Daisy earned her wings today : 2011-10-22
No need to change her blog title, Daisy was always happy. Even on her last trip to the vet, she managed to perk up and enjoy the “car ride”. She explored the ground with her nose and walked into the vets. Just 1 hour earlier she was yelping in pain, acting like an invisible hand was striking her head. These episodes started a few weeks ago and have been increasing in frequency and intensity. I had at first thought it was a pinched nerve but after watching her a few times it was looking more like some kind of seizure. Afterward, she would look at me with pleading eyes like I had some control over what was happening.
It was never a chore to take care of her…it was a honor. Every dog that comes into your life teaches you a different lesson. Daisy taught us to live for today. Each day is a gift to be enjoyed, a time to share with loved ones. Daisy will be greatly missed. The house is eerily quiet tonight, Daisy would always let us know what was on her mind about 730 at night when she would lay on the living room floor and quietly yip and yap until we went over and gave her an ear rub, a treat or picked her up and put her on the couch with us.
I want to thank the tripawds community for helping us through our journey.
Daisy takes the gold in the freestyle dogpaddle : 2011-05-31
Day 2- Swimming at home. I put Daisy in Hurricane Rosies Float Coat and we went into the pool. Well, 2 laps around the pool and Miss Daisy figured she’d had enough and tucked her head into the float coat like a turtle and squirmed right out of it…I’m panicking because I was left holding the now empty yellow float coat. Daisy headed toward the ladder like a powerboat. Once I caught up to her I made her go around a few more times so she didnt think that she could get out of her swimming therapy that easy. Hopefully she won’t try the old Babe Ruth candy bar trick next time…..
Monkeybutt Sam went swimming too (he actually LOVES to swim) He can’t understand why Daisy wants out of the pool….
Poor Daisy
I’m still here- thanks for asking Super Cooper : 2011-05-06
Mom has been waiting to post something spectacular about me since I got my new chair but so far I am not ready to run the Boston Marathon. I started PT again today- YUK! I HATE WATER! I did however find out how to cut the water treadmill session’s short. About 5 minutes into making me get into the stupid aquarium I deposited a floating “Baby Ruth”….if you get my drift. Well, they drained the aquarium and cleaned it out. After that they only had time to zap me with the laser thingy. HA! I WON!! And guess what?! Next week Dr Brown is gonna stick Monkeybutt Samson full of pins. Its supposed to help him with deal with someone named Art Thritis. I don’t know who that is but is sure does make him miserable and I’m not sure how sticking pins in his Monkeybutt’s gonna help.
My own personal butt pillow : 2011-04-12
Hey my fellow Monkeybutts….I have my own very comfy butt pillow thats warm and squishy and has 3 legs….bahahahaha
Monkeybutt Samson
My Life Sans Chair (at least part time) : 2011-04-12
OK, I finally got my new wheelchair back last week and guess what!? Mom is only letting me use my new hotwheels SOME of the time and you know what?
I can stand up most every morning to eat my breakfast without my chair AND without falling down.
I can hop around my yard a little bit in a straight line AND sometimes I can even turn
When we go to the park, mom makes me go all the way around without my chair (sometimes she has to help me by holding my harness) and then she puts me in the chair and we go around the park again.
Today I got really tired and decided to lay down- except I got confused as to if I was in or out of my chair- oops.
mom said she made appointments at the Therapy Vet next month for me…..eeewww, thats where they lock me in the big aquarium full of water and make me walk. I hate water. If Dalmatians were meant to be in a tank we would have flippers instead of feet.
2 weeks without my wheelchair : 2011-03-31
Mom and Dad took Monkeybutt Sam and me to Eddies Wheels in Shelburne Falls, MA to look at my broken wheelchair. They are making me a new one (yea!) but it won’t be here for a few weeks.(boo!)
On the way there we stopped at a B and spent the night. (It used to be a B and B but they stopped serving breakfast so I guess its now just a B). The apartment was above the garage and mom wasnt too happy about carrying 80 lb Sam and 40 lb me up and down the stairs but it all worked out and now we are just waiting from my new and improved set of wheels to arrive.
