Whenever I post any reference to Niki’ spinal surgery I get several questions….please feel free to post any comments and questions in the comments section of each post, lots easier for me to answer in a timely fashion that way. Niki is a ckr mix, her spinal surgery was about a year and a half ago …although it seems like such a lonnnng time for me. The emergency clinic that originally treated her made a huge mistake in her care….while the treatment choice was correct they dropped the ball and did not check on her throughout the night as they should have for her serious type injury. They did not and to this day, do not, have the proper amount of staff, or experienced staff for them to be called an emergency clinic. there is no access to surgeons….most importantly they do not refer you to clinics that can properly care for your dog. That was very costly to Niki’s future and ability to walk. I no doubt, although she is a happy dog now….this will be a problem for the rest of her life.
There are several rehab facilities in the Atlanta area….all of which are a bit costly…you must try all to know what will work best for your dog. The facility that did the surgery was on the North side of Atlanta….that is all they did and we had o support from them after the surgery. We were told there was no hope of her regaining the ability to walk. From the moment she was home and healing I did research and started rehab with her myself. We also ordered her a doggie cart and once she was on the mend I allowed her time throughout the day for cart runs. I taught her to balance on her own….soon she had some feeling in her spine, her legs could move although little to no control of them. I took her to water treadmill therapy….which is about an hour away from my home with out hitting any traffic. They wanted me to drop her off for several hours and then pick her up when they were finished. I was told to not use the cart for she had to learn to do this on her own. Well….I disagreed. Niki had plenty of time cart free however when she was tired she would lie down….the cart gave her the ability to run with the pack and play, smell….she remained part of the pack which in my opinion did more for her then anything else. Once I saw little improvement with the treadmill therapy I stopped bringing her….the warmer weather had come and I decided to have her walk in a kiddie pool, and swim in a larger sized pool. For Niki this is what has been so very beneficial and the stretches and exercises. It was not very long after the cart was just being dusted and we packed it away for safe keeping.
Including with this post a video that already appears somewhere on this blog (too lazy to look for it) …8 weeks after her surgery, not a happy pup and we had not yet properly fitted her into the cart….with the company’s help that made the cart, images forwarded to them they told us where to make the adjustments. So, lots of help from us in the form of exercises, stretches…the ability to remain part of the pack….lot of love and devotion from all pack members and slowly she healed. She is not a 100 % but as you can see in comparing her today vs this video clip….She’s come a long way Baby ;–)
It was bound to happen…as the economy spirals down, more people losing their homes, cannot afford the rising cost of food at the local grocery stores…let alone afford to put gas in their cars to get to and from work…how does one afford the rising cost of veterinarian care, food, grooming and training for their beloved furry friends?
Sadly….many are choosing to bring their furry friends to the local shelters. While the economy has effected my business…my dogs are my family and the thought of bringing them to the local shelters is not an option. Many of the local vet clinics have not yet embraced telling their clients that the need for most of the yearly vaccinations is just an added expense and totally unnecessary. Of course your furry friends must have yearly heart-worm, depending on your county laws will determine if you can do yearly rabies or the more popular three year vaccination. Also, it all depends on where you live….tick infestation, etc. for the types of vaccination that will be required. Feed the best food you can afford, groom your dogs yourself. Yep, just that easy….they do not have to win any dog shows, just clean and short!
I am always amazed at the fact so many cannot groom their own dogs, all dogs can be taught to stay for handling. Sadly, we have gotten away from basic “husbandry” Skill mindset when it comes to our furry friends….that in the end can be more costly for the animal then the humans. Not all shelters and local pounds are no kill, meaning from the moment you drop your beloved furry friend off they are literally on death row. The amount of dogs killed on a daily basis when the economy is good… is staggering….I can only imagine how over taxed the no kill shelters will be along with the sheer number of animals that will be killed due to our failing economy.For those thinking they cannot afford their pets, think long and hard at what you can do to keep them with you for as long as possible. Training is just a book away, visit your local library….I am also sure you can probably find something on dog grooming. Also, lots of free info on the Internet about training and how to groom your dogs….trimming the nails is not as scary as most seem to think. If not walking your dogs on surfaces that will ensure the nails stay neat and trim, then they must be trimmed… for allowing them to remain long will do harm to the animals as they age in the form of arthritic ailments. Please be aware that in some areas, vaccination clinics are offered throughout the year where you would not have to pay for a vet visit, the vaccinations are less costly…as is usually the spay and neuter programs.
