A Quick Liesl Update

Thank you very much for all of your prayers, good thoughts and kindness.  God answered our prayers and I am offering up many prayers of thanksgiving.  I just got back from the cardiologist's office and the news is mostly good.  Liesl has a mitral valve leak, however, the doctor says that it is a mild one, and that we seem to have caught it at the very beginning.   Thanks be to God.  She said that while it is a degenerative condition, that right now we will just monitor it and there is no need to be on medication at this point.  She said that if and when we do have to have medication that the medications are much better than they were and they continue to make advances and make them even better.  Liesl does have a slightly enlarged part of her heart, but the doctor said that we will just keep an eye on it.  She wants Liesl on fish oil and to continue her weight loss.  She said that she can continue her usual exercise and routine and just to be her happy, schnauzer self.  She said that it may be years, before we could possibly see any symptoms.  

Liesl's blood pressure was a little high, but the doctor said that it was not considered very high for a little dog, scared, in the dog hospital, surrounded by strangers poking at her.  She said it could have just been Liesl being stressed.  So next month, we will go to her regular vet to have it checked again and to have some x-rays done.  Then she will go back to the cardiologist in six to eight months to have another EKG just to see if there are any changes.  

The doctor was so nice and said that I can call her anytime.  She also said that Liesl is so sweet and so accommodating and just went with the flow of everything that had to get done.  Prior to the testing the doctor said that she would just keep Liesl in a room with her.  I told her that I was so grateful because Liesl is terrified of being kenneled.  The people who had her before kept her locked up in a kennel and I think she is scared that she will not be let back out.  It is one of the reasons I groom her at home, so that she will not be put in a crate.  The doctor said that she completely understood and would see to it that Liesl would not be placed in a kennel at all.

So I am really grateful for the news today.  Now I have a context to work within.  I am also grateful that she does not need medication right now.  I hugged her a little tighter today and treasure her even more, if that was possible.  I am so thankful to God for His blessings and mercy.  I am so thankful to all of you who have offered up prayers on Liesl's behalf.  Thank you from both of us.