98 pound Boxer cannot walk

[rookiemum]

I love that picture! So awesome to see Buster walking! You two have really come a long way!

[Caroline]

Hi all,
Gee it took me forever to get into post long story.....
So Buster saw a vet yesterday that had not seen him since we picked him up 4 or 5 days after his accident.
The last time we were there we were told that all four limbs were lame and that there was nothing else they could do for him.
The emergency vet before this guy offered to put him down for us.

So for starters the place was packed , one of the dogs there was a great dane the size of a pony in full blown heat ( why me ) LOL.

Buster got on the scale and made us proud he is back up to 85.2 pounds, the first words out of the vets mouth were "am I glad to see you guys." ( YAh I bet after the thousand phone calls he got from me) he also stated that we did all the work and seemed to think it had been 6 months I said no only 3. He was truely amazed and said that he rarely has seen a dog in Busters condition make it back . Buster got his shots so I can order his new tags, a some very expensive face cream for his folds in his face.

Buster also tried to bite the vet.....NOT GOOD I asked the vet if he thought Buster could feel deep pain now, because the nero doc said he had no feeling in the two left legs on 2-14-08. This vet said he would not pinch his toenails to find out ( afraid Buster would bite him) but by the looks of him he thought he may.
I took the instument and pinched Busters nails guess what he flinched he feels deep pain again!!!!!
I also asked if he thought Buster would walk better one of these days and he said he really did not know.

I am very Happy!!!
We are taking Buster and his girlfriends to some hot springs this weekend.
Never say Never
KEEP THE FAITH

[Caroline]

Hi all,

The sand dunes turned out not to be so good for Buster. He never made it into the Hot wells.
May have been to hot anyway, the sand walking got to him so bad that by Sat he was down. He would not even try to walk in his sling nor would he go to relive himself, then my pom begain walking on three legs and crying off and on all day. I thought I was going to have to bury her in the wilderness . She is 16 after all.
I gave them both ascripin. So that was the end of that camping trip .
I slung walked Buster out into his back yard after we carried him out there and he was fine by Monday. So was Grete my black pom strange there both just out of shape.

This sort of thing really is just all about baby steps.

[CarolC]

That's right. Just having your dog make it out to the back yard under his own power is a big achievement. Sand dunes would wear me out, too! I am glad they both made it back and recuperated.

[Caroline]

Thank you Carol,

Me too it really was scary for awhile,
As much as I love Buster I don't know if I could have gone threw all we did again. Chances are I would.
The sand walking also really did him some good in the long run after he slept for two days mostly lol.
This morning we forgot to block the dog door I was in bed and my Husband who had just steped out of the shower heard a loud noise, we both saw that Coco and Grete where no where near the doggie door.

We both ran into the kitchen expecting the worst, there was Buster not a scratch on him barking at the wall by the alley.
This means he had to pick up all fours high enough to get out with out falling. He defiantly hit a leg on his way out because of the noise however he made it this time.
Most of the time he will sit in front of the door and whine to be let out, I really scolded him for useing the door and he knew he did a bad thing.

So there you have it anther wonder in the life of Buster.
Keep the faith

[rookiemum]

Wow, Buster is having some adventures! I am glad he is okay!

pam

[Caroline]

Hi All,
Just an update on the Buster boo, I say the planets are acting crazy again.
Buster got me up at 12;30am he was stuck at the end of the foot of the bed and needed help getting up.
I was so upset I went to play pogo till 3;00 am I did not want to post on him till I waited it out but this can really make one crazy.
So this morning his left front paw once again will not hit the ground and my husband said he must have fell pretty good again ( leaves in his coat) Blood spots all over the floor from his front paws.
Does it ever end well?
I have been reading alot about the hydro swims folks do with there dogs and I feel so bad that I have not put Buster in the pool yet ;I have not been working him because the water is just to cold for me still. I feel so guilty for blowing him off right now.
I will get back on track and still know how lucky we are.
His front paw will just not heal I wonder if I should use new skin on him?

DOG; A kind of additional or subsidiary Deity designed to catch the overflow and surplus of the worlds worship.
AMBROSE BIERCE

[rookiemum]

His front paw will just not heal I wonder if I should use new skin on him?

