Torteval Irish Wolfhounds

Beautiful Jazz lives with Perry and Teresa Kuntz in Austin, Arkansas, together with Charm, Shay and Lacy. Jazz had a litter of six puppies in the summer of 2004, but ten days later developed GDV (bloat/torsion) and had to have surgery followed by three days in ICU. Perry and Teresa bottle fed the puppies until they were 20 days old as Jazz was too weak from the surgery. Jazz is loved immensely and Teresa is so grateful that she is still there by her side and hopes to have many more healthy years to share with her.

LIttle Rock St Patrick's Day Parade
Adult Dogs: Butler, Murphy, Sullivan, Rythm, Patience, Sadie, Merlin, Bradeigh, Cian, Alidh, Charm, and Lacy. Puppies: Finnigan, Brigit and Aleash

Over one weekend, Jazz developed a swollen abdomen, was refusing all food, and drinking excessively. She had a fluctuating low-grade temperature, her ears were mucky, eyes running, she had a periodic cough and her nose seemed stuffy as though she had a cold.

X-ray on the Monday confirmed a closed pyometra, and the next day she was spayed as an emergency. It turned out that the uterus had been very close to rupture. She was slow to recover from the anaesthesia as she had had morphine as a pre-med, but since her return home she has made good progress, and Teresa is hopeful that she'll soon be restored to full health.

More about pyometra

Jazz is doing very well since her surgery and more often than not acting like a puppy. Not in the way of chewing and destroying stuff, but wanting to play and more carefree.

Charm, who just celebrated her fourth birthday, is now taking on the role of grouch and enforcing the no play rules.

At ten months old, Sonoma (left) is looking forward to her first Christmas and hopefully - some snow!