Yesterday, an individual asked me this question “If I had no other option, which dog would I have put to sleep”….this was a question that I flat out said was not to be taken serious. Now…if something were to happen to me of course…..then these animals are at serious risk and this I have thought about….as should everyone. The more appropriate question should have been….if I had no other choice, which dog would I do my best to place in an appropriate environment. The answer is Rocky the Golden. He is the most stable, even tempered dog in the pack. I am pretty sure no one would want Niki or Gemma….both are very loving to their people, although fearful, they would require a long adjustment period….they are a bit of work, especially Niki. Still, I would do my very best to not have to break up the pack. If that meant forgoing vet care for a while, that would be an option, not the best one mind you and not one I am recommending….just being honest and stating I would do whatever I could to keep my dogs. One would think I was being selfish, not at all. If the economy woes were to increase it would not just be for me and I doubt that I could even afford to seek medical care for myself let alone my dogs.
Yesterday found me bathing the puppies. They needed it, along with the fact on Sunday and Monday all three started scratching. I brushed all on Monday and flea combed them….yes indeed…a couple of the little buggers found.
They are brushed just about on a daily basis….I periodically use a flea comb at the end of the brushing….just to make sure nothing is hiding. Saturday there was not a flea found, nor an itchy dog. What a difference a few days makes. Doggie tub set up in the yard and one after the other they were bathed. I vacuum on a daily basis….did an extra special job of it as just about everything was moved….what could be pulled apart was. All doggie beds washed and dried. I opted to get rid of all carpets several years ago….the fact that when you have dogs, well just having tile is so much easier to keep clean…especially when it rains.
So…finding the flea treatments are NOT working this year. I cannot get half way through the month before I am finding more on the dogs. While I dislike these buggers, once knowing their life cycle one realizes just how difficult they are to remove from the environment. You must have in your arsenal of sprays, powders something for each the fleas life cycle. Since I am in the SE we are already several months into flea season and I am now opting to fore-go the monthly topical treatment for this is the second year in a row I have found it to not be working. The dogs heart worm pill is also a monthly birth control for the fleas…so besides that and the treatment of the environment Back to basics….flea combing (dipping the comb into a glass of warm sudsy water) and weekly to bi weekly baths….homemade spray of water, white vinegar, lavender oil, cedar wood oil to be used a few times a day. I have noticed an increase in ants as well, they are every where so it just must be a buggy year!
Today found me finally going through some footage on the video camera....then playing around in imovie. Very amateur editing but I really have no clue as to what I am doing. The credits at the end, although I slowed them down once uploaded to You Tube it sped up...hopefully my skills will improve....that goes for the video camera as well ;-)Take a break, make a nice cup of tea and sit and enjoy the dogs.
Sunday Morning, up at 8….since Mike is away for the week in Singapore it is my job to rush the dogs out the back door in the morning, all without allowing too much time for Niki to pee and poop along the way. Since her spinal injury she does not have the greatest control over her bowels, and her bladder.
Some of you may already know this, those of us with RA…well we are a bit slow in the morning. It takes a couple of hours for us to “unhinge”. Not only do I feel like the tin man from wizard of Oz in need of a good oiling, so too do I move like him. The dogs and I wander the yard….dogs do their morning thing, I make sure Niki’s bladder is completely empty having to do this twice for I cannot bend so early in the day (her bladder must be “squeezed” to make sure it is completely empty for bacteria can build up causing an infection.