Our other dog (Buddy) had an accident 4years ago-he gouged out a thumb sized piece of his thigh. The vet gave us Granulex to spray on the wound to help it stay covered and protected while it healed. I don't know how it would work on paw scrapes. Bailey is having the same problem, his paws are always scraped up. I'm trying to figure out something I can use to protect his paws. They have Granulex for $14.99 on Amazon, I might try that.

Pam

[CarolC]

Does it ever end well? *snip*
His front paw will just not heal I wonder if I should use new skin on him?

Hi Caroline,

You sound really tired. Hang in there, better days are coming. Waiting is the hardest part, isn't it? Keep in mind that improvement is continuing daily even though he looks much the same.

I'm not sure if you really wanted an answer to the question, but the answer is yes. For some reason, your message took me back 4 years to another person with an FCE dog named Chase. Your post sounded so much like his situation. Here are 3 of his messages. In the first one he describes the scraped feet. In the second one he mentions a skin product he found at the feed store (your question about new skin really reminded me of this). In the third one he says Chase is getting past the bleeding.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1487&hilit=+chase

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1507&p=5938&hilit= ... tore#p5938

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1549&p=0#p0

Have you thought about trying boots, and not necessarily for him to wear all the time but perhaps when he goes out in round terrain or something? There are so many good brands of dog boots.

What would make you feel better right now?

[Caroline]

Hi all,
Thank you for the links Carol I read them all.
It has been 4 months for Buster now and I guess I am forgetting what he used to be like before the accident, that means we are all just accepting Buster for who he is now. No big changes in him lately. Good days and bad days yada yada.

Buster will be old in a few years so he would have slowed down anyway. I am still happy that he came into my life and that this board with all you wonderful people helped me to cope.

Keep the faith
When the aliens come, I hope they bring their dogs.
DAN MOORE

[rookiemum]

I guess I am forgetting what he used to be like before the accident, that means we are all just accepting Buster for who he is now

That is one of the hardest things about all this. Bailey was so active, and used to love to run and play in the yard. I was hitting whiffle balls one night last week, and he wanted to chase those balls. It makes me sad we can't play together like we used to.

I know Buster had a completely different kind of injury, but he has done so well , he gives me hope Bailey will walk again.
Pam

[CarolC]

Bailey was so active, and used to love to run and play in the yard. I was hitting whiffle balls one night last week, and he wanted to chase those balls. It makes me sad we can't play together like we used to.

Here are dogs playing ball.

http://www.petswithdisabilities.org/duke.html

http://www.eddieswheels.com/html/pictur ... age_4.html

http://www.eddieswheels.com/html/pictur ... age_9.html

http://www.doggon.com/currentcontest.html

http://www.doggon.com/archive/contests/win2.html

http://www.doggon.com/archive/contests/win4.html

http://www.doggon.com/archive/contests/win10.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24699548?pg ... lchairpets

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24699548?pg ... lchairpets

I'm sure there are more...

[Caroline]

Hi All!!

Loved those links Carol, a must see for all I even sent a page to all my email friends. I was just fell in love with the lab on wheels coming out of the ocean with the giant stick.

The other day we hit 103 the pool was 82 ( still to cold for me lol) so I threw a adult life vest on Buster and eased him into the pool. Buster never could swim but loves to get wet. So I held onto him and his head went down the left front leg did not move at all. He was in a panic mode and wanted out asp, my husband was freaking out and the life vest fell off, with part of it hanging onto his back leg as he was tring to get out.
High drama your mama stuff in less than 2 mints.
( making a note to self next time it will be just me and Buster with real doggie vest.)

So Buster had problems with the front leg since the hot well camping trip and this afternoon I took him and his girlfriend's for there first walk as a pack in about two and a half weeks. I had to stop all work outs with him because that leg would just not hit the ground. Buster did so well that he actually lifted his right leg way up to spread his I was here stuff, this means he used his bad side to hold himself up. This was a first since his accident!!!! I wonder if he will still pee like a girl dog in his yard.
Hopefully I will get a new picture to share once we get the pool thing down.

KEEP THE FAITH

[LisaGail]

Thanks for alerting me to Buster's story! What a saga and good for you for sticking with it! I will put his story in my files and let you know if gets published in an article at any point. Thanks so much - Lisa

[Caroline]

Hi All,
Here is Buster in his vest with my husband.
When he is in the water, his front leg bends at the paw but just kind of hangs there, but both of his back legs move well.
I have a friend that has been wheelchair bound for a few years now and Buster really likes him.