From Death’s Door to Unstoppable - Case Study: Caitlin and Ali

One of our favorite clients, Caitlin Morrison, spoke to us about her experience with The Healthy Animal Healing Center.

It’s a tale with so many twists and turns you’d think you were inside the plot of a horror movie.

But for Caitlin and her Staffordshire Terrier, Ali, it was all too real.

This is their story.

The Backstory

Caitlin adopted Ali, a rescued Staffordshire Terrier, from an abusive, neglectful home in 2014.

Ali had been tied up in the backyard. Food had been scattered near her, but out of reach. Malnourished and emotionally abused, Ali weighed just 10 pounds.

She had a funky smell to her and her white coat had yellowed.

She’d given birth to many puppies while being malnourished herself.

Shortly after she was adopted, Ali developed huge, puss-filled hives.

Caitlin sought help to deal with Ali’s horrible allergies and to get advice about how to bring her back to health.

“I'd heard about the healthy animal,and so I thought I'd just stop by and they'd have this magic potion and I'd be ready to go!”

She signed up for a consultation with Freddie Vecchi, our expert pet wellness guide.

“Freddie has been our bulldog through this whole thing. She was really willing to work with me and taught me about nutrition and supplements.”

Little did we know, our journey was not ending there.

Ali has had two cancer surgeries, two knee replacements, a broken paw, and a near-drowning experience.

She was sick for two years. None of the vets could figure out why.

Diane Dewberry, owner and energetic healer at The Healthy Animal Healing Center, offered to energetically connect with Ali to find out what was happening…

…from Ali herself.

Diane communicated with Ali multiple times to discover what was going on. She just kept telling her, “I'm so tired. I'm so tired.”

Desperate for more answers, Caitlin found a specialist recommended by her surgeon.

The diagnosis was anorexia.

“I didn’t even know that was a thing!” said Caitlin.

After beginning with syringe-feeding, Caitlin was able to feed Ali nutrient dense food and supplements.

“Freddie and Diane went above and beyond the call of duty just to keep her comfortable until they figured out what was going on. She began having seizures as well. It ended up being a severe B-12 deficiency. I knew she wasn’t going to make it much longer.”

That all changed with nutrient dense food, supplements, detox herbs, and energetic healing, and flower essences.

Ali has undergone a total transformation with her physical and emotional health.

“For so long she wouldn't play with her toys. She lost that joy inside of her. She stopped doing the zoomies around the house and I was like, oh my gosh, this dog deserves so much because the beginning of life was so horrible.

Now, she's thriving. With Diane and Freddie’s recommendations, she's unstoppable!”

It’s been a long journey for both Caitlin and Ali, and The Healthy Animal Healing Center has been there for it all over the course of the last eight years.

“They've stuck by me, and because she's so chemically resistant, they had to teach me from the beginning how to deal with things holistically.

Freddie has a beautiful way of teaching you things so that you know what you're doing.

I all do all recommendations from The Healthy Animal. My heart is just full of love for these people.”

How The Healthy Animal Healing Center Helped

Total Wellness Consultations

Caitlin’s previous dogs were all healthy and normal, so when Ali came along, she really didn’t know what to do.

“I had no idea about this holistic world and communication and the spirit world and the energy that dogs can take on from their humans and vice versa.

Freddie simplified everything for me. I wanted to try the raw diet, but it's so different from just pouring kibble in a bowl.

Freddy broke it down for me and she told me within a month, I’d know exactly what to do. It was so funny, in exactly a month I was a whiz with the raw diet.

She taught me a lot about the supplements and herbs and what Ali needed to heal her ligaments. Nothing had formed right in her body because she was putting out puppies while not being fed, the puppies taking all her nutrition.

Diane and Freddie's brains should be studied! I have never met two people that know so much. So much of it was I thought it was more exterior stuff, but they've taught me that there's so much more to it.

I’ve learned that even if you have a healthy dog, they can feel even healthier.

Energetic Healing

I had been doing Reiki and acupuncture before I got Ali and I truly believe in the spirit world.

I did not know it was available for animals, though, and I didn’t even need to bring her there physically!

I needed to know the story of what happened to her before she came to me, what might still be bothering her, or things she might be sensitive about.

She's very sensitive not only to chemicals, but to energy.

The first conversation Diane had with us, she said Ali came right through and wanted to tell her story. She said she's a lot like you, a Chatty Cathy!

The story was so accurate. Details that I never gave her, she knew.

She said Ali knew there was going to be hope when the men in suits showed up.

Diane asked me who the men in suits were. I knew that must have been when the police department came to remove the dogs.

I didn't know just how sensitive she was and how much of my stuff she was taking on. I have a few stomach diseases, and Ali seems to have taken on a lot of that.

She told Diane that if I'm depressed it affects her physically and makes her not want to eat. That's bettered me because I've had to work on myself so that my little kid doesn't take it on.

It was good to know her story, to know where she came from and why her body was in such bad shape. Just to know about her and to know that spirit about her.

It was just a beautiful experience. I did cry because it was a sad story, but it really helped me move forward and just to make sure she's okay around other people because she will take on other people's energy. She's just a sensitive, sensitive girl.

I could tell the difference after Diane communicated with her that she really needed to tell her story because she slept for almost two days after. It was like this relief came over.

Flower Essences

Because Diane was able to communicate with Ali, she knew exactly what pet essences Ali needed. They've all worked beautifully. And for me, too.

Prior to surgeries, Diane mixed a special blend for Ali. They brought calmness and more peace when she had to stay overnight at the hospital overnight and we had never been separated.

She made up a special formula for Ali to help her with her sensitivities. She wasn't soaking up all my stuff. The flower essences keep both of us from transferring energy to one another.

She's not a great sleeper because she was left outside all night on guard, but the pet essences help her feel more at peace.

Pet essences have helped her be a little stronger, a little more independent. It helps with her separation anxiety.

Emotional Support for Caitlin as the Pet Parent

I take flower essences myself to protect Ali. She has a tendency to take on a lot of my energy and some of my health issues, so we both do protection drops.

That’s so important when I get upset or stressed, that that transfers over to Ali.

Freddie will even tell me sometimes that I'm hovering over a little too much, that I'm noticing a little too much and to relax a little bit.

Some of my health issues have gotten better because of what they've taught me about inflammation and the nutrients you need in your body. They changed our lives.

They are determined to ensure that Ali’s life is what it should be and what she deserves. And they do it for all the animals. They care so much about this.

Every morning I do a list of gratitude and they are one of the first on the list. My heart just fills and my eyes tear up because I just can't believe what they've done and how much effort they put into this little girl.

My dog would not be alive today without them.

Caitlin’s Advice to Other Pet Parents

I truly believe whether you have a human child or a four legged child, as a mom you commit to whatever comes their way, and you have to meet them where they're at.

Like anybody, their needs are ever changing.

As she's getting older now, we're changing things up a little bit.

When they did find the mast cell tumor, Diane immediately had me put her on mushroom powder to decrease inflammation which would help the cancer cells not spread.

Ali’s body is ever changing and they work with me on that.

She is a picky eater, and I will tell you everyone that works there has tried everything. They give me samples so I’m not buying big bags of food and then wasting them.

I didn't know anything going into this, and now I feel like I'm prepared for any dog that comes my way.

To take Ali from where she came to where she is now, I can't imagine what good nutrition and energetic healing would do for a healthy dog!

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