Once inside I then can go do my thing All the while avoiding the mirror….as always my entourage has accompanied me down the hallway into the bathroom. The only thing on my mind is a nice cup of tea….I am not even sure if there is any caffeine in it for I had switched to green tea months ago. It helps with the “unhinging” process for I can wrap my hands around the warm cup. Once the water is up, stove on… me and my entourage wander back outside to fill the kiddie pool. Now, here in the Atlanta area we are still under drought conditions….I am not sure just how strict the county is currently enforcing the outside use of water for while I have followed the rules (with almost a full week of 90 something temp all you have to do is look at my lawn and weeds….dried brown mess….not to mention just how dirty my car is) I have been filling Niki’s pool just about every other day. Well worth any fines that may come my way for during the course of the winter she has lost so much strength and muscle tone. All of which I am uncertain if she can get back….but we will give it our best shot. As to if she is in discomfort….there are some days she moves a little like me. There is no yelping, or crying….just slow movement. I am really unsure if the county would have sympathy due to the fact Niki requires this in order to build her strength back up….or just to keep what she currently has. To view her walking in the water you see those back legs really moving, plus the sit, stand game we play (very tough to have her sit without floating…if she can touch the bottom of the pool….lots of concentration on her part she gets a click and treat). The movement is easier for her in the water, while at the same time it is so much more of a challenge for her… forcing the use of muscles she does not use on a daily basis.
Last summer when I introduced the pool to her she was not a happy camper…and the same this year. Refusing to go near it…..this morning I managed a few shots of her and the other two while I was filling the pool up. She was not happy….but since I had a few tasty treats she gave into sitting by the pool. As the pool fills… time for the birds….they want their feeders filled up. Yes, our wild life has us very well trained
Tea Time….water boiling away I pour the water into my cup and let it steep wile I feed the pups. Now, in my green tea I add a little milk….I know this has shocked some that have actually witnessed me doing this….I just like it that way. While sitting and enjoying my tea….my stiff hands slowly absorbing the warmth from the hot cup I spy the clock, the true testament of just how slow I move in the mornings, 9:45. I smile for I thought I had moved about in a speedy manner. My mind drifts to the fact that it is Sunday…I guess my age but I remember when stores were closed on Sundays, dinner was planned earlier in the day….you got to relax, eat dinner with the family….hmmmmm, sounds good to me. So. plans for the day….hanging out with the dogs, PT for Niki, depending on the heat and smog (bad air along with the heat) will determine how much out side time we get…then….relax.
Ziggy’s 4th day….we are still doing long line work to teach him to pay attention and to follow, depending on the dog (their attention) I will do this between 5-seven days. Sitting has improved, a little bit of a delay at times….no doubt if I could read his mind he would be saying….”Are you kidding me, I’ve done that a billion times today already” Of course the most important things have been implementing training into daily life….sitting and waiting for a release to eat…going in and out the door, gates. Funny….he does the little dog recall….he will come but stays a distance so you do not grab hold or pick him up. To stop that I walk away. The first day he really thought I was going to chase him…..not. So, I went inside and he soon was at the back door. Now, when he sees me heading to the back door he follows and then sits and waits for the leash to be placed on him. Please know it is not all about training but play, sniffing and just allowing him to be a dog….all very important and are wonderful rewards.
Ziggy, Rocky, Niki and Gemma (the two females were not wanting to hang out with the males).
The photos show the introduction between Rocky and Ziggy. Rocky is not very fond of little dogs due to an incident a while back….I will not mention any names For the last couple of days we have been walking together….Ziggy on my left, Rocky on my right, twice daily. Yesterday and this morning I allowed Rocky off leash after our walks. Ziggy remained on the leash for his safety. Little dogs often do not realize they are so tiny. Ziggy does this little bull dance, he looks at the dogs and kicks up those back legs spraying dirt every where….he postures, play bows and takes off at a 1000 miles an our. Really the worst thing you can do when that tiny….Gemma has herding in her and Rocky likes to chase anything that moves so I can just see the two of them in hot pursuit. Oh, for those reallly curous how I got them to pose….cheese…and I do not mean Say Cheese, a slice of good old American Cheese….yum!
