Adopting A Friend
As humanity’s best friend, one animal has reigned supreme. There are so many things dogs do for us. We can count on them for love, companionship, and even protection.
Those are all things a British woman who adopts a dog would learn. In a time of crisis, her canine companion proved to be her only savior.
Not Just A Dog
There is no doubt that Akita Inus are gorgeous dogs. Ricky Burdis and Alhanna Butler took in Keola. After adopting their new puppy, the two from South Yorkshire were thrilled.
It was an exciting time for them as they were growing a family with Keola. Their love for her was unconditional, and they could not imagine life without her. There was more to her than just being a dog.
Grew Up Quickly
In a year’s time, Keola had become a fully-fledged adult living with her new family. They affectionately called her their bear. Even though she was bigger than either of them, she was unable to harm a fly.
As an indoor dog, she got to watch TV with her family and unwind on the couch. She would spring into action one day.
Pregnant
It wasn’t long before they learned that their family would grow considerably. The news that Alhanna was pregnant came as a surprise to her. The thought of having a child soon was unimaginable to her.
The couple had no doubts about their dog’s love for the baby. They had never seen a dog as sweet as Keola.
Seeing The Doctor
Initially, everything went smoothly. It wasn’t until a few months later that Alhanna realized something was wrong. There was a pain in her lower back. There was no doubt in her mind that she needed to see a doctor.
The back pain could have been caused by her pregnancy, but she needed to be sure. She was glad to hear from her doctor that everything was fine.
Scared And In Pain
Despite her doctor’s assurances, Alhanna continued to suffer from pain. Furthermore, Keola began acting strangely as well. Her dog started barking at her and she became scared.
Her hope was that it was just a phase and the dog would eventually get over it. However, she had no idea how bad it would get.
Jealous Perhaps
Keola has been the sweetest dog ever since they adopted her. Even when it came to rodents, she was never aggressive. Alhanna’s pregnancy posed a very serious problem.
By the day, the pup was acting like a stranger, and she wasn’t herself. Did she get jealous of all the attention that was no longer on her?
Upset Dog
Other signs were also present. Keola began barking and getting upset when Alhanna left for work. As if Keola felt compelled to protect her against something sinister.
Both were baffled by what was happening. Regardless, the soon-to-be mother was terrified. The two decided to post something on Facebook, but neither knew what would happen.
Posting About It
People would have to respond to the couple’s post on Facebook after they posted it. Ignoring the growing problem, they didn’t realize that thousands of people would soon be screaming for action.
She left the post overnight, but in the morning, she noticed that she had received many responses. Was there a problem?
Ignoring The Problem
The behavior of their beloved animal only worsened over time. Keola was only getting more upset as Alhanna’s due date approached. As she got on with her life, she ignored her dog’s warnings.
Their thinking was that Keola was the one with all the problems. They would soon find out that Alhanna was the one with the problem through their post.
Taking It Seriously
“I posted a picture of her doing this on Facebook and made the joke about the film Hachi where the dog also does this, and suddenly my friends all started saying I should take it seriously.”
Strangers were also pleading with her to go to the hospital immediately. It seemed that Keola wasn’t the only one who thought something was wrong.
A Check-Up
With the warnings from Facebook, Alhanna decided that it was best if she went back to the hospital. Maybe there was something that they’d be able to see now?
But after her doctor saw her, she’d be taken away. Alhanna was afraid. Was her baby okay? Whatever was going on, she hoped that her baby was okay.
Should Have Listened
Regret washed over the pregnant woman. Should she have listened to her dog sooner? She had misinterpreted the barking as jealousy just when Keola wanted to help her.
She would never take her dog for granted again. She just hoped that she wouldn’t be too late. But the grim look on the doctor’s face said it all: she was in trouble.
Need To Do Something
“I have only ever heard about this one other time.” The doctor said in a hoarse voice. “We need to do something about this now,” He said before calling a nurse.
He told them to prepare an operating room. Alarm bells shot through Alhanna’s head. How much trouble was she in? She decided to ask him what was going on.
Troubling News
“Please, doctor. You have to tell me what’s going on.” Alhanna begged the doctor to shed some light on what was going on. But he was so busy shuffling around to get things ready it was as if he didn’t even hear her. “Troubling news,” Was all he said under his breath before rushing out of the room. A nurse started pedaling Alhanna on a gurney out of the room. But she didn’t want to go.
Not only did she have no idea what was going on, but she was also being separated from the only person who kept her calm. Ricky tried reassuring her that things would be okay, but then he was denied from following them. He shouted out her name through the door as she was wheeled away. She was all alone now. What would happen to her?
