The Winston Wagon » vet http://thewinstonwagon.com The daily life of a special dog with special needs Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:22:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 en hourly 1 Just checkin’ in on the boys http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/09/just-checkin-in-on-the-boys/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/09/just-checkin-in-on-the-boys/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:13:22 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=180

]]> http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/09/just-checkin-in-on-the-boys/feed/ 2 Family troubles http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/01/family-troubles/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/01/family-troubles/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:03:53 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=173 Taking in the scenery

Taking in the scenery

I have not talked to anyone about this yet, but my buddy Ben has been terribly sick the last few weeks.  He’s  had a nasty cough that isn’t going away.  In an old dog, that is never good.   Usually,  it means our heart and/or lungs aren’t fairing all that well.   In a 11 yr. old dog (almost 12), it doesn’t look good.  My mom has taken him to the vet and they don’t see anything that would make them believe that he’s got the dreaded C-word.  For this, I am relieved.  However, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t have it either. X-rays sometimes don’t get the whole story.  His heart looks alright though. This is good news.  From what the vet can tell, Benny has pneumonia or bronchitis.  Still, this is better news than cancer but still worrisome. He’s on medication for it and hopefully will get better soon. I miss him terribly on our walks.  He’s good company.  For right now, we are just praying that he gets back on all four feet and can run around and play.    Send some positive energy our way.   We can use it!

As always my friends, take care of yourselves.

Love,  Winston

]]> http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/09/01/family-troubles/feed/ 1 Trips to the groomer http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/06/29/trips-to-the-groomer/ http://thewinstonwagon.com/2009/06/29/trips-to-the-groomer/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:34:12 +0000 admin http://thewinstonwagon.com/?p=80 For a special needs dog or even an older dog, a good groomer is worth its weight in dog biscuits.  We need extra attention and time to get things right!  Check with your groomer from time to time with older dogs to see if they notice any new behavior quirks.  For example, we might not want to get our nails done anymore or we throw a tantrum when the groomer tries to pick us up.  There might be a reason for it.   Arthritis is a big issue for us.  We get to be delicate little flowers in our old age. Please don’t fault us for that.  Also, we might have vision or hearing loss when we get older too.  That might also be a problem.   If we can’t  see or hear, it tends to make us a little jumpy with new smells and touches.   Here are some words of wisdom for all of you humans out there that love a special needs dog:

  • Listen to your groomer.  If they feel if your dog can no longer can safely get their nails done or tolerate any or all of the grooming process, then they are probably right.  A good groomer will want to do what is best for your dog.  This is why they got into that job! They love us too!  Sometimes a vet will have a groomer on site for such a special dog.  Do your research.  Some groomers have more experience with this type of dog while others won’t allow a dog to get groomed at all if there is even a hint of a medical issue.
  • DON’T GET UPSET.  Where there is a will, there is a way.  Nails can get trimmed. Baths can be done.  Haircuts if necessary can get done also.  You may need to seek intervention and it may cost you.  Ask your vet for help.  If you don’t get an answer that meets your needs, then get a second opinion!
  • Try to do as much as you can at home.  A groomer can only do so much.  They are not miracle workers.  They might see Fluffy every eight weeks if they are lucky.   YOU are responsible for grooming  for the time in between.  If you need advice on this, please ask a groomer.  I am sure that they are more than willing to throw good advice your way if it makes their job easier.

That is all for now.  I think I have had this on my mind because I am starting to smell a little ripe.  My mom is  giving me a bath this week as well as getting my nails trimmed and my ears cleaned.  I don’t mind getting cleaned, but it’s the getting dry part that is awful.  The groomer turns on this big, scary loud thing. (Shiver)

Ok.  I’m done for the day. Take care of yourselves.

Love, Winston

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First of all, I need to thank you for reading my blog.  I hope what I have to say on this topic helps you in your life.  We are all on this journey of life so why not hold hands along the way.  Well, maybe a paw or two.  This is my first blog on my site so I thought it might be a good time to tell the story of how I am now walking with the help of some very nice wheels.
It has been about nine months since this whole thing started.  Back in September of 2008, my mom came home from work and noticed that I wasn’t feeling well.   She was right.   My back end was feeling kinda funny and it made me nervous. When I get like that I tend to drool a lot.  This is what tipped her off.  She thought maybe that I needed a jaunt outside so off we went.   Going out and smelling stuff usually calmed me down but not that day.  Things went from bad to worse.   I went from being able to walk, to walking completely uncoordinated, to tipping over to my right side, to being lame over the course of a day.   I was very scared then and so was my family.  My mom just cried and cried and my dad just didn’t know what to do.  I was rushed to my vet and he knew what the problem was.  It had something to do with my back and I needed help right away.   An appointment was made for me the next with a surgeon.  What a nice man and what a kind heart.  He said that I had to have an MRI done to figure out what the exact problem was.  He said if we didn’t act soon, that I was probably going to be completely paralyzed from the hips down.    My mom  and dad couldn’t bear that thought and were desperate.  I was scheduled for the MRI that next day.  The doc said that while I was knocked out getting my scan done he was going to call my dad to let him know about what the options were.  He could even operate if need be by keeping me knocked out.  EEk!  I was scared.
Well, the morning came and my dad dropped me off at the vet’s where they whisked me away.  The quicker the better. I didn’t like seeing my dad so upset.  During the scan, they found the problem.  It was my disc.  It was ruptured and it was pressing on my spine.  This was the problem.   The doc called my dad and told him the bad news.  It was the worst he had seen.  Even worse news.   He’d have to perform a hemilaminectomy to correct the problem.   This means they clear out the area that was pressing on my spine.   My dad couldn’t stand to lose his best friend so he opted for the surgery.   All went well and I made it through just fine.
Recovery was hard.  I absolutely hate hate hated being away from home.  It is just the worst thing ever.  I cry a lot and my appetite just goes away.   I do much better when I have my family around.  I had to spend a couple of days at the hospital before they let me leave.  I was very uncomfortable.   Because of the surgey and the swelling, I was still just a lame as ever.  I couldn’t deal with it.  My vet said that this was going to happen and things would improve over time.    He was right.  As the days wore on, I found that I could sleep better, eat and drink better, and get up a little bit better.   It was really tough on my dad because I needed lots of help getting around at first.   As I started to feel more like myself, I was a little bit happier.
It took a couple of months to recover from surgery.   Each week was a little bit better than the last.  I started to get feeling back.  It was a slow process.  VERY slow.   I went from being completely lame to being able to walk a couple of steps on my own.  I am still very weak on my back end.  It is hard to support myself when I walk unassisted.  I usually just end up sitting until someone helps.  This isn’t to much a lifestyle change for me.  I was always a big fan a resting.  I only when out to do my business and to go on my daily walk.  After that, I’m all about my bed.
Since I reached a plateau in my recovery, my mom and dad thought that I needed a wheelchair to help me walk again.  It is really the best thing ever.  They got it from eddieswheels.com.  I was scared to get in it at first. I don’t like weird things in my house, but I started to get used to it.  I couldn’t go around the block when I first started in it, now I am running with it on.  I even outwalk my buddy Benny and my mom.    It’s great exercise and I love going everywhere now.  It lets me live my doggie rockstar lifestyle again.
This is a really long post so I will end it for the day.  Until then, have a great day.  Love your furry friends.  I look forward to our time together soon.
Love, Winston
p.s. walk your dog.  they will thank you for it.
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