09/03/2025
Pukkas journey did not end as one would hope. This condition is serious and without this vital research to learn more about it more dogs will an agonizing end. Please support this worthy cause if you’re able
Dear Friends, Family, and Readers,
Announcing Pukka’s Laryngeal Paralysis Fund
I hope you’ve had a safe and enjoyable summer, filled with far-flung adventures or satisfying days at home.
It’s been three months today since Pukka died on June 3, and my summer has been filled with mourning, as those of you who have lost beloved dogs know all too well. The hole that Pukka’s passing has left in my life is as deep as the Grand Canyon and as wide as the Pacific. There hasn’t been a day I haven’t stopped in mid-stride and said aloud, “Oh, Pukka, how I miss you!”
Many friends, family members, and readers have asked if I’m going to get another dog. The answer is: not right now. Getting another dog in the near future would only erode my memories of Pukka while I’m trying to write a book about what he taught me during his exceptionally long life and how I can apply these lessons to help other dogs as they age.
In that vein, I’ve established Pukka’s Laryngeal Paralysis Fund at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine, with the goal of financially supporting research into the causes and treatment of late-onset laryngeal paralysis and other canine nerve diseases.
Pukka eventually succumbed to late-onset laryngeal paralysis, also known as GOLPP (Geriatric Onset Laryngeal Paralysis and Polyneuropathy), a common, degenerative neurologic disease that affects older, medium- and large-breed dogs, causing difficult, noisy breathing, regurgitation, and hind-end weakness.
An estimated 50 percent of Labrador Retrievers over the age of eleven can develop laryngeal paralysis. Golden Retrievers, Newfoundlands, Borzois, Greyhounds, German Shepherds, and mixed breeds are also prone to developing it.
The research being conducted at the university’s Comparative Orthopaedic and Genetics Research Laboratory has two goals: discover a genetic test to identify dogs at risk for the disease and find remedies for dogs who suffer from it.
Any donation, no matter the size, even a dollar, will help accelerate this research and bring us closer to the day when our dogs might be free of this debilitating and ultimately fatal condition.
Donations can be made through this link: https://supportuw.org/giveto/pukka.
Or if you prefer to give by check, you can use this form from the University’s foundation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vwLQM3VC4yrhGybqt_CZZIxYudS6pjI1/view?usp=share_link.
Soon, I’ll post detailed strategies for managing GOLPP, which may be useful if your dog has developed it, and I’ll also continue to share the latest findings on how to give our dogs longer, healthier lives.
Thank you very much for considering a donation to Pukka’s Laryngeal Paralysis Fund, and my very best wishes—and Pukka’s in spirit—to you and your dogs.
Ted
