AiredaleTerriers.org Airedale Terrier Information & Referral Resource

3/12/2001

The subject line of the very first email that I sent to Annette Hall about Miles was "Miles is very happy." This is especially true today. In a very few days, it will be St. Patrick's Day and 2 years since Miles entered our lives.

Mike and I were largely done with the construction of our new cottage in Meredith, Michigan. It was time to get ourselves another Airedale! Andy III at age 13 had crossed over the Bridge just as we began the construction and we felt it unfair to a pup to be raised by us when every waking moment was spent on either working or construction on weekends.

I began looking into getting a new Airedale. I looked into rescue and had submitted an application to ATRA [ Airedale Terrier Rescue & Adoption, Inc., a member of the Airedale Rescue Network covering several states in the midwest ] in hopes of getting a younger ADT to raise up. I also had begun searching for a breeder with a litter due soon.

Just before St. Patrick's Day of 1999, I called a breeder in Canada and made arrangements to get a male out of her litter she was selling off at the time. Just after I hung up, Annette Hall of ATRA called. She was in trouble and was seeking our help.

Annette had this big aggressive older male ADT named Miles that had been wanting to eat the man at the home where she had intended to place him for long enough that it was clear that Miles wanted no part of the man. Further, her house was full up. We told her to bring him to us. We would foster him over the weekend for her.

As you all know, Sir Miles Doo Bop stayed.
[ See Miles' rescue page at AIREDALES ON PARADE/SPOTLIGHT ON RESCUE maintained by Andrea Denninger at http://geocities.com/canidlover/paradenims.html ]

Miles is pain aggressive. At first, because he had an infected jaw and abscessed lower left canine. Then because he had sore knees from tearing his cranial cruciate ligaments. Miles doesn't do pain well.

That all got controlled and his pains were treated and resolved.

He was still aggressive.

Then, early this year, he finally bit Mike. He was incarcerated and faced death, yet again, in his 2.5 years since his mistress passed away.

Debbie Karley told me about having heard about a Dr. Plechner that treats aggressive dogs. I went looking for him.

I found and spoke with Dr. Alfred J. Plechner from the California Animal Hospital in Los Angeles. He treats animals that have food allergies and inherited endocrine imbalances. [ Kirk tells you how to contact Dr. Plechner at the bottom of this page .]

We tested Miles. He is out of whack. Too much free estrogen, low thyroid (T3 & T4) low immune proteins IgA, IgG, IgM. This is a prescription for an aggressive hair trigger dog according to Dr. Plechner based on decades of having treated such dogs.

Miles has been put on a treatment regime of Soloxine 1 mg 2xdaily, and Medrol 6 mg at night. He was pulled off of his Nutro Lamb and Rice and put on a diet of exclusively Nature's Recipe Venison and Rice Allergy food.

We retest Miles blood serum on the 14th to adjust dosages.

Miles is more calm, his eyes are less bulgy, his coat is softening, he is less temperamental, he lets Adam lick his face and ears, he doesn't jump up and growl when there is any chance that someone might even touch his feet, there are many many noticeable changes for the good. Miles is able to hold his temper much much more. Happy dances, and tail wags are becoming more common place from Miles every day since we started his treatment.

Miles will always be a talkative Airedale. He lets you know what is on his mind. He will never be an easy Airedale to handle. However, all we were seeking was a way for him to lose his hair trigger temper. I am confident in saying that we are quite certain that Miles' medical treatment has done that for both he and us.

What is most noteworthy is that this has been accomplished with very small replacement dosages of hormones and elimination of his source of food allergens. No drugs, just hormones that he needs in the right dosages.

Training, yes, you have to train an aggressive dog. But, no amount of training can prevent a dog with these medical problems from being aggressive until the medical problems have be resolved for it, by the dog's humans. Then, the training will very well serve the dog by letting it quickly build its confidence that it CAN control its own behavior and not act out or strike out.

Imagine yourself, when you are out of whack and out of sorts. Some of you have been thru hormone changes. Imagine any woman with bad PMS, who is constantly living in a state of severe, perpetual, PMS 24 hours a day, every day, forever. Serotonin out of balance, too much estrogen, low thyroid function, and an upset GI tract all the time from her food. No proper sleep, no energy, pains, and general undirected anger. This was Miles. That WAS Miles. It is Not Miles any more.

Miles is HOME. He isn't going anywhere, ever, until he crosses the bridge in the distant future hopefully. He is going to live out his years healthy and happy for the first time in his entire life.

Very happily,

Kirk, Mike, Sir Miles, Squire Andy, and Sir Adam

3/21/01

Miles has had his follow up 2 week testing.

His blood levels have come up to normal levels as Dr. Plechner expected. His Immune protein levels are just fine on the Allergy Diet of Venison and rice.

Dr. Plechner adjusted the Medrol dosage from 6mg per day to 8mg per day to bring down a very slightly elevated T4 level.

No testing for a year.

This hormone treatment costs us $1.26 per day for Miles. The food he is eating costs about $1.00 per pound for the Nature's Recipe Allergy Venison and Rice.

IT IS ALL CHEAP BY ANY STANDARD!!! Worth every penny to have Miles a happy dog.

Miles has never acted as happy and content in the entire 2 years he has been with us. He will always be talkative. He will always be a take charge kind of guy. But he has lost the hair trigger, calm to raging wild eyed beast in a split second temper. Last wednesday when we did the blood draws, it was easy. Didn't have to sneak the muzzle on him. He grumbled some, but did not argue or fight with us. Mike and I just held his head and talked to him. He just let us know he didn't like it. No snarling, twisting and gnashing of teeth in the let me eat you mode of the past. Dr. Schwartz noticed the difference too and is becoming a believer. He is afraid of Miles, or really respects him, I should say. Good thing he is quick! snap!

He leaps, jumps, twists and has reverted to stand up paws on shoulders greetings when I come home from work. Never did this since the first time he jumped out of Annette's car and greeted me this way. The head shaking he always did has stopped. This head shaking is from goofy brain waves that were flitting thru his cerebelum says Dr. Plechner. He has watched them on an eeg. Miles sleeps like a log now. I think he is making up for lost time.

Kirk

There have been several requests for details on the testing - here it is. Airedale Endocrine Immune Testing

Kirk Nims