“We need to start talking about a permanent feeding tube and end of life care,” Jackson’s neurologist said. This was the fourth veterinarian we’d seen in three days. We were simply devastated. How could this be? Just three days ago, Jackson was a happy, healthy rambunctious puppy. Now he was in a seemingly catatonic state and had lost the use of his limbs.
When we rescued Jackson one year ago, we had no idea how much joy he would bring to our lives. Our beagle, Charlotte, was 9 years old, and while she was still generally healthy, there were signs of aging. She was sleeping more and playing less. Jackson the terrier breathed a new sense of vitality into our home and even seemed to renew Charlotte’s zest for life. He would chase her, lick her, bite her, play with her. I hadn’t seen Charlotte run that fast in years. Together, they taught us about unconditional love, and brought Dan, my husband, and I closer together. We couldn’t imagine a life without our little Jackson.
After he threw up all night Thursday night, we took Jackson to the emergency room to get help. By morning, he was still sick and had lost the ability to walk or hold himself up. Three days of agony followed with doctors, specialists, tests, neurologists, and yet no one could give us an answer. He had an ultrasound, MRI, blood tests, X-rays, and nothing showed a cause. It was not a stroke, it was not spinal meningitis, it was not a heart attack.
“Is it something he ate?” we asked over and over again.
We had just moved into a new home with a new yard. Perhaps there was something in the yard. The doctors didn’t think so. If it was toxicity due to something he ate, they said, his condition would have improved by now. We had spent thousands of dollars on tests and we had no answers.
Jackson in the hospital
He stayed in the hospital for three nights. We visited him daily and I cried as I held his frail little body in my arms. I was so confused as to what could have possibly happened. By Sunday his condition had not improved. He could not walk, eat or drink, and he didn’t seem to have control of his bladder and basic functions.
Dan and I allowed ourselves some time to process, cry and then made a decision:
If he was going to die, he wasn’t going to die here, alone in the hospital; he would die at home surrounded by Dan, myself and his sister Charlotte.
The doctor warned us of all the risks and strongly advised against bringing him home. Since he was hooked up to an IV of fluids, taking him home without fluids risked dehydration. I asked about us taking an IV bag home. It was against the vet’s policy. I asked about other treatment options such as vitamins, acupuncture and physical therapy. The doctor said none of those would work at this time in his condition.
I couldn’t help of being reminded of when my mother and father had cancer and how when I asked the doctor about nutrition, in both cases he also said it was too late.
With heavy hearts, we brought Jackson home, hopeful that a little familiarity and seeing Charlotte would help bring him out of his vegetable-like state.
Unfortunately, we were sad to see little improvement. He was still unable to eat, drink or walk and seemed unaware of his surroundings. Since the hospital was not willing to give us the IV fluid bag to take home, we had to be creative. We picked up syringes at the drug store and orally gave Jackson water and liquid vitamins for the next 24 hours. Soon after, he started showing signs of being more alert, more engaged. He even tried to stand up, though his weak legs failed him.
Next, we got a recommendation to contact a holistic veterinarian, Audra MacCorkle. I immediately called and left a message with Dr. MacCorkle, but it was a Sunday so no one was in her office. That evening, Dr. MacCorkle herself texted me and set up an appointment for us the very next day.
On Monday, Jackson had shown signs some of improvement, but we still were extremely scared. We now thought that he would live, but we did not know if he would ever walk, run and play again or return to his old rambunctious ways.
When we brought him to Dr. MacCorkle’s office, she did an extensive exam followed by acupuncture, chiropractic, laser light therapy, vitamin injections, fluids and homeopathic medicine. Just by touching him she knew that he was having liver trouble, and so she was able to treat the imbalance immediately.
The doctor said, “There is no reason Jackson can’t make a full recovery.” We were elated and astonished.
This was the first bit of real hope we’d had during this whole ordeal! She sent us home with vitamins, herbs, and an IV bag of fluids, the very same IV bag that the hospital had refused to give us. She taught us how to put the needle into Jackson and administer the fluids ourselves.
Dr. MacCorkle gives Jackson chiropractic and acupuncture treatments
In the following 24 hours, Jackson dramatically improved. That evening Dan and I watched the 1990 film, Awakenings, starring Robert Di Nero, who plays a catatonic patient who wakes up with the help of his doctor, played by Robin Williams. In an emotional scene where De Niro has miraculously come out of his formerly comatose state, he is yelling, “We have been through the worst and survived!” At that very moment, Jackson stood up, wobbly as ever, and walked slowly from side of the couch to the other and plopped down on top of Charlotte and promptly fell asleep. The very next day he was up and walking again, but more steady on his feet this time. We were absolutely thrilled by his progress!
