Half The Battle Won!

This morning we waited expectantly for the serum to be delivered to the vet and when it came in he administered it by I.V. Carmella came through that part with flying colors!

Dr. Norwood called me around 2:00 pm to give me an update on her condition and said she was eating and drinking and was showing no ill effects. Yay!

When I asked if he was about to do the other shot into the Central Nervous System he told me at that moment that he had never done a spinal tap of any kind, only observed one and that he didn't feel qualified to do that part. My jaw dropped. Until that point I thought he was ready to do the whole thing and I said, "Well if she's got the virus there too then how are we going to get rid of it all if the serum given in the body can't cross the blood-brain barrier?" He admitted that posed a problem but seemed terrified at the thought that he might kill her in the process if there was one wrong move with that needle.

As nice as he is, nevertheless, I wondered why he waited until then to tell me this. We could have called around a week ago to find a vet who had done spinal taps before when we realized this would probably need to be done in order to achieve a full cure and prevent neurological disease-progression in brain and spinal canal.

Last night I kept waking up startled, then going back to sleep, just to jolt awake again. This is a tricky procedure and a vet does really have to know his stuff to pull it off. One lady on a Distemper forum told me that her vet in Indonesia had no choice but to do it herself because the closest vet who was really qualified was 18 hours away by land and then about 12 more hours by plane. The statistics say that the chances of ending up with a dead dog are 99% on a vet's first try, and this woman was lucky that her vet fell into that 1% of successes, having no experience.

I was somewhat exhasperated when my vet balked at the last minute like that but felt that if he was really that unsure of himself it would be best for another vet to do that part. I just wish he'd told me this in the beginning so we could have had one arranged to give the CNS shot within 48 hours of the shot for her body.

After checking to see whether this would be disasterous I finally got word from one of my contacts that the time-frame between the two parts may not be near as crucial as the time-frame for giving the first shot. The figure I got was that the spinal tap injection should be done 48-72 hours later. I guess if I can't arrange for it to be done until Monday it won't ruin anything. I just don't have an answer yet as to what the maximum time would be safe to wait.

First I called UGA College of Veterinary Medicine and they weren't too helpful, telling me to have my vet call the Referral Coordinator and then they would make an appointment (no idea how soon that would be or whether they'd do the procedure if I miraculously found a ride down there). "No way" I thought. "We don't have that kind of time to be messing around with a bunch of beaurocracy at a time like this, then to possibly have to convince a vet on the spur of the moment I knew nothing about that she needs this and that it will save her life if he didn't know it already". I knew that if I found somebody to drive me and a sick dog all the way to Athens, Georgia and I got some arrogant clinic doctor who only wanted to believe Distemper is fatal 100% of the time and scoffed at this treatment, I was going to be hopping mad! Who even knows if they have the serum there anyhow or whether they'd have it in hand when I got there? I took down the number of the Coordinator, but turned my attention to any other options I could think of that did not involve going on what could be a wild goose chase.

Then an old friend popped into my mind from over 2 years ago who used to work as a manager for a mobil vaccination clinic that set up shop each weekend in pet supply stores. She was always calling vets to cover the various weekends and I remember she had about 9 of them who rotated. Most of them seemed like liberal types who really believed in making the health of the animal top priority, so I thought if anyone would do it she would likely have some names from there she could give me.

I e-mailed her and waited for a response. My heart sank when I received none. It began to grow dark and I thought she must be home by then, so I called, still finding her number inside my address book, and got an answering machine. I left as much information as I could hoping she was just in the bathroom or drying her hands before she could get to the phone and finally hung up, seeing as she didn't seem to be there. Then I went to my computer and started writing Daveyo to see if there was any word from Dr. Sears but nothing there either.

Then the phone rang again and it was someone from the shelter calling from my phone message yesterday when I had tried to reach them and couldn't. I told the woman that Carmella had distemper and she remembered her well (apparently she was a favorite of the staff) and was horrified when I told her the news. "I am so sorry", she said, "I guess sorry doesn't even cover it". I told her how my vet noticed in the records that she'd only had one Distemper vaccine while there and no boosters, and that he said a puppy as young as she was when they picked her up should have had them every 2-3 weeks to fully protect them, and how each vet check showed no weight documented and just said "normal", and how I was not told anything was wrong with her other than a slight scratched eye until after I'd signed all the papers and paid the adoption fee. Then I told her about the treatment she had to have to save her life and that now we were out on a limb until we could locate a vet to do the rest of it. She said she hoped I found one and said she would give the information to the shelter director. I gave her the links to the formula Dr. Sears had written on how to make the serum or get it pre-made, and to the forum on Distemper that was connected with Dr. Sears and Daveyo. She thanked me and I asked her whether she had another number where I could reach her if I needed to and she said they didn't have extensions. I told her that half the time they don't answer the phone or put it on hold or on a recording so that was not good. She did give me her e-mail address and she told me she'd look into getting treatment for her other dogs and that she would stay in touch.

I convoed a few people on Etsy while I waited to hear from any of the other people I'd contacted and then after I'd almost given up hope of hearing any news for the night the phone rang. It was Beverly on the other end (the one who worked for the mobil shot service). She sounded happy to hear from me and said she had just gotten home, that she was no longer working there, but that she did keep a husband and wife team of vets who used to work for the service as her personal vet for her dog. She told me that one of her two Pomeranians had died of congestive heart failure and so did her son's dog, Zephyr, but that she had both of her other dogs, although one was getting old and starting to develop dementia and was mostly blind.