What can I say about Ziggy the Pomeranian….fluffy, adorable and enough of that little dog attitude to make him irresistible! You just have to love these little guys….he really has no idea of his size as I have watched him attempt to growl at the dogs through the baby gate…that is not allowed
As his people are on vacation, Ziggy is spending a few days here with us. During his stay we are working on a few commands and introducing some agility…along with teaching him to not run out of an open door, gate. Dogs are so very adaptable, his people dropped him off Monday evening and for about five minutes he was a little apprehensive, strange people, strange and different environment and strange canines looking in at him through the baby gate. I took him for a walk, back inside a few treats left in his crate…a nice bone stuffed with a little PB and of course a tee shirt with one of his favorite people scent on it to rest his head. He knows he was not abandoned
I enjoy working with dogs, they are so intelligent. We have already sized each other up and I am happy to say there is a mutual respect. His first day here we did some long line work, three walks teaching him not to forge a head and sitting for eveything….once I enter his area he must sit. Going out the door, he is made to sit along with allowing me to exit first. Now Ziggy is still young so his attention outdoors….well I am looking forward to seeing improvements in that area I was told he loves his tennis ball….and yes indeed, playful little pup. He also enjoyed a few games of “kick ball”….not to mention a couple of outings with my two female dogs Gemma and Niki. As he has little attention outside in the fenced area with out a leash….the two females are helping me to keep him under control. I also introduced the pause table, tire and a-frame for agility….he is fearless and so far his favorite is the tire!
All in all a great first day and he slept peaceful and soundly.
Introductions. Niki and Ziggy first meeting. Poor Niki…she has made so much progress since her spinal surgery, the fact that she can walk, run, although still wobbly is amazing all in itself. Her spirit is amazing for she so tried to keep up with the Road Runner (Ziggy). They play bowed, chased each other….he did run circles around her.
Gemma, Niki and Ziggy!
If your thinking the Toys could not possibly do agility…think again Ziggy is a natural!
In all of the years that I have shared my life with dogs, this is the first time I actually know the birth date of a dog. I know there are many folks that believe acknowledging a “pets” birthday is silly….and I have no doubt some get just a tad bit carried away in the celebration. That is all right, if it makes you happy, makes the dog happy…have fun, enjoy.
For Rocky’s 2nd Birthday I decided to bake a cake for the dogs….silly…yes indeed. I thought of a few thngs they like the most….you know, what makes thier teeth chatter. For my pack it is Peanut Butter, carrots and a little dollop of whipped cream. So we are calling it the Peanutty Dream Cream Cake.
I am in no way advocating you feed you dog bad foods. My dogs eat a healthy diet and I am not big on doggie treats. Rocky will be two once….besides he got to share with all of his favorute dogs and people….yep, if you like peanut butter, you too will love this cake (Like Mikey). Dogs will be getting only one piece…that is all.
Pea-nutty Dream Cream Cake
Pre-heat Oven #50
1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 cup low salt-no sugar added Peanut Butter, 1/4 cup oil, 1 cup shredded carrots (save some carrots for the top of the cake), 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/3 cup honey, 1 egg. Mix together, pour into a cake pan. I set the timer to 30 minutes, however took it out after 25 minutes….check to see if done.
Whipped Cream…heavy cream, a little vanilla, and honey added….best on high until firm and peaks.
Make sure you visit us over at You Tube…oh, the winner should leave a comment
Funny, the dogs and I practiced this with blank paper and they did a great job…they heard the beeping on the camera in the Mac and just did not do as they did during our practice run. Gemma came through and picked our winner!!!
All the while avoiding the mirror….as always my entourage has accompanied me down the hallway into the bathroom. The only thing on my mind is a nice cup of tea….I am not even sure if there is any caffeine in it for I had switched to green tea months ago. It helps with the “unhinging” process for I can wrap my hands around the warm cup. Once the water is up, stove on… me and my entourage wander back outside to fill the kiddie pool. Now, here in the Atlanta area we are still under drought conditions….I am not sure just how strict the county is currently enforcing the outside use of water for while I have followed the rules (with almost a full week of 90 something temp all you have to do is look at my lawn and weeds….dried brown mess….not to mention just how dirty my car is) I have been filling Niki’s pool just about every other day. Well worth any fines that may come my way for during the course of the winter she has lost so much strength and muscle tone. All of which I am uncertain if she can get back….but we will give it our best shot. As to if she is in discomfort….there are some days she moves a little like me. There is no yelping, or crying….just slow movement. I am really unsure if the county would have sympathy due to the fact Niki requires this in order to build her strength back up….or just to keep what she currently has. To view her walking in the water you see those back legs really moving, plus the sit, stand game we play (very tough to have her sit without floating…if she can touch the bottom of the pool….lots of concentration on her part she gets a click and treat). The movement is easier for her in the water, while at the same time it is so much more of a challenge for her… forcing the use of muscles she does not use on a daily basis.
