Ariel - Molly
In Memorium
When Ariel - renamed Molly - went home with her happy adoptive family, Mark and Janice LeBlanc,
no one knew how short her remaining life would be. Shortly after going home, she stopped eating
and became listless. No special food, no squeaky toy, could tempt her. A thorough vet
examination including lab work showed the reason; the pup had been born with a "liver shunt"
or portal systemic shunt. The
portal vein transports blood from the gastro-intestinal system to the liver where it is
'detoxified' before re-entering the circulatory system. Normally ammonia that has been absorbed
through the intestine is carried to the liver by portal circulation, where 81 to 87 percent is
converted to urea. If the fetal shunt that allowed blood to bypass the liver does not close
at birth, large amount of toxins build up and eventually become fatal. Molly was already in a
great deal of pain, and was showing neurological signs as well
The LeBlanc's invested a lot of time, emotion and $$ into making sure they did the "right thing"
for Molly, but in the end,
made the only humane decision possible - to euthanize her. When the vet autopsied her, there was
almost no liver - it has never developed. It was surprising that Molly had lived as long as she
had.
A few days later, another rescue pup, Anise, came home with the family. Although she can't
"replace" Molly, she is helping to fill the awful hole left in their hearts.
O bid thy faithful Ariel fly
To the farthest Indies sky,
And then at thy a fresh command
I’ll traverse o’er the silver sand,
I’ll climb the mountain, plunge the deep;
I like mortals never sleep.
Not with ill will shall I go but merrily!
