Today, I learned a new word, PROTOCOL. I didn't know what it meant, so I had to look it up. Let me say that is no easy task when you have paws. I found out that it means "a detailed plan of a scientific or medical experiment, treatment, or procedure." My first thought was that they were planning to cut open my cute little rat terrier head and go digging around in there looking for the loose wire. Thankfully, my foster mom explained it all to me. See, she read about a Tuft's Veterinary School study where they were studying dogs like me with OCD. She contacted them and after filling out 32 pages of questions on me and my odd behaviors, they sent her this "protocol" of what worked in their study. No cutting of the cute little rat terrier head required. Whew.
In this protocol, they are using a new drug called Namenda. My foster mom says it's a drug for people who have something called Alz-heim-ers. I didn't know what that was either, but rather than make me look up another word, my foster mom said it's a disease that mostly old people get where they can remember things from 50 years ago, but they can't remember things from last week or today; and they can't remember the names and faces of those who love them. How awful!! I can't imagine not knowing that my foster mom loves me. She tells me I'm a good girl; that I'm her sweetie and she pets the spot on my head that she calls "God's finger print." See I have this spot on the top of my head that looks like a big finger print; she says it's where God touched me to make me special. I would hate not being able to remember all those things. So back to the Namenda....apparently, OCD shares some of the same genetic markers as this Alzheimers and with something called Autism and in this study, dogs who got this drug improved by 25%; 50% and even 100%!!!!
Now, the downside is that this drug is very expensive. If I took it and it worked, it would be about $105 a month. My foster mom worries that no one will want to spend that kind of money on me; but she also fears not giving me a chance at a more normal life. What to do? She talked it over with rescue and they decided that it was at least worth a shot, so now we wait for my vet to read the protocol and decide what to do. My foster mom said she would worry about paying for it later if it worked and she'd look for donations to help me. She even called the company that makes it but a vet can't get samples because it's not FDA approved for dogs. Bummer.
What I like best about being here is that my foster mom doesn't yell at me or punish me. She knows I can't help what I do. She does get a little upset with my sisters when they pick on me and she wishes I would stop going potty in the house, but I am trying and I am getting better. I can go a week now before I get so busy and I forget to go outside. Sometimes I forget even when she takes me out every hour.
Last night I got to sleep in the bed with mom. All the other dogs were up there too, so it was a little crowded, but I found my spot, tight to mom, my nose in her ear. My life may not be perfect, but it's pretty close....
- Gracie
Gracie
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