The past week has been a tough one for Teddy and for Jill.
When Teddy first came home from the hospital, he seemed to be adjusting quickly. He’s always been an independent boy and so he has rejected any support such as a strap or harness when taken out for toileting.
However, this week, Teddy became noticeably withdrawn. For much of the time, he was restless and would whimper frequently. We were sure he was in pain. Because he was so out of sorts, we also felt that he was suffering from anxiety.
When I saw Teddy on Monday, Jill was stressed and Teddy was clearly not himself. We introduced a hot water bottle (or ‘hottie’ as they are known here) on his back which seemed to provide relief and comfort. I also gave Jill a CD from the Through a Dog’s Ear range. This music is designed specifically for dogs to help calm and treat anxiety. These seemed to assist Teddy in the short term to relax and rest.
But Teddy needed better pain management…
Teddy and his ‘hottie’
Jill took Teddy back to his vet several times this week to discuss pain relief. She freely admits, “I didn’t feel that I was being listened to as the owner. I knew Teddy better than anyone. Persistence, in my case, finally paid off.”
We seemed to agree on Monday that he was taken off his pain medication too quickly – he was taking only Previcox at the time – and his body had been left vulnerable. A Fentanyl patch was re-introduced on Monday and replaced again on Thursday. Jill also started Teddy on Tramadol on Thursday and Teddy received a ketamine injection, too.
Meanwhile, I could tell that Teddy’s back muscles were stiff; his top line did not seem normal, and he was clearly distressed at being handled along the withers and the back. Thankfully, since Teddy was too uncomfortable for deep massage, I was able to use the low level laser along his spine and muscles to help with blood flow and pain relief. I know I want to passively stretch Teddy’s spine but we agreed to wait until Teddy was more comfortable before attempting this. I was able to do passive range of motion stretching on Teddy’s legs.
Armed with this information Jill took Teddy for acupuncture on Tuesday and an osteopathic adjustment on Friday. Both his acupuncture vet and his osteopath agreed that Teddy was in pain and that support with traditional veterinary medicines were needed. The osteopath used gentle traction on Teddy’s back since she found his spine has become compressed.
With his pain properly managed, we can do more to help Teddy’s muscles, tendons and ligaments to adjust to his new gait. And then true rehabilitation and exercise can begin including a greater focus on core muscle strength.
During this stressful week, Jill took to the Internet for help with Teddy’s condition. She found a wonderful site – Tripawds Blogs – for owners of amputee dogs. Owners soon responded with news that helped to assure Jill she had made the right decision for Teddy and gave her information to help her discuss pain management with her vet.
Owners who have been through similar adjustments with their dogs said:
Jill says, “In hindsight, we really took things too quickly and allowed Teddy to move around the garden area with enthusiasm. I wish I had thought of this sooner and we may have avoided him seizing up so badly. The Tripawds site has been a fabulous resource for me knowing that there are others who have been through this before us.
I do feel that vets should listen to owners when it comes to understanding their animal. And if you are not happy with your vet, you need to find someone who you are more comfortable with. The vet can’t have all the answers when they are not with the dog as often as the owner is. This proves that vets are not the final word in recovery – and I’m grateful that complementary practitioners are part of Teddy’s healthcare team”
It’s a new week – and we are all hopeful that Teddy is back on track to recovery. He’s booked for massage and acupuncture this week.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
Posted in Teddy's journey post-amputation
Tagged acupuncture, anxiety, fentanyl, hot water bottle, laser, massage, osteopathy, pain, pain management, pain relief, Teddy, tramadol, tripawds, tripaws, tripod
The Lifelines Project, based in Austin, Texas, has a mission: it is to depict the bond between people and their pets by sharing images of the homeless with their animals. This is done through the lens of photographer Norah Levine.
Profits from the project (mainly through sale of prints) go to support 4PAWS (“For People and Animals Without Shelter”), a program run by the Animal Trustees of Austin. The program provides essential veterinary care to the homeless population – things like basic vaccinations, spaying and neutering. If a homeless person’s animal needs urgent surgery, the program aims to fund these needs as well.
