Newbie but need support

Neurological Disorders Resources. Treatment and care for pets having pain or trouble walking or standing due to spinal injuries or neurological disorders like IVDD, FCE and DM.
coxmaria3
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Re: Newbie but need support

Post by coxmaria3 »

CarolC wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:49 pm P.S. Sorry for double post but I thought of something a little while ago. If your popup has a zip off ceiling, maybe you could use that as a patch to patch the hole?
Thank you for all your helpful and reassuring advice! I'm so glad I have somewhere to turn. :thankyou:
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CarolC
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Re: Newbie but need support

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coxmaria3 wrote: Wed Nov 03, 2021 7:34 pm Today on the adventures of Tinker:
1. The rigging of the playpen worked. I wedged it in between some items and placed towels over the window. He remained inside!! Yay!
Smart! :smart: If he's boxed in, he won't have any incentive to try to get out. Some people here with bigger dogs didn't have a crate to put them in, and just boxed them into a corner or the end of a hallway with furniture. Glad the towel worked. Your episode made me think about my dog's playpen. He has the one like you have which is for riding in the car. It is at floor level. In the house he has a traditional Graco rectancular baby playpen which has legs so it's about 6" off the floor. If he actually did chew a major hole like Tinker did...his front legs are paralyzed and he's 6" up... :shock: Tinker made me really think.

2. Did have to have a minor clean up because he slipped his belly band and had a pee accident in his pen. I was later getting home and I absolutely hate that but they don't offer FMLA for dogs so we all have to work. That'll be a fine day when that happens! They may have contributed to the accident.
I wouldn't be surprised if it did. My dog is the same way. He has bladder control, but he does better if I can keep to a schedule. If I wake up 10 minutes late, I may find him wet, though he's good about holding it as long as I show up at the time he was expecting.

They make different kinds of belly bands, including some with straps over the shoulder that stay on better. If he continues to get out of his wrap, it would be something to consider. Here are examples. I think you can also find them on Etsy.
https://peekeeper.com/shop/peekeeper/
https://bestdogdiapers.com/
http://www.tinkletrousers.com/
Not sure those are ideal so soon after surgery, since his incision seems to be pretty high up toward the ribs, but maybe for later. The other thing is, if you have belly bands that are elasticised, you may find the non-elastic ones stay on better. I think it's because they hug the body for a streamlined profile so there is no bunched up fabric around his waist to catch on blankets.

Non-elastic belly band (comes in many sizes, not just for tiny dogs)
https://tinydogstore.com/index2.asp?id=&cid=68


He also pooped and had some stuck in his tail hair. They shouldn't happen anymore because I cut off the long hair. He looks ridiculous but it is what it is.
That's OK, it grows right back. :D

3. He stood on his own, while he ate, for a solid minute. He even got wobbly and corrected himself.
20211103_174950.jpg
Love the caption on the picture! That is one to treasure. He's doing great! :trophy:

4. He is trying to walk, but one side of his back legs is definitely not as strong in terms of feeling yet. The strong side he's started pulling away from me when I massage his foot. The other one, not yet. I put him in his walker for just a little while today and he's definitely trying to be on the move for treats. :applaud:
Woohoo! Nerves do heal very slowly, it just takes time. The dog I'm working with is weaker in one leg, too, but he's figuring out how to use what he's got.

Another very important thing to know is that even when he starts walking again, recovery is not done. The nerves continue to heal for literally years. He will learn to do new things, or do the things he's already doing better. You really can't tell what you will have in 6 months or a year by what you are seeing right now.


5. Have him a good bath and he's resting comfortably now.

Today was a good day! We'll see what tomorrow brings!
It was a good day. You could just about put that standing picture on a Christmas card this year!
coxmaria3
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Re: Newbie but need support

Post by coxmaria3 »

