Can Love Help Heal Sick Pets?

As humans, we know our pets help us in so many ways.  They provide us with unconditional love, exercise, joy, laughter, compassion and healing.  They are just downright fun to have as members of our families.  But do you ever wonder how you help your pets?  Besides the obvious -- food, shelter, water, treats and toys, how do we help improve our pets’ lives? 

In more ways than we could ever imagine says pet parent Ann Krcik and her dog Shayla’s veterinarian, Dr. Marcella Harb-Hauser, an Internal Medicine specialist at the Pet Emergency and Specialty Center of Marin. 

Here’s how the moving story unfolds: Ann and her 5-year-old Airedale Terrier Shayla were enjoying a usual day at Stinson beach.  Ann would throw the ball; Shayla would retrieve it.  This went on for hours.  When they arrived home, Ann wasn’t too surprised that Shayla was acting stiff and sore.  She thought they’d just overdone it. 

When Shayla didn’t get any better and couldn’t control her bladder one evening, Ann knew something was wrong.  After a trip to her family veterinarian, Ann was referred to the specialists at the Pet Emergency and Specialty Center of Marin where Shayla was diagnosed with leptospirosis, a contagious disease caused by bacteria-like organisms called leptospira that can affect humans and animals.  Leptospirosis prospers in stagnant water and can infect dogs if they drink contaminated water or step or roll in contaminated water with an open cut or wound. Marin County is known as a “hot spot” for this disease in the veterinary world.

There are several strains of Leptospirosis, but the most common strains shut down the kidneys and sometimes cause severe liver problems, inflammation and even hemorrhaging into the lungs. 

Needless to say, Ann was terrified.  After all, Shayla had helped Ann through one of the most difficult times in her life.  Four and a half years prior, when Shayla was just a puppy, Ann lost her long-time partner in an accident.  Shayla was her rock during that grueling period and Ann simply couldn’t imagine life without her best friend. 

Ann wondered if her presence at the pet hospital would benefit or upset Shayla. She asked Dr. Harb-Hauser if spending time with Shayla might help her recovery, or if intermittent visits might instead cause stress, and should be avoided.

“I’m a firm believer that pet parents play an integral role in helping their pets heal,” says Dr. Harb-Hauser. “Just like humans, if pets are less stressed, they heal faster.  When pets are calmer, they accept therapy better, so I encourage my clients to visit regularly and often.  We’ll soon be expanding our hospital and have actually designed it to better accommodate visits by pet parents.”  

Ann was hoping that would be her answer because Shayla had never been left alone. Ann visited several times per day.  “The staff was so helpful; they let me sit on the floor with this 65 pound dog on my lap, and just worked around me.  I couldn’t be more thankful that they understood my need to hold Shayla.  I wanted to be there for her, just as she was there for me four years earlier.” 

For days, Internal Medicine specialist, Dr. Harb-Hauser kept Shayla on IV fluids and antibiotics, monitored urine output and gave 24-hour high level nursing care. Just when she seemed to be improving, additional tests showed the leptospirosis was now affecting her lungs and the disease suddenly became life threatening again.  Dr. Harb-Hauser told Ann that they had done all they could medically and, other than adding in oxygen therapy, Shayla would have to fight this part off herself.  If she couldn’t, she might die. 

One afternoon when Ann was holding Shayla on the floor of the hospital, Shayla struggled just to take a normal breath. 

“It was bleak,” says Ann, “All I could hear were her lungs going clunk, clunk. At one point, I couldn’t feel her breathing at all.  I thought this is it; at least I’ll be holding her as she passes on.  I held her tighter.”   

And that was it.  At that moment, Shayla’s health turned around.  “Instantly, she started breathing again, normal strong breaths.” 

Dr. Harb-Hauser examined Shayla right away and was surprised to find her respiratory status now improving – it appeared as though she was now winning the battle.  The very next day, Shayla was off of oxygen therapy and on her way home to finish healing! 

“We’ll never really know why Shayla’s health appeared to change in that instant,” says Dr. Harb-Hauser.  “I firmly believe that Ann’s presence, holding her the way she was, somehow helped Shayla enough to fight the physiological ailments she was facing.  She may have recovered regardless, but it sure didn’t seem that way.” 

If you ask Ann, she says it was love.  Pure love. 

Ann’s advice for Bay Area pet parents: “Show up for your pets.  You wouldn’t drop your child off at the hospital and leave.  Simply being there could mean the difference between life and death.” 

Dr. Harb-Hauser is a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and she practices at the Pet Emergency and Specialty Center of Marin.  She recommends vaccinating your pet against leptospirosis yearly if they are often active and outdoors.