The Lifelines Project helps to show that responsible dog owners are not limited to those with employment and a home. Many of the homeless portrayed in the project have a strong understanding of what their pet needs – and they are grateful for the financial support to make it happen.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
Posted in dog ownership, Dogs
Tagged Austin, homeless, homeless person, homeless population, Lifelines project, Norah Levine., responsible dog ownership, Texas
I was never a fan of Joan Rivers. Her sense of humor was always a bit too course for my liking and, in her recent years as a fashion critic, I found many of her comments to be septic and often downright rude.
Nonetheless, I sympathize with her family, friends and fans at her loss.
There is, however, one very positive thing I can say about Joan Rivers. She loved dogs. This goes to show that we may have common ground with people who, on the face of it, we dislike. Anyone who loves dogs cannot be all bad; perhaps this fact alone will remind us to keep an open mind…
Joan Rivers and her dog, Max, who passed away earlier this year
(Photo by Chicago Now)
“Dogs are easier to love than people; they’re certainly more dependable,” Rivers once said in an interview with Chicago Now. “Once they love you, that’s it. A true friend in life is a dog.”
In her last known interview conducted in July of this year, Rivers spoke about her darker moments when, after the death of her husband in 1987 and a career that had bottomed-out, she contemplated suicide. Her dog stopped her:
What saved me was my dog jumped into my lap. I thought, “No one will take care of him.” It wasn’t a friendly dog — only to me. I adored this dog. He was theoretically a Yorkie, his mother cheated. His name was Spike. He was the way you want your dog to be, devoted only to you. I was sitting in this big empty house in Bel Air, with a phone with five extensions which we no longer needed. I had the gun in my lap, and the dog sat on the gun.
An earlier photo of Ms Rivers with her dogs (photo originally from Architectural Digest)
Rest in piece, Ms Rivers. I hope all of your dogs were there to meet you when you crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
Posted in dog quotes, Dogs
Tagged Architectural Digest, Chicago Now, dogs, Joan Rivers, Max, Rainbow Bridge, suicide
Here’s more research that backs up my position on dogs and the Christchurch rebuild. Hopefully the CCDU and CERA will take note…
A study from the University of Liverpool has recommended investing in dog owner education and facilities as a strategy to target physical inactivity and problems such as obesity in both people and their pets.
The research team reviewed scientific papers published since 1990 (31 studies from the UK, USA, Australia and Japan) and found that access to dog-friendly walking environments and better education about dogs’ physical needs could all motivate people to get out and take more exercise with their pets.
An exercised dog is a healthy one, less likely to be obese, and who is less likely to develop behavioural problems like aggression and excessive barking.
Among the most common findings of all studies was that dog owners have a varied understanding of how much exercise their dog needs. This affected how much they took their dog for a walk; something that could be addressed with education programs.
People without access to high quality local areas that support dog walking, for example parks where dogs are allowed off-leash and poo-disposal facilities are provided, were less likely to walk with their dog and missed out on the associated health benefits.
“There are a large number of reasons why people do or don’t walk their dog and it is worth considering how we can address this when designing strategies for reducing obesity, or when planning urban areas and public open space. Not being able to let their dog off the leash is a particular put-off,” said Dr Carri Westgarth, co-author of the study.
Study authors Dr Carri Westgarth and Dr Hayley Christian take an off-lead walk (photo courtesy of University of Liverpool)
“The study also found that some people are worried about their dogs’ behaviour and may be less likely to take it out to the park – potentially out of embarrassment or worry about how it might act – but lack of walks may also be causing this bad behaviour, due to boredom, frustration or lack of socialisation.”
When I submitted to the CCDU in November 2012, I made the point that by having greater accessibility, owners have more opportunity to take dogs out – and that increases opportunity not only for exercise but also socialisation. We want good ownership to be more visible in our communities – thus making it the norm. Poor ownership would also be more visible – and subject to peer pressure combined with enforcement approaches.
Let’s have a dog-friendly central city with walking accessibility from one end to the other!
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
Source: University of Liverpool media release
California’s Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law Assembly Bill 1965. The law will take effect on 1 January 2015 and will officially remove a ban on pets in restaurants.