Beverly came up with two other vets as well. I plan to go down the list tomorrow and see if any will or can do the rest of the job. I've gotten this puppy this far, so we might as well go the whole nine yards and get rid of every last remnant of this horrible and disfiguring disease.

Once this is all over the real recovery can begin. They tell me it could take a full year for everything to return to normal, but that at around 50 days improvement should be noticeable. As for the secondary pneumonia, that is being taken care of as we speak; two shots a day of a combination antibiotic, given intramuscularly. I know Carmella will feel alot better once she can really breathe again without all that junk in her lungs.

Well, tomorrow it's back to calling around. I hope we have that part resolved by the end of the day and can look toward the final leg of this endurance test and beyond. Carmella's life has really just begun.

All proceeds from my jewelry sales will be going to pay off Carmella's vet bills.
You can help Carmella in her recovery by purchasing from
http://Giftbearer.etsy.com

Carmella's Big Day!

Well the moment of truth has finally arrived. The vet called me this afternoon after I'd brought Carmella over there this morning, and told me he was finally able to find a vet supply company that had Newcastle Disease Vaccine, LaSota Strain. I had no idea that there would be any difficulty finding or buying it, but he encountered alot of barriers along the way. Some companies would only sell it in mass quantities that he could never use up in his own practice, and many other suppliers were actually out of stock.

After much searching he was able to locate one good source and they are going to overnight ship it to him to arrive tomorrow morning. It is arriving none too soon, as the rate of her decline is making this an emergency situation very fast.



Carmella didn't eat very well this morning, leaving half a can of dogfood sitting in her bowl, and still would only drink yogurt juice. Before taking a taxi to the vet's I gave her as much yogurt juice as I could, and took her outside to go to the bathroom. The cab company now charges $5.00 if you don't have your dog in a cage and $1.00 additional if it is caged. I put one of her pillows in there so that she would be comfortable, and she crawled right into it on her own.

Once at the vet's this morning I spoke with a man in the waiting room who was there to have his grey and white Schitzu groomed and we talked for awhile as we waited for the receptionist. He mentioned to me that his wife had once bought a dog from a pet shop that was sick and he insisted she take it back and get her money back although she was attached to it. She finally relented although she really didn't want to, and they did return her money. I told him that the shelter I got Carmella from had you sign a disclaimer, but that even if they hadn't I could never return her as if she was a defective product from a store. I picked her out from a long list of dogs I'd seen both online and at various shelters after several months of being extremely picky. When I found her, that was the dog I wanted, there was no doubt about it, and it would take a thousand armies to tear us apart. I found myself wanting to ask him if he would trade in his wife or his child for a new model the first time they got really sick. His story left me feeling very uneasy, as I knew it was a sign of the times. I looked at Carmella in her carrier and thought "No way would I ever do that to you". She looked back at me and I could tell she knew it too. This dog would follow me to hell and back and I am prepared to return the favor. If that made me a relic, I thought, then so be it. We are all going to be old and get sick one day, and I would hope that when that time comes all of us will have somebody by our side willing to do whatever is necessary, and I am a strong believer that we help create the world we will one day have to live in, so we'd best make it a compassionate one.




After about 15 minutes a nurse came out and called me to bring Carmella into a room. She asked me how she was doing and I filled her in on the sudden hardening of her pads last night and her reduction in apetite this morning. She had been the first one in that office I'd spoken with on the phone before the first visit and remembered my saying that Carmella looked like a Dingo, and she commented on that again, saying how extremely cute she was. I told her I hoped that Dr. Norwood had the serum and was ready to treat her because I was really worried with the developments of the night before that she would suffer neurological damage. Time was ticking away on my beautiful puppy's life, each minute lost, like a leaf of lettuce being peeled away, leaving a bare and vulnerable center which was her life force. The nurse looked at me from behind black-rimmed glasses and I thought I saw a slight tearing of her eyes, fleeting, but nevertheless very real and very human. I knew that she would take extra special care of my best buddy, as she saw in her what I do; that majestic spirit, that awe-inspiring presence like a tamed wild animal which made it impossible to resist her.

The nurse told me that Carmella was the first dog with Distemper they'd ever had in their practice and that she'd heard about it but had never seen if first-hand until now. She told me that some time ago several shelters had been shut down after an outbreak was reported on the news, but they seemed to be different ones than the one Carmella came from. Even so, it just goes to show that this disease clearly has not been eradicated in this country.

I wonder whether dogs are getting it from wild animals displaced by the destruction of the forest. I remember recently reading about a breed not yet recognized by the American Kennel Club called the Carolina Dog which is thought to be related to the Dingo and wonder now if maybe some Dingoes were released or got loose after having been brought over from Australia. If they'd mixed with domestic dogs then there is an off chance that Carmella could actually be mixed with Dingo, although how recently that would have been in the bloodline is a mystery to me. For that matter I guess someone with a taste for exotic pets could have brought one over recently (I hear you can order just about anything over the internet these days if you can get it cleared through customs), a dog like that could have bred with a domesticated dog. If one became a stray and was not current on their vaccines the puppies may not have inherited any immunity from the mother and contracted the disease or got it from the mother (already infected). Who knows? In any case it sounds plausible to me given the current state of our environment. If bears and wolves show up in suburbia why not Dingos or half-breed Dingos? One has to wonder where these diseases re-emerge from after they were assumed to be almost non-existant in the US nowadays.

