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  Shakirra, Purchased At Harbor Pet, Has Overcome A Multitude Of Problems  
  March 31, 2016 Edition  
Shakirra
     Here is a story that needs to be told about
      Harbor Pet in Boardman and my dog
      Shakirra:
      On June 2, 2014 I purchased a miniature American Eskimo I named Shakirra from Harbor Pet in Boardman, Ohio. I paid $1300 plus $91 tax and they came down from $1800.
      Just two days later, on June 4, I had to take her into my vet in Lisbon, Oh. because she had nasal discharge and was coughing. She was diagnosed with ‘kennel cough.’
      I called Harbor Pet to make aware them of this problem and they acted like it was no big deal. A girl said she would check the puppy that was in with her.
      Then on June 13, 2014 I took my older Lab, named Tater, to the same vet and he too was diagnosed with ‘kennel cough.’ On the same day I also took Shakirra back to the vet because her condition seemed to be worsening. My vet said to rush her to them right away. They did an x-ray and she was diagnosed with pneumonia from the kennel cough.
      Shakirra continued with the pneumonia. I had to take her to emergency a couple of times because she couldn’t breathe and stuff would flow out her nose every time she ate or drank anything. She would turn in circles, panic and cry out.
      When I took her to the emergency, they said I was just overreacting. I tried to say that wasn’t overreacting---that it was a nightmare and heartbreaking.
      Finally, the last time I took her to emergency, a different vet was on call and told me that I had to take Shakirra to a Pittsburgh vet because something was wrong with her throat.
      Finally someone listened.
      Well, I took her there and she stayed for a few days. They did all kinds of tests and found out what it was, and told me nothing could be done---no surgery, nothing.
      The vet told me that Shakirra had to have a feeding tube and that was the only that she could survive. Of course I had the surgery to insert a feeding tube and the surgery was $3500, I do believe. From there, it has been nightmare after nightmare---Shakirra’s first year of life was spent worrying that she wouldn’t make it. Her hair didn’t grow right and she didn’t play like a puppy should. She was sick all the time and all she did was lay around.
      I’m just going to tell you how she is now because I can’t get through this without crying. Her first year, the stress and heartache was horrible. But I loved this girl with all my heart and couldn’t send her back to Harbor Pet.
      I went to Harbor Pet personally before they found out what her problem is because I wanted reimbursed for my vet bills and I had a paper from the vet stating the problem. They didn’t even want to hear it and didn’t even want to see the paper because it didn’t matter. I was told that I didn’t go to their vet and I tried to explain to them that Shakirra was very sick and couldn’t drive her that far. I live seven minutes south of Lisbon and Harbor Pet said their vet was in Warren.
      So I had to take this extremely sick five pound puppy to Warren? No, I just couldn’t do it.
      Shakirra got her feeding tube and it was pure hell. She was improving, but still fighting the pneumonia. Shakirra had to have another surgery to get a new feeding tube, that is a dream compared to the first one. But, then I had to rush her to Pittsburgh two times late at night, and they kept her again and finally found out the second feeding tube had a leak. So I had to go back to the other tube until they got another one of those newer types of tubes. Shakirra had to go again to the vet and get the new feeding tube in again. Anyway, the new tube is now in and I have to feed Shakirra twice a day. It takes two hours each feeding. I’m supposed to do it three times, but I just don’t have the time. I have to buy special food which is approximately $100 a month. I have to put the food in a blender and add water to it or it won’t go through the tube. I have to buy syringes and new tubes that the food goes through. Shakirra has to wear a thunder shirt at all times to protect the tube and it is very hot and thunder shirts are very expensive. I have to buy new ones all the time because the velcro wears out. This is always going to be a big expense and I have approximately $12,000 in all of this and it will continue to get higher.
      Shakirra will always have this feeding tube. My vet told me that she won’t live long because the pneumonia will probably kill her.
      I have been given two options---put her down or see this through.
      Since he day I bought her, I was in love with her and I just couldn’t put her down.
      Today she has reached almost 14 lbs. and she is happy and playing. She still finds a crumb or something and turns in circles and blows it out her nose. Then she can’t breathe and I have to get her to relax and stretch her neck up so she can breathe. I take her almost everywhere with me because I am afraid to leave her alone.
      This doesn’t just affect her, it affects me too. I posted on Facebook what was going on with her because there are a lot of people concerned and saddened about all of this.
      Shakirra is now 2-years-old and going strong. She has been a trooper through all of this. I want to see that no one else has to go through the heartache Shakirra and I have gone through and will always go through.
      Gerri Brager
     
 
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