Last Sunday Tyler slipped on wet grass at the park and put his back out, we were playing fetch. Canada West says it is a disc injury (slipped or bulging is their best guess without an MRI). An MRI is $2,000. We have seen their neurologist twice now, she is very kind.
We are doing the rest and wait and see approach with my poor dog. He can walk but not well. He can also go to the bathroom which is a bonus. He doesn't feel his hind feet well which makes him walk like he is drunk....
The neurologist at Canada West says she has seen a lot of success with acupuncture so off we went yesterday for our first appointment at Vancouver Animal Wellness. It was nice, I liked the vet, and he seems more mobile today. She did acupuncture, a cold laser treatment and she also burned some herbs near his back - I am trying to be open minded but she lost me slightly at that point!
If we could contain him he would be crated. We tried leaving him in his x pen while he was heavily sedated but he just panicked. So, he is on his dog bed loose in our upstairs. We got a great product to cover the laminate floors so he can't slip and we made it impossible for him to go near the couches; heaven forbid he tries to get up on the couch. He seems to be really good at just resting. When we are home we tie him to the bed so that he doesn't wander but he seems content there. I like that he is in the centre of the action - he wags his tail at us and the kids every time we walk by him.
We have to carry him up and down the stairs to pee and poo which is easy for Rob but hard on me, he weighs exactly half of what I weight and I find it awkward but I can do it!
I am hoping with all my might that he recovers. This is the end of agility for us but if he can come back to hiking and holding his favorite ball I will be over the moon.
Come on black dog, we need you well again ASAP. 10 years of Tyler is not enough thank you very much, I need at least a couple more.
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| Getting acupuncture, what a good dog |
Oh Tyler, we are rooting for you here! Erika, I don't know if the accupuncturist mentioned this, but massaging the tip of the tail (the last two inches) supposedly helps increase the blood flow to the spine - Belle had sacral disc problems, and that's what her acupuncturist recommended. Do it several times a day for just a few minutes each time, rubbing the tip between your thumb and forefinger. It did seem to help Belle somewhat.
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