Each day we see him returning more and more to his old ways. Yesterday he barked for the first time when someone was at the door. Today he jumped up when he saw me with the leash! We know it may be a long road to a full recovery, but we know we can do it. He is strong and willing and trying so hard. We are giving him hourly vitamins, greens and liquid dog food until he regains his strength. We are visiting Dr. MacCorkle for holistic treatments and vitamin injections daily. We help him balance while he attempts to walk and run, and he shows massive improvement every day.
The lessons I’ve learned are to always get a second opinion, and a third and a fourth! Try everything you can. We tried multiple home remedies, and bought syringes and gave him water and greens orally at home. After one session of acupuncture for his legs and muscles, Jackson was able to stand up on his own!
And finally, listen to your gut! Had Dan and I not taken him home, he may have never recovered. Healing happens at home with a regular routine and lots of LOVE!
UPDATE 3/18 – We still do not know the cause. We have searched the yard, we have asked the landlord if there were any kind of pesticides or herbesides in the grass, any kind of pest control toxins put out. The answer has been no. Dr. MacCorkle reassured us by saying, “We may never know the cause, but I can treat the imbalances.”
UPDATE 3/19 – Jackson has been to the vet every day since Monday, and on Friday the veterinary assistants say he looks like a completely different dog!
UPDATE 3/21 – SHOUTOUT to Dr. MacCorkle’s AMAZING TEAM especially animal masseuse, Paulette and Vet Tech, Himeno! I couldn’t do it without all of your support!
UPDATE 3/22 – Jackson seems completely recovered. He is running, jumping, playing and acting like his old self again. When our friend, John came over he said “If I didn’t know what happened I wouldn’t have known that anything was wrong.” The vet still wants to see him a few times next week and I still have to keep up his immune system with daily vitamins and herbs but officially I can now say, “JACKSON’S BACK!”
UPDATE 4/18 – It has been over a month since Jackson got sick and he is completely 100% healed. Thanks to my friend Deirdre Pasky who said it best at a time when I really needed to hear it, “Anything is possible!” Never give up! Never stop trying and never stop believing. The human and animal body is meant to heal. All we have to do is assist the body in doing it’s job with proper nutrition and holistic treatments that stimulate the body’s natural response!
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Visit the vet that saved Jackson’s life!DR. AUDRA & DR. FENTON
Dr. Audra Sykes MacCorkle attended the University of California, Irvine for her undergraduate education. She graduated from UC Irvine in 1995 with honours receiving a B.S. in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in Neuro-psychology as well as qualifying for a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Fine Arts. She graduated from the University of California at Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. She attended a veterinary externship at Angel Memorial Hospital in Massachusetts and attended a summer externship in orthopaedic surgery in Los Angeles, CA. During veterinary school her emphasis was on mixed animal practice including exotic animal medicine with special interest in animal behaviour. She has since completed extensive coursework and/or certification in Animal Chiropractic (AVCA), Acupuncture (IVAS), Herbology (IVAS), Homeopathy (AVH), Applied Kinesiology, and Physical Therapy (University of Tennessee) as well as having studied many other healing arts with exceptional mentors. Dr. MacCorkle is also a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the United Kingdom and is a Reiki Master of the Usui lineage. Dr. MacCorkle is a charismatic lecturer and is currently teaching “The MacCorkle Method” of natural home care to audiences of animal guardians and veterinarians across the country. Dr. MacCorkle enjoys yoga, dance, playing music, and spending time outdoors in nature with her family. A dedicated and gifted Veterinarian, Dr. MacCorkle can usually be found directing her busy holistic practice in southern California. She is the founder of Guardian Animal Aftercare, which provides a grief support program for the community as well as premium cremation/aftercare services. She founded Veterinarians Without Borders, a non-profit organization, which provides free veterinary care to those in need both locally and around the world. A strong emphasis was placed on the human-animal bond and the importance of philanthropy and community during her years in veterinary school. Let us not forget our beautiful mother earth. We all must realise the impact our every day actions have on our planet. Each decision we make leaves a print on our reality and the reality of others both in the present and the future. The time is now and the critical ingredient is you. Only through such commitment and innovation can true visions become reality. Together we can truly make a difference. Remember to be conscious and to make your difference every day, in your way. Thank you again for your interest in holistic healthcare.
