This page last updated on 06/05/2008
Scilla Rose   For more info, contact Stephanie

Monday, June 2, 2008
After nearly a month of increased energy and a burgeoning  sense of well being, about one week ago Scilla's condition began to  deteriorate. Her spirit and cognitive abilities remained intact, but 
her left eye became swollen and painful once more, and her energy  diminished. On walks with the other dogs, she began to fall back.

My rough Collie Bentley was the first to notice Scilla's  changing gait and lagging energy, and he, too, began to drop back  behind the others.  Bentley began to alert me during the night when 
Scilla roused or was in pain. I found him lying next to her, his  soft, large front paws touching her tiny, delicate legs.

There were many phone calls and visits to the holistic vet and  the UW Vet School as we tried to understand and respond to what was  happening. Then this past weekend, Scilla began to repeatedly fall  over on her side.  All too quickly, it became evident that she was  loosing motor functions.

By Sunday, Scilla could hardly lift her head. Still, her spirit  and sense of humor remained.  I put her on my bed to rest by me, and  she tried to steal a piece of my snack of a banana.  She happily 
licked a small container of raspberry Activia yoghurt until it was  all gone.  I knew, however, as I looked at her, that something  fundamental had changed, and she might not have much more time with  us. The dogs quietly gathered around Scilla the rest of the evening,  and the kitties all came and spent time sleeping next to her. I hoped  we would make it to the start of the work week, when I could take her  to my vet, and perhaps get a miracle reprieve of some sort. But that  was not to be.
     

Around 1am this morning, Scilla started to cry softly with pain  and the discomfort of not being able to move her body. I gave her  some more pain medication, fashioned a sling to help her try to 
negotiate the house and yard, and tried to help her go outside to  potty. She made a huge effort, but her little body would not  cooperate. We went back inside to rest, and I added towels she could 
lay upon to her bedding next to me. Scilla tried to rest, but by 3am,  she was more painful, and continuing to vocalize softly.  I called the  local 24 hour emergency clinic, and asked if I could bring her in to  them.  The clinic's founding physician was there, and I explained all  that we have been through together.  Echoing my thoughts, he  said" How Unfair this is!  Why does this sort of thing happen to these  wonderful dogs?". With his help, at 4am, Scilla was euthanized as she  lay quietly in my arms.
     

I returned to the clinic several hours later to retrieve Scilla  and take her back to the University of Wisconsin Vet School, where a  full autopsy was to be be performed. We hope to learn at last the 
full extent and actual diagnosis of the illness that took the life of  this  brave, sweet, loving, smart, funny dog.
     

From the moment I laid eyes on her, Scilla bypassed all the  usual defenses and boundaries that one usually establishes. Time both  accelerated and compressed, the family and pack expanded, and she  instantly became one of us. Though Scilla's care took some time to  accomplish, it was a joy to do, and there was never any tension or  jealousy associated with her needs or presence. We were all SO happy  during the time she was with us, and she taught us many meaningful  things that we will retain permanently. Scilla Rose was adored by all  of us during her magical stay with us, and will always remain the  perfect little Border Collie puppy.
     

Scilla dictated the web site entry below to me just before she  started to feel unwell again. Please read and enjoy her funny, sweet  observations on life. We had hoped there would be many more Scilla  entries, but one of the lessons she taught us is to live in the  moment and enjoy every day.

May 19, 2008
 It is Scilla Rose here! I have been a busy little Border Collie  the past couple of weeks. I have been feeling much, much better  than I was a month ago!! Once in a while, I have a day when I am  not so perky, but most of the time, I am living life as large as a  little spitfire like me can.

I love to play ball, and I will bring it back to my Mom every  time she throws it for me. She has one of those tennis balls with a  squeaky in it, and I love to run towards her- squeaking as I go! I  am starting to get the hang of that round saucer thing, too- I  think Mom calls it a frisbee. I even jumped up high trying to get  it one time- Mom nearly fainted!-  Bark out loud! Mom has toys in  baskets all over the house, so I have a great time hunting for  things to play with. If nobody wants to play with me, I just toss  the ball and run after it, or run around with a squeaky in my  mouth. Such fun!