After returning home I immediately got online and checked to see whether Dr. Sears had received the message and my vet's phone number to call him. but found out later from Dr. Norwood that he had still not called.

Upon speaking with my vet by phone we decided that Carmella should stay for 7 days in which time all the intensive treatment could be completed, she could be observed closely for any adverse effects, and have medical intervention close at hand just in case it should be needed. This made good sense since I don't have a car and there is only one person I know who could take me over there in the evenings after work, but nobody in the morning, as she will need 2 antibiotic shots a day to fully clear up the pneumonia after receiving the Newcastle's Disease Virus Vaccine I.V. and spinal tap procedure injecting the second dose into the Central nervous system to be sure all traces of Distemper virus are eradicated from brain and spinal chord.

The doctor advised me that because the serum he was using was bird-based rather than dog-based there could be some risks associated with that, but admitted he had really no way fast enough to find a donor dog in the time-frame Carmella would need, so we would have to proceed with the pre-made serum. At this point we have nothing to lose because left untreated she would surely die. I had hoped Dr. Sears would have been able to contact Dr. Norwood in time to send him the dog-based stuff, but with Carmella's recent disease-progression that one or two days might be too long to wait.

After our conversation on the phone, Dr. Norwood faxed me copies of Carmella's test results in case Dr. Sears got in contact with the guy working with him (Daveyo) before he called him.

Then I checked back with Daveyo on the two Distemper messageboards and found that he'd gotten back to me with some more instructions and information about what to expect in the days following the treatment, based on Carmella's current condition.

He said that it is very possible that after both initial shots Carmella might start having seizures or become paralyzed. The first 48 hours after the treatment the immune system goes through a storm, killing the Distemper virus. Soon after, a delayed reaction of the damage that was ensuing becomes fully apparent. This could take about 50 days to start resolving. He assured me that if she does suffer the paralysis it was easier to heal than if she had seizures and not to panic. This sounds very similar to what I was told about my own autoimmune disease protocol (the worstening before it gets better due to a Herxheimer reaction; temporary exascerbation of symptoms while the bacteria is flushed through the tissues and out of the body).

In this case we are dealing with a virus rather than bacteria, but I suspect the same thing is happening when shedding the virus as it's killed. It could be that the toxins released on Distemper's way out of the dog result in increased inflammation of the tissues and organs, and that accounts for the increase in symptoms indicative of which areas had been affected before eradication.

Since my vet has not done this before he told me he'd do his best and do everything in his power but that he couldn't guarantee anything.

I cannot say that I'm not worried, but Carmella's silent strength is part of what endeared me to her in the first place and it is that strength that will give her the ability to beat this virus. She knows that I'm not going to give up on her and that she's home and I'm not going anywhere.

If I have to work with her every day for the next year to get her functioning back to normal, I'm prepared to do that, but she may surprise us all and bounce back alot sooner.

There is something about her that doesn't quit, determined to live to see the day that she can jump into my arms (until she's too big), run, and play, and chew on her toys, chase a ball and bring it back, eat voraciously, and enjoy a long drink of water, to breathe in the warm summer air without coughing or congestion, to learn tricks, and go for long walks, basking in the sun, her reddish-brown fur healthy and glistening.

Carmella-The Night Before

Carmella goes back to the vet tomorrow. Today she seemed to be battling back and forth with her illness, a few hours looking better but then another few, worse.


She ate all her food but still does not feel like drinking water. She will drink yogurt juice more enthusiastically, and I tried to scoop as much of that out for her as I could. She needs all the nutrition she can get right now.






It is pretty well confirmed now that she does have Distemper, but she is fighting this thing with everything she's got.






There was a period around 3:00 pm today when it looked like she felt alot better, but then when I checked on her this evening around 6:00 I noticed that her paws are starting to get crusty on the pads. This is not a good sign and it means disease-progression. If you have never seen a dog with this symptom before here is what it looks like.

I was flabberghasted that this appeared in only a few hours, and I knew right then that I had to document it. Maybe this will help other dogs get early diagnosis and treatment. Just this morning her pads looked fine. This is terrifying.

I faxed over detailed instructions developed by the specialist on the procedure and then spoke to the vet on the phone around 3:00 pm and told him I think we need to move on this ASAP. He agreed. Tomorrow I'm bringing her in between 8:00 and 9:00 AM and she'll be with them all day so that they can take the bladder smear and hopefully by then the doctor will have the life-saving serum to give her. It took some searching to find a vet supply company that carried it, but I found one in Georgia after some researching online. I hope it can be shipped fast. There is no time to waste.


Carmella has been peeing alot and seems to need to go alot more often than most puppies at this age. Tonight the diarrhea came back after she ate her dinner, probably within 5 minutes after she'd eaten. I took her out on the leash right away and no sooner had she found a suitable spot, she went.


The stuff she coughed up tonight was slightly greyish-brownish white (like the color of gravy made with flour), not greenish as it had been before.


So far I have not had any jewelry sales yet since this all began. If you have not done so I hope you'll take a look at my Etsy store at http://giftbearer.etsy.com/ and make a purchase. I now have three pairs of earrings in my Carmella Collection, but if you can't afford those I also have more modest-priced pieces available as well, and I will be adding more jewelry of various types.


 I hope to God my money holds out through this process. It looks as though she may have to take many more trips to the vet. Since I am not able to drive because of my own medical condition and friends cannot always take us, we must sometimes take taxis. The short distance can still be rather expensive; much more so than the cost of gas itself! Eeek!

