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Gigi Collection Dog Collars
Product Description
These collars are our infamous Smoothie© collection collars, embroidered with 7 hearts. (For Gigi's age) The crystals on the buckle will match the embroidered hearts.
I lost my sweet Lady Godiva aka Gigi on June 29, 2010. This has been the hardest thing imaginable. Gigi had HCM which led her into CHF (congestive heart failure) several times. I will explain more at a later time, now it is just too hard for me to go into detail about that horrific night. Harry and I decided we wanted to raise money for HCM research. Harry has HCM as well. Both of my Sphynx are rescues, both from different countries, yes- HCM is a huge problem. We will donate 100% of the proceeds to the Winn Foundation. Thank you to all of you for your emails, calls, flowers and food. We wouldn't be able to do it without you! Thank you for your support.
Love always,
Heidi, Blake, Harry and Gigi Schamberger
I am sad to say that this heart disease took my Harry too, September 12, 2010. I will always love you Gigi and Harry. Until we meet again my soul mates.
In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the muscle wall of the heart thickens and stiffens, so the heart's chambers are greatly reduced in volume and can't relax properly after contracting - the chambers can no longer fill with blood.
The severity of symptoms varies from cats who appear totally unaffected to those who die suddenly. A mildly affected cat could very possibly lead a totally normal life. These cats may be identified only when symptoms suddenly develop due to a stressful event, such as bathing or teeth cleaning. Stress causes an increase in the cat's heart rate, which means there's less time for the heart to fill.
Symptoms can be extremely variable:
lack of appetite
gagging
difficulty breathing
increased respiratory rate
reluctance to move around
Affected cats may exhibit labored breathing from pulmonary edema (fluid-filled lungs) or pleural effusion (fluid in the chest cavity around the lungs), which may be present due to congestive heart failure. Poor cardiac output may result in lethargy, weakness or mental depression. Heart failure that results in poor circulation to the intestines and liver may cause reduced appetite or anorexia.
Another dramatic symptom is hind limb pain or paralysis, which results from thromboembolic disease secondary to the cardiomyopathy. Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot within a cardiac chamber or a vessel and is often seen along with cardiomyopathy. Embolization occurs when the clot breaks off and "gets stuck" in another location, blocking normal blood flow. This type of clot shoots through the circulation and lodges in the distal aorta, back in the rear limbs where the aorta splits. The result is a "saddle thrombus" which causes pain and sometimes paralysis in one or both rear legs.
By the time cats start showing obvious clinical signs of cardiomyopathy, they generally have severe disease. At this point, treatment may not prolong the cat's life, but it may improve the quality of the time the cat has left.
This is the story of my wonderful friend, Brooke Arnold, who has been loving and sharing her life with an HCM positive Sphynx.
Nelson likely didn’t have the easiest start in life. He was a stud cat for a backyard breeder. At 3 1/2 years old, he and his breeding partner, Mandy, were dumped at the SPCA when the breeder decided they were no a longer useful part of his baby-making program. Mandy’s tiny body showed tell-tale signs of having raised far too many kittens in her lifetime and Nelson was suffering from IBD and horrible diarrhea. The SPCA contacted a local Sphynx breeder for help with placing Nelson and Mandy, and through that breeder, I was thrilled to adopt them! From the moment the carrier door opened it was love at first sight! There was no hesitation – Nelson charged out of the carrier with the power of a steam engine and nearly broke my nose with one of his (now-infamous) skull-cracking headbutts! For an hour, I just lay on the floor while he climbed all over me, burrowing in my hair, purring louder than anything I’d ever heard before, climbing all over my back, and I was laughing hysterically the entire time. This cat was simply amazing! I couldn’t believe he was mine!
Nine months prior, I had lost my first beloved Sphynx to HCM. I knew in the back of my mind that taking in a rescue was a risk, but I still hoped after losing Harold it couldn’t possibly happen to me again. A few days after adopting Nelson, we went to the vet for his checkup. My heart sank when the vet heard a grade 2/3 heart murmur. I immediately scheduled his appointment for an echocardiogram. The result was Equivocal – meaning, not HCM, but not normal. I was relieved, but worried. Not quite sure what this meant. We were instructed to recheck in 6 months. Shortly after, Nelson started having breathing problems and fainting episodes called Syncope. A trip to the emergency room prompted me to schedule another echocardiogram.
