Alan's Spinal Cord Injury

[Guest grey_dreams]

I hope that Alan will soon be eating well again, and that the hydrotherapy helps. I am sending all good thoughts your way!

 

for all of you and for Alan

[Guest KennelMom]

Sending prayers for Alan. The improvement in his walking is dramatic compared to the first video.

[Guest Snowy8]

Sending lots of good thoughts & lots of prayers for my buddy Alan!

[Guest Winterwish]

Wow,Alan you are so wonderful! Suzie I think Alan does look better too. What a brave sweetheart. I was surprised to see just how much balance he can really maintain! What a very good boy!

 

That's good he's eating the life saving meatballs,and such good news that he began his digging.

Sending continued prayers and good thoughts for Alan!

 

 

 

[Aerosmom]

I bet it's hard when you're right in the middle of all this and stressed out about his eating and mood too, but Alan does look much better than the first videos. It's amazing how they adapt physically and mentally.

 

I hope his hydrotherapy helps. I'll be praying for Alan. He's made great progress!!

[jodyksam]

Suzie, Alan is looking so much better! He is really getting around well, and even his demeanor is more positive on these two videos.

 

Continued prayers for your babe and for you guys too :hope

[Batmom]

Just now saw the videos and agree with the others, he is looking much better. Hope it works to tape a big ol' pad over his buttsky so he can keep getting around on his own.

 

Hugs and a big slobbery kiss for Alan.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

I also have to say he is looking a whole lot better. I have heard very good things about hydrotherapy and I hope it will help him. Keep up the good work!

[Guest MomofSweetPotatoes]

Wow Suzie! His walking has improved so much.

 

Sending many thoughts to you, Alan and the rest of the family.

[Guest Karyl]

If you'd like a happy-ending story for inspiration, here's one because it feels to me like what you are going through with Alan.

 

Tucker (6 years old at the time) had a stroke/FCE/something back in '99. The vets at the ER said after three days there with no improvement that we might want to consider putting him down. We pulled him out of there and brought him to Tufts. He couldn't stand on his own there either and wasn't eating, so we took him home after 3 or 4 days there.

 

He started eating tiny bits at home but was still vomiting and reeling. He was a little too young for vestibular problems and we persevered, thinking stroke. We kept turning him to avoid bed sores, which he got anyway. (Well, he didn't get pneumonia, so that was worth it.)

 

After three weeks he staggered to his feet and then staggered around the yard, smiling for all he was worth. He looked awful, but what got him eating for real was freeze-dried liver, of all things. He fell plenty, but we cheered him on anyway even though our hearts were breaking and in our mouths at the same time.

 

He finally starting walking almost normally in a couple of months. His head tilt never left and he had intermittent no-so-good periods, but he was very happy to be alive for another 4 years. So were we.

 

Moral of story: be a very good actor and actress and be happy when he moves, never mind gets up, even if it kills you. They really do need do "happy stuff", as some have mentioned. It's hard to do, but it's really necessary.

 

Please keep us all posted. (Now I know all the updates are in post 1; thanks for that invaluable info! I got so upset reading about Alan it never occurred to me to look at the top of the thread.) White light coming from CT....

 

Love that cabana!

Marcia in CT and soon in SC

 

[Guest Karyl]

Hi Marcia

 

My boy Zeus had a DVT (stroke) May 14th, went out in the morning as usual, came in wobbeling, fell and couldn't get up. He's a blood doner at

OSU and I rush him in. They thought it was FCE until they did an MRI, revealing the DVT. He started standing and walking very very unsteadily

after 18 days. It has now been 1 month he can walk, but still is and steady and very atrophied.

 

Did Tucker get his muscle mass back? Could he climb stairs? I stay down stairs with Zeus, because he's very upset he can't go to bed with us

as always. I have been on the couch a month, but at least he's happy.

 

If I get his lead, he can move very quickly for a tiny walk outside in front.

 

I would appreciate anything you might want to share. I lost my mom March 14th, and Zeus had his stroke 8 weeks to the day that she passed.

It's been a rough ride, but it would be encouraging to know that he will be close to normal.

 

Blessings,

Karyl

[Guest whatahound]

Wow, Alan looks a lot better, contined prayers and healing thoughts.

 

 

For Alan-

[greytdecals]

Alan had his first hydrotherapy session last night. I was so proud of him! At first he didn't want to move his back legs at all, but the vet tech had his hind end too high and his paws could barely reach the treadmill. Once she lowered him a bit he was able to use the right leg but his left leg still just kinda floated there and would sometimes get tangled in his right leg. It's going to take some time but he is slowly making progress! Check out the video and see for yourself how my boy did! If you have sound you can hear Brian encouraging him

 

Go Alan! Get that left leg moving, Buddy!

[ZoomDoggy]

That is amazing! Keep up the good work, brave boy-o!

[sweetdogs]

I'm ashamed to say that until Alan's recent troubles, I never realized how unbelievably cute he is.

 

He looked greyt considering how confused he must be - "What are they doing to me now?" Since this was his first treatment, will they be increasing the water level as he gets used to it?

[Guest ss556]

My best to you, Susie, and to your Alan. He's looking good and its great that you are giving him those treatments. Kisses and Hugs and Scritches to Alan:)

[Madeara]

How difficult is it to find a place that has hydrotherapy for animals?

 

He is doing great!