Carmella's Test Results

I just spoke with the vet, Dr. Norwood, on the phone and the word is that Carmella's two smears from conjunctiva and vagina showed no inclusion bodies of Distemper. Even so, that still does not difinitively rule it out, because her antibodies for it have actually increased. This is a paradox in that although she was vaccinated in May and that could account for the appearance of antibodies, the vet said that it is less likely because usually all antibodies associated with vaccination would probably have cleared by now. The question that continues to nag at my mind is "How could she even get Distemper if she was in fact vaccinated?"

Carmella resting on my knee

Based on the general dishonesty of the shelter she came from, their witholding of important information, and failure to document certain things, I find myself wondering if they "didn't and said they did". I certainly hope that is not the case.

I am supposed to bring her in on Wednesday in the morning so that the vet can do a culture of cells from the bladder which requires that she be sedated, so it may take a few hours, and then I'll pick her up in the evening. That test will take 3 days to get results back, but it is the most definitive test currently known to rule in or out Distemper.

Carmella doesn't seem to be getting worse at this point but she also seems to have reached a plateau. She continues to cough and have fluid in the lungs although she coughs less frequently.

She has spurts of energy, yet probably is not as energetic as she would be if she was completely free of disease. She is not near as responsive as she was the first day I saw her and although she will come when called, she often seems a little slow to respond and kind of spacey.

My vet e-mailed the expert, Dr. Sears in California, and is waiting for his response as to what to do next and when or if he should go ahead and treat her. The new treatment poses certain problems in that he found out he might need some additional equipment to mix up the Castleman's vaccine in the office. I am praying that there is a way for it to be done in the time-frame we need, if that is necessary. Waiting too long could result in irreversible neurological damage and at that point it would be too late.

This new development about the increased antibodies worries me, as it could mean the beginning of another stage in the disease, and this period of relative calm, just a short pause before a more menacing onslaught.

Meanwhile I am getting as much nutrition into her as possible, and I continue giving her all her medication on schedule, giving her lots of love, and rest.

I feel as if an ominous cloud is hanging over us, not willing to relinquish its stranglehold.

This vet is hanging in there with us, and I'm thankful for that. He seems to have taken this on as a personal battle, and maybe that will be our saving grace; all the difference between life and death.

I need to work on another pair of earrings today in the Carmella Collection. Putting one foot in front of the other. I continue to check my shop in hopes that the financial part of this will start to resolve.

http://giftbearer.etsy.com/

Update on Carmella

Carmella pawing at an ant in my driveway

Carmella is doing better after adding a second antibiotic twice a day. She's beginning to spend less time sleeping, starting to look around her surroundings, and is more interested in playing.

You can see in the picture above where they shaved the hair off her front legs to give her the IV last weekend. She has a beautiful coat and it is getting even more lustrous by the day the more she is nursed back to health.

Her energy is coming back and she is beginning to act more like other puppies her age, yet she seems to have an "old soul" perhaps because of what she has been through at this tender age. Although I wouldn't wish hardship on anybody, it has a way of imparting wisdom beyond one's years.

Once barely eating a handful of dog food, she now downs a can of the prescription food the vet sent her home with twice a day and her apetite seems to be increasing. Soon she will probably put the weight on that she should have for her age. She may have gained a little already but I cannot see or feel a big increase yet. It may take some time to undo the malnutrition she suffered for several months at the shelter and possibly before that, on the street.

The vet wants to see her again in about 8 more days, and we're still waiting to hear the results of a few more tests, but things seem to be looking up.

The past few days I've been working on this new Carmella Collection of wedding appropriate jewelry and taking lots of pictures of Carmella. She is truly something special!

The pieces in my Carmella Collection are really worth more than I'm pricing them, but I am pricing them this way in hopes that those who see them will consider it worth their while to go ahead and purchase them now rather than wait, help with Carmella's medical expenses, and get something really nice in return. I'm not asking for a hand-out, just a hand up so that I can extend that help to this precious creature who definitely deserves the best!

I know that times are tough throughout the US right now and many are faced with harrowing decisions and daunting life circumstances; lay-offs, cuts in benefits, difficulty finding work, foreclosures, and slow sales in business, but if you can find it in your heart and your wallet your purchase would be greatly appreciated at this time.

There are many more out there, who like Carmella, must rely on the kindness of strangers to give them a chance at life and health, and although one person can't help all of them, this is a very direct way you can help if you love animals and believe in their preservation. More people will step up to the plate and adopt these animals if they know the community is behind them and they won't have to go it alone.

How can you resist this face?

Help Carmella Get Well!

My shelter dog Carmella (who looks for all the world like a dingo) came home from several days at the vet's today and she seems to be somewhat better after IV fluids, Vitamin B-12, special high protein food, and some new antibiotics.

After piecing together the events in her records from the animal shelter it became clear that the shelter attempted to cover up the fact that she was as sick as she was. No weight was recorded (which I thought odd because that is something vets always do when they take vital signs) and there were several vet checks apparently over the past 2 months all of which said "normal" until the day I brought her home and I'd asked why she was coughing.

Carmella stretching in her bed

It is standard protocol not to vaccinate a dog that is currently sick and though she'd been given the vaccine in May for Distemper my vet noted that they were supposed to have given her some other vaccines later that month and didn't. It seems that the shelter went to great lengths NOT to document the fact that she was losing weight, not eating, and that her health was going downhill. No explanation appeared in the records for their failure to give all her vaccinations.

