Page 4 - Summer 17

It’s all about the “Mother” by Don Hamilton, New Mexico, USA
This is a case of a dog who was rather devastated by the death of his primary guardian, with whom he lived until she died. The current guardian refers to Carla as his “mom” or his “mother.” Names of the humans have been changed. My initial consultation was on August 8, 2013.
The following is an email from Thomas, the current guardian, basically unedited (including grammatical errors):
Dear Dr. Hamilton
The Back Story:
Simba is a male Shitzu [sic]. He is just a few months over nine years old. My girlfriend and I purchased our dog nine years ago from a breeder. At the time we lived together. We separated when Simba was around 2 1/2 years old. Carla, (Simba’s mom) had MS [multiple sclerosis]. As a result of her disease she could not get out of the house, except very rarely. Simba had Carla around all the time in a small house with a big backyard. Carla had almost no friends. Simba was her reason for living. Carla suffered from depressions. Simba received consistent affection and love from Carla. She was over the top because Simba was all she had. I began taking Simba on weekends to give him exercise and play. For 5 1/2 years I picked up Simba every Friday afternoon to play at the dog park. I took him to the dog park every Saturday morning as well. I was his main source of play and exercise. I was his Alpha.
Flash forward to a year ago August 2012. Carla died. At the time of Death Simba was with me. I never brought him back to her house. He began to live full time with me from that point on.
Carla was using homeopathy with a Doctor named [name withheld]. She began having thatdoctor create remedies for Simba. Any behavior pattern that Carla thought needed changing, she would have a remedy made for Simba. I don't know how many remedies he was on but he was on them from when he was two years old until I took him at age eight. I saw no need for it but Carla would not listen.
From the point when Carla passed away Simba began chewing on his left foot. If Simba was a person I would consider Simba to have Obsessive Compulsive disorder. He sleeps in bed with me and on any typical night Simba chews on his feet before we go to bed. If I tell him to stop he tries to hide and do it again. This can go on for a while until Simba falls asleep. This was the main reason that I contacted you in the beginning of the summer. In the last two months this feet chewing has even become more frequent and not just at bed time. Simba is obsessive even when
he’s just licking himself the way dogs do. I was away for two weeks this summer. Two former students watched simba, one each week at my home. Both said to me that they thought he was very needy. He is needy emotionally. He got used to me being gone for work after a while but he was used to someone being there all
the time.
July 29th: Last Monday this is what occurred:
Point of interest: This was the one year anniversary of Carla’s death.
Simba, got sick the evening I got home from vacation. His meal was throw up on the floor.
7:30pm – He had diarrhea a few times. 10:00pm – He threw up yellow mucus 11:00pm – Simba started to have intense abdomen pain. He could not lay down or walk. He sat up with his back kind of stiff, he growled and yelped twice. 1:00am – I took him to an all night clinic. They injected him with a 24 hour anti nausea drug. He went to sleep. Vomited again, clear liquid, about a cup. Mucusy. July 30/31: For two days he just slept. I used a dropper with water to keep his body hydrated. When he went out he
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