Is This Anyone We Know?
http://oesusa.com/Cleft-Palate-Puppy/cl ... -puppy.htm Marianne |
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That's Jaci's (aka 6girls) Kaytee.  |
| Well no wonder the story was so familiar........and the crooked snoz.....didn't know about the eyes. |
| AWWWWWWWWWWW! |
 bless.. |
>>Removes foot from mouth 
I immediately thought of Six Girls mom (Jaci) when reading the story and thought , "I should tell her there's another sweet sheepie like one of her girls!". Somehow I missed the name as I would have connected it was one and the same in my sleep deprived mind.
I just love that photo when Kaytee is a tiny pup flipped over onto her back..makes your heart melt! I realized I didn't know the full story of Jaci's girl and would love to know more about her. Blue, Merlin and Panda are sending sloppy kisses 
Marianne |
Quote: Removes foot from mouth Noooo... that was very nice for you to post this Marianne. That's our baby... formerly known as "Hope". Quote: I realized I didn't know the full story of Jaci's girl and would love to know more about her. Sorry... I'm going to try to make this story educational too just in case someone else searches for information that might help save another cleft palate puppy... Many cleft palate puppies are not given a chance to live... they're euthanized shortly after birth. The breeder was NOT going to put Kaytee down so she started tube feeding her... she wasn't sure what else to do. I searched for days trying to find info other than "euthanize immediately". I got so irritated each time I saw that vet's online post. Two breeders said as the pups got older to feed a sloppy mixture of milk and puppy food... but this would get into the nasal cavity and cause infections there or in the lungs so it didn't make sense. I finally found this website- Cleft Palate Puppies "They Are Worth Saving" http://hennwood.tripod.com/cleft_pup_info.htm http://hennwood.tripod.com/id88.htm The key- Dry food and water for life beginning at about 4 weeks of age. Anne Hennion has helped hundreds of cleft palate puppies survive and without surgery. She had been an RN for over 25 years when I found the site (ICU, CCU, ER, Surgical, Medical, Home Health, HIV nursing) so she was well versed in human medical care. The breeder had to tube feed Kaytee around the clock for 4+ weeks... this meant day and nighttime feedings. There is the risk of regurgitation and aspiration whenever you do this (see the antibiotic recommendation on the Hennwood Labrador website) and the growth of a cleft palate puppy is slow... the difference in size shocking- http://oesusa.com/Kaytee/Kaytee.jpg But the objective as Anne explained it is "slow and steady growth". At around 4+ weeks of age she was put on a DRY, very small size kibble... Diamond brand. The regular vet that checked Kaytee when the pups had their tails docked and dewclaws removed (he said she was healthy enough to do this) said the defect wasn't too bad. I posted this under another thread but this is what we were told when we spoke with the specialist that examined Kaytee at 6 weeks. While the regular vet indicated the defect wasn't too bad, the specialist said it was. This is part of an email to Anne... Quote: This will probably be my final update on Hope (the little sheepie in Texas). There is a strong possibility that she has liver shunts and she has a rapid heart rate at rest. She now weighs just over 4 pounds... the specialist thought with the amount of hand feeding that she should have weighed more by 6 weeks. What appeared to be blindness in her right eye is the third eye lid covering it and there is no pupil in the left eye. The vet feels she may have 6 weeks with a 10% chance of survival.
The vet indicated Kaytee was too small to do testing and his opinion was based on a physical exam only. So we agonized over pulling this pup away from a home/mother she knew if she only had a matter of weeks to live. Anne wrote back and felt it was possible that the vet simply hadn't handled many cleft palate pup cases... remember that many are euthanized immediately at birth. We decided to take whatever time we could have... even if the vet in Texas was right and our time together would be limited. The rest ya'll know She's now over 3 years old... no liver shunts. We chose not to have this birth defect surgically corrected because Kaytee has not had any URIs to date... none (fingers crossed). But her cleft palate runs only about half way back.
Surgical repair can require multiple attempts to finally close up the opening. Some are unsuccessful... I know someone who indicated the surgeries failed and they had to finally euthanize the pup. Then too... some cleft palates are so severe that it's really kindest to euthanize. I know of a few others that had the surgeries and they were eventually successful- http://www.littleshelter.com/homepagest ... merlin.htm We also got a taste of what it must be like to have a child with this birth defect. A lady at the airport wanted to see the puppy... I told her she had a facial birth defect but she insisted on seeing her. I could tell she was appalled because she walked away without saying anything. http://oesusa.com/Kaytee/index23.jpg Another said she was a mess... another asked if we were going to return her to the breeder  It doesn't seem to be as noticeable now unless they get down to her level and see her harelip. The rejection doesn't hurt anymore anyway... it's their loss for not being able to see the beauty that is there.
I think the dedication of the breeder (a BYB at that... the mother was spayed after too), Anne Hennion's knowledge and experience with so many clefties, and Kaytee's spirit allowed her to thrive. So that's the story about the little Old English Sheepdog with the crooked snozzle. This sweet, loving, naughty, silly, strong willed girl has taught us a lot and we are fortunate to share our lives with her. As Anne said, "THEY'RE WORTH SAVING". PS- Pups with harelips can do something rather amazing... they can stick their tongue out their nose :lol:
http://oesusa.com/Kaytee-StickingTongueOut.jpg |
| wow...i guess i never realized that dogs could have hairlips...
oh and btw, if i had seen kaytee first at that airport, i would have just hugged and kissed and oo'ed and aww'ed over her |
| Kaytee is just adorable....one look at her and my heart just melts. This story just made my day....thank you! |
| I love Kaytee.. I am a frequent visitor of Jaci's website to see the girls.