When all this information started to sink in and I put two and two together (and the shelter did not return my call asking for her weight), I realized that they knowingly gave me a sick puppy, chalking it up to "kennel cough" or a minor "cold" and knowingly witheld important information. It had not been until after I signed all the papers and paid the adoption fee (two days after she'd been spayed) that they showed me to her new cage (which was one of the quarantine cages). Up until that moment all they told me was that she or another dog had scratched her eye. When I saw her in her cage she did not look like the lively dog I'd seen just a few days before, but had a pile of diarrhea next to her and was lying down looking pretty bedraggled. As I was waiting for them to print out all her records I noticed that she was coughing. An employee blew by me as I was trying to ask her what was wrong with my dog, pretending not to hear me. I said "excuse me" several times before she finally came back and asked what I needed. I brought to her attention that the dog was coughing and asked about it. She seemed to be unaware (or at least behaved that way) as though she hadn't noticed but said she might have some "upper respiratory infection". Once called on it she went back and printed out some more records, documented it and had me sign them, then went and got antibiotics from the vet on staff and some medication for the diarrhea, as well as some antibiotic eye ointment. She presented it as if they were just sending the dog home with meds as a precaution and that it might just go away anyway on its own.

After a week of the meds the shelter had given me Carmella seemed worse; not better and was barely eating at all. That was when I took her to the vet because I was really afraid she was going to die.

I wondered how the shelter could not have noticed how much weight she'd lost and that she was not hungry.

When I'd brought her in the vet told me he thought it was something more than just kennel cough and said that it could be Distemper even though she had been vaccinated for that.

The test that came back today was inconclusive in that it was only an antibody test which would appear positive if she'd been vaccinated the same as it would if she had the disease. Next he needed to take several cultures to look for the actual cells. That will give us a more definitive answer as to whether that's what it is or whether instead this could be pneumonia from a very bad bacterial infection. It may take another few days to get the results of the more recent cultures.

When I'd brought her in my vet told me she had about a 50/50 chance of living and that the prognosis was "guarded". I could not just stand there and let this happen to the puppy that I'd searched for with a fine toothed comb over several months and bonding with. This dog which I seem to have an uncanny psychic connection with had to make it or I wasn't sure I would.

Over the weekend she stayed at the vet's office and meanwhile I researched everything I could online. I found lots of references on Google and on a pet health forum to a vet named Dr. Sears who had a practice in California who has a cutting edge but controversial treatment/cure for Distemper.

Most vets are taught that the disease is progressive and fatal, but this guy claims to have eradicated the virus in a number of dogs by giving Newcastle's disease LaSota Strain vaccine off-label. How it works is that is upregulates the dog's immune system so that it launches a direct attack on the virus and kills it within about 12-48 hours. I set out to get all the information I could on it and not only did I find the doctor's e-mail address and phone number for my vet, I also located the formula on how to make the vaccine in the office.

Apparently this can only work if a dog is in the very early stages of the disease (which if Carmella has it she would be in now). I asked my vet to be ready with the stuff over the next week in case he needs to use it before it's too late. He's reading over the material I gave him and seems open to trying it if it comes down to it. Really if her tests turn up positive there would be nothing to lose by trying it because the other alternative is permanent and progressive damage to the Central Nervous System, suffering, paliative care, then death (not to mention vet bills into the thousands for the remainder of her life).

Having battled a life-threatening disease myself and being saved by an off-label treatment, I know that there is an answer to everything. We just need to find it. Nothing is hopeless and we have to be willing to consider this living being's life worth saving, suspend our judgement as to how we're going to do that, and think outside the box. I call this "The 5th Option"; one which appears not to exist at first glance but in fact does.

My vet was very excited about the possibility of a cure but of course he will come up against those who refuse to believe it's possible and may even think badly of him for entertaining the possibility that this could be effective. I can hear it now; the naysayers who will invariably say that it's some nut, a vet on the fringe who would make such claims without going through "proper channels" and that no vet worth his salt would listen to it or take it seriously. I have heard it all before in human health circles, but I say who cares where the answer comes from and how the discovery is made. If it works and it saves lives then that's what really matters, and if it's what it will take to cure my little Carmella so that she can get well and live a normal life and allow her to get on with the business of being a care-free puppy, then I say bring it on! I did not save her from the "gas chamber" only to watch her die ironically of some disease.

In the meantime my vet bill is growing just from a few days of her being in the hospital and I need to pay it off as soon as I can, as there may be more costs coming, and my income is very small right now.

If you love animals and jewelry, your purchase from my Etsy store http://giftbearer.etsy.com/ would be greatly appreciated! I want to give Carmella all the medical care she needs so she'll have a fighting chance. This puppy has had a hard life already and she's only 3 months old. She's counting on me to take care of the logistics.

I have started a new line called the Carmella Collection which features highly ornate jewelry using pearls and gemstones that is particularly suited for weddings although it can be used for other occasions as well.

Why not come by and pick up something for yourself or as a gift for someone you care about while you offer the gift of life to this little puppy. Helping with these expenses is one way you can help a dog from a shelter to turn the corner. Giving directly to shelters is only half the need. In today's rough economy many people are likely to encounter the same problems I did when they bring home their new addition to the family because it didn't receive adequate care at the shelter. What is supposed to be a happy new start can often be just the beginning of a nightmare that never seems to end.

I thank you in advance for being part of the solution to Carmella's health problems.

Carmella after returning home from the vet Monday, July 14th, 2008, bandaged up from the IV.

