After receiving a glowing review from Brian, Bubba the Beagle’s dad, we wanted to learn more about Bubba’s journey and we are so happy we asked! Learning about Bubba’s life, his health challenges, and his dad’s deep love and commitment has touched our hearts! This is a recovery tale we had to share.
A New Home for Bubba
Bubba joined his forever home when he was just six months old.
Brian and Pam already had two indoor/outdoor beagles that they loved dearly. Pam had said that Bubba couldn’t stay in their house at night because they already had two beagles in the bed and there wasn’t room for three.
Their intent was for Bubba to live with relatives and join their pack of hunting dogs nearby. Brian shared:
“After keeping him at our house that first night, Bubba and I developed our bond and he immediately became a member of our family. I told my wife we were gonna keep him.”
Trouble on the Farm
When Bubba was 8 years old, Brian came home from work one day and noticed Bubba was acting lethargic and panting. Upon further inspection, his gums were very pale. He had been indoors all day and when let outside, he just wandered aimlessly. Brian contacted his vet and was told to come in immediately. An x-ray upon arrival revealed that Bubba had a mass on his spleen and needed surgery right away. With trepidation, Brian left Bubba in the hands of his capable vet.
After a grueling couple of hours, they got a call. The vet successfully removed a tumor from his spleen, but Bubba had been bleeding internally and lost a lot of blood. He would need a blood transfusion, but they didn’t have the blood to give him. Bubba’s dad was so distraught and would have donated his own blood if he could have. Luckily, an emergency vet in the area had an available supply of what Bubba desperately needed. So off they went.
“Barely alive and barely breathing, he rode in my lap as my wife drove us. The whole way I begged him to hang on.”
Arriving at the emergency vet, they were informed that Bubba had lost so much blood, his blood pressure wasn’t registering. The vet reported he had actually “died” twice during surgery and shouldn’t have been alive. Luckily, Bubba held on and they managed to save him!
After his remarkable journey back from the brink, Bubba lost interest in running deer but started chasing rabbits around the farm. This was a relief and ease of stress for dad!
Bubba’s Osteoarthritis Diagnosis and the Hip Hound Brace
Just before turning 14 last summer, Bubba began having trouble climbing stairs and jumping up on the bed. His vet diagnosed him with osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis, characterized by loss of joint cartilage and thickening of the joint capsule. This can be very painful and lead to limb dysfunction.
Bubba’s vet recommended Rimadyl and Hills joint care. Although they seemed to help, Brian wanted to give Bubba all of the support he could.
“I started looking for braces and discovered the OrthoDog Hip Hound Brace. Customer service was great, so I ordered it and promptly received it. That seemed to give him the support he needed on our daily walks. Once he got used to it, he even started running on our walks and seemed a lot happier.”
– Brian
Back on the farm, Brian installed a wheelchair ramp for those tough-to-climb stairs and started laser therapy for Bubba twice weekly, giving their boy all the tools and support to live his best life.
Ortho Dog’s Hip Hound Brace was designed specifically to help dogs with arthritis by providing support and stability that minimizes pressure on joints. Reduced pressure means less inflammation and pain. The Hip Hound brace stabilizes and supports the hip and lower back areas. This stabilization transfers to the hind legs. The Hip Hound brace allows the dog more mobility and endurance allowing the muscles to tone.
A Note from Bubba’s Dad
“I would like to tell other dog owners to never give up making their canine companion as comfortable as possible. Bubba’s companionship has made my last 14 years so much better. I’m just glad I could finally retire and spend more time together during our senior years. I value every day that we are able to spend together.”
We are beyond grateful to Brian and Pam for sharing Bubba’s story and their journey. It is a testament to a human’s love for their companion and inspires fellow dog parents to “never give up!”
“From the correspondence I had with Sarah, the whole process of purchasing Bubba’s hip brace was smooth and enjoyable… On our first outing he just walked for a few minutes. Then he began to trot as he normally does and then to my amazement he was running like he did in his earlier years. We hiked on our 180 acre farm for over 2 hours. When we got home he wasn’t ready to quit…it has been a blessing for Bubba and my wife and I. Thanks again.
– Brian