Thor or Thor the Incredible as we like to call him, was adopted June 15th 2015 at just 10 weeks old. The decision to adopt was not an easy one because you could say Thor is a less adoptable pet.  As a puppy, Thor started having weakness in his legs, including tremors that make his back legs so weak his legs will sometimes give out. All of these symptoms indicate that Thor has a neurological condition. No one can predict his future: will he grow out of it?, will his condition stay the same?, will he get worse?  There are so many questions and not many answers.  Most people would have hesitated to adopt a dog with such special needs, but my husband and I made the decision to adopt.

Our decision was not made lightly. We knew there would be a lot of emotional and financial choices involved. Having a special needs dog wouldn’t be easy but even with his special needs, Thor is full of energy and life. We just wanted to give him a loving home and exciting life for as little or as long as we can!

The first night Thor came home we had the whole house puppy proofed.  Baby gates were placed at the stair ways to ensure his safety plus the normal puppy proofing. We had to carry him up and down a flight of stairs to take him in and out of our home. The challenges were starting to arise for his future. How were we going to carry a 75 pound dog in and out of the house?  I was determined to find out answers for Thor in hopes that there was a cure for his illness.

At 11 weeks Thor went to see a Neurologist. We both were hoping that we would get some more education on his condition as well as a few answers. Thor was referred for blood work (CBC, Chemistry, and ATCH Stimulation Test.) The Neurologist also said to treat him like a normal 11 week old puppy in the meantime. We went home to await the results and what came back was a surprise.  Thor was diagnosed with Addison’s Disease.

Addison’s Disease is when two hormones are not produced by the adrenal glands, located near the kidneys. Both of the hormones are critical to the healthy functioning of the body, and an abnormal increase or decrease of either of these hormones can lead to serious health concerns.

Thor has now started his treatment for Addison’s Disease. He was given his first injection of Percorten, which replaces the hormone that his body is not producing. He is also on a low dose of prednisone.  If all goes according to plan he should start having improvements within a week.  Long term he will need injections every 4 weeks and medication daily.  We know there could be many more doctor’s appointments but are hopeful that this treatment will make improvements in Thor’s overall health so he is able to experience all life has to offer as a fun, loving, playful puppy. In our eyes he is perfect, wiggles and all!