Carmella - My Rescued Shelter Dog

I missed the shelter dog I was waiting for originally that was part greyhound, but got another one last Saturday (July 5th, 2008). I named her Carmella and she is the sweetest little 3 month old puppy you could ever find. She looks like a Dingo with reddish brown fur and distinctive-looking eyes that are almost cat-like in their shape, big ears that stand up and fold slightly to the side, and a light chocolate mask around her nose and chin. Carmella likes to climb into my lap and sit with me while I type on the computer, and already barks at the door when someone comes to it. She's pretty close to being housebroken and is very smart.

The day I picked her out (the previous Wednesday) she seemed fine, but when I came to pick her up just a few days later she had developed some sort of illness. (In retrospect it appeared that one of the shelter employees was unusually elated, thanking me profusely when I told him I was coming back to take her home. Although it seemed a little extreme I thought nothing of it at the time. I just figured he loved animals and that maybe she was his favorite, but now I can't help but wonder whether she was slated for the "gas chamber" and was saved by the bell).

Looking back I remember that I had to ask for each piece of her records one by one and they did not seem sure of what their vet had done or not done, on what date. Some things were not actually documented until the day I brought her home.

The shelter sent her home with some antibiotics, telling me it's kennel cough and nothing serious, but after one week she did not get any better, so I took her to the vet this morning and they say there's a 50/50 chance she will pull through, as she is sicker than the shelter staff led me to believe. It looks as though I am going to be paying off this bill for a long time, but I couldn't see putting her to sleep just to save myself the debt.

Right now she is in intensive care at the vet for several days because she won't eat and needs 'round the clock veterinary care. They're in the process of doing some tests to determine exactly what's wrong, do chest X-rays, give her an IV and get some nutrition into her to help her fight off the infection.

I believe there was a reason why I rescued her in particular and a purpose in her coming into my life, and that she is meant to survive and have many happy and healthy years ahead.

We must all do what we can to protect the innocents of the world; not merely wish good luck but to BE good luck.

For those of you who are interested I will post a picture of her here on my blogspot blog once she's out of the woods. (I felt taking a picture of her in her current state may jinx her recovery, so I decided to wait).

If you see anything in my Etsy shop you think you can use or give as a gift to someone in your life, your purchase at this time is much appreciated, so that I can give this puppy all the help she needs to get back on her feet. http://Giftbearer.etsy.com

Thanks for caring!

Sincerely,

Pippit

Wear Something PurrfectlyDevine

Victorian Crystals Bracelet - $25.00
Sworovski crystals, glass pearls, and daisy spacers, and large memory wire (2 1/4" diameter instead of 2" diameter)

Purrfectlydevine is owned by a woman in York, PA who is a Special Education teacher by day and works in a grocery store deli part-time, and is a beader by night. Her co-workers encouraged her to start selling her work when they saw some of the things she’d made, and her friends and family have been supportive of her interest.

She also crochets, and is considering adding some of those items to her online store along with her jewelry, and there are currently a few other craft items available.

Victorian Inspired Necklace and Bracelet - $45.00
A set made with Rose-colored Swarovski crystal in 2 sizes, small green pearls, and larger mauve pearls. All metal is sterling silver. The necklace measures 18 1/4" (46.4 cm) long, and the drop is 1 1/4" (3.1 cm) long. The bracelet is 7 5/8" (19.4cm) long. Both pieces close with a spring ring clasp.

The next piece is clever! The design is very simple but clearly looks like 3-leaf clovers the way the glass beads are arranged on the chain.

Irish Necklace - $60.00
A Gold-plated chain with faceted emerald green Czech crystal glass beads

**************************************Be sure not to miss her weekly sale, FABULOUS FRIDAY FRENZY — Every Friday from 12:01am to 11:59pm Etsy time (Eastern US Standard time), take 15% off the selling price of any item in her shop that is not already reduced (such as EBTW items). Shipping will not be discounted 15%. Put FFF in notes to seller.
**************************************

To see what else she has check out her Etsy online store;
http://purrfectlydevine.etsy.com

If you’d like to keep up with this seller’s current activities, be sure to read her blog;
http://purrfectlydevine.blogspot.com/

Designs That Dazzle You Like A Live Wire!

Green Fortune – $129.00
Wire-wrapped earrings with Sterling silver, Peridot roundels, and faceted Lemon Smoky Quartz heart briolettes

Katrin Lerman of Katrin Lerman Jewelry is originally from Germany and currently lives in Framingham, Massachusetts where she designs and makes intricate jewelry in the Eni Oken style of wire-wrapping. Her pieces curl and curve majestically; larger gauge sterling wire frames with many feet of smaller gauge wire coiled around them, interspersed with gemstone beads to create the look of luxury. Some also incorporate tiny sterling beads to add texture to the overall design.

Katrin Lerman graduated from the New England School of Art and Design at Suffolk University in Boston with a Degree of Fine Arts in Interior Design. She says that the same principles she learned there, color, form, and texture, are the ones she uses in her jewelry.

She keeps a sketchbook handy to jot down her design ideas and describes her process as two-pronged in that creative ideas either come into her mind as snapshots of finished jewelry, or in bits and pieces that are fleshed-out and revised over time.

The above chandelier style earrings are some of the artist’s best work, with the look of East Indian or Turkish silver.

In Fanciful the artist has an interesting use of the negative space with a central frame and two mirror-imaged curls of sterling wire, and three faceted Citrine surrounded by frames around the bottom, creating a scalloped edge.

