Becky's Story

In March of 1999, my husband Dean and I made the decision that we would adopt a dog. In our search for the right dog, we included a trip to the local Human Society. Before going in, we sat in the car and said a short prayer that we would be guided to the right dog, and the right dog would be guided to us. We then set about to "interview" a unbelievably great number of dogs. It was a heartbreaking sight to see so many animals, all longing for a home, and most abandoned by their former owners. It makes a person sad and angry that a place to impound and house stray dogs should even be necessary.

When I first saw the dog we would later name "Becky", I was repulsed. She had unkempt shaggy hair with a large area of bare skin on her front, about the size of a football. She was isolated in a pen on the far end, being the last dog we saw. She cowered from our sight, and I immediately dismissed her from any possibility that she would be the "right" dog. My husband, being the real dog lover, stopped to greet each and every dog, going back to check them out a second and third time. We had several dogs brought out to us, each one giving the definite impression that we were not of any interest to them. On his second visit with "Becky", he coaxed her to come over to him. Seeing that she had nothing to fear, she placed a paw on his knee, and looked longingly into his eyes. She was a mess, and I was impatient that Dean should dismiss the dog and continue to look. Return visits only intensified the dog's efforts to communicate that "she" was the right one. She greeted Dean joyfully, and used her endearing Border Collie eyes, to communicate that she was very special. Workers at the shelter told us that she was an exceptionally nice dog, housebroken, very loving in nature, and seemed to have had some training. We were told the large area of missing hair was due to a bout with mange, but that it was healed, and the hair would grow back. Having no knowledge of the seriousness nor implications of mange, and ignoring all we read about the importance of getting a healthy dog, all caution was dismissed. Little did we know we were about to embark on a heart wrenching journey, that we would never forget. Nor could we have ever realized that Becky would end up leading us down a long path of research into numerous holistic healing methods, and the enbarking on a whole new life.

Background

Becky is a Border Collie mix, estimated to be between one and two years of age at the time of adoption in March of 1999. Upon first examination, she had large areas that were missing hair due to demodectic mange. As part of the adoption agreement, she was taken to a local veterinarian for immunization shots. This was the same veterinarian that originally treated the dog for mange when she was picked up by the shelter. It was later learned that when a dog is prone to mange, vaccinations against rabies or distemper often bring about reoccurrence of the disease. The veterinarian cautioned us to watch for any small areas of skin showing hair loss, usually around the face. (It is noted that one can often count on this disease reoccurring.) Demodectic mange is caused by a microscopic mite that invades the hair follicles. These mites exist everywhere, living on most animals and humans around the face and eyebrows. A dog can becomes prey to them when the immune system is severely depressed, combined with a genetic weakness. A secondary staph infection follows an occurrence of mange as the mite invades the body, carrying with it other bacteria. As the mite quickly reproduces, the infestation spreads rapidly over the dog’s body. It is an agonizing disease resulting in a painful death, if it cannot be stopped.

Traditional treatment consists of washing the dog in a strong insecticide bath. This insecticidal formula is left on the dog to allow the chemicals to get sufficiently into the skin to kill the mite. Although effective, it is a harsh treatment and the chemicals further suppress the immune system. As the presence of demodectic mange is basically symptomatic of other underlying problems, the dog will most often have a reoccurrence of the disease. Another method used is to give the animal a heavy daily dose of heartworm medication for an extended period of time. This also takes a toll on the animals general vitality. Traditional treatment is a no win situation, and the applications may be repeated over a long period of time, if microscopic examinations of skin scrapings indicate the presence of living mites. This treatment is a considerable expense for dog owners. In the beginning we allowed veternarians to talk us into this harsh treatment, not realizing the serious damage it was causing.

For over a year we attempted to relieve Becky of the toxins that her body had accumulated and undo the damage that had been done. We used many different types of holistic healing methods, each one showing promise. On occasion the mange subsided only to reappear again later. Stress seemed to be a great factor, noting an outbreak of mange after a family argument. Dogs absorb the energies of their owners and their surroundings. Friction between family members, or irritability, can cause symptomatic problems in a pet. We would be happy to share what we learned with others who are experiencing problems with their animals. Our plight with Becky was the inspiration behind our founding Holy Ground Farm. In our desperate search for answers we recognized the need for a place where people could find answers for their questions regarding the holistic path.

Today, Friday (18 October 2002 at 7:30am), Becky made her transition. She could no longer endure the pain and quality of life brought on by this disease. Becky will be remembered as a wonderful and loving companion for Jean and I, as we made our way down our bumpy spiritual path. Words are never enough to express the great loss we feel. She will be missed and always remembered... Becky we love you, we miss you and we thank you for being the great teacher that you were.