We received Aboo into our home in the summer of 2003, after she had been rescued by Country Kennels almost 2 years prior wandering the streets of Kansas City. Little did we know our high energy Akita would become the matriarch in our home second only to me. She has been a blessing and a guardian to our children. If not for Country Kennels she would surely have been put down.

In late summer 2007, Aboo stopped walking she showed a moderate positive for HME which we treated extensively with Doxocycline to no avail. We did towel carrys and finally hand carried Boo outside to potty. Little did we know it was her signal to us something was wrong, not with her but with one of the pack, her pack, our pack. We could not get her to leave our house, or our daughter Abby (2 1/2). In November of 2007, our daughter Abby was diagnosed with Leukemia. Abby's hemoglobin was 2.9 when we arrived at UW-Childrens a level which most often is incompatible with life. I am certain now that Boo was trying to tell us something was wrong. When we couldn't hear her cues, she laid down next to Abby I believe ready to go too. Fortunately, that didn't happen and when we returned home from the hospital after initial inductive therapy with our daughter Boo was good as new. Abby's counts have gone up and down. When her counts are good Boo plays outside and doesn't come in. When her counts are low Boo stays next to Abby and is virtually immovable. I have since met another parent in our practice, also the parent to a rescued Akita, and her dog did the exact same thing!

God Bless Dog Rescues, Country Kennels, and our Amazing "throw away" Akita.

Kerry Frank