Fanciful Necklace - $129.00
Sterling silver 17” chain with pendant of sterling and faceted round Citrine beads

This piece reminds me of a bumble bee with what looks like wings around a body of Chalcedony.

Lemon Drop - $79.00
Pendant 1 3/4” long and 1 ¼” wide with Silver Necklace and Faceted Perrot Chalcedony Briolette on a Sterling Silver 16” or 18” chain with hand created eye and hook claps complements the pendant.

Each of Katrin’s creations in one of a kind, and she will gladly accept custom orders.

To see more of what this artist has available go to;
http://KatrinLermanJewelry.etsy.com

See her blog here;
http://katrinlermanjewelry.blogspot.com/

Jewelry Keepsakes, and other Handmade Surprises

Super Sweet Pink Necklace - $12.50
Mixed media; a miniature jar filled with pink sparkle dust, bow, pink Czech crystal on a 17” antique raw brass chain.

Autumnleah is an eclectic Etsy shop containing unusual costume jewelry, scrapbooking, hand-sewn children’s clothing, and other handmade items. This sole proprietor lives in Dallas, Texas, and has a degree in graphic design. She’s a stay-at-home-mom, so running a small art-based business out of her home provides just the balance she needs to give her fulfillment while she is home with her child.

Some of her most interesting pieces are her necklaces which are made with a combination of materials and have a romantic and sentimental, almost Victorian flavor to them (see the pink one at top and the black rose below).

Black Rose Necklace - $9.50
24” base metal chain with black rose and silver bow, red leaves at the top.

This next piece was created using decoupage, drilled, and sprinkled with glitter, for a homespun somewhat antique look.

Hope - $7.50
The heart measures approx. 1.25" inches across and the ribbon is 18" long; Choice of either a light pink or a brown ribbon necklace with your purchase.

And last but not least; she offers a package of 4 online store banners (1 for each season). This is a very clever idea. I’ve seen lots of people offering store banners, but this covers all the bases.

Four Seasonal Store Banners -$10.00
One of a kind; they measure 760px by 100px each
(Above is a sample)

Autumnleah is currently running a big sale. Nothing is over $15.00. Prices are perfect for those on a budget.

To see more handcrafted creations go to;
http://autumnleah.etsy.com

To learn more about this seller and what she’s involved in read her blog;
http://autumnleahdesigns.blogspot.com

Art Prints; In The Eye Reflected Back

STEAM PUNK CAT- Original Fine Art Photomontage Print - $25.00
Printed on high quality Archival paper; total size is 8.5 x 11 which leaves a border for framing...the photo itself is approx size 10 X 8.


Citrus Tree Designs cards and prints is an Etsy store our of DelRay Beach, Florida that specializes in art cards and prints using photography, illustration, photomontage, digital alteration and special effects.

The artist creates very powerful and thought-provoking images such as the one shown at top called Steam Punk Cat with a backdrop of industrial buildings at night, its neon mechanically riveted eyes seeming to make a social commentary on life imitating art or art imitating life. Is it a real cat turned mechanical or a mechanical cat becoming flesh and bone? It could also be making a statement about artificial intelligence in the post-industrial age. Have our computers become our new pets? Does the hellish red glow hint at “progress” being the root of evil possibly? There’s a lot there to interpret, and after all that is the hallmark of great art.

This next photo print shows a calm inviting walkway to what looks like a representation of what heaven must be like. The path is weathered and somewhat rustic implying that life can be kind of rough on the way, but that what lies at the end is well worth the effort in striving.

Path to Serenity - Original Fine Art Photography Print - $20.00 Total size is 8.5 x 11 (leaves a border for framing). The photo itself is size 10.5 x 7,
printed on high quality Archival paper, with a luster finish

A very unusual digital Christmas card, this Harley Davidson in the snow makes a nice card to give that guy who loves to ride or work on bikes.

SPECIAL EDITION HOLIDAY MOTORCYCLE CARD - Original Image - $3.50
A 5x7 folded card that says “Happy New Year” on the inside and comes in a sealed cellophane envelope.

In Time To Move a delicate-looking house is perched precariously upon a hilltop. Although the fantasy landscape in this piece is dreamy and ethereal, the house also looks threatened by forces that might wash it away at any moment and take with it the inhabitants inside.

TIME TO MOVE - Original Photomontage Fine Art Print - $20.00
Total size is 11 x 8.5 which leaves a border for framing...the photo itself is approx size 10 x 7, on high quality archival paper.

If the eye is the window to the soul, then this print expresses that concept with a sky blue that seems to symbolize transparency and good intentions, almost childlike in its purity. A girl peaks from behind a lacy spray of flowers. What appears to be a red teardrop gemstone (maybe a Ruby or Oxblood coral briolette) drips from either her eye or the flower bundle just in front of her. Perhaps it’s her life force exposed to the elements like a drop of blood seen outside the body, or a tear giving way to something precious that she’s created through the fruits of her labor. The macro look of the face and the tiny reflection in the eye seems to give the viewer the feeling that she is only inches away from one’s face, conveying a reciprocal level of deep intimacy, an internal knowing that goes in both directions. I have seen this phenomenon in several artists’ work and the effect is hauntingly beautiful.

PERSONAL GROWTH - Fine Art Print - Original Digital Collage - $20.00

Total size is 8.5 x 11 which leaves a border for framing...the photo itself is size 10 x 7.5

If you are looking for something meaningful to hang on your wall or to send as a gift this shop is a very good place from which to make your selection.