Mom has taken advantage of the improving NY weather (as in not 24 inches of snow) and no wheels to do some strength training and balancing excercises with me. Guess what I did yesterday?? I stood up by myself to eat my breakfast without anyones help to hold me up!!!!. I was all wobblely side to side and my leg was shaking but I managed to keep my balance until I finished eating. After that I had to sit down and rest.
I still can’t walk without my chair without help but mom says we will keep practicing without it even when we get the new chair back next week.
Today Daisy Got Up By Herself : 2011-03-10
For the 1st time since Aug 11, 2011 Daisy pushed her front end off the floor, pushed off with her back legs and hopped about 3 feet. She was laying down in the livingroom and I walked into the kitchen. I heard Bob saying “Look! Come Here!”, I ran back into the livingroom and Daisy was sitting in the threshold. I am amazed….and slightly hopeful as I thought she would probably be in a wheelchair the rest of her life. I won’t get too excited…yet.
Look Ma- No Chair : 2011-02-23
Daisy wanted to go to her dish so I picked her up using her ruffwear harness and helped her to her dish. She planted her rear leg underneath her (like a tripawds is suppose to) and stood on her own to finish her dog food and drink. Just a few minutes but a big deal for us. She usually needs her chair to stand for that long.
6 month update : 2011-02-15
I have not been keeping up on Daisys blog. We are now in the deep of winter and Daisy has lost alot of muscle mass because we cannot get out to exercise very long. A co-worker told me that the local high school had a doggy day care class as part of their animal care classes.
Daisy;s first day of “school” was Feb 12. I checked her in at 9am and went over the wheelchair with the teacher and a few students. She ws greeted by a couple of jack russels and a basset which made her little half tail wag nonstop. I picked her up at 10am and took her home. She slept until 5pm. I took her back again on Feb 15 where she stayed until 12pm. I hope by taking her there a couple days a week she will start building up her stamia in preparation for spring.
41 days since amputation : 2011-02-05
Daisy has gone through her 2nd PT session
41 days since her amputation and she is slowly getting “back on her feet”.
She had been able to get up on her own a few times and is getting stronger everyday. Once she is up, the old “Ms. Independent” is starting to show again. She is no longer satisfied with going where I am leading. I never thought I would be chasing a three legged dog across the park set on investigating something or someone. She can now hop on her own for 15 to 20 feet before she loses balance and falls down.
Old Dal begins new life : 2010-08-31
Aug 11 2010 Daisy was hit by a car and suffered severe damage to her left hind leg (the vet said it was a “classic degloving”) and also cuts to her other three legs and pads. The 1st surgery placed what was left of her skin back on her leg but after 5 days the skin started to die. Off we went to Cornell Univ. where we discussed various options but finally opted to have the leg removed. A tough desicion to make for our 12 yr old gal. The night of the surgery I found this website and it made me stop self doubting (for a moment) whether I had made the right choice. I ordered the recommended harness that night and it was delivered in time for her release from Cornell. (Thank you thank you!!- what a life saver) She came home on Baytril, Tramadol and a Fentanyl Patch and slept for the 1st 3 days, only getting up when we carried her outside to pee. She wasnt eating or drinking on her own so we pretty much force fed her a bit of shredded baked chicken breast and baby food and squirted water in her mouth with a sports bottle. On the 3rd day home the Fentanyl patch was removed, the Baytril was done and we saw a little glimmer of our old dog. She was able to hop around short distances with the help of the harness and she began eating on her own. (Although the amount she was eating wouldnt keep a flea alive!) The vet told us to replace the Tramadol with Derramax and try feeding her canned pumpkin to “loosen” her up in addition to her food. Lets just say it worked.
Aug 30- The staples came out and the wound looks great. Luckily my husband and I work 2 miles from our home and we are able to drive home a few times a day to check on Miss Daisy. She pretty much lays around all day. When we help her up she can walk for a few minutes on her own before laying back down but she still hasnt been able to stand up on her own. Maybe because of her age or the injuries to the pads on her remaining three legs. She came to us as a rescue dog so we dont know her past but she is one of those dogs that doesnt play with toys so we cant tempt her to move with a tennis ball or squeaky. Thank you for this website, the hints and all who have posted their stories!