Joie’s Visit to Specialist Today. Someone’s Exhausted!

Posted by Barbara Techel

Wow, I just can’t say enough good things about Pewaukee Veterinary Center, Dr. Ann-Margaret Morgan, Sarah vet technician, and their staff.  Everyone is so kind and so helpful. I’m so glad to have this resource relatively close to me.

The minute we got home and came out to my writing cottage, Joie zonked out face down on her blanket!  Dr. Morgan ran her through different exercises showing me what I can do to help her get along better, and as you can see she is now exhausted. She worked really hard and I’m so proud of her.

I initially thought Joie was weak in her front legs, but she is actually super strong. Dr. Morgan was amazed at the amount of upper body strength Joie has comparing her to a super gymnast.  Though we are still perplexed as to why Joie has this wiggly back and forth motion when sitting still– or rather she can’t quite sit still.  But she felt because she does not have use of her back legs she has been overcompensating with her front legs.

Joie does not have deep pain sensation which is the somewhat bad news and she is indeed paralyzed in her hind quarters. But her reflexes are good which will only help her in the exercises I will be doing for her.  We have to work hard to not have her back legs splay out to the sides when she scoots as that is not good at all for her muscles in her back end.  So I’ll also work with a sling to help her walk to her food dish, etc. until we can get her not to do that and then soon hopefully in a wheelchair to alleviate that as well.

Because I didn’t get any vet records from went Joie went down in May we can only guess where the rupture may have occurred and try to relate it to what we are seeing in terms of how she has tried to adjust.  The great news is she will be fine. I will do my best to work with her at home to help her become more stable in her front and back end, and then having her use a wheelchair we believe can only help her.  As always, hope is never lost that she  could walk on her own again.  You just never know.  But if she needs the wheelchair permanently that is okay too, as I know, and you all know from Frankie, these little ones live wonderful lives with the great invention of the dog wheelchair.

Joie also has some funky, fun booties to wear to help her grip better and she will wear them when we do her exercises. They are awesome!  I’ll share a photo tomorrow and a resource of where you can get them  for your dog.  Not only are they good for IVDD dogs, but also for walking your dogs in the cold and snow, etc….. and they stay on!

I’ll continue to share Joie’s progress and photos of the exercises I will be doing with her. It continues to be so important to me to share this information and continue to educate others that these dogs can live happy, healthy lives with a little help.  I feel blessed to have been able to take Joie to Dr. Morgan today, as well as feel blessed to have another little one who is inspiring me beyond words!

Peace in the World Begins with Me

Posted by Barbara Techel

If there is one thing my dogs teach me over and over it is to live in this very moment and not worry about the future… and to be a compassionate human being.  I’m not one to really talk about politics and I’ll remain that way– but I will say the past week has caused me great angst and I know I’m not alone in that.  I’ve prayed that no matter the outcome the person elected will do what is right.  But I also believe it is up to each of us to contribute to peace in our own way.  So when I opened my Daily Word today this reminded me that it is so.  So I share it below as my way of beginning the peace for the world that does begin with me as my way of helping spread that peace.

Peace in the World Begins with Me

The journey toward world peace begins with me, right here and now. As I hold a vision of peace for this generation and next, I search for ways to contribute to a peaceful world. Everyone, including me, deserves to be accepted and treated with compassion. I consciously treat others with respect and kindness.

As changes in occur in my life, I honor my feelings and give myself permission to move through them gently, and I allow others to do the same. When someone I know is angry or upset, I honor their process. If I find myself being judgmental, I modify my thoughts and responses. I am kind, peaceful and loving toward others and myself.

Peace in the world begins with me.

Sleeping Dogs. What Do They Dream About?

Posted by Barbara Techel

I could be perfectly happy just sitting and watching my dogs all day long. I especially love to watch them sleep.  So when my friend, Yvonne sent this video to me, I just had to share.  It also reminded me of an article I wrote a few years ago about Kylie as a pup, watching her as she was dreaming, which I share below.  Hope you enjoy both.

The Dance of a Dogs Dreams

The colors of burnt orange, golden yellow and fire red trees warm our days, while the crispness of autumn nights brings a chill to the air.  As the cool winds blow I think about snuggling close with my canine blankets made of soft billowy fur.

Watching my 11 month old Lab drift off to sleep brings a smile to my heart.  To know she feels safe and secure within our home gives me a sense of pride to know I provide her with comfort.

Have you ever pondered the question:  What do dogs dream while they are asleep?  Some may question whether or not dogs really do think or have emotions.  I believe that they do in some capacity.  It may not be in the same aspect as we humans think or feel, but there is something that goes on inside those furry heads.

It is in the moment that my Lab, Kylie, is sound asleep that I take a big breath and relax.  All her antics of the day run through my head, giving rise to my blood pressure. As I see her so relaxed in her sleep, all the frustrations of the day are washed away.

One evening I sat still and watched as Kylie drifted off to slumber, I came up with these thoughts about her dreamland:

Her young, muscular body of strawberry blonde fur is stretched out on the hardwood floor in the hearth of our home.  The expression, Puppy Dog Eyes fits her face to a tee.  Her brown eyes begin to become half mast, but her youthful instinct fights to remain awake- not wanting to miss a minute of anything.  Short blonde whiskers peak out of her snout, reminding me of a pin cushion.  Each tiny, delicate, wispy whisker is precisely placed.

The dance of her dream begins with the twitching of her nose and she reminds me of Samantha from the 1960’s show Bewitched.  Her paws and limbs join in and she begins a waltz as she moves to the rhythm of chasing that elusive rascally rabbit through a field of gold.

Her soft ears, which I lovingly refer to as floppy flaps, tweak in curiosity as if to say, “Duh, which way did he go?”

She begins a fast dance with all four limbs jerking wildly as the chase is in full speed and she races furiously after the rabbit in her dream.  I place my hand upon her chest and feel the elated thumping of her heart. Then, as the rabbit escapes into some brush, the beat of your body begins to slow as she realizes the rabbit is long gone and the thrill of the hunt has ended.

She’s now out of breath and move into a slow dance to find her way to a cool place in the shade.  Her tired body feels the softness of baby green grass beneath her mitts and the warm sun penetrates her garment of fur.  She melts into the earth and welcomes the song of deep sleep as she drifts from the dance floor.

Quiet snores come from her throat as she sings a song of gratification and happiness.  As the depths of slumber find her, a deep long roaring snore crescendos through her nose- a nose that looks like it is made of the finest leather.

As she lay so still and relaxed, my admiration and love for her is so incredibly strong that I am at a loss of words to adequately describe the intensity my heart feels.  As I gaze at her sweet face I wonder where her dreams lead her.   And, in this moment, my wish for her is to always live in complete bliss and that no harm will ever come her way.  Sweet dreams my little friend.