Spinal injury after dog attack
Re: Spinal injury after dog attack
BTW, last wednesday 6/14 made 8 weeks since the injury.
Re: Spinal injury after dog attack
All I can say is CONGRATULATIONS! Woohoo! She seems to like her boots. I'm curious what kind they are. It's just amazing when you look back at the original videos. She's doing Great! 
Re: Spinal injury after dog attack
Those booties are useful but constantly fall off. Someone posted that they used vetwrap around the top to keep them up which would probably work well....I ended up just buying her a different set of boots that have 2 velcro straps at the top. Those are heavier (which makes her walk weird and drag that weak front leg more) and stay on well, so she wears them from when I get home from work in the evenings until bedtime, then just for potty time in the morning.....only on her weak side. She still stays in her kiddie pool as once I moved it out and just had her in a pen, she moved it and then pooped on the floor. grrrrrr......so I ended up cutting a path out of the kiddie pool (since she cannot jump in and out) and she can now walk in and out and requires no picking up at all, unless I want to take her out into the big yard. She will probably never be "Normal" but is perfectly happy....as evidenced by the video below.
https://youtu.be/cF8VfWCJcLc
The vet recommended no pressure on her neck, which makes sense, but I need a way to keep ID tags on her and hate to leave her in a harness all the time since she would be laying on straps and buckles and that seems lik eit would be uncomfortable. So I bought her a quick release collar, which should break away if someone grabbed it with any force.....and had a custom sleeve made to fit over it that says "SPINAL INJURY - DO NOT PULL" to hopefully keep people from grabbing it in the first place. See below.
After 3 months of her recovery I did finally do the inevitable.....and hurt my back picking her up. The only way to get her out to the big yard is up and down those 8 steps, which requires picking her up....apparently I picked her up wrong. Wont' be doing that again any time soon. Fortunately I am getting ready to put my house up for sale and buy a new house elsewhere, so have been making sure that any of the new houses I look at are "handicapped-dog" accessible. Imagine me at an open house telling the realtor that the house has too many stairs for my handicapped dog. LOL. Yep, that exact scenario has happened.
But she is happy and that is all that matters!
https://youtu.be/cF8VfWCJcLc
The vet recommended no pressure on her neck, which makes sense, but I need a way to keep ID tags on her and hate to leave her in a harness all the time since she would be laying on straps and buckles and that seems lik eit would be uncomfortable. So I bought her a quick release collar, which should break away if someone grabbed it with any force.....and had a custom sleeve made to fit over it that says "SPINAL INJURY - DO NOT PULL" to hopefully keep people from grabbing it in the first place. See below.
But she is happy and that is all that matters!
Re: Spinal injury after dog attack
I always did the harness thing, but your idea is good, too.
You realize that a wheelchair accessible house would also be good for you to "age in place," too!! That's a really hot item these days, so people you run into should be well aware of it, I'd think.
You realize that a wheelchair accessible house would also be good for you to "age in place," too!! That's a really hot item these days, so people you run into should be well aware of it, I'd think.
Re: Spinal injury after dog attack
Yes, she is prancing around really well, and she has just the sweetest personality. What a sweetie! 
Good idea about the house. This house we are living in was bought with the same criteria, getting our first disabled dog out the back door under his own steam, instead of down 4 steps. Since there, several disabled dogs have lived here, and all we need is a little ramp for that one short step out the back door. As critters says, it will be good for humans, too. 
The collar sleeve is a cool idea. I've never seen one and would not know where to order one. A breakaway collar is a good idea for any dog that might be unsteady on their feet, too, in case they somehow get hung up on a branch or something.
Good idea about the house. This house we are living in was bought with the same criteria, getting our first disabled dog out the back door under his own steam, instead of down 4 steps. Since there, several disabled dogs have lived here, and all we need is a little ramp for that one short step out the back door. As critters says, it will be good for humans, too. The collar sleeve is a cool idea. I've never seen one and would not know where to order one. A breakaway collar is a good idea for any dog that might be unsteady on their feet, too, in case they somehow get hung up on a branch or something. Re: Spinal injury after dog attack
Because I am in east tennessee, it is very hilly so most places have a lot of steps. I do have a backup plan in case the perfect house has too many steps...and that is to add a ramp. Check out what someone had built to help an older dog get outside.
Isnt that amazing? Those pictures are from a local construction company. I could do something similar and less fancy myself, or could splurge and let them do it.
Molly is actually only sweet to me and a few others...she is not super friendly otherwise. But to me, her favorite person on earth, she is such a nice girl.
The collar sleeve is actually a "leash sleeve" which is available custom made from Patience and Love Embroidery. She is on etsy and also makes service dog vests, patches, etc. I had previously purchaesd a couple leash sleeves (Do not pet, I'm shy and I NEED SPACE) so had them make this one for me custom. Its not that expensive, about $11 or $12 including shipping.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/PatienceandLove143
Molly is actually only sweet to me and a few others...she is not super friendly otherwise. But to me, her favorite person on earth, she is such a nice girl.
The collar sleeve is actually a "leash sleeve" which is available custom made from Patience and Love Embroidery. She is on etsy and also makes service dog vests, patches, etc. I had previously purchaesd a couple leash sleeves (Do not pet, I'm shy and I NEED SPACE) so had them make this one for me custom. Its not that expensive, about $11 or $12 including shipping.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/PatienceandLove143
Re: Spinal injury after dog attack
Bookmarking the ramp. That is the nicest ramp I have ever seen (and I'm sure the price reflects it!) The only thing I would have them change on the ramp is to make it wide enough for dog plus owner, because at a certain point there can be a situation where the dog is assisted with a sling under the belly (or a harness) and you need to kind of walk beside the dog. Actually, if there is any thought the dog might use a wheelchair later on, you'd be glad to have extra width for that, too. When my golden retriever was getting a wheelchair, I called the companies because I needed to be sure my back door would be wide enough for him to go in and out. I think the same planning would apply for a ramp. If they'd make that ramp a little wider, it would work for dog, dog plus human, or dog in wheelchair. I love etsy, you can get some of the best stuff there, including dog diapers, and now leash sleeves, Thanks for the info, because I've seen service vests but never the sleeves.
Re: Spinal injury after dog attack
Personally, if I went to that much trouble I'd make it suitable for a human wheelchair, just in case! Ingenious ideas, I have to say!!! 