Baxters IVDD recovery weeks 5&6

Baxter..... IVDD recovery..... weeks 5 & 6.........

At the beginning of week 5 we started weaning Baxter off the Pred again. We were so happy when it not only well but spectacular.

Baxter did great. There was no crying and his tail was even up a bit more and not just hanging there. 

We could see him trying to move around more. He would stretch out more in his crib. He even rolled over for a belly rub which he hadn't done in 5 weeks. 

We were grateful that he was starting to feel better but we were also very cautious to not allow too much extra movement. He was more alert now that he was feeling better. He quite clearly wanted to run. 

We started a bit more time outside when we went for potty breaks. He would slowly walk around our area we had for him. 

Baxter was still on the tramadol and muscle relaxer. 

At week six we took him for a re-check with his Vet and he did great. We agreed to start decreasing the use of the tramadol and muscle relaxers. Baxter did wonderfully. He made amazing progress. His back right leg was getting stronger by the day. 

By the end of week 6 we saw that Baxter was well on his way to ending his crate rest. It was nice to see Baxter start acting like himself. 

Thanks for reading.

Hug your Puppies!😉💛💗💜🐕🐩🐶🐾🐾

We were not ready......

We were not ready........ 💔

Buster our little Boo crossed over the rainbow bridge on Friday September 1,2017.

The poor little Boo could not hold on any longer.

The day is colored in with a black marker on our calendar. We are still sad and still look for him to be there. It was a horrible evening to be sure but that day....his last day.....was good. He lounged on the couch and went outside. He enjoyed being outside that day just basking in the sun. He cuddled with his best bud Baxter and his little sister Bean.

Then in the late afternoon/early evening he started coughing and couldn't breath. He was rushed to the Vet. Our Vet... bless her heart... did everything she could but in the end it just wasn't enough. Boo's heart just could not handle anymore. He crossed over the rainbow bridge at 7:20 pm that day.

I am still crying every time I look at his pictures on my phone. He was so full of love and courage. he will be missed so much. The other two dogs are still acting a bit off. I think they knew before us humans did.

Time... It's going to take lots of time.

I know he had a happy life while he was here with us.
We just were not ready....to say goodbye.😢

RIP Little Boo.

Thanks for reading....Hug your puppies💕💚🐩🐕🐶🐾🐾

Buster-- Congestive Heart Failure

Buster........

He's a sweet(mostly) little chihuahua/dachshund we adopted from our local shelter. We adopted him when our Labrador retriever crossed over the rainbow bridge. His name is Buster and he was the perfect little friend for our older dachshund. 
They became the best of friends until our older one got sick. Xena( our older dachshund) had to make the journey across the rainbow bridge. 
Buster was grieving as much as we were. We decided to rescue another dachshund. Jilly then came into our lives. Jilly and Buster became BFFs and still are. a few years later we adopted Baxter. you can read about Baxter and his IVDD recovery in other blog posts. 
So here we are one big happy family. Then Buster was diagnosed with a heart murmur. The Vet found it on a routine yearly exam. It was not bad at first and did not require medication.
We take Buster every year for his yearly check up. The heart murmur stayed the same for quite a while until one visit it was more. It had become time to start medication. We started medication and had an echocardiogram done. We started on a low dose of medication then as things have progressed it has gone up. 
Little Buster is now in congestive heart failure and on two different 
heart medications and lasix for fluid build up. 
He has good days and bad days. 
we make sure he has air conditioning and he has a humidifier. His vet is terrific and Buster loves her. Little Buster has had one fainting episode and gets winded very easily. No more full out running. His best friend Jilly snuggles with him every night. Baxter is always near as well. 
Buster is a very happy little dog. We are looking at buying him a pet stroller so he can sit in it outside. 
he loves being outside and just enjoying the nice weather. 

