Post by trinitydobes on Feb 17, 2012 11:51:56 GMT -5
Its now been a been 90 days since little Pixie was returned to me with a serious back injury, incontinent and not able to poop on her own. I thought an update was inorder. She is doing remarkably well.
Her back is now totally healed - the initial xrays showed a gap between the 1st and 2nd spinal vertebra 4 times what is normal (which was very close to rupture), There was also a compression between the 2nd and 3rd vertebrae. After bi-weekly treatments and physical therapy - the 30 day follow-up xrays showed a huge improvement - not quite normal but almost.
After 30 days of acupuncture and laser treatments she was able to poop on her own, and I started weaning her off of all the drugs she was on to help with the incontinence. She still does not get much warning that she needs to pee or poop - but for the last 2 weeks she has not leaked in her sleep in her crate and she is 80% house broken.
At the last 60 check the xrays showed that the vertebrae was again aligned correctly, the swelling gap was reduced to be as close as we will probably get to normal - and the compression also is almost normal. Physically the horrible roaching is totally gone. We did lots of physical therapy to include swimming to help her muscles build up strength but not jar or re-injure her back.
For the last 30 days she has been totally integrated into the pack of 4 older girls and Dream who is only 3 weeks older than she is. She is running and playing and being a normal puppy. I will always watch her when she takes a tumble or gets knocked around when she is playing and just being a normal puppy - but its important to me that she have as normal a life as possible.
There are no gurantees that she won't have some set backs in the future - but what a blessing! Today I do not consider her a special needs dog in the normal sense, but because I want her to have ongoing Acupuncture and Chiro treatments - that is a "special need". I will be placing her at some point - but for now I am enjoying watching her grow and be a normal puppy - which is a true miracle for which I will be eternally grateful.
I promise to get some new photos soon!
Her back is now totally healed - the initial xrays showed a gap between the 1st and 2nd spinal vertebra 4 times what is normal (which was very close to rupture), There was also a compression between the 2nd and 3rd vertebrae. After bi-weekly treatments and physical therapy - the 30 day follow-up xrays showed a huge improvement - not quite normal but almost.
After 30 days of acupuncture and laser treatments she was able to poop on her own, and I started weaning her off of all the drugs she was on to help with the incontinence. She still does not get much warning that she needs to pee or poop - but for the last 2 weeks she has not leaked in her sleep in her crate and she is 80% house broken.
At the last 60 check the xrays showed that the vertebrae was again aligned correctly, the swelling gap was reduced to be as close as we will probably get to normal - and the compression also is almost normal. Physically the horrible roaching is totally gone. We did lots of physical therapy to include swimming to help her muscles build up strength but not jar or re-injure her back.
For the last 30 days she has been totally integrated into the pack of 4 older girls and Dream who is only 3 weeks older than she is. She is running and playing and being a normal puppy. I will always watch her when she takes a tumble or gets knocked around when she is playing and just being a normal puppy - but its important to me that she have as normal a life as possible.
There are no gurantees that she won't have some set backs in the future - but what a blessing! Today I do not consider her a special needs dog in the normal sense, but because I want her to have ongoing Acupuncture and Chiro treatments - that is a "special need". I will be placing her at some point - but for now I am enjoying watching her grow and be a normal puppy - which is a true miracle for which I will be eternally grateful.
I promise to get some new photos soon!
Way to go team Gail and Pixie!!!!!!
