting worse; the pain is almost unbearable for her, and she really doesn't deserve to suffer anymore. Deb isn't able to let her go, so once again I have to step up and call the pound. It breaks my heart knowing that I'll have to go through this alone, to live without my best friend, but no one donated, no one cares.

We have sold almost everything and all we have left is our mini fridge, freezer, washer and dryer, and lawnmower, but they will be sold in time as well. The bills took all our money, so there is nothing for food again this month. As soon as the freezer is completely empty, in about a few days, that will be sold. There is no point in having it if there is no food! Next month will be the washer and dryer, so if anyone wants it just send me an e-mail and we will work out the details. It is only 1 year old and still under warranty!

I am so tired of trying and if I knew someone who wanted my house I would gladly leave and let them move in and take over the payments. I know that my life long dream was to own my own home, but it is time to throw that dream away as well; the hell with it. We have never had good times in this place, never had a nice holiday, or weekend here, so why not let a family move into it and create special memories?

I
GOODBYE!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

HAPPY HOLLOWEEN

 
 
HAPPY HOLLOWEEN
 
 

The Tumor, The Sacrifice, and The Pain

Last night while I was administering Pugs medication I rolled her over to put the antibiotic cream on her stomach and noticed that the tumor's growth has reduced significantly. The only thing that I have been feeding her is garlic powder every other day, so garlic does help with Cancer. I am still waiting for the other herbs to arrive from Amazon. I think they may have been delayed due to the devastation Hurricane Sandy has caused. The garlic at least gives us hope that she still can be saved. 

The family has sold their refrigerator, stove, leather couch, and rocking chair for money to purchase the pain medication that Pugs requires. Being on disability because of the multiple sclerosis the family does not have the money to pay for Pugs life saving surgery. There is also no money available to purchase another service dog, so the family is doing all that they can to help Pugs.20 pounds a month is a lot for an MS patient to loose, but sacrifices are in order to even ease Pugs suffering, so the family has gone on a strict 300 calorie a day diet as an attempt to save enough money for Pugs pain medication. One way or another Deb is determined to be with Pugs!

Below is a movie that explains what the family is doing as an attempt to save their beloved service dog's life. 




Sunday, October 28, 2012

BATH TIME!

Pugs had a bath two days ago and tonight I noticed that she stunk, so I gave her another bath. The breast tumor is about the size of a gulf ball, but odd shaped. It is almost like a flattened golf ball. As soon as we raise enough money it will have to be surgically removed. I am worried because the skin around the breast has  black patches. Is this caused from age, or has the tumor began to metastasis? The other tumors have not changed in size or appearance and I don't know what to make of that. I am starting to wonder if a dog can have more than one type of cancer, or have benign and malignant tumors at the same time! The ones on her legs, chest, and sides are white in appearance, but the one on her head is brown. I only noticed the one on her head because there is no fur around it.

Pugs seemed to feel better after her bath, but that was possibly due to the medicine that I rubbed all over her body after I dried her off. It keeps down infections and apparently also kills fleas.Thank god for that, because the flea collar that I put on her today only keeps the fleas off her neck! Thanks to Hartz  Ultra Guard Pugs has to suffer through flea's as well as cancer!
As you can see, Pugs enjoyed her soapy shower. It's hard to get a picture of her breast tumor; she is protective of that area, but if you look at her back legs you can see how far it hangs down.

Here is the spot on her head I was talking about. I am keeping an eye on it, because it resembles  melanoma.


This is Pugs favorite after bath activity! She loves to cuddle while I dry her off. In this picture you can see the sore around her right eye. I applied antibiotic cream, but it just simply doesn't want to heal. I am going to attempt to get a close up of it tomorrow, because I will have to do it on my laptop. The shutter speeds of our other cameras are low and are only good for still life.


I have several other pictures of Pugs to share, as well as another movie to post, but I will  not be able to upload anything until the weekend. I have been so busy trying to help this dog that I have neglected my school work for two weeks, so it's time to hit the books for a little while.

Cancer Treatment And Alternatives For Pugs

The Bauer Research Foundation (BRF) under  Joseph A Bauer Ph.D, is beginning clinical trials for canine and feline Cancer! 

Money is needed for more tests to see if Pugs can travel to Ohio to undergo this trial. The cost to ship her there is also expensive! 

The family can't even raise enough money to buy Pugs pain
medication, so I doubt there is much hope for Pugs getting this treatment, but at least there is hope for other pets who have cancer. 

The drug being tested will eventually treat humans and it would have been nice for Pugs, The Service Dog, to be able to help humans at least one more time.

The family has not given up hope. Deb gave up a month worth of cholesterol pills for herself for one pain pill for Pugs. Pugs is soundly sleeping for the first time all month. The family is researching alternative medications to ease her pain.



The alternative Herbs Pugs will be started on in November:


  • Garlic is a known immune-booster, making tumor-fighting cells multiply. 

Green tea has both antioxidant and astringent properties, and is especially beneficial to dogs with stomach or skin cancer. 



Alternative Herbs The Family Is Considering
  • Echinacea is an immune-booster.
    Echinacea comes from the purple coneflower, and is part of traditional Native American medicine. The herb is sold dried or in pill or tincture form, and has well-established immune-boosting properties. Follow the instructions on the label for adult dosing.
 
 maitake mushrooms   RedReshi Mushrooms

PUGS PLEA FOR HELP

How can you say no to a talking dog? 

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Mostly Lethargic Now

Pugs looks like a different dog and is mostly lethargic now. Without donations Pugs will continue to suffer an agonizing death; please don't let Pugs die this way! Donate Today!
This is what Pugs looked like in 2011 before she was diagnosed! The beautiful service dog waiting to put on her vest and go to college with her disabled owner.