Thanks for reading.... Hug your puppies.........<3
Please check out Busters Tfund account. Buy a great tshirt to show you are loved by a chiweenie just like Buster. it will help will the cost of Busters monthly heart medications. Thank you so much.
http://www.tfund.com/chiweenielove

Baxters IVDD weeks 3 & 4

Hi everyone, I thought I would start by telling you what IVDD is. I realized after I made my last post that I didn't explain what it is. there are many of you who probably know this information. For those who do not I encourage you to do the research and learn as much as you can. IVDD stands for inter-vertebral disc disease. The cushioning discs between the vertebrae of the spinal column bulge or burst(herniate) and then press on the nerves running through the spinal column causing pain, nerve damage and even paralysis.

Symptoms to watch for:

Neck pain

stiffness

reluctance to move

Back pain

Lowered head stance

abdominal tenderness

Yelping unexpectedly when touched or moving

Sensitivity to touch

Lameness

Dragging one or more legs

"Knuckling over " when walking or standing

Weakness

Reluctance to rise

Walking gingerly

wobbly gait/crisscrossing back legs when walking

Tremors/shaking

collapse

Paralysis

Treatment can be conservative (crate rest and meds) or surgery. Rehabilitation is also recommended to help regain function and speed up recovery. If conservative treatment crate rest is a minimum of 8 weeks. Acupuncture and cold laser therapy are also great to help with recovery. As I mentioned in my last post .... dodgerslist.com has a wealth of information on this subject and a great community forum to ask questions and discuss. Please check them out. I can't recommend them highly enough.

Now back to Baxter...... Weeks three and four.

We were starting to see some slight improvement in week three. He was walking slightly better and not as wobbly. Also had more coordination and was not knuckling over. The back right leg was getting stronger. He still is pooping and peeing at the same time getting pee all over himself.  His appetite is as always just fine. dachshunds rarely turn down food. We are using a sling to help him when outside. There was no more crying when being picked up for potty breaks. At the end of week three we began the wean down process on the cortisone. Within a couple of days he was crying again and started to stiffen when I went to pick him up. He also started to knuckle over on the right hind again.  We had to go back up on the cortisone for five days. so that was week 4. We also had to increase his pain medication for a couple of days. So we had a minor relapse and then he bounced back from it. He continued to sleep in his crib next to the couch. I have slept on the couch near him since this began. He's mommas pretty boy.

By the end of week 4 he was back to showing improvement. He began lifting his leg sometimes to pee again. He is very alert. His tail is not up yet though. It is still down and slightly tucked. I think we'll know he's doing great when the tail is back up.

We started week five weaning him down on the cortisone. next post I'll tell how that went.

Thanks for reading.... Hug your puppies. 💚😃🐕🐶🐾🐩

Baxter's IVDD

Baxter

Baxter is a black and tan dachshund we adopted from Little Shelter Animal Rescue in New York. He is what we in the United States call a tweenie, meaning he's too big to be considered a mini but not quite big enough to be a standard dachshund. Little shelter rescued him and many other dachshunds from a hoarding situation. He has turned into my little mommas boy. they estimated he was about four years old when I adopted him in 2014. I have been blessed to have him in my home for three years now.

Baxter is a very happy, wiggly dachshund who loves playing in the yard with my other two dogs. He also loves chasing squirrels and barking at every dog that walks past my house. We have ramps for our dachshunds to use to get up stairs and onto the couch. My first indication that something was wrong was his refusal to go up the ramps and he was walking very slow. His wonderfully cute wiggle was gone as he would walk very slowly and gingerly. He then cried when I tried to pick him up. Baxter's right back leg was weak and he would have muscle spasms. His Tail would tuck under and he was wobbly when he walked.  Baxter never went down paralyzed which I am grateful for.

I had a dachshund before that had IVDD so my first instinct was to set up a recovery space for Baxter and make an appointment at the Vet. I took him to our usual Animal Hospital but he didn't see our usual Vet at this visit. This Vet believed that Baxter's issue was in his neck. The Vet prescribed muscle relaxers and cortisone. He didn't want to prescribe a pain medication because he believes that it masks the problem. we however convinced him that we needed the pain medication.