To see more fascinating printed images go to;
http://CitrusTree.etsy.com

Read more about the artist and her activities on her blog;
http://citrustreedesigns.blogspot.com

Put Some Bling on that thing!

Rosi of berrybeads from Long Island, NY enjoys making items that are both functional and pretty. One of her specialties is her beaded badge-holders which she constructs from glass, base metal bead spacers, and sometimes gemstone beads strung on 26 pound capacity beading wire that is double-crimped to keep the item you purchase secure.

If you remember the ‘60s the style will look very familiar to you; seed beads interspersed with larger glass beads in a kind of boho look.

If you’ve got a cell phone or mp3 player then you don’t have to be rich to add some bling to that thing! Cute and fun stuff is waiting for you. Go and get some of these accessories, and take a few home for friends and family while you’re at it.

She also offers decorative zipper pulls;

Butterfly Bling Zipper Pull - $4.50
Measures 1.25 inches (about 5.5 cm) long including the clip and is fashioned from glass beads and silver base metal

cell phone charms;

Heart Charm Cell Phone Bling - $4.50
Decoration for a cell phone or mp3 player; Glass beads with silver color base metal spacers and a sterling silver heart charm. This piece measures 1 3/4 inches (4.2 cm) without the 2” cell phone leash.

as well as regular fashion jewelry, all priced at $25.00 and under;

Fishy Earrings - $8.00
Funky abstract fish earrings formed by hand using silver artistic wire; 3 inches (8cm) from the top of the ear wire, and hung with a stone bead.

Copper n' Stone Necklace - $25.00
19 inch long ID badge lanyard made with 18 mm stone beads and copper wire bent in the shape of swirled hearts.

To see more bling go to;
http://berrybeads.etsy.com

Read the artist’s blog here;

http://blog.berrybeady.com

Hand Printed Little Friends for Your Special Occasion!

Gocco Animal Card - $3.00
A 4.25" by 5.5" folded card, blank inside, with lake blue envelope included.

Becca, the artist behind mycatlulu is from Santa Cruz, California, she has a BA in art, and works days as a desktop publisher. Her printed item business was named after her cat that she loves dearly and is home to some unique and inventive prints that have the clean look of simplicity while conveying a professional and classy look.

She belongs to the following street teams;
California Crafters Club of Etsy

EFA- Etsy's For Animals
GoccoPaper
SF Bay Area

This next set of dove cards is extra special and allows 50% of the proceeds from your purchase to go to Amnesty International USA, an organization whose mission is to “undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of our work to promote all human rights"(Excerpt from Justgive.org.)

Gocco Peace Dove Set of 5 Note Cards - $10.00
A peace dove printed onto folded cards with peppermint background, measuring 4.5" by 5.5", blank inside, with matching meltic blue envelopes.

Save 20% on this next set of non-traditional Christmas cards showing the pretty silhouette of a sea horse in black with a bright red glitter dot at the snout to look like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (only this time it's the sea life version).

Gocco Rudolph Seahorses- Set of Five - $8.00
4.25" by 5.5" folded note cards- high quality white card stock, blank inside with matching red envelopes. Since each card is hand printed, there can be slight differences in each card.

Her various animal cards can be ordered in any combination, and each is packaged in a cellophane sleeve, and mailed in a bubble mailer.

Becca welcomes custom orders, so if you have a wedding, family reunion, want to tell everyone of the birth of a new baby, or have another event you want personalized, keep her in mind and ask for a quote.

To see pictures and learn about her printing process be sure to look at her Flickr photo stream; http://www.flickr.com/photos/beccaphoto/2145339002/in/set-72157600158235106/

To watch her store for more lovely stationary and other printed items go to;
http://mycatlulu.etsy.com

Stay up on her activities by reading her blog;
http://mycatlulu.blogspot.com

Marilyn's Horn of Plenty!

Paterkillar Beaded Beads Necklace - $80.00
Eight beaded beads strung on a 32-inch leather string, each approximately 1 1/2 inches long. Interspaced between us are moonstone beads (13). This piece can be worn as a longer necklace, a choker, a bracelet. 2 blue and white, 2 turquoises and orange, 2 red and yellow and 2 purple and white- all on a black base.

Marilyn G of cigarboxbeads is a retired home Ec teacher from Seal Beach, California, with twins and a husband. Her retirement only makes it easier for her creative ideas to flow. She loves to knit, crochet, and do bead-weaving to create upscale elegant jewelry.

Her style of jewelry has abundance written all over it, from her caterpillar-like beaded necklace shown above, to multi-layered pieces such as this one called; Cottage Garden Bracelet.

Cottage Garden Bracelet - $85.00
Woven with a square stitch base and a vintage mauve-purple flower button, with loops on the other end of the bracelet, to accommodate a small wrist or a medium sized one. The bracelet measures 8 inches from one end to the other, with 2 loops of tiny gem chips, will fit a wrist of 6 1/2-8 inches.

To this elegantly netted piece below (this is an absolute steal for $85.00)! This is another piece you collectors should grab quickly. I have seen similar items made by other artists that are selling for about 2-3 times that price!

Chocolate Mocha Truffle Netted Choker - $85.00
15 inches long, except for the clasp. Choker is entirely netted into a cloth-like mesh.

To see more of Marilyn’s beautiful bead-woven jewelry, check out her Etsy store;
http://cigarboxbeads.etsy.com

To learn more about the artist and her current activities, make sure not to miss her blog;
http://cigarboxbeads.blogspot.com