"Kirby"

Kirby is an adorable dog with a 12-thousand dollar price tag. The fuzzy, curly haired pooch is a ten year old Bichon Frise (a native of the Canary Islands) born with an extremely rare disorder, not commonly found in dogs or humans. He has Immotile Cilia Syndrome. It is a lung disorder much like many of the disorders that people have. Kirby's defense mechanism doesn't work against harmful particles that are inhaled into his lungs. As a result, Kirby has suffered from pneumonia since he was a three month old puppy. Since then, his expensive medication has cost thousands of dollars. As far as his family is concerned the treatment is worth every penny.

Fortunately for Kirby his mother is owned by the "veteran veterinarian", Dr. Ernest Smith of Tequesta. Says Dr. Smith, "It is the unconditional love we have for Kirby. We cannot deny him treatment just because he was born with a disease."

In his 30 years as a veterinarian, Dr. Smith has never treated any dog with this unusual disorder. The story of one of Dr. Smith's favorite patients began in the spring of 1988, when Kirby began having breathing problems. Neither of Kirby's parents has the lung disorder, although they carry the disease in their genes. Dr. Smith did some research and came up with his diagnosis. "I was happy to be able to put a name on Kirby's illness. When I made the diagnosis I knew Kirby would need a lifetime of special care and with that care he would last a lifetime," says Dr. Smith. Two times a day, Kirby would be treated with an antibiotic, a treatment that would continue the rest of Kirby's life. The same antibiotic is often dispensed at your neighborhood pharmacy. This one-hundred dollar a month treatment bill adds up quickly. Ten years later the cost of Kirby's prescripctions is 12-thousand dollars and counting.

Ready and willing to share this special wonder dog with others after making the diagnosis, Dr. Smith and other family members wanted to give Kirby a well deserving new home, a home that would make sure this puppy would get his medication and other treatment that he needed. The Smith family would have to look no further than Dr. Smith's in-laws, Henry and Marsett Perl of Boynton Beach.

Brave and beautiful. A couple of times a day Kirby's owners cup their hands and gently tap the dog's chest. This treatment helps loosen the mucus that builds up in Kirby's lungs. He is also treated with a nebulizer. Yes, it is the same type of nebulizer that people use for the treatment of asthma. The nebulizer is not cheap. It costs six hundred-dollars.

Yes, just like his two legged friends, Kirby's lung disease is inherited. And secondhand smoke and other pesly airborne particles can be very dangerous to those who have difficulty breathing. In fact, secondhand tobacco smoke studies show that dogs and cats with short and medium length noses, such as Bulldogs and Pelingese, are unable to filter secondhand tobacco smoke caused by cigarettes. Just like people, these pets are at an increased risk for lung cancer when exposed to secondhand smoke. Your pet and family's health are very important at the American Lung Association of Southeast Florida. Since 1904, the American Lung Association has been fighting lung disease through education, research, community service and advocacy. The Association is working to help those who suffer from lung disease today and to stop the spread of lung disease tomorrow among people and pets. More than 320,000 Americans die every year from lung disease, the third leading cause of death in the United States. Though similar statistics are unknown for animals, they share the same environment as we do and you can be certain that pets face just as many environmental hazards. "It points out that pets share the same inhaled irritants that hurt people," says Dr. Smith. If Kirby could speak, we mean really speak, we know he would echo those comments.

If you would like more information on pet lung disease, please send a self addressed envelope to the American Lung Association of Southeast Florida, C/O Pet Brochure, 2701 Australian Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida 33407. The American Lung Association of Southeast Florida can be reached at (561)659-7644 or 1-800-330-5864.