We brought Baxter home and began the first two weeks of his crate rest. At first he was very unhappy. He wanted to be closer to everyone. we finally came up with a way to set up a space in the middle of everyone. He can see us and we can pet him and talk to him.

The first week was very hard and very sad. Heart-breaking really. We had a sling to help Baxter when outside to potty. The rest of the time he was resting. It was hard to pick him up because we were afraid to hurt him.  We and Baxter got through it. The second week was much the same as the first. We did not really see any improvement but keep on with his crate rest and medication.

Baxter in his recovery area

Baxter sleeping with his alien friend.

At two weeks we took him back to the Vet for a re-check. this time we saw our regular Vet. She believed that it was definitely IVDD and refilled all of the medications for Baxter. Those first two weeks were very tough. Baxter looked so so sad and pitiful. I wished I could do more for him. As dog owners it is always extremely difficult to see our dogs in pain. That was the hardest thing for me. I was crushed to see my mommas boy in pain and not being able to do anything more than lay in his crate. I had his crate near to the couch so that I could stay near him and sleep on my couch in the living room to watch over him.

I want to take a minute here to mention a couple of great resources.
1. dodgerslist.com     They are essential for information on IVDD. They also have a great forum to post in to discuss and ask questions. I found them back in 2006 when my previous dachshund went down and was paralyzed in the back end. 

2. IVDD and other back disorders Facebook group. They are helpful, encouraging and supportive.

Baxter before the crate rest began.

Next blog post I will cover weeks three and four of Baxter's recovery.

Thanks for reading. Hug your pups.😃💕🐩🐶🐾🐾 

Book review: Will's Red Coat by Tom Ryan

I just recently finished reading Will's Red Coat by Tom Ryan.

Tom Ryan as some of you may remember is the author of Following Atticus.

Will's Red Coat is about a tiny white dog that Tom Ryan takes in and shares his home with for a time. Tom learned about Will's situation from a post on his Following Atticus Facebook page. He decides to take the little dog in. Will is older and deaf and going blind so the thought is that taking Will in will just be giving him a place to die. We realize while reading the book that it turns into so much more.

During their first interaction Will bites Tom's finger. This does not deter Tom from taking Will to his home in New Hampshire. Throughout the book the affection between Tom and will begins to grow very slowly. tom takes care of the little dog and allows him to decide on his own that he wants to live instead of just being comfortable and dying. Will learns to delight in the smells and people of New Hampshire. Tom will say that he did not rescue Will but merely gave Will the chance to rescue himself. This little white dog taught the lesson that being old is not a disease. Will found joy in the strong smell of flowers especially wildflowers.

The setting of picturesque New Hampshire adds to the wonderful feel of this book. Tom describes the sights and sounds and tails of New Hampshire in ways that can't help but make you smile.

The ending of this book was inevitable and exactly what you would expect and will make you cry. It also made me smile knowing that little Will is somewhere surrounded by the wildflowers that he loved so much.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves and respects animals especially dogs.

I thank Tom Ryan for sharing this story, really this journey of little Will. It truly touched my heart.

Thanks for reading

If you get a chance to check this book out send me a comment of what you thought.

have a great week and hug your puppies!!💕💙🐕🐕🐾🐾

Summer time and your Dog..

Summer.... wonderful beautiful sunny days. Time to be outside soaking up the sunshine, going swimming, and having picnics and BBQs. What a terrific time of year. We love to include all our family members in our fun activities and our furry family members enjoy the summer as much as we do.

So let's get to some basic summer tips for you and your furry friend.

Time Outside

My furry family members love to spend as much time outside in the summer as they can. They love to lay in the sun and the grass and roll in things that ... well let's just say I don't find as appealing as they do. Be wary of areas treated with chemicals and fertilizers. better to restrict access to areas that have been treated.

Also important in the summertime to use flea, tick and heartworm prevention. When fun in the sun is over or the walk through the wooded trail is done be sure to give your furry friend a quick check for ticks and bugs. always supervise your dog when outside. Dogs sometimes stick their cute furry noses where they shouldn't. Watch for spiders and bees that may sting.

