Excerpts from the book “Save Dogs From Distemper: The ‘Impossible’ Cure of Dr. Alson Sears”
Page 368 (2014) …
” … On Dec. 21, I received an email from Debby Simms of Huntington, West Virginia, about a dachshund/Basset hound mix named Coal she was fostering from a local shelter. ‘He tested positive for distemper on Dec 15,’ she wrote in an email copied to her friend Barbara Bias. ‘He is still eating and eliminating. He was first diagnosed with kennel cough and then began losing weight. The return visit and testing gave the result of distemper. I have been researching on Internet and found you. If you know of a vet near West Virginia please let me know.’
They took Coal to Ohio State a couple days later, but that only confirmed the dog had neurologic distemper. The school refused to consider the unpublished NDV spinal tap treatment, so I encouraged them to contact Dr. Harkin and get into his study.
‘Coal has had the treatment!’ Debby wrote on Jan. 2. ‘We were so impressed with Dr. Harkin and the med student … We will let you know as he improves. We can not thank you enough!!’ … “
Page 372 …
” … According to a post she submitted to the website for the Herald-Dispatch in Huntington, WV, Barbara Bias took Coal back to Kansas State for a follow-up evaluation on April 17, 2015, and had been told he was disease-free. ‘Coal’s new life began Jan. 2, 2015, and now a year later he is celebrating his New Year as a very active and happy 2-year-old doggie,’ Barbara wrote in the post … “
Page 405, The Epilogue …
“… Barbara Bias wrote with a cheerful update on Coal.
‘Coal is a very happy and active dog,’ she wrote. ‘He loves to race around the living room couch playing with his toys. I love him very much. Thank you for everything you did for him. Thank you for helping my friend Debby Simms find the right place to take Coal. Dr. Harkin at Kansas State was very happy with Coal’s improvement.’ “
