Real Letters 2010 Longevity Traficante J

Dear Springtime,

Winnie is a rescue pug that I got in September of 2007. She was found wandering the streets and was completely emaciated, dirty with skin and ear infections, overgrown toenails, and was unsprayed with a major hernia. The shelter that had her guessed her age to be about 12, and tried to talk us out of taking her, I saw a diamond in the rough and took her home.

When we got her home I noticed something "off" with her walking. She underwent surgery in May of 2008, having a femoral head osteotomy. Basically they cut off part of her leg bone. She was put on two different pain meds and even though it has been awhile, I have never been completely happy with her recovery. The vets have said she will never be normal and since she is elderly, we just should manage her pain.

Recently, on a trip to the emergency vet for severe gastric problems and a possible seizure, it was determined that not only does Winnie have degrading cartilage in her "good" hip, she has disc disease throughout the spine, from her neck to her tail as well as problems in both shoulders. We have had to take her off the NSAIDS, they were causing her too much stomach trouble and she cannot stomach most brands of glucosamine, chondroitin or msm.

This fueled me into looking for other treatment options. I read some recommendations on the site Dogster.com from some of your customers. I ordered the catalog and read about Longevity. I went out on a limb and ordered it and received it a week ago. I was so worried it would cause her stomach problems, she is so sensitive!

We followed your instructions with just a little sprinkle for a few days and now she is up to half a scoop twice a day. Now, it has only been a week, but I wanted you to know that I will NEVER be without this product for her. She had no gastric troubles at all. But the difference in her is amazing!

First, she has had a good coat because she is on a premium diet. But all of a sudden, she developed almost long "pants" on her rear legs! She is using both legs equally now, where as she favored one over the other before. I just spent a half hour playing tug of war with her! Tug of war with a dog that is supposed to be crippled! She is insisting on going for walks again! She is beating up my male puggle and actually growling during play! She finished up playing, panting! Panting! She was playing hard enough to work up a sweat!

It's obvious to me that she is feeling great. She isn't supposed to jump on the furniture, but I can't hold this dog back! She is running and jumping and playing and it's like this dog is five years old. If this is what happens after only a week, I can't wait to see her in a month.

I wanted you to know this because I was feeling really low after her last diagnosis. I was so afraid she was in pain and that we would lose her. She still continues to take a pain reliever, but that's ok. We may be able to wean her down in her dosage if she keeps feeling this good.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving my little old pug some spunk back!

Jennifer Traficante, Pennsylvania