[Guest MZH]

Alan looks like our Tucker! Alan also clearly wants to keep trying and to please you. What a great dog!

 

FWIW, Tucker didn't really get up for 3 weeks, so the fact that Alan is up already and doing hydrotherapy is fantastically encouraging. I know one other hound, Pretty Boy, who didn't get up for *6* weeks, so take heart. Incidentally, his story was in the Fall '98 issue of CG Magazine.

 

Tucker also had an ugly bedsore. An nurse told me to use a medium-consistency skin lotion on it a couple times a day. It protected the open wound and encouraged healing. I had my doubts, but it worked!

 

Marcia

[Guest TanyaM]

What a trooper and a brave boy he is! You can really see him thinking things through as he's walking - like he's making adjustments for the leg.

 

continued prayers and good healing thoughts for your sweet boy and your family.

[3DogNite]

Alan is so brave!! and you are too! Congratulations on persevering thru this time with him! Many of us have had this kind of challenge, know exactly where you are on the roller coster of recovery, and you are to be comended!! Don't give up, and stay positive with him Always!!!

 

my boy spent several weeks walking in the "tank" for his recoperation from double achillies tendon reconstruction. and he had the same pitiful look on his face the first time he tried to walk in the water. It took my boy a couple of times before he really got the hang of it, Alan will too!!!

 

Keep up the good work and I will keep up the prayers for speedy recovery!

[Guest MZH]

Hi Karyl,

 

<<Did Tucker get his muscle mass back? Could he climb stairs? I stay down stairs with Zeus, because he's very upset he can't go to bed with us

as always. I have been on the couch a month, but at least he's happy.>>

 

Tucker really never had much muscle mass, but he did get around quite well in time. The brain synapses reconnect although in different paths, as I was told, and they relearn to do things -- like move!

 

<<If I get his lead, he can move very quickly for a tiny walk outside in front.>>

 

Maybe you need a little tough love at this point; he may be taking advantage of you.

 

<<I would appreciate anything you might want to share. I lost my mom March 14th, and Zeus had his stroke 8 weeks to the day that she passed.

It's been a rough ride, but it would be encouraging to know that he will be close to normal.>>

 

Tucker became close to normal; I hope Zeus will take the same path. Tucker didn't need to do stairs though, as we live in a ranch-style home, but we do have three tall steps he needed to use to get outside. He was able to use them in time. A full flight, I don't know about.

 

Tucker's full story is online here -- warning; it's loooong. Go to http://www.wag-inc.org/WAG%20Tales/WAG_Tales.htm and click on Health. Then scroll down to Tucker's Saga and you can read every little detail of our "saga."

 

Marcia

 

Edited because of crummy spelling.

Edited June 14, 2007 by MZH

[Rickiesmom]

Considering it's his first time on the treadmill, he did great, especially in the second video where, as you say, the tech lowered him a bit! How often will he be going for his "spa" appointments?

 

As he gets more used to the tank he may try to cheat and place his paws on the stationary platform around the treatmill

 

How did he feel once the session was over - did it cheer him up at all?

 

Hugs to sweet Alan - what a good boy!!

[greytdecals]

I'm ashamed to say that until Alan's recent troubles, I never realized how unbelievably cute he is.

 

He looked greyt considering how confused he must be - "What are they doing to me now?" Since this was his first treatment, will they be increasing the water level as he gets used to it?

He is a cutie...his eyes say it all! I can't answer your question because I do not know...good question to ask the tech next time!

 

How difficult is it to find a place that has hydrotherapy for animals?

 

He is doing great!

We were fortunate enough to have our local vet get one of these tanks...there are very few in the area right now! Actually, my husband designed the brochure for the Hydrotherapy tank at our vet...it tells all about the tank and the vet tech that does the therapy work with the animals and the prices etc...

 

Alan looks like our Tucker! Alan also clearly wants to keep trying and to please you. What a great dog!

 

FWIW, Tucker didn't really get up for 3 weeks, so the fact that Alan is up already and doing hydrotherapy is fantastically encouraging. I know one other hound, Pretty Boy, who didn't get up for *6* weeks, so take heart. Incidentally, his story was in the Fall '98 issue of CG Magazine.

 

Tucker also had an ugly bedsore. An nurse told me to use a medium-consistency skin lotion on it a couple times a day. It protected the open wound and encouraged healing. I had my doubts, but it worked!

 

Marcia

I did read Pretty Boy's story and it gave us encouragement for Alan's recovery! Your Tucker's story also gives us encouragement! Thank you!

 

Considering it's his first time on the treadmill, he did great, especially in the second video where, as you say, the tech lowered him a bit! How often will he be going for his "spa" appointments?

 

As he gets more used to the tank he may try to cheat and place his paws on the stationary platform around the treatmill

 

How did he feel once the session was over - did it cheer him up at all?

 

Hugs to sweet Alan - what a good boy!!

He will be going twice a week for his "spa" treatments! He will also be getting a professional massage once a week because the vet tech that does the hydrotherapy with the dogs also does massage therapy on the hounds and she is teaching us how to massage all of his muscles!

He was tired after the session, Brian had to carry him out to the car but he did seem to be in good spirits

[Guest greyhound_bug]

Good boy, Alan! You're such a trooper.

Sending many hugs to all of you and continuing prayers.

[Guest boondog]

What a good boy. The videos brought tears to my eyes. Go, Alan!