ivdd

Special Fundraiser Event with Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog to Help Dodgerslist

Posted by Barbara Techel

We are celebrating the launch of our new coloring and paper doll book plus all the wonderful work Dodgerslist continues to do to help pets diagnosed with Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD).

To celebrate we are donating 30% of Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog Coloring and Paper Doll Activity Book sales to Dodgerslist so that they can continue to educate the public and veterinarians that IVDD is not a death sentence and that there are many options for pets to live quality lives.

This event runs from June 27th through July 11th, 2011. What a wonderful way to teach children in your lives about facing their own challenges in a positive way, as well as helping a fantastic cause.

Get your copy (or stock up on several copies as holiday gifts) today at Joyful Paws!  See flyer below for more details.

 

Special Needs Pet Feature of the Week: Peanut

Posted by Barbara Techel


What is your pets name?

Peanut

How old is your pet?

11yrs old

Where did you get your pet?

Several years ago we got a call from Ann, a vet tech from Dr. Roy’s Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists Clinic about a dachshund needing rescue because his owners were unable to finish his rehab because of health problems of their own. We were already fairly experienced with IVDD dogs, having experience with our Dahti & Chickie and unlimited help from people on the Dodgerslist forums.

What is your pets physical challenge?

IVDD, a disc disease common to dachshunds.

What is your pets favorite thing to do?

Sleep & Eat. Peanut is retired here at our house along with our two other IVDD dachshunds Dahti & Chickie. He enjoys going outside and just sitting in his favorite spot and just watching the world go by.

What is your pets favorite thing to eat?

Peanut can be a little bit picky, but loves his little treats of pieces of pumpernickel bread.


What do you love most about your pet?

He is a happy-go-lucky little guy who has worked his way into our hearts.

What has your pet most taught you?

How to persevere. He doesn’t let his handicap get in his way.

Anything else you’d like to share?

When we got Peanut he was overweight, a little over 24lbs, way too much for a ‘tweenie’ dachshund. He was only two weeks post-op and still not able to use his back legs. We kept him on crate rest for another eight weeks, only allowed out to pee & poo and to get massage on his hind legs and hips. After the crate rest he began water therapy to strengthen his muscles. We also got his weight down to 18lbs. One day while drinking water he just stood up on his own! Peanut is never going to be 100%,he walks a little wobbly but sure can run when he wants to, especially when dinner is being served!

***If you care for a special needs pet and would like your pet featured, please email me through my website contact. Send a photo and I will forward the questionnaire for your pet to be featured in an upcoming post.***

Special Needs Pet Feature of the Week: Chickie

Posted by Barbara Techel


What is your pets name?

Chickie

How old is your pet?

Approximately 13yrs old

Where did you get your pet?

We took her out of a bad situation after a friend called us about her needing rescue.

What is your pets physical challenge?

IVDD. Her back legs are paralyzed and she requires a cart to be mobile. Chickie does have bowel control but requires her bladder to be expressed several times a day and is diagnosed with chronic UTI which we monitor daily. Chickie did not always have IVDD, it came on her one day and even though she had surgery she never got the use of her hind legs again.

What is your pets favorite thing to do?

She loves to ‘boogie’, that is the code word we ask her if she wants to get in her cart and join the others.

What is your pets favorite thing to eat?

Anything & everything! We are talking about a dachshund!

What do you love most about your pet?

I can get her all set up in the chair with me and she starts to look around the room for one of her toys and I have to get them all one at a time until she decides which one she wants. It’s usually one of the last ones I bring. I often tell her she is ‘a ghra mo chroi’, which is Irish for ‘love of my heart’


What has your pet most taught you?

Commitment. We knew we were going to do whatever we had to do to give Chickie a decent quality of life. We have also learned how intelligent they can be when worked with. Oh, also how to clean up poop.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Chickie actually named herself. When we first got her she would follow my wife around always wanting to be picked up and held. So one day BJ picked up Pepper and asked her if she was ‘my little chick-a-dee’? Well, she got all excited so BJ asked her again and the same reaction! So that name stuck and she has been Chickie ever since that day. Chickie is also one of many little ambassadors for Dodgerslist, a website and support group for people with pets that suffer from IVDD. We incorporate her cart into her costumes to bring attention to her disability and show that many handicapped pets can have a decent quality of life. Many people remember her and tell us they look forward to what costume she will be wearing each Halloween.


Keep on rollin’ Chickie!!

***If you care for a special needs pet and would like your pet featured, please email me through my website contact. Send a photo and I will forward the questionnaire for your pet to be featured in an upcoming post.***