Adventures today:
1. Busted out of the playpen again after such a good day yesterday. SMH. He'll go in the kennel tomorrow. I did order a hard plastic, 4 panel pen to use next week. We'll try that out this weekend.
2. Way more stable today and can stand for much longer periods of time by himself.
3. Way more sassy and vocal. He wants to sleep in our bed so bad but it ain't happening. He'll stay in the playpen as long as someone in in the room with him. He doesn't even really move around the playpen. Just rolls himself around in his bed to work his belly band off. He did sleep without his belly band all night last night and didn't have an accident.
4. Refused to go pee this morning because it was cold. Totally normal behavior. He's very picky. However, this led to him peeing in his belly band today and pooped again in his pen. I have got to get him on a pooping schedule I can control.
5. Thinks he can jump up and walk but not yet.
6. Figuring out his walker, but he drags his feet in it when he walks sometimes. I really need someone with me when he's in it on the move to help place his feet. I have been doing the strike the plate exercises with him when he's in it and even when he's just standing. The vets office just says to make sure he doesn't knuckle when he's trying to walk so I'm very attentive but it's so hard when I'm working with him by myself. He has to have some one entice him with treats to get him to move. Did I say he's not very motivated? :|

Right now he's stretched out on the couch with my husband and I for his nighttime snuggles before he goes into his pen for the night. He was super whiny this morning wanting in the bed but I didn't break down. I did put a hot water bottle, with warm water, in his bed to try to help him sleep, but it's just his normal routine he's missing which consisted of multiple in the bed, out of the bed throughout the night. He really needs to get it together. LoL!

I did order a reusable belly band from Etsy to try with poise pads. It's not here yet. He just detests them and rolls and rolls to get it off. I do think the strappy one would work but his incision starts at his ribs and goes towards his neck so it's still really tender.

CarolC I hope your baby doesn't chew a hole. Bless his baby heart!

Again, I cannot thank you enough for your advice, reassurance, and compassion that you've given. I love being able to share and vent here in this safe space.
:thankyou:
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CarolC
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Re: Newbie but need support

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coxmaria3 wrote: Thu Nov 04, 2021 8:54 pm Adventures today:
1. Busted out of the playpen again after such a good day yesterday. SMH. He'll go in the kennel tomorrow. I did order a hard plastic, 4 panel pen to use next week. We'll try that out this weekend.
Aargh! He's an escape artist. He obviously knows that trick now.
2. Way more stable today and can stand for much longer periods of time by himself.
Yay, Tinker!!! Woohoo!!! :hurray:
3. Way more sassy and vocal. He wants to sleep in our bed so bad but it ain't happening. He'll stay in the playpen as long as someone in in the room with him. He doesn't even really move around the playpen. Just rolls himself around in his bed to work his belly band off. He did sleep without his belly band all night last night and didn't have an accident.
Well, good about holding it all night. Maybe he doesn't need it? I probably wouldn't be thrilled about the rolling around when his incision is still healing but I don't know of a way to prevent it unless you watch him 24/7, and nobody can do that.
4. Refused to go pee this morning because it was cold. Totally normal behavior. He's very picky. However, this led to him peeing in his belly band today and pooped again in his pen. I have got to get him on a pooping schedule I can control.
Some dogs won't pee unless they are in a preferred (to them) location. My dog has a place in the middle of the yard that suits him and if we go there, he'll go if he needs to. He will also sometimes go right next to the fence, and in that case I think he is marking. If your dog has a preferred potty area he used to visit in the yard, maybe try that location?

Do you know about "poop on demand"? It is a way to get the dog to empty at a time and place of your choosing, by stimulating an elimination reflex in his bottom. There are several ways to stimulate the reflex. You can dip a Q-tip in Vaseline and insert it and move it around a little. You can apply an ice cube to the outside of his rectum. There is also a pinch technique that is my favorite. Here is a link that explains it.

:arrow: :arrow: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=18586

5. Thinks he can jump up and walk but not yet.
He's getting closer though.

6. Figuring out his walker, but he drags his feet in it when he walks sometimes. I really need someone with me when he's in it on the move to help place his feet. I have been doing the strike the plate exercises with him when he's in it and even when he's just standing. The vets office just says to make sure he doesn't knuckle when he's trying to walk so I'm very attentive but it's so hard when I'm working with him by myself. He has to have some one entice him with treats to get him to move. Did I say he's not very motivated? :|
If you have a choice of letting him knuckle so you can coax him forward, or not doing it at all, I'd let him knuckle. There is a phase most dogs go through when recovering walking where they knuckle their paws and get boo-boos on the tops of their feet. I would just watch him and be sure he doesn't get too scraped up, but accept that there will probably be some scrapes for a while, and dogs get past the phase. If he is able to move his legs from his hips, and maybe even from his knees, but just can't place his paws properly yet, I would let him do what he can. It is not going to do permanent harm for him to knuckle in a cart during recovery as long as he isn't allowed to get scraped up really bad. I believe you are doing stretches to keep him flexible. The therapist Pip went to for one session (she has extensive credentials going back to the early 2000's and the beginning of canine rehab) told me they used to say that pets recovering from paralysis and doing rehab should do the exercises in the proper way (meaning for example, placing the feet with pads down like they would if they were walking), but she said nowadays they say it is OK for it to be a little sloppy, just do it.

