IN MEMORY OF TYSON – JUNE 30, 2010 – NOVEMBER 28, 2018

Tyson’s Journey


Tyson…

If you found your way here, chances are you have a dog who is experiencing health issues. You’ve come to the right place. Tyson’s mission is to share his journey with Calcinosis Cutis, from diagnosis to treatment. Our hope is to educate and heal the way we have been healed, with a healthy diet, detox and homeopathic remedies.

At 8 months, Tyson began to develop cysts in his paws, itchy ears and skin spots with patches of hair missing. Like any new pet owner, we were off to the vet to try to get some answers. We were prescribed steroids and that did the trick, but as you might guess, once you go off the steroids, the issues return. Back to the vet we go. For the next 8 years, it seemed like we were at the vet’s office every 2-3 weeks. Tyson had rounds of oral, topical and powdered steroids, antibiotics, we tried every food the vet recommended and tried Atopica and Apoquel. It was even suggested we do a skin scraping and allergy serums. We tried all antibiotics until Tyson’s body became immune to it and the issues persisted. Finally, we went to a veterinarian who was a highly-recommended pet dermatologist. We did food trials along with heavy-duty antibiotics to find out he’s allergic to grass. WHAT?!

During the summer of 2017, Tyson won an election to become the honorary Mayor of our hometown, Romeo, MI, during our annual Peach Festival. Even with his new notoriety, the Mayor’s issues were beginning to snowball. He developed small, hard spots on his back, a hot spot near his ear had developed, his neck was raw and bloody and his fur started to fall off. Back on steroids we go, starting at 20MG and weaning down until 5MG, as suggested by our vet. We accepted this as the best long-term solution for Tyson. We were never told about potential side effects, with the exception of watching his liver and kidney levels. Not long after, Tyson was diagnosed with Calcinosis Cutis; prednisone poisoning from being given too many steroids.

We began extensive research on reversing these side effects and at first, the outlook looked grim. Our expert veterinarian’s “quick fixes” were no longer cutting it. We had to make a change in Tyson’s diet and nutrition if we wanted to have a fighting chance. We started a raw diet and went cold turkey. No weaning off medications, no weaning off kibble and a complete Vaccine detox. I documented his road to recovery from everything he ate, to his reactions and his temperament.

The vaccine detox created more bumps on his skin, cysts developing in all 4 paws, rawness in the folds by his eyes, eye discharge and redness, buildup in his nose rope, oozing from above his tail. None of these issues were pre-existing. The toxins were leaving the body anyway they could.

After 6 months, his skin issues were under control and almost all of his fur had grown back. Tyson was recovering and we could see the change in his behavior; he was happy, healthy and more active. We thought we were through the woods and we could put this behind us.

In November of 2018, Tyson’s breathing seemed irregular and the veterinarian ordered a CT scan, which revealed tumors on his heart and in his throat. Our only option would have been a tracheotomy, but we felt he had suffered enough. Tyson survived Calcinosis Cutis, years of skin and allergy issues, but we couldn’t let him battle this fight. We made the difficult decision to let Tyson cross over the rainbow bridge.

We strongly believe that Tyson was made to be a face and voice for dogs with diet, skin and allergy issues. He should not have survived his last year, but he did with the help of a raw diet and homeopathic and natural remedies. It’s our mission at Mayor Tyson Bulldog to help heal all dogs experiencing similar issues and share the knowledge we’ve gained along the way.

michelle naumovski

Dog Mom Ambassador

As Tyson’s mom, I was determined to find a cure and get Tyson the best care available, but I wasn’t sure where to start. Following a traditional veterinarian’s suggestions left Tyson suffering from ongoing skin and allergy issues, which later developed into an avoidable internal disease.

After all the round-the-clock care, money spent on vet visits and medications, plus countless hours of research, I felt my only option was to take Tyson’s health into my own hands and use what I’ve learned from pet nutritionists, veterinarians, homeopathic doctors and other pet parents. I began researching homemade and raw foods, holistic medicines and natural remedies, finding there was no “one source” to gather information about dogs with similar issues.

With some experimentation and faith, I put my found knowledge to work and discovered that a nutritious, homemade diet coupled with natural and holistic remedies would lead to Tyson’s recovery. Since, I’ve dedicated myself to sharing our experience navigating Calcinosis Cutis and founding Mayor Tyson Bulldog in Tyson’s memory. Here, you’ll find all the tools and information any dog parent needs to provide a healthy and nutritious lifestyle for your canine companion.

I currently live in southeast Michigan with my husband, three children and our newest bulldog puppy, Howie. We plan to feed organic and raw, vaccinate only when necessary (core vaccines and those required by the State of Michigan) and use holistic remedies to keep Howie happy and healthy.