The food Mom cooks for me is super delicious. Boy, do I like my  chicken or fish and veggies, and all that soup and juice she puts  it in. And the Activia yoghurt- I like that almost as much as  doggie ice cream- yummy!! I even stole Mom's banana the other day-  heh, heh... I think she is still wondering what happened to it.

I continue to take a lot of medication and supplements, but   Mom gives me chicken or turkey with it, so I don't mind at all. I  know I feel better because I take all this stuff. You should see  all the other dogs watch me take my meds through the glass door -  my gosh, how they drool! Then, after I am done with the pills, we  all practice a bunch of obedience lessons. It is amazing what we  will do for food! I have learned to sit, stay, down, watch, and   wait, and am working on shake and spin.

A new boy Collie named Ronan came to live with us about 2 weeks  ago. Mom said he is a foster from the Collie rescue, who is in a big fix, and he needs help. I know what that is like. He was scared 
and sad, and I laid down by him and put my head next to him. All  the doggies in the house were quiet and sympathetic- it was kinda   like the way they treated me when I got to Mom's place. The new guy  seemed to like that. Now we are best buddies. He is young too,  though not a puppy like me. He runs and plays with me in the yard,  and I like that a lot.

Mom walks all five of us all the time, yep- she walks my BC  sisters Jessi and Lexi, Me, and the Collie boys Bentley and Ronan!!   We have a great time strolling around looking at the birds,   smelling the flowers, and meeting the neighbors and their dogs.   Sometimes, we even walk with another pack in the neighborhood- then   there are 10 of us!! I love to do that, as I get to see my favorite  dog friend, William the Boxer. The neighbors often stop in their  cars, and laugh  when they see us with Mom. They say we sure are   good. "Yes, they are!", Mom says.

Now that I am feeling better, some of my more endearing Border  Collie characteristics are emerging. When Mom was planting flowers  in the back yard on Mother's Day, I did my best to help her by  trying to bite the wheels of the wheelbarrow. Oh, that was so much  fun! I play growl when I do it too. The vacuum is also something I  would like to get to move my way. I herd that, as well. And when I  am in the car with Mom, I sit quietly until a car goes by, then my  little head whips around and I try and see where it goes. When I am  walking with Mom and the other dogs, Mom has me sit when a car goes  by, so I don't get the idea that I should chase it.  I guess you could say that I am very interested in Everything  that goes on all around me! Today, when I went to the vet for a  recheck, I was looking over, under, and around the vet, until she  laughed and said what a Silly Scilla I was! I managed to steal one  of the Doc's instruments when she wasn't looking, so I had the last  laugh on her! Bark out Loud!! My blind Border Collie foster sister  Lexi was with me for her check up, too, and I have to say I gave  her moral support, as I am one confident little girl! Life is good,  when you help each other, and try to enjoy every moment. Well, bye  for now. Thanks for caring.
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May 2, 2008

We are nearing the end of a one week period in which Scilla has  consistently made small improvements. She is sleeping less, and is  less painful and symptomatic. She is more active each day. She is  happy all the time she is awake, and spreads her joy about the home  and neighborhood. She adores my husband, who was away on a business  trip when Scilla first came to us, and is also thrilled when my  grown daughter or close friends visits.

 Scilla has been perfectly housebroken since the first day here,  and displays no destructive behavior in the home. She continues to  enjoy the other animals in the family, and is playing with them  more and more as time passes. She has an interest in playing ball,  and her nose is less sore so she can pick up a Jolly Ball briefly,  or the other lightweight balls with holes in them. She does some  retrieving, though she often drops the balls. She regularly  demonstrates the BC eye and crouch, and will run after and chase  the other dogs and herd them gently at times.

Scilla had begun to go into the big crates that the other dogs  use for eating their meaty bones and their home cooked meals. We  have now added a fourth crate for her, so she can eat next to her  canine siblings/foster buddies. She has learned to sit and wait for  her food.   Scilla walks extremely well on a leash, as do my other dogs. So,  after taking Scilla to the local pet store to get some gear, she  now has her own harness for walking with the pack. I can actually  walk all four dogs nicely together! I have been stopped a few times  recently, by people wondering if I am a professional dog walker- LOL!