Acting Quickly
The doctors acted quickly. She was taken into the ICU and given an anesthetic to pass out. They had to work quickly if they wanted to keep her alive. A scared Alhanna left her life and the life of her baby in the hospital’s hands.
Meanwhile, a very concerned Ricky sat in the waiting room. He wondered what could have been so grave that she needed to be rendered unconscious. Would she make it out?
Sad Prospects
Ricky thought about the fact that he could lose his child, his wife, or even both. Tears formed in his eyes. He wasn’t ready to be left alone. He kicked himself for not seeing the signs.
But after a few hours, a doctor walked through the door. He came bearing the news of what had happened to his beloved wife. Ricky calmed himself down and waited for the answer.
A Miracle
The doctor told him that it was a miracle she had come in when she did. If she hadn’t, her condition could have been fatal. She had made it out of the operation in one piece, and the baby was fine.
Ricky thanked the stars and wanted to hug the doctor. Soon, he’d be able to see his wife again and be able to hug her himself.
Infection
As it turned out, Alhanna had been suffering from a double kidney infection, which was responsible for the shooting pains in her lower back.
On top of that, the infection was a rare, antibiotic-resistant bug that had only been known to affect one other person in the entire U.K. This meant it was difficult to fix, but thankfully, they had managed to save her.
Saved Her Life
Had she not sought care in time, she and her unborn baby would have likely died. Alhanna instantly knew who had saved their life.
Sitting back in their home was the true hero of the story. They knew that they’d have to give Keola all the love and affection in the world to thank her. But they still had other business to attend to as well.
Canine Hero
“No one really understood how ill I was – but Keola did,” she said. Luckily, Alhanna was treated for her infection and eventually regained her health.
Her pregnancy returned to normal, and she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy whom they called Lincoln. A new chapter in their family’s life began.
Instant Best Friends
As soon as Lincoln was born, Keola took up the role of big sister and babysitter, and they quickly became best friends.
They love to take naps together, and Keola makes him laugh like no one else can. This dog’s loyalty to her family is extraordinary, and people rightfully noticed.
Celebrating Her Heroism
After telling her story to the Daily Mirror, Alhanna was notified that Keola had been nominated for the RSPCA’s “Animal Hero Award.”
As a finalist, she and both her owners were invited to a red carpet-event to celebrate. They couldn’t believe it. She was close to death just a few months before then, and now they were the talk of the town.
Special Reward
Keola didn’t care about fancy awards or anything like that. She got the best award she could ask for from her owner. Nothing is as rewarding as spending time with Alhanna.
She also loved being with the rest of her family – Ricky and her best friend Lincoln. Unsurprisingly, she continues to look out for her family’s health even today.
Gaining Traction
After everything that happened, Keola’s Facebook gained traction, with everybody recognizing the hero that she was. The public wanted more posts and updates of the hero dog, so Alhanna obliged them.
In no time, she amassed a massive amount of followers. But she saw people asking the same question constantly.
A True Guardian Angel
Earlier this year, Rihanna shared a picture on Facebook of Keola comforting baby Lincoln, who was sick.
The post said, “Keola woke me up this morning by running into my room, and then I heard funny noises on the baby monitor, so I went into Lincoln’s room, and he was sick. Bless him, she hadn’t left his side since,” she wrote.
How Did She Do It?
Clearly, Keola makes the best nurse. But there was still a question on everybody’s mind: how did she do it?
Facebook comments begged to know what was so special about Keola. Alhanna replied, “It’s not just my Keola, but all dogs are well-equipped to help us. She had done her own research on why she was such a good nurse.
A Nose That Saves Lives
Keola’s secret weapon is her sense of smell. Dogs have 4000% more scent receptors than humans. They can detect odors in tiny amounts and distinguish subtle changes in scents.
Some breeds are able to detect illness by picking up on minuscule changes in the human body’s chemical composition.
Shift In Hormones
A small shift in hormones or the release of dangerous organic compounds can alert them of something wrong – which is what is believed happened with Keola and Alhanna. As soon as Keola noticed it, she acted up in a way that was sure to get her owners’ attention.
Now that they knew exactly how their dog did it, they gained a new appreciation for her. All Keola wanted was for them to be okay.
Reassuring Future
With her dog saving her and her son’s lives, Alhanna had a reassuring future ahead of her. She knew that her dog would always be there to tell her if something was wrong.
And this time, she would take her behavior seriously and make sure to take the right measures. The family couldn’t ever be happier and never took the second chance at life they were given for granted.