I spent a lot of time last week on various dachshund facebook sites including this one:
www.facebook.com/groups/dachshundivddsupportaustralia
and I must have read every word by now on the Dodgers List web-site. I posted questions on the fb page about physio therapy, and asked if anyone had any recommendations in western Sydney area, and how good were they, and if they felt it was worth it on their dogs. I had several recommendations, none near us, of course, but the consensus seems to be to start physio as soon as you can, and it does really help! The amazing stories out there about dogs paralysed for 8 months, 12 months, 21 months and learning to walk again are inspiring. they all make me cry of course. One particularly touched me, the story of "Frankie" who was in a wheel chair for 4 months, then put up for adoption and his new owners did physio with him for a year, and he is walking again! How do the people do it? I'm 3 weeks in, and no better emotionally than when Penny went down.
Anyway after a few recommendations and web-site searches, I made an appointment with Animal Physiotherapy Services in Homebush. I have to say communication with them is not so good via email. Due to poor communication, the physiotherapist did not expect to see Penny had spinal surgery- even though I had been very explicit in my email as to date, surgeons name and follow up letter from my local vet, all as requested. However Dr. Naomi Boyd was really good, even when put on the spot. I went down with my BFF "J" as Kane was working- and Naomi talked us through the recovery process. Basically, nerves grow from the back down, so starting at the injury point and working their way down the back, hips, knees ankles and feet, so you start to see improvement 1st at the hips, tail wagging etc. The nerves need to find a new "highway" so send signals from the brain to the legs. Then the brain needs to re-learn how to use these new pathways and so the physiotherapy is focussed around stimulating nerves, supporting and stabilising the front end, and encouraging movement in the rear limbs.
Naomi then showed us how to do the exercises with Penny, how to support her, and use treats to positively re-inforce movement. We came away with various exercises for encouraging standing, balance, and leg movement in varying degrees of difficulty, including massage and some light vibrator action.....with an electric toothbrush. We need to do these 3 to 4 times per day, but we do not need to do the passive resistance exercises any more. This was going to be hard to do on my own.... time to get a roster for hubby and I!
A small lump developed on Pennys back this week, it felt like fluid, just over her scar.
so off we went to the local vet, and she was not too concerned about it, but still we took a picture of it, and sent it off to the surgeon, Dr. David Lidbetter. 'Aint technology grand? David wanted us to ice it several times a day, which we did, and it went away in a couple days.
This week we also went to the RSPCS's Million Paws Walk. Penny barked and barked... pretty sure she wanted to sniff butts and lick people, so she was not very happy in her pram. however she did win "bravest dog" ( I thought "longest scar" was better..... ) and came home with a stuffed toy that didn't last long. Gidget had a great time...
This week Kane came down with the flu, so being self employed, the financial situation was not improving.... I had really planned on using all the money we got from donations $1450 all up, only on Pennys on-going treatment and emergency pet fund. I did put $400 in a savings account, not at our usual bank, and in an account with no ATM card to make it really hard to withdraw. I bought a special booster car seat for her, some extra meters of fleece, Ester C vitamin supplement (not cheap that stuff), puppy pee pads, dog food, special chicken treats and a few other odds and ends for her. Then I did pay for her 1st and 2nd physio appointments, and 2 extra vet visits, which was great... then unfortunately with Kane being out of work, we did have to use the rest to pay bills. I really wish we had been able to just use it on Penny, I feel guilty having spent "her" money on our bills. The rest of her treatments will have to come out of our household budget for as long as we can manage them.
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