Kahlua is a 3 ½ year old Shiba Inu. I’ve had Kahlua since she was a little pup and she is definitely a classic Shiba. Shibas have been described as “the good, the bad, and the quirky.” She is smart, stubborn and highly independent, yet at the same time she is extremely sweet and always knows when you don’t feel good and is ready to cuddle up next to you. Kahlua is also a one-man show, she can keep you entertained by howling like a coyote, walking around the house with her face on the floor and butt in the air, or taping you on the face with her paw to let you know it’s time to wake up from your nap and play with her.

Unfortunately in November of 2009 our time together was almost cut short. Some friends were watching Kahlua while I was out of town. They called me on a Saturday morning to let me know she had been vomiting for two days, had stopped eating and drinking, and did not have the strength to stand up by herself. My friends brought her to Dr. Davis and Dr. Sander. They discovered she had a rubber ball lodged in her intestines. She went through several hours of surgery to remove the ball and three inches of her intestines. The next 48 hours were touch and go, she was extremely sick and it took almost 24 hours to get her body temperature back to normal. Several days later she underwent more surgery to repair a bile duct. In a week’s time my 30 pound Shiba lost 10 pounds (a third of her body weight!). Despite all the hardships my “miracle dog” survived. After several months of taking it easy she is finally getting back to normal. She can again run around the dog park, chase her buddy Jake, my other amazing pup, and jump on and off the bed and couch. She is really an amazing dog and I am so grateful for everyday I have with her, that would be possible without the amazing animal lovers at Bartram Trail Vet!