April 20, 2008
Scilla Rose is named for the lovely perennial blue wildflowers  that herald the arrival of spring in woodland gardens in the Midwest and elsewhere in the world. It had been a long, hard winter  in Wisconsin this past year, and the sunny day we brought Scilla home, they created a soft carpet to welcome her to our backyard.  In the short eleven months that she has lived, Scilla Rose has  not always been wanted and welcomed, however- in fact, she has  experienced a world of loss and pain. She has also escaped death a  number of times. She is a true miracle dog, with a strong will to  live, and a compelling and poignant story.

An email from a very dedicated veterinarian that volunteers for  a Collie rescue alerted me to Scilla's plight. The vet had been
treating Scilla for a couple of months for a suspected eye  infection and unregulated seizures. Scilla, the vet said, was a
 sweet, easygoing, beautiful Border Collie puppy, but her family-  the 2nd family that had owned her- was considering euthanasia.   They had not seen that Scilla had her puppy vaccinations, nor was  she spayed. Would I help get Scilla into a rescue, the vet asked? I  said I would, and the vet contacted the family with the  information, only to learn that Scilla has been taken to a local  shelter.

Fortunately, the shelter was interested in getting Scilla out and into a rescue home environment where she could receive proper care. Within a few days, the veterinarian who had been treating  Scilla pulled her from the shelter, and made arrangements to transfer her to her foster home with me, in Madison, WI. The vet  offered to spay Scilla and remove her eye, but I said no, hoping  that it would not be necessary to do the eye surgery. It is  fortunate this choice was made, as we later learned Scilla would  not have survived the surgery.   Worries about Scilla's condition and future surfaced  immediately, however, as even during the transport, she appeared  listless, congested, and in pain. Once she arrived in Madison, I  brought her into my special doggie isolation apartment in the lower  level of my home, where she could eat and be kept quiet and away  from the rest of the pack. Exhausted and painful as she was, Scilla  was affectionate, and happy to be in my home.

A visit to a local holistic veterinarian in the Madison area  the next day confirmed my worries about Scilla. She needed IV's for dehydration, and showed symptoms of a massive infection that was  overwhelming her petite 29 lb. body. Her eye infection has  worsened, and her nose was swollen and painfully congested. The  only positive was that she had not had seizures since she had been  taking her medication regularly. She was put on powerful  antibiotics and pain medication, and the  recommendation was to get  her to the University of Wisconsin- Madison Veterinary School as  soon as possible for an in-depth diagnostic work- up. I was able to  get Scilla into the canine opthomology department at the vet school  early the next day.   I had hoped that the examination of Scilla's eyes by the UW Vet  School opthomologist would reveal a treatable infection, or in  worse case scenario, a need to have her eye removed. This was  something I had been through with other Border Collies, with very  good results. This was not to be the case for Scilla.   Almost immediately, the team looking at Scilla's eyes  recommended that more extensive tests be taken. She would need a CT  scan of her head, and a battery of extensive and expensive tests  for bacterial and fungal infections and inflammation, well as  biopsies for tumors or cancer.  Two difficult days of testing ensued, which Scilla endured with  patience and remarkable good humor. After the CT scan, I received a  call from one of the vets stating that it showed bony destruction,  and some sort of lesion that had spread from her brain to her eye  and her nose. They offered me the option of euthanasia before she  awoke from the anesthetic. I said NO, that I wanted to see how she  came out of the testing, and that the rescue wanted to find out  what illness/ disease she had if we could. With that, permission  was given for additional aspirates and biopsies. Nearly every  department of the vet school was drawn into and attempted to help  with the case of the sweet little Border Collie that was so ill.   Their caring attitudes and obvious effort truly took my breath away...

When Scilla was still in the critical care unit after the 2nd  day of testing, I was allowed to bring her a dinner of cooked chicken breast, veggies, and yoghurt. She was sleeping when I  arrived, but as I got into her floor-level cage with her, she roused, and started to eat her dinner. "She can go home with you,  if she can walk out of here on her own power", the vet internist  said to me. With that, Scilla got up, and started to get out of her  cage- with her IV's and catheter still attached!! Her equipment was  quickly detached, and a leash attached, and Scilla, I, and a  resident left at a steady, if shaky walk. When we rounded the  corner and Scilla saw light through the clear glass of the outside  door, she broke into a run!