Sadly, 4 months after the first echo in March 2010, Nelson was diagnosed with Moderate HCM. I am at peace knowing that his disease was caught at its earliest stages. By catching it so early, and starting his treatment right away, I’m able to give him the best chance at the longest life. I’ve been able to make diet and lifestyle changes to promote his heart health. His vet has said the goal is to give him one more good year. I’m determined to give him a lot more than that!
We had a setback last month, when he had an aortic thromboembolism – meaning, he threw a blood clot. Most often when this happens, it will affect both legs, called a “saddle thrombus”, and the cat will be in screaming pain and paralyzed in both legs. In Nelson’s case, though, it only affected one leg, and he didn’t have any pain from it. It was heartbreaking to watch him dragging one leg around the house, and the vet told me if he didn’t regain the use of his leg after 5 days, I should consider putting him down. On day 4, guess who miraculously got up and started walking around on all fours as if nothing had been wrong!? He was rolling around on his back and purring like a ham that day, while I was sobbing tears of joy!!
Now I’ve been looking into other forms of therapy for Nelson. Instead of sitting back and waiting for this disease to take him, I want to be proactive, instead of reactive. Oxygen is used in human medicine for a number of things, and it’s used in animal medicine to pull cats out of congestive heart failure – but it’s never been cost effective or realistic for at-home therapy as a preventative treatment option for cats. However, the more I research it, the more it seems to make sense. My own mother was in heart failure at one point, and at-home oxygen therapy was a life-saver for her. So, I’ve started giving Nelson oxygen treatments at home, using an oxygen concentrator, and a make-shift oxygen chamber made from a duct taped cat carrier, until I can save up for a real ICU cage. It’s only been a few days, but since I started him on his oxygen therapy, Nelson has been sleeping better than ever and he’s been running around the house with more energy than I’ve seen in months! This is not the behavior of a cat who, according to my vet’s estimation, only has 8 months left to live! Nelson and I are determined to prove him wrong!
Despite everything I have tried and will try with Nelson’s care, I made a promise to him the day he was diagnosed with HCM, and I fully intend to keep it. I read it often so I’ll never forget. This is my promise to him: My sweet boy, I promise to do everything within my power to give you the absolute best chance at a long, healthy, comfortable life. I promise to make sure you never suffer. I promise to cherish every moment I have with you. I promise to love you as unconditionally as you love me. I promise to not be selfish if the time comes to take your pain away. I promise to keep telling your story in hopes that someone will benefit from the lessons you've taught me.
I lost my sweet Lady Godiva aka Gigi on June 29, 2010. This has been the hardest thing imaginable. Gigi had HCM which led her into CHF (congestive heart failure) several times. I will explain more at a later time, now it is just too hard for me to go into detail about that horrific night. Harry and I decided we wanted to raise money for HCM research. Harry has HCM as well. Both of my Sphynx are rescues, both from different countries, yes- HCM is a huge problem. We will donate 100% of the proceeds to the Winn Foundation. Thank you to all of you for your emails, calls, flowers and food. We wouldn't be able to do it without you! Thank you for your support.
Love always,
Heidi, Blake, Harry and Gigi Schamberger
I am sad to say that this heart disease took my Harry too, September 12, 2010. I will always love you Gigi and Harry. Until we meet again my soul mates.
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In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the muscle wall of the heart thickens and stiffens, so the heart's chambers are greatly reduced in volume and can't relax properly after contracting - the chambers can no longer fill with blood.
The severity of symptoms varies from cats who appear totally unaffected to those who die suddenly. A mildly affected cat could very possibly lead a totally normal life. These cats may be identified only when symptoms suddenly develop due to a stressful event, such as bathing or teeth cleaning. Stress causes an increase in the cat's heart rate, which means there's less time for the heart to fill.
Symptoms can be extremely variable:
lack of appetite
gagging
difficulty breathing
increased respiratory rate
reluctance to move around
Affected cats may exhibit labored breathing from pulmonary edema (fluid-filled lungs) or pleural effusion (fluid in the chest cavity around the lungs), which may be present due to congestive heart failure. Poor cardiac output may result in lethargy, weakness or mental depression. Heart failure that results in poor circulation to the intestines and liver may cause reduced appetite or anorexia.
Another dramatic symptom is hind limb pain or paralysis, which results from thromboembolic disease secondary to the cardiomyopathy. Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot within a cardiac chamber or a vessel and is often seen along with cardiomyopathy. Embolization occurs when the clot breaks off and "gets stuck" in another location, blocking normal blood flow. This type of clot shoots through the circulation and lodges in the distal aorta, back in the rear limbs where the aorta splits. The result is a "saddle thrombus" which causes pain and sometimes paralysis in one or both rear legs.
