After two blood work-ups it appeared to my vet that Max might have something called Addison's Disease.  It is created by a small gland next to the kidney that produces and regulates sodum and potassium.  It stops working.  When that happens, the body trys to compensate for what it is lacking by consuming all the glucose (sugar) in the system.

This is what was causing my dog to go into comatose states three times. and a symtom diagnois of hypoglucemia.  Of course he would have extremely low sugar level with this going on in the backgound.  Addison's Diease is a rare but often deadly diease that is very treatable when caught on time.  My vet said all the blood work indicators were pointing at this, but that to get a real diagnois, required a specialized test.  He referred me to a vet that could do the test, and get a reading on the results.  That vet confirmed that Max has Addison's Diease. 

It is treated in a very simple and cost effective way.  One shot a month that cost about 20.00, and a .05ml dose of liquid steriod that is given by mouth with a dropper every day, and this cost about 12.00 a month.  It's only been 3 days since his first shot, and 3 doses of the steriod and the change in him is very obvious.  He is truly doing that much better.

He will need these monthly shots and the daily dose for the rest of his life.  Everyone is saying that his life expectancy is normal, and without any futher complications of this diease, now that it is being treated.  His blood will be checked again in about two weeks to see that it is fully stablized.  If not they will adjust either the dosage of the shot or the steroid to make the difference.

3 weeks ago, I was crying in a vets parking lot, sure I'd be taking my dog home in a box after they put him down... 

Today I am grateful that my HP guided me to the right vet, and that I am not having to bury my dog because of how alert the vet became to the indicators presented by the blood work.  He said that in over 20 years of being a vet, he never saw such a strong willed dog.  Many dogs would have lost the will to live very early on, but Max was a fighter. (just odd thinking of him as such when he is a pure white little Maltase that only weighs 6.2 lbs. full grown.  LOL) He also said that this is such a rare diease that it is almost never heard of by Maltase owners, and even though there are breeds more prone to getting it, he has only found it in about 10 dogs in all his years working in this field.  That's how rare it is.

Now, that I know what is going on with my dog and that he isn't going to die... I can turn the page, and start sharing about something else.  Max has just been such a center piece in my life for so many years that I had to share what was happening, as it was rocking my world.

Thanks for putting up with me as I went through this, and all the kind words, prayers and support you gave me as I went down this very emotional road.

John