I was overjoyed to be able to bring Scilla home from the  hospital. There was significant danger of an adverse reaction to the anesthesia and the biopsy sampling procedures, so to watch  Scilla closely, I slept on the floor next to her for the next two nights. Scilla was exhausted from the hospitalization, and slept a  great deal the next few days.   The results of the tests began to come slowly in. Significant  infection and inflammation was found in several samples, and while  a tumor was a distinct possibility, no definitive diagnosis of  cancer could be made. Test results for fungal infection indicated a  low positive for blastomycosis, but it was also not considered  significant enough to be definitive. Other tests for fungal  infection were negative. We were to continue the antibiotics, the  seizure meds, the pain meds, and we were to add an anti-fungal  medication. We were also to return for re-testing for the  blastomycosis in a few weeks. Scilla's prognosis remained unsure, and was most likely very guarded.  

Scilla had been with our family for a tough, tough week, and  she and I had spent hours and hours together. I decided that it was  time to slowly introduce her to the rest of the pack, and to begin  to live as much of a normal doggie life as we could.  Although Scilla still slept a great deal, when she was awake,  she began to spend small amounts of time with my two other female  Border Collies, my male Rough Collie, and my 4 rescue kitties. The  animals all sensed that Scilla was ill- even my one bossy cat- and  were extremely gentle with her. She, in turn, was interested,  loving, and appreciative towards them.   Within a few days, I was able to take Scilla on short leash  walks in the neighborhood, with one of the Border Collies or  Collie along for extra company. We started to meet strangers, and  neighbors and their dogs, and Scilla's extremely friendly nature  began to express itself. She adores men and women, and dogs of all  ages and sizes. At home, Scilla also began picking up on the many  commands the other dogs know, and was falling into the household  routine and rituals with obvious pleasure.

Still worried about how much Scilla was sleeping, but spurred  on by her will to live and enjoy herself, I met again with my vet to make a holistic treatment plan for Scilla. The current goal for  Scilla is to strengthen her systems so she can overcome the infection and inflammation in her body, and to shrink any abnormal  growths or lesions which may be present. To address these goals,  Scilla is on a special grain -free home cooked diet, which includes  meats, veggies, fruit, greens, yoghurt, and a number of supplements  that enhance the immune system, and combat inflammation and  abnormal cell growth. My vet has provided me with research  literature on this type of special diet, and donated a number of  expensive supplements to assist in Scilla's recovery. It takes a  few extra minutes at each meal at present to give Scilla all of her  meds and supplements, but she takes them very easily. She also  loves her food, which is also encouraging!


The puppy in Scilla is beginning to emerge. She is wanting some  chewies, and really enjoys toys such as Kongs, or rope pulls that  that have chewing materials woven into them. After all she has  been through, Scilla is supervised every moment when she is playing  with her chew toys, or out in the yard, where she can pick up a  piece of mulch or a stick.   We are so relived and happy with the progress that Scilla is  making. We still have an uncertain prognosis, and Scilla will be on  medications, a special diet, and supplements for some time to come.  She is not strong enough to be spayed, and I do not know how or when we will be able to finish her puppy vaccinations. We will have  many hurdles ahead, but we have been helped by many wonderful  people, and with her fighting, positive spirit, we will just take it one day at a time.

As you probably can guess my vet bills have been very expensive so Midwest Border Collie Rescue has set up a Guardian Angel just for me so people can make a donation to help pay my bills.

Scilla Rose has had a team of "Vet angels" that are helping her on her journey.  We are incredibly grateful to each and every one of them.

Dr. Becky Hauser, DVM, Manitowoc, WI
Dr. Deborah Schroeder, DVM, City Wide Pet Clinic, Monona, WI
University of WI-Madison,School of Veterinary Medicine, 
Opthamology, Internal Medicine, and Oncology Veterinarians, Residents, and Students