Tessie Update

[TessieSmiles]

Thank you so much for your input about my Tessie Wow! I was so afraid. I am a traveling RN on assignment in NYC. I brought my girl so my husband wouldn't have to deal with her and his ill mother, too, who lived in our house; and I just didn't want to leave her; so I am far away (KY) from my vet, tho I have been talking to her on the phone. She was sending me antibiotics to treat the bladder infections, but I knew I need to see a vet, so my daughter and I did a Google search when I got home this AM from work.

Wow, did I hit the jackpot! My vet's office faxed all the info to this vet, who agreed to see us at 3PM today. We went to see Dr Jack Bregman at Midbrook Animal Clinic in Brooklyn NY. He was wonderfully informative, so kind, and Tessie loved him. He explained to me about the bladder in dogs,and infections, and paralysis, and said she had a raging cystitis, which I was making resistant by not giving antibiotics long enough. He changed the antibiotic, and told me to give it for the next 45 days without stopping, even when her urine cleared up. He ordered a urine culture to see what bug she was growing. He said her restlessness was probably pain from the infection, because she still obviously had some feeling and response, even tho she probably won't walk anymore. He complimented my vet on her treatment and notes on Tessie, and said she had done everything right. He said he was surprised because of the severity of her disc blowout that she had not had spasms and twitches before now, and even if she did, she was obviously not in pain, so not to medicate her unless she was. They are just neurological symptoms from the insult. Whew!!!!

He said she was a very healthy, happy, and good-natured dog, and that we had really been diligent in taking good care of her because she didn't have any skin breakdown, and we hadn;t had bladder infections till now, after 10 months. He suggested we keep doing what we're doing, and that putting her in a warm bath up to her neck when she has spasms would relax her and relieve the spasms. Tessie licked his face and smiled her toothy smile at him, and got hair all over his black scrub top, and he hugged her and petted her, and talked to us for a long time. I had never seen him before, and picked him because of proximity.

We are blessed again, I give thanks that I get to keep my sweetie heart awhile longer. So, I, like you, will keep on keeping on. Thank you for your replies; you were spot on in what you told me. Thank you for the welcome, and for all of us who know that every life has value, and is not disposable, God bless us every one.

Love to all, Penny and Tessie

[CarolC]

He suggested we keep doing what we're doing, and that putting her in a warm bath up to her neck when she has spasms would relax her and relieve the spasms.

That is good news, and his advice is brilliant. I had thought of using a heating pad for the spasms when you posted (works for my back, I sleep with one), but you can't use a heating pad with a paralyzed animal so I didn't say anything. Warm water--duh! Thank you for posting that!

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

Wow! What an exciting report! Your visit to Brooklyn was a GREAT one!

[CarolC]

Hi Penny,

This morning I realized how neat it is that you took your dog with you. I have travelled with my dog, too. There was nobody I really wanted to leave her with since she has to be expressed. I expressed her on the hood of the car or in the grass while travelling, and then on an underpad in the hotel. She enjoyed the 2 trips, I wish we could go more often. Do they put you up in a hotel when you are assigned somewhere? How are you managing things with a paralyzed dog away from home? I'd love to hear it because I think you are the first person here with a paralyzed dog and a job that takes you to other locations for weeks or months at a time. Anyway, I'd be interested if you want to explain how you worked everything out being away from home.

[TessieSmiles]

Dear Carol and new friends
I started traveling after 28 years in the same job; Tessie had been down 6 months. My husband occasionally expressed her bladder, but never really felt comfortable with it. I don't know how long she will live, really--so we agreed, and for my emotional well being, too (I would have worried myself into oblivion), I took her. On the way, I peed her in the grass off the exits, in fields on the side of the road. In motel,
the grass outside, and late at night on pads in the room. In the apt I use the pads. Housing for traveling RNs is subsidized by the agency that hires you; they provide a 1 BR apt, tho here in NYC, I am staying with my daughter, who lives here. Julie is sqeamish in the extreme, and bladder care was beyond her. When I am going to be gone for too long, I did (again) a Google search and found a pet sitter (Sean, petbuddy.com), who came for an interview. He had never cared for a paralyzed dog, but he is so gentle and kind, and kind of communes with Tessie; he was agreeable, so I trained him to express her, and he is just great to come and take care of her when I need him. Julie feeds her and puts her to bed on nights when I work, and will give her pills, if necessary. Her apt has an elevator, so when we want to go out, we just go.
Tessie loves all the people, when we take walks, she's a sensation. I was surprised how few people have seen a crippled dog; we educate about how she still gets around great and lives a full and happy life, in spite of her handicap.
I read all the stuff on this site like crazy; I never posted because I didn't really think I had anything to offer. I guess we really all do.
Thanks---just thanks so much. It's so great to talk to people who understand, who don't think you're being stupid for going to all that trouble for a dog, or cruel for keeping her around in her altered state. God bless you all.
Penny and Tessie

[CarolC]

Dear Carol and new friends
I started traveling after 28 years in the same job; Tessie had been down 6 months. My husband occasionally expressed her bladder, but never really felt comfortable with it. I don't know how long she will live, really--so we agreed, and for my emotional well being, too (I would have worried myself into oblivion), I took her..

Hi Penny,

It sounds like you have a really good set-up. I have actually expressed my dog on the hood of the car a number of times while away from home, and poured water on the paint. (It's the right height and saves bending.) I go into McDonalds or wherever we are stopped and fill a big cup with water to wash down the car. What I really wish I could do is take my dog inside and express her on the changing table! I wasn't sure if you meant you weren't sure how long your dog would live if you left the expressing up to your husband, or if you weren't sure how long she'd live in general. In general she could live a long time. My dog was 8-9 when she was injured and that was over 5 years ago. If I remember correctly, there have been 2 people here who had cats they'd been expressing for 7 years and 9 years. My dog shows no signs of being anything but incredibly healthy for a 13-14 yo dog. She had mammary cancer 4 years ago but is fine now. She only has about 2 teeth left but she still enjoys eating. Anyway, I don't know if you were going by experience with human paralysis, or something the vet said, but I don't see why your dog can't live a normal lifespan. I think my dog will go eventually from something aging-related, but not the paralysis.