My favourite story of Kaytee is the "Dance of the Snowflakes".. It is on the bottom of this link. http://www.oesusa.com/Kaytee/index7.htm |
| Dance of the Snowflakes is my favorite too |
| >>Dabs tears of happiness from eyes.
Really amazing story and how lucky Kaytee was to have found so many special people that "saw her beauty within" as you so elequently said it on your site Jaci. How I came across this story on the net is: I was doing research regarding children born with cleft palate and then came across one featuring a pup. I saw a sheepie! Small world! Dudster the tears of happiness I mentioned happened when I viewed "The Dance of the Snowflakes". That photo says it all - the pure joy of her life. I will keep that in favorites and anytime I am feeling a bit blue I will glance at her photo and know I'll instantly feel better. Jaci - thanks to you and your family for your part in these heart warming story of the little sheepie that could. She's truly an inspiration and will undoubtedly give others a chance at life by her story. Marianne |
| She's a beautiful girl! And lucky to have such a great mom and dad to look after her and see that she was worth saving, not many people with hearts that huge. Jaci, is that the resort in the background in the last shot?
Holly |
WE KAYTEE 
Amazing special princess she is. Jaci is one of those special people you would dearly love to meet in person, Number 1 top mom for all the special care and to see Kaytee bloom from a bub into the wonderful sheepie girl she is today, just melts your heart. |
| Thanks so much everyone... you all have been very kind in accepting Kaytee. Jim and I are very fortunate to have her with us. It's easy to forget she's special because she acts like any regular sheepie. If you visit this address http://oesusa.com you'll notice she's wearing a bandanna because got bit on the ear... we won't mention who started the tiff. Brat-girl anyway! Yikes... my momentary status as #1 mom just went down the drain
The Dance of the Snowflakes... it was a beautiful moment and I'm glad I was able to capture it with pictures. She saw an eye specialist down at MSU when she was around 6 months old and he liked that series of pics too. Quote: is that the resort in the background in the last shot? That last picture was taken at a small park off Woodmere... I think those are condos. The park is on the Boardman River just before it goes under Eighth Street. If you were to look off to the right you'd probably catch a view of the sewage treatment plant. Not quite the same attraction that the resort has though Quote: I was doing research regarding children born with cleft palate
Have you ever visited WideSmiles.org or OperationSmile.org ? The first is more of a support website. The second is an organization of professionals that travel the world and give kids with these facial differences a chance at a normal life. Though I don't know much about the organization, they appear to do AMAZING work. Thanks again for giving me the chance to share Kaytee's story. If it will help just one more person understand there's hope and possibilities for pups born with cleft palates... |
| How wonderful that special Kaytee found a special Mom |
| Jaci,
It's people like you that restore my faith in humanity! Kaytee is a beautiful treasure! I always wondered too how you pronounce your name? |
| Ah, the dance of the snowflakes is just so wondrous!
Wasn't there a larger version of the snowflake photos or slide-show posted somewhere? My aging eyes would love to see the larger version. It never ceases to amaze me how ingornant & cruel some people towards the disabled. I work with disabled children & have been asked so many ignorant questions (especially on field trips). One mother with small children actually ran up to me pointing at my severely disabled wheel-chaired bound student saying,"eeewe what is it, is it yours eeewe?! That day she taught her own children cruelty, sigh. Kaytee is adorable & lucky to have Kaye & you come into her lives!!!! |
| jaci i saw the site a while back, but it was better the second time around reading it.. |
| What a wonderful person you are Jaci, she is such a beautiful, fluffy sheepie. My stepson was born with a cleft palate.
I agree....if I would of seen her at the airport I would of hugged her and kissed her face. |
| Kaytee is a miracle and has a miracle family too. Thank you for sharing this wonderful sheepie girl. |
Quote: I always wondered too how you pronounce your name? My dad named me... I think he wanted to make sure I'd be able to spell my name. He chose Jaclin instead of Jacqueline and Jaci for Jackie. Problem is it looks like JC but I use it anyway.The snowflake dance is still shots taken from a video... I'll have to see if I can find it again.  Quote: One mother with small children actually ran up to me pointing at my severely disabled wheel-chaired bound student saying,"eeewe what is it, is it yours eeewe?! That day she taught her own children cruelty, sigh.
"IT"???!!!  That' is SO mean-hearted... simply cruel. How that child must have felt.  She gave everyone who heard this a glimpse of her true self. I can't understand some people... I'm amazed at how eager they are to share their ignorance and less than flattering qualities with others. |
| Jaci, you are amazing and I am a frequent visitor of your page too. I actually have it bookmarked and I LOVE "The Dance of the Snowflakes"!
Isn't it amazing that Kaytee looks a little different but still is able to live a happy and wonderful life? Doesn't care about people making faces at her or turning their heads away. She would still give them kisses! (They wouldn't deserve her special love though!) So many people are mean but it's nice to know that there are still people out there like you are, Jaci! |
| Willoughby and the cats send kisses to Kaytee! |
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