Walks

We all love to go for walks in the nice summer months with our furry friend. My little guys love taking walks around the neighborhood or at a local park. Be aware of how hot it is and plan your walks with your furry friend accordingly. Remember the pavement on the streets in your local neighborhood can get quite hot. Hot pavement can burn the pads of your dogs feet pretty bad. If you wouldn't walk on it with your bare feet it's a safe bet that it will be too hot for your dog. The best way to avoid this is to take your walks in the early morning or in the evenings when it is cooling down. If you love trails and wooded areas make sure to bring water for you and your dog and take breaks in nice shaded areas. For senior furry family members or for those that have a medical issue you might consider a dog stroller to be able to include them in all your outdoor activities.
Summertime errands
With the exception of a fun trip to your local pet store it may be best to leave your furry family member at home. The inside of a parked car will get hot very quickly even with the windows open. Your dog will be at risk of dehydration, heat stroke and death and you will be at risk of criminal charges in a lot of areas. it is definitely safer to leave your dog nice and comfortable at home.
Summertime events and festivals
while some events and fairs may be fine to take your furry family member to a lot of them will not be. In some cases it will be hot and scary for your dog. It will also be very crowed and a lot of dogs do not do well in those situations. My best advice is to really know your dog. If your dog has been socialized to such things then it will be a fun outing for you and your furry family member. If your dog is not good with other people it will only be stressful for you and them. Especially consider leaving your dog at home if it is an evening event that includes fireworks. Many dogs are terrified of fireworks. Leave them safely at home watching TV.
Water Safety
many dogs love the water and love to go swimming. Always take them to safe areas to swim. Always be there to supervise. if your dog loves your pool make sure they have safe entry and exits to get in and out of pool. A lot of dogs also like to lounge on floatation devices just like people.
If you love taking your dog on your boat in the summer make sure to buy them their own life vest in case of any accidents.
Dehydration, Heat Stroke and Sunburn
Always make sure you have water available to give to your dog. I carry a collapsible water dish with me when I venture out on walks or parks with my furry family members.
If your dog like mine is a sun worshiper make sure they are not getting too hot or sunburned.
When spending more time outside with your furry family member it is up to you to set limits. Know when its time for a break or to more inside or have a drink of water. A lot of dogs will just keep playing or running or chasing that ball until they drop, it is up to you to stop for a break.
Know the signs of Heat stroke so you can act fast.

• Rapid heavy panting
• excessive salivation
• Gums red
• Gasping for air
• Collapse

Act quickly to cool dog down. Immerse in COOL water. NEVER USE ICY WATER!!That will cause body temperature to go down too drastically. Using cool water will lower the body temperature slowly. If possible get the dog into an air conditioned room or in front of a fan. You can also use towels soaked in cool water if you can not immerse dog in cool water. Just re-wet the towels in cool water frequently until dog has cooled off. Offer water.

Some breeds are more prone to getting over heated in the warmer weather. Brachycephalic breeds (dogs with pushed in noses) such as Pugs, Bulldogs, Boxers and others are especially susceptible. They love the summer weather and enjoy the outdoors too but can over heat easily. Be sure to supervise any outdoor activity. Dogs that have double coats such as German shepherds and sheepdogs are also more prone to over heat.  

NO DOG SHOULD EVER BE LEFT OUTSIDE UNSUPERVISED.

I find that keeping a little bag of stuff with me can be very helpful. In it I keep things I may need when I'm somewhere with my dog. Now I'm not suggesting you take a big bag with you to take a walk around the neighborhood but if you are going to a park or other outdoor activity it is helpful to have in your car. In my bag I keep towels, a small first aid kit, blanket, collapsible water dish, leash, collar, small amount of food or treat , plastic bags to pick up poop and a few Ziploc bags.

Thanks for reading.
Teri
Next week.... A book review...
Hug your puppies 😄🐕🐕🐾💖