canine spinal injury

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!

Who Me? Poop In School?

Posted by Barbara Techel

 

Who me? Poop in school?

Today Frankie and I visited Jackson school. It was the second time they invited us back. As I was just getting into my presentation, Frankie decides she must poop right then. Well, I suppose when a girl has to go, she just has to go!

I calmy whisked her to the side, grabbed a plastic bag, and let her do “her thing.”  But of course, the kids could not let her poop in silence so there was a chorus of ewwwww’s, gross! and yuck! I found myself snickering as Frankie finished up her business.

Such a great teaching opportunity as I calmly said to the kids, “No big deal. This is a normal bodily function.”

I couldn’t help but think on the way home also about how I handled that all with a sense of calm. I guess after 325 appearances, one learns to just go with the flow. But I recall when I first wrote my children’s book and how I worried about writing about when she pooped in the waiting room of the vet’s office. I didn’t want to include that because I was embarrassed. But I was encouraged to include it, because others said kids would love it.  They were right. Every time I read the part in my book when Frankie pooped there is a scream of delight from the crowd- cracks me up every time.

It also reminds me of how at the beginning of Frankie’s paralysis and my frustration in trying to figure out the timing of when she’d have to go. I about went crazy cleaning up after her. But then one day realized, oh my gosh, it is only poop! There are way worse things in life. No big deal.

So as Frankie pooped in school today I was reminded of how far I’ve come. It makes me smile… and yes, even chuckle. But the best part is, I don’t get upset, but just keep moving forward with a sense of peace and calm. What a great place to be. Thank you my little dog on wheels for teaching me patience and humility.  Good dog, Frankie. Good dog.