Heart Like a Dog

Welcome to the Heart Like a Dog Community page.  On this page you will find a great community of pet lovers.  The page was designed for us to share stories and experiences about our furry friends.

The community began a Round Robin about health issues starting on September 1, 2014, here you will find a brief synopsis of the illness/injury and a link to the full post to the blogger who wrote it.  Please keep in mind, while we have all consulted professionals, this is not advice on how to heal your pet, just what worked and what didn’t work for us.  As always, please consult your vet before making any health decisions for your pets.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury/Surgery (Heart Like a Dog)

Sampson is a 92 pound, Golden Labrador retriever who at the time of his injury was about 9 1/2 years old.  At first his owners tried treating the injury conservatively, but in spite of their efforts, he ended up with a full tear.  You can read his full story HERE.

Canine Bloat or Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV) (2 Brown Dawgs)

Thunder is Chesapeake Bay Retriever, at the time of his illness he was five years old.  After a typical day, Thunder began showing signs of distress.  Quick thinking on his owner’s part saved his life.  You can read his full story HERE.

Feline Idiopathic Cystitis or Feline Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) (Travels with Barley)

A month shy of Soth’s third birthday this poor cat began having urinary issues.  Thankfully his owner and vet worked closely together to find a treatment plan that worked for Soth.  You can read his full story HERE.

Canine Degenerative Disc (Tales from the Back Road)

Roxy is a 10-year old chihuahua.  At around five-years old Roxy was diagnosed with a degenerative disc in her middle back.  With the help of a great vet Roxy’s mom found a way to help manage Roxy’s pain.  You can read her complete story HERE.

Dog Dementia or Canine Cognitive Disorder (CCD) (Destiny’s Dog Blog)

Did you know dogs (just like people) can get dementia as they age?  Don’t worry, there are treatments available to help your dogs, but you need to know what to look for.  To find out some of the signs and treatments for CCD click HERE.

Caring for a dog with Chronic Health problems. (Oh My Dog!)

Do you have a pet with chronic health problems?  Have you found ways to manage it? You can read all about Cooper’s story HERE.

Separation Anxiety in Dogs (Creature Clinic)

Is your pet anxious?  Do you dread leaving them because they panic or freak out when you leave?  Anika had horrible Separation Anxiety, her veterinarian mom found the perfect way to help Ani.  You can read her story HERE.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury/Surgery (Kol’s Notes)

When poor little Felix tore his ACL his Mama managed it conservatively.  Conservative management isn’t for every dog, but it’s what worked for Felix.  You can read his story HERE.

Be Prepared (Rescued Insanity)

Sudden illness and injury can blindside a pet parent.  What types of things do you need to know to be prepared?  Kristine shares all her tips to ensure Shiva gets the care that she needs.  You can read all about it HERE.

Spondylosis Deformans (natural fusion of spinal segments)  in Dogs (Slimdoggy)

When Becca was surrendered by the person she had serviced for many years, her new owners quickly realized something wasn’t quite right.  Becca was diagnosed with a very severe case of Spondylosis Deformans, to find out how her new owners helped Becca with this debilitating disease, click HERE.

Canine Kidney Disease (I Still Want More Puppies)

Bella was ten when she was diagnosed with progressive kidney disease.  Bella’s parents worked in conjunction with their vet to find a treatment plan that worked for Bella.  You can read her who story HERE.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury/Surgery (My Brown Newfies)

Sherman did quite well with Conservative Management for his torn ACL considering he is a large breed dog.  Just how did he and his owners manage?  You can read all about it HERE.

Senior Challenges (Wag ‘N Woof Pets)

Do you have a senior pet at home? What steps have you made to make their life easier.  You can read how Kobi’s parents helped him HERE.

Gallbladder Mucocele (NEPA Pets)

To learn what Gallbladder Mucocele is and read Malarky’s journey, click HERE.

Canine Allergies (The Daily Dog Blog)

Cali suffered with allergies most of her life.  As she aged they became progressively worse.   To find out what worked for Cali, click HERE.

Dental Disease (CindyLu’s Muse)

Dogs like people can get dental disease.  Some breeds are prone to it more than others.  Dental disease can lead to other health issues. CindyLu is a breed prone to dental disease, you can read her story HERE.

Peritonitis and Obstructions in Dogs (Dogthusiast)

Do you know signs to look for regarding an obstruction in your dog?  Being observant and acting quickly saved Mort’s life.  You can read his story HERE.

Various Canine Illness (American Dog Blog)

Dawn’s had dogs her whole life, and because of this she’s dealt with mange, parvo, distemper, epilepsy.  To read here whole story, click HERE.

Caring for Senior Dogs (The Writer’s Dog)

As we age things start to not work the way they used to.  It’s true for dogs as well.  You can read about some of the issues senior dogs face HERE.

Canine Auto-Immune Disorder (The Hailey and Zaphod Chronicles)

Loki was five when he was first diagnosed with Auto-Immune Disorder.  Despite that scary diagnosis Loki went on to have almost four more wonderful years.  You can read Loki’s story HERE.

Lyme Disease (Travels with Barley)

Barley was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2011.  To hear how Barley was treated and what symptoms to watch for, click HERE.