By the time cats start showing obvious clinical signs of cardiomyopathy, they generally have severe disease. At this point, treatment may not prolong the cat's life, but it may improve the quality of the time the cat has left.
This is the story of my wonderful friend, Brooke Arnold, who has been loving and sharing her life with an HCM positive Sphynx.
Nelson likely didn’t have the easiest start in life. He was a stud cat for a backyard breeder. At 3 1/2 years old, he and his breeding partner, Mandy, were dumped at the SPCA when the breeder decided they were no a longer useful part of his baby-making program. Mandy’s tiny body showed tell-tale signs of having raised far too many kittens in her lifetime and Nelson was suffering from IBD and horrible diarrhea. The SPCA contacted a local Sphynx breeder for help with placing Nelson and Mandy, and through that breeder, I was thrilled to adopt them! From the moment the carrier door opened it was love at first sight! There was no hesitation – Nelson charged out of the carrier with the power of a steam engine and nearly broke my nose with one of his (now-infamous) skull-cracking headbutts! For an hour, I just lay on the floor while he climbed all over me, burrowing in my hair, purring louder than anything I’d ever heard before, climbing all over my back, and I was laughing hysterically the entire time. This cat was simply amazing! I couldn’t believe he was mine!
Nine months prior, I had lost my first beloved Sphynx to HCM. I knew in the back of my mind that taking in a rescue was a risk, but I still hoped after losing Harold it couldn’t possibly happen to me again. A few days after adopting Nelson, we went to the vet for his checkup. My heart sank when the vet heard a grade 2/3 heart murmur. I immediately scheduled his appointment for an echocardiogram. The result was Equivocal – meaning, not HCM, but not normal. I was relieved, but worried. Not quite sure what this meant. We were instructed to recheck in 6 months. Shortly after, Nelson started having breathing problems and fainting episodes called Syncope. A trip to the emergency room prompted me to schedule another echocardiogram.
Sadly, 4 months after the first echo in March 2010, Nelson was diagnosed with Moderate HCM. I am at peace knowing that his disease was caught at its earliest stages. By catching it so early, and starting his treatment right away, I’m able to give him the best chance at the longest life. I’ve been able to make diet and lifestyle changes to promote his heart health. His vet has said the goal is to give him one more good year. I’m determined to give him a lot more than that!
We had a setback last month, when he had an aortic thromboembolism – meaning, he threw a blood clot. Most often when this happens, it will affect both legs, called a “saddle thrombus”, and the cat will be in screaming pain and paralyzed in both legs. In Nelson’s case, though, it only affected one leg, and he didn’t have any pain from it. It was heartbreaking to watch him dragging one leg around the house, and the vet told me if he didn’t regain the use of his leg after 5 days, I should consider putting him down. On day 4, guess who miraculously got up and started walking around on all fours as if nothing had been wrong!? He was rolling around on his back and purring like a ham that day, while I was sobbing tears of joy!!
Now I’ve been looking into other forms of therapy for Nelson. Instead of sitting back and waiting for this disease to take him, I want to be proactive, instead of reactive. Oxygen is used in human medicine for a number of things, and it’s used in animal medicine to pull cats out of congestive heart failure – but it’s never been cost effective or realistic for at-home therapy as a preventative treatment option for cats. However, the more I research it, the more it seems to make sense. My own mother was in heart failure at one point, and at-home oxygen therapy was a life-saver for her. So, I’ve started giving Nelson oxygen treatments at home, using an oxygen concentrator, and a make-shift oxygen chamber made from a duct taped cat carrier, until I can save up for a real ICU cage. It’s only been a few days, but since I started him on his oxygen therapy, Nelson has been sleeping better than ever and he’s been running around the house with more energy than I’ve seen in months! This is not the behavior of a cat who, according to my vet’s estimation, only has 8 months left to live! Nelson and I are determined to prove him wrong!
Despite everything I have tried and will try with Nelson’s care, I made a promise to him the day he was diagnosed with HCM, and I fully intend to keep it. I read it often so I’ll never forget. This is my promise to him: My sweet boy, I promise to do everything within my power to give you the absolute best chance at a long, healthy, comfortable life. I promise to make sure you never suffer. I promise to cherish every moment I have with you. I promise to love you as unconditionally as you love me. I promise to not be selfish if the time comes to take your pain away. I promise to keep telling your story in hopes that someone will benefit from the lessons you've taught me.
