Tip  5/27/1994 - 12/5/2005 I felt I needed to post Tip's story to possibly save someone from heartache.  I brought Tip home from college in 1994 and he fit right in to our family with my brothers and I in and out doing our own thing.  He was purchased as a family companion and became a family treasure.  Tip has always been a picture of health, until spring of 2003.  My mom called me to say he was tripping and stumbling.  I figured his big feet were getting in the way or maybe he pulled a muscle, but she insisted I come over and look.  I took Tip for a walk and he was fine, for the first minute. Progressively, he started to stumble and quiver.  I rushed him back to the house for fear he would fall. I immediately called my vet, who would only take him in under my name since they were accepting no new patients.  They were so busy, but would see him the next afternoon. In the meantime, Tip was content and ok as long his time standing was short.  They rushed him in that morning.  He had fallen in the yard and wouldn't get up.  He was completely limp on his back end and he had to be carried in to the office in a blanket.  Dr, Dougherty kept him to do tests and observations.  My mom and Dad were so upset.  Days went by.  He was completely unable to get up, now down of all fours.  They drove 30 miles to see him every morning and again with me at night.  The doctor insisted that we give him a chance, and speculated that the heartworm preventative that my mom had started him on had killed roundworm (normally harmless) But that the larvae were in his spinal column when they died, paralyzing him.  He said that if he were to walk, it may take 2 weeks.  My valiant and distinguished Tip lay in his own feces and urine and cried and tried to crawl out of his pen when we came to see him.  Despite this, I could see he was still determined.  The technicians tried to keep him dry and clean, but it was hard to see him that way.  On nice days they would carry him into the yard.  One Saturday, we went to see him as he was enjoying his time in the warm sun.  We noticed his continued efforts to get up.  Dr. Dougherty came out to talk with us, and showed us how Tip could stand on his own if he was pulled up.  Not only did he stand, he walked!  At first he walked 5 steps before he would collapse . Then he walked 15 yards, then 20, then he pulled himself up and finally did his "buisness" standing!  It was like a Lifetime movie!  That Monday, 18 days after the ordeal started, Tip went home. He is better than ever now, and probably got a little more stubborn after all the spoiling he got!  Many veterinarians would have given up on a 9 year old dog that couldn't walk. Dr. Pat Dougherty of Pondview Veterinary Clinic in Archbold, Ohio saw that will... and he is our new family hero UPDATE... Tip left a hole in all our hearts when he passed away in December 2005.  He had cancer.  He is missed forever. © Kyouji Akitas - Design by Dog Show Design