For several months, CJ and Andy’s dog, Bear, had been struggling with chronic skin issues and difficulty walking. Initially, it seemed like routine allergies, but by November, he had developed full-blown eczema. After Thanksgiving, despite being on allergy medication, Bear’s health began to decline more noticeably. He was scratching one ear, listing heavily to one side, and his energy levels had plummeted.

The vet diagnosed an ear infection, but things took an unsettling turn when the clinic called the next day to urgently add an oral antibiotic. That night, Bear’s condition spiraled. He stopped walking entirely and suffered from bloody diarrhea. When Andy took him outside, Bear was so weak that he simply fell over sideways in the grass.

The next morning, the clinic told them to bring him in immediately. By the time they arrived, Bear was unable to stand. He stayed in a crumpled ball on the exam room floor, and while he was awake, he had lost his basic neurological reflexes. He didn't blink or react to movement near his face. When the staff tried to draw blood, his circulation was so poor they could only get a few drops. The vet explained they needed to rush him to the OR, using the intensity of the surgical lamps just to locate a vein

“This is becoming more of a critical situation”

Those were the vet’s first words when he returned from the OR without Bear. Bear was on oxygen, his body temperature was 91 degrees – far below the 102-105 that is normal for a dog, and he was under a heat lamp. He was on IV fluids, but his blood pressure was critically low, and everything about his system was out of whack. He needed to get to a critical-care hospital, fast. The vet wasn’t sure he could make the 30-minute trip to the flagship Angell Animal Medical Center, and recommended that we take him to Blue Pearl, an emergency vet and specialty hospital that was only a mile away. He told Andy, with CJ on speakerphone, to bring the car around and leave it idling out front with the heat on. At that point there was absolutely no guarantee that Bear would make it. The doctor and two technicians brought Bear out, semi-conscious and wrapped in a blanket, petting his ears and telling him that they loved him. Arriving at Blue Pearl, the receptionist paged the ER: “Canine emergency in the lobby, STAT.” A nurse rushed him into the back, and the waiting began. The receptionist got Andy’s details, consent for emergency treatment, and a form they never wanted to think about: if your dog codes, do we resuscitate?

A while later, Dr. Melissa Wyzan came out with an update on Bear’s condition. He was in shock, he was starting to stabilize, but they didn’t know why he had crashed so hard. All of his vitals were still out of whack. His temperature was too low, his glucose was dangerously low, his blood pressure was dangerously low… they had him on supportive treatment while they ran some tests, and they had some theories, but they didn’t know much yet. And the bad news, the hospital was going to need $9,000 up front to admit him. Andy and CJ were able to rally emergency loans from a handful of family and friends to pay the deposit, and the medical team got to work. When Andy visited Bear in the ICU before heading home, he was showing a slight improvement–he was able to lift his head and make eye contact–but still obviously very sick.

That evening, Dr. Wyzan called with the diagnosis: Bear had Addison’s disease. Addison’s is a relatively rare disease in which the adrenal glands don’t make enough cortisol. Most of us know cortisol as the “stress hormone,” often with negative associations–but it’s a vital part of the body's internal signaling system. Without cortisol, the body can’t properly calibrate its response to minor stresses like an itch or an ear infection. Addison’s is called “The Great Imitator” because the initial symptoms are vague and non-specific, as the body slowly loses its ability to cope with routine insults. Most often, Addison’s gets diagnosed as it was in Bear’s case, when the body slides into a full-blown crisis. The good news for those that survive an Addisonian crisis: long-term management of the disease is as simply as taking a daily Prednisone and getting regular blood work to check the dose. But, Bear’s body had taken a beating in the crisis. He would remain hospitalized for five days. He spent the first night in the ICU, then two nights in critical care, and two more in the internal medicine ward. He did not eat for the first three days, then developed severe diarrhea and an impressive “diaper rash” around his hind quarters. Still, he was recovering. By the third day, Andy and CJ were able to see him in a visiting room instead of hooked up to IVs in his hospital crate. Even after he was discharged, he needed round-the-clock care for a few days; he had bladder and bowel incontinence and needed a lot of encouragement to eat. A week later, he is out of his cone, going potty normally, sleeping through the night, and regaining his normal appetite. Things are looking up for Bear!

Thanks to the incredible care at Boston Veterinary Clinic and Blue Pearl, Bear pulled through and will be able to have a normal dog life, but the cost of saving him has been overwhelming.

We’re reaching out to our community for help to cover Bear’s hospital bills and repay the emergency loans that let us get Bear his care. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference. Thank you so much for supporting them during this challenging time. We are deeply grateful that our sweet and clever Bear is still with us, and your kindness means the world to our family.