For restaurants who want to allow dogs in their outdoor dining areas, the law officially allows them to do so. (Technically, restaurants that have allowed dogs in patio and other outdoor areas were breaking the law.)
This lead to inconsistent enforcement across the State.
Gary Ellis, left, and his dog Wilco, a Saluki, enjoy dinner at Zazie restaurant in San Francisco. Photo: Brant Ward, San Francisco Chronicle
“Amidst all the horrific and depressing news around us, I hope this bill helps make people a little happier, and businesses who wish to accommodate diners with dogs safe from being unnecessarily cited,” said assembly member Mariko Yamada, who championed the bill, on her Facebook page.
To comply, a restaurant must have an outdoor entrance that doesn’t require the pet to walk through the restaurant to get to the outdoor area and pets are not allowed in areas of food preparation.
“It will soon be legal to take your beagle with you to dinner,” Yamada said. “I wish everyone ‘bone-appétit’.”
Syringomyelia (SM) is a painful condition in dogs that is more common in toy breeds like the Chihuahua and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It involves the formation of fluid-filled cavities, known as syrinxes, in the spinal cord. In these toy breeds, SM is usually secondary to a specific malformation of the skull called Chiari-like Malformation, CM for short.
New research conducted at the University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences has identified two significant risk factors associated with these painful neurological conditions.
Identifying a head shape in dogs that is associated with these diseases would allow for selection away from these conditions and could be used to further breeding guidelines. Dogs were measured in several countries using a standardised “bony landmark” measuring system and photo analysis by trained researchers.
The researchers found two significant risk factors associated with CM/SM in the skull shape of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. These were the extent of the broadness of the top of skull relative to its length, also known as brachycephaly, and the distribution of doming of the skull. The study suggests that brachycephaly, with resulting doming towards the front of the head, is associated with both conditions.
Thomas Mitchell, who was the undergraduate involved in the study, says “The study also provides guidance to breed clubs, breeders and judges that have a responsibility to avoid obvious conditions or exaggerations which would be harmful in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of the breed. It will also provide vets with verified advice to provide to breeders outside the show ring and to occasional hobbyists.”
This research has been published online in the journal Canine Genetics and Epidemiology.
Source: University of Bristol media release
Please also see my earlier post on Your dog may have a permanent headache, which discusses the Chiari malformation and earlier research on the Griffon Bruxellois.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
“The dog is the perfect beast, companion, friend, shoulder to lean on, and scapegoat when too many cookies are missing. And a dog won’t hold that against you, either. I am at peace sitting in silence with a dog.”
– Rick Springfield, musician/actor
Teddy has had two consultations this week to assist his recovery.
On Monday (a day after discharge), Teddy was at home resting near the log burner and constrained in either his crate or a playpen area that Jill had set up for him. His pack mates – sister Verdi (shown in the background) and his mother, Maggie were a little confused by the new situation. Verdi was showing some signs of dominance – growling at Teddy.
Teddy’s amputation incision was covered in a compression bandage to help with swelling
Jill was using an ice pack on the incision area four times per day to help with swelling and pain relief (Teddy was also receiving pain relief through a Fentanyl patch which delivers pain medication through the skin and also Previcox, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.)
On this day, I performed an acupressure sequence on Teddy to help his body recover from the anesthesia. We also measured Teddy for his Walkabout Harness.
Teddy received a replacement Fentanyl patch on Tuesday.
I returned on Friday to see Teddy – with his bandages removed. This is the first time I’ve been able to view his incision up close.
Teddy on the massage table, ready for a light treatment
Teddy was very tired on Friday and favoring his right side by sleeping mostly on his left. This is not surprising since the comfort of the compression bandage and padding on his surgery site had been removed.
We will treat Teddy conservatively and manage his comfort in the early stages of his recovery. Consequently, I only worked on Teddy in the above, resting position. I gently massaged over his hips and back and he received cold laser therapy over his hips and his left forepaw (which has some arthritis).
Teddy was deeply asleep after his session – a sure sign that he needed the time out and that rest is the best thing for him.
Teddy has always been a receptive dog for massage and I expect him to be even more so post-amputation.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