OCTOBER UPDATE

Pugs  lost 15 pounds and scratched most of her fur off her back. A sore manifested around her eye a few days ago. We have been applying antibiotics, but the sore does not heal. A new mass has been found in one of her breast and need to be removed. A small brown spot on her head has appeared and is void of any fur. Pugs plea for donations have been ignored! It may be to late to save her, but without donations euthanasia isn't even possible! Pugs was once a loving and devoted service dog who was helping her master become self sufficient, but not even the owner's love can save her now. Goodbye Pugs, the devoted service dog. I am sorry that no one else cares enough to ease your pain. This blog was to help you get the treatment that you  need, but it may just end up as a memorial. 





Meet Pugs


Pugs was stray from Cullman Alabama. Purchased and trained as a service dog in 2001. Pugs moved with her owner to North East Tennessee in 2009, and will hopefully be able to move back with her owner in 2013.

Favorite Treats:  anything sweet
Favorite Food: Steak, cheese, milk, spagetti
Favorite Dog Food: Kibble and Bits, but only the bits.
Favorite Dog Treats: Snausages

Favorite Activities: Being combed, going for a ride in the vehicle, being petted, and food.
Pet Peeves: Being left alone, Owner's sadness, being in pain from the cancer, and uncaring people.

You can donate as much as you want or as little as a penny.All donations will go to the care and treatment of this beloved Service Dog as she battles Cancer. Please, do not wait until it is too late!
http://www.giveforward.com/savepugs








I would have not succeeded if it weren't for my Service Dog!

Debra Stanulevich contributes her success to her wonderful Service Dog, Pugs. An AAS Degree in Social Work, and an AAS degree in Drugs and Alcohol Tech. from  Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Alabama allowed her to get a BA degree in Human Services from East Tennessee State University.

Deb graduated with honors from both colleges. Phi Theta Kappa, Sigma Alpha Lambda, Golden Key Society, Who's Who Among American University And Colleges, ,

MEMBERSHIP: The North East Tennessee Council on Children and Youth, NAMI, Human Service Club, HERO's

AWARDS:  Syracuse Certification of Recognition 1993, Cullman County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Award 2007, Presidential Service Award 2010.

These are just a few of the awards and organizations Deb belongs to. Her accomplishments were done from a wheelchair with Pugs by her side. In 2013 Deb will be entering college to earn  her MS degree in Counseling, but sadly Pugs may not be by her side. Pugs was diagnosed with Cancer on October, 2012 and the cost of her treatment is higher than any disabled person on Social Security can afford. A donation site has been set up to allow caring individuals to assist in Pugs treatment, so please donate before it;s too late.
http://www.giveforward.com/savepugs

The Service Dog and the Master: I wouldn't be alive without her

Pugs was purchased in Cullman, Alabama and then trained to be a service dog for Debra Stanulevich who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Within the first year Deb's c-pap machine quit working in the middle of the night. Pugs immediately jumped into action by whining, licking her face, and barking. Pugs constant vigilance woke Deb up and she immediately ripped her c-pap mask off her face, gasping for breath. An immediate bond between the two formed from there.

A few months later Deb slurred her words, her pupils dilated  and she was confused and disoriented. Pugs again jumped into action by licking, whining, and barking. The dogs activity alerted others who called an ambulance. The hospital took some tests, evaluated her situation, and sent her home. The next day Pugs alerts notified the family once again and an ambulance was called. The family requested that she be taken to a different hospital, Cullman Regional Medical Center, and Deb was diagnosed with mini-strokes.

In 2009 Deb had a breast reduction due to medical issues(disc degenerative disease). while she was recovering at home the wound bled profusely. Pugs whined and barked alerting the family something was wrong. The EMT's could not stop the bleeding and Deb was rushed to the emergency room. Her doctor met her there after the nurses applied pressure for thirty five minutes. The doctor claimed that it was old blood and released her. This went on for six months until Deb bled during a doctor's appointment and the doctor acknowledged that it was new blood, cauterized it and then sent her home.Pugs slept by her side the whole night.

The second surgery on her breasts were to fix the doctor's previous mistakes. He has left huge masses under her arms. Three days after the surgery Deb was sent to the doctor's office for a follow up where he removed the stitches. Stitches are to be removed 14 days after surgery, not 3. When Deb was home the surgery site opened up and Pugs constant barking alerted the family and an ambulance was immediately called. While the family applied pressure to the surgery site the ambulance could not find the house. Pugs busted out the door and ran down the street barking. A few minutes later Pugs returned with the ambulance following her.

The staff at the hospital's ER room were panicked. The blood would not stop flowing and they could not get a hold of a surgeon. Eventually one was located and the nurses took a white blanket and packed it against the surgery site to prevent a trail of blood down the hallway as Deb was wheeled into surgery. The family waited until she was stabilized and wheeled into her room before going home.

Pugs was home whining and barking when the family arrived home. The house was cleaned up; the blood made the home look like a murder scene. Pugs quit barking, but stilled whined all night. The next morning the family took Pugs to the hospital, but the staff would not allow Pugs to enter the hospital even though she was a service dog. Pugs was left in the locked vehicle with the engine running and air conditioner blowing for an hour while the family checked in on Deb. When the family returned to the vehicle Pugs was asleep, but still whining. Later in the evening Deb called the house from her hospital room and the family put her on speaker while Deb talked to Pugs. Finally the dog stopped whining; Pugs just wanted to make sure that her master was still alive!

In 2009 Deb fell in the bathroom and hit her head on the tub. Pugs licked her face and whined until a family member arrived home. An ambulance was called and Deb was taken to the Emergency Room for tests. Pugs  kept Deb conscious enough to prevent her from slipping into a coma.