Paws For Thought

My Bonnies lies over the seat…

iven just how many people in Greystones love, cherish and obey their dogs, everyone will understand how Charlesland resident Emma Tagliarino went far above and beyond when her beloved little mutt fell seriously ill.

It was last November when Bonnie was rushed to UCD Veterinary Hospital after a collapse revealed major liver failure.

Today, Bonnie is, as you can see above and right, bonny as all heck. Back in November though, it was touch and go, as this little – excuse our language – Bichon Frise didn’t respond to her prescribed medication, and collapsed at home once again.

It didn’t help matters that the insurance policy Emma had taken out on her best friend didn’t actually cover this unforeseen and hitherto undetected hereditary illness.

Ms Tagliarino picks up the story from that second emergency visit to UCD Veterinary Hospital…

Bonnie spent two weeks in hospital, and I visited her every day. Staff at UCD were fantastic and looked after her so well. Further results confirmed a liver shunt. She had an abnormal blood vessel outside her liver. We were told surgery was the only option, but it would be complicated because they could not see her portal vein on scan.

The operation was going ahead but I had to be aware that, if the surgeons couldn’t find the vein, Bonnie would have to be put asleep. Professor Kirby, Bonnie’s surgeon, met me before surgery to explain the procedure; she was amazing. Then, a few hours later she rang again and delivered the news we had been hoping for – the surgery had been a great success.

The surgery seems to have transformed Bonnie too, going from, says Emma, “a dog that could barely walk to a dog that loves running, playing and daily treks“.

As to the moral of the story – beyond loving your dog more than your next of kin, of course – is simple; when it comes to insurance, always, always read the small print. And make sure you know really good people, such as UCD’s Professor Barbara Kirby.