Emergency Trips to the Vet (Go Pet Friendly)

What kinds of information do you need when your pet gets ill or injured while traveling?  You can get all the info you need from someone who travels with their dogs for a living.  Read about it HERE.

Lick Granulomas (Heart Like a Dog)

Poor Sampson has been dealing with Lick Granulomas for a few years, to find out what helps him, click HERE.

Giardia in Dogs (DZ’s Adventures)

Dante had a bought with Giardia and then his ‘sister’ Ziva did as well.  To find out what helped Dante and Ziva, click HERE.

Allergies in Dogs (Fetch for Me, Human)

Poor little Buster, he’s only in the third year of his life but he’s had a rough time with allergies.  To find out what Buster’s mom is doing to help him, click HERE.

Canine Nail Health (Life with Beagle)

Poor Jasmine found out the hard way not to tangle with the cat.  The resulting dew claw injury set her mom on a path to finding out about nail health.  You can read all about it HERE.

Canine Digestive Issues (The Golden Life)

Callie, Shadow and Ducky were all having digestive issues.  To find out what helped resolve those issues, click HERE.

Canine Amputation (K2K9)

When Cooper was ten months old and injury resulted in him losing a leg.  How does a three-legged dog manage?  You can read Cooper’s story HERE.

Cairn with Colitis (25 Castles on 25 Clouds)

Poor little Mity, having a bout with Colitis is no fun.  To see what worked to help Mity feel better, click HERE.

Hip Dysplasia (Let’s Go Dog)

Poor Zack, he was diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia at a very young age.  His mom went through a lot finding the right person to help him. You can read Zack’s story HERE.

Essential Oils for Dogs (Heart Prints Pets)

When little Nicky was attacked in his yard, his mom used essential oils to help him recover.  You can read Nicky’s story HERE.

Canine Ear (Yeast) Infections (My Rotten Dogs)

Bruce was having a hard time with ear infections, until his mom hit upon the perfect prevention.  You can read Bruce’s story HERE.

Canine Allergies (Dolly the Doxie)

Poor little Dolly, she was having a hard time with allergies.  She and the Lady she rescued embarked on a journey to find something that helped.  You can read Dolly’s story HERE.

Xylitol Poisoning(Travels with Barley)

Xylitol is an ingredient found in sugarless gum.  Thankfully Barley’s owner was aware of that when she caught Barley munching on a pack. You can read Barley’s story HERE.

Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer) in Dogs (Sand Spring Chesapeakes)

Norman was 12.5 when he was diagnosed with bone cancer.  His mom considered so many factors before making the decision not to amputate.  You can read Norman’s story HERE.

Elevated Liver Levels in Dogs (Heart Like a Dog)

Delilah was 8 1/2 when a routine checkup revealed elevated liver levels.  To see how Delilah was treated, click HERE.

Pet Obesity (Slimdoggy)

There is an epidemic of overweight pets in this world.  To find some great resources to help combat this epidemic, click HERE.

Canine Urinary Tract Infections (Destiny’s Dog Blog)

Poor little Destiny, a urinary tract infection led to incontinence.  Her mama did some research and came up with lots of great ways to prevent UTI’s.  You can read Destiny’s story HERE.

Feline Diabetes (Melissa’s Mochas, Mysteries & Meows)

Tara’s urinary tract infection alerted her mom to an underlying issue.  Diabetes.  To find out what helped Tara, click HERE.

Canine Epilepsy(Let’s Go Dog)

Zoe was diagnosed with Epilepsy, would you know what to do if your dog had a seizure?  Zoe’s mom walks you through it and shares what helps Zoe HERE.

Taking in a Stray Kitty (Playful Kitty)

Do you know what to do if a cat shows up on your doorstep?  It’s not as simple as bringing them inside and feeding them.  Some cats can carry diseases and exposure to other cats in your home could prove dangerous.  Get all your tips HERE.

The Mess of Injury (Kol’s Notes)

Having an ill or injured pet often requires concessions to your living arrangements.  But just because you add a new piece of furniture to you home, doesn’t mean it has to be ugly and awkward.  To see how Jodi adjusted the pet steps Fe needed when he hurt his ACL, click HERE.

Canine Parvovirus (It’s Dog or Nothing)

Parovirus is a serious disease and puppies are very vulnerable to it.  Do you know what to watch for?   Being proactive can save your dog’s life.  Find out what to watch for HERE.

Canine Amputation (Talking Dog Blog)

The thought of amputation can be a very scary thing, Benji’s story shows the stigma is more in a human mind than in a dogs.  You can read Benji’s story HERE.

Rabies Vaccines (No Dog About It)

Are Rabies vaccines safe? It wasn’t for Indy.  You can read Indy’s story, HERE.

Pacific Salmon Poisoning (Cascadian Nomads)

Tynan and Wilhelm’s mom had never heard of Pacific Salmon Poisoning until a casual conversation with her vet brought the matter to her attention.  You can read all about it HERE.

 Digestive Issues 

Poor Ducky, just when her mom thought she had the digestive issues figured out, Ducky started feeling poorly again.  To see what her mom is doing to help her, click HERE.