[Rhodes22-list] Doggie update

[Leland]

Elle,

I love animals and especially dogs but there's a limit (so I thought) to the
extreme measures I'm willing to take to keep one alive.  A few months ago we
discovered that our "free" rescue dog had cancer.  He truly is part of the
family and the most loving dog we've had, so my wife was able to talk me
into a medical budget that could have purchased a large litter of purebreds. 
We spent over twice the budget.  We had the staples and stitches removed
yesterday and the final biopsy was negative so I guess it was worth it. 
He's a great dog but not a great citizen--he's over 90 pounds and likes to
great visitors by jumping up on them.  His name is Jack and the command is
"off."  Visit our home and we're bound to scream Jack!--Off! at you.


http://old.nabble.com/file/p30586681/At%2BEase%2B10-5-09%2B025.jpg
At+Ease+10-5-09+025.jpg 

I can't think of it this way, but I could have almost upgraded my recycled
boat for a new one with the money we spent on that dog.

Lee
1986 Rhodes22  AT EASE
Kent Island, MD




Hi, all,
I'm sure the quiet on the list is due to the revelry in full swing from
Auckland soon to arrive here....I've rec'd a number of inquiries about
paralyzed pup & his progress..thought you'd like to see...we have come to
the conclusion that jackie has been afflicted with Coonhound Paralysis, not
botulism, from a number of factors we have observed and been made aware of.
the only real difference between the two is that the Coonhound variety has a
longer recovery period.
Here are two photos ..the first was taken a week afteer we'd discovered him
paralyzed in the bushes (Nov. 16). Barely holding up the head & ability to
wag the tip of the tail were the only movements he had ...and holding up his
head for more than a few seconds was a monumental effort.
The second photo was taken just a day or so ago....it's amazing what a bit
of food held above his head inspired. 
You can see he is diapered (helps half the problem...;^) and you can see the
corral my BF made as he can scooch himself all over the place now....and I
needed to keep him on the tile in the kitchen & not on the carpet..he just
can't climb over the rail. 
To get him to exercise & move around, we would toss a piece of cookie to the
far corner of his enclosure & he'd work & work to get to it...rolling,
pulling the papers with his mouth to get the cookie, etc...no dummy here! 
so we'd work him out every day, several times a day. Then we put a large
piece of carpet down so he would work his front legs pulling himself. After
a week or so of that I started to hold him up (60 + lbs!) so that his front
feet were extended & could get a grip on the carpet. It took a few days
before he could stand for a few seconds and now he's good for maybe 15-20
secs before he goes down...all this in the last week! so now I'm working on
the hind legs...he;s strong enough to stand on the front legs while I hold
up his rear & let a bit of weight rest on his rear legs. After a few days I
think things will 'click.' If you look at the second photo you'll see how
his rear legs just 'fold' back behind him nowbut the right leg comes
 around properly when he sits high to get that piece of food above his
head!.
as my BF seriously reinjured his back picking Jackie up(anyone know anything
about the injections into the disk to shrink the disk? ) I rigged up a sling
that enables me to carry jackie w/o injuring myself...I try to take him
outside on nice days..the other dogs 'protect' him & also play gently with
him, It is a thing to marvel about.
Happy Hplidays & more to come on Jackie !
elle

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