I wonder if he would go forward for a really good treat placed about 4 feet away? I've been using Wholehearted peanut butter training treats with Pip. They're from Petco. They're only 3 cal each and he's excited about them.

Vet wrap is another way you can protect the toes. It is that stretchy ace bandage stuff that comes in bright colors and adheres to itself. You can buy rolls at the vet or PetsMart or probably a feed store in the horse department. Used to be about $3 a roll, don't know what anything costs now with the pandemic. It comes in a roll that is either 2" or 4" wide. 2" is a good width. If you get 4" you can cut it in half and save money. Cut off maybe 7 inches, enough to circle the paw a couple of times, wrap it around the foot and slightly up the ankle with next to no stretching, then enfold his whole paw in your hand and squeeze. The wrap will gum onto itself, creating a little custom fitted boot he can wear during his practice session. The reason you don't want to put tension on it when applying it is to ensure good circulation. When you're done practicing you can tug it off. If it doesn't get too dusty you can unwrap it and reuse the same piece again. I've never got more than 3 uses out of one piece of vet wrap, but you can almost always use it twice.

You can also protect the toes with baby socks held on with masking tape.


Right now he's stretched out on the couch with my husband and I for his nighttime snuggles before he goes into his pen for the night. He was super whiny this morning wanting in the bed but I didn't break down. I did put a hot water bottle, with warm water, in his bed to try to help him sleep, but it's just his normal routine he's missing which consisted of multiple in the bed, out of the bed throughout the night. He really needs to get it together. LoL!
Yeah, that's hard. I think he's going to have to adjust. Tough love was the 100% right solution. They recommend an IVDD dog not jump off of furniture...permanently. And not use stairs either. You could try a doggy ramp to the bed. I worry about ramps because some dogs will go up the ramp, but then jump off the side of the bed to get down. He doesn't know he could hurt himself again. You've been fortunate this time. I wonder if you could eventually create a co-sleeper situation where he is crated at night, but his crate is directly adjacent to the bed and on a table up at bed level next to his humans.

I did order a reusable belly band from Etsy to try with poise pads. It's not here yet. He just detests them and rolls and rolls to get it off. I do think the strappy one would work but his incision starts at his ribs and goes towards his neck so it's still really tender.
High up like that is not the most common location for a disk problem. I wonder what he did. You said he was just playing outside. I wonder if he had already injured it by jumping up and down off of furniture, and the playtime activity just put a little added stress on it and he went down. Did the vet say the location of the injury, such as T-12 or something? Often you will see it right where the ribs meet the waist, or lower down the back, or in the neck. I'm not a vet and no expert, it's just an observation.

CarolC I hope your baby doesn't chew a hole. Bless his baby heart!
Me, too! Pip says, "Thanks!" :D I've had 3 rear paralyzed pets, but it's really different with a dog who is front paralyzed.

Again, I cannot thank you enough for your advice, reassurance, and compassion that you've given. I love being able to share and vent here in this safe space.
:thankyou:
I know from experience, it helps a lot to just be able to discuss things with other people who have been in the same situation. It doesn't even matter if people can offer solutions, sometimes being able to think out loud is all you need to come up with your own. Your dog has been doing really well, so thank goodness for that, but it's still a challenge with kids, family, working full time, scheduling, finances, the whole bit. But he's progressing and watching the progress is what keeps you going! :D
coxmaria3
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Re: Newbie but need support

Post by coxmaria3 »

Big moves this morning! I put him down on the area rug by the chair. He was sitting. He got up, walked to the rug by the door, and laid down. ALL BY HIMSELF! That's HIS spot by the door to lay in the sunshine. He's very pleased with himself and so am I.
Sunshine liver
Sunshine liver
Tried the pooping on demand yesterday and did not master it. He had a pooping accident about 10 minutes later while eating.

He stayed in the new hard sided playpen all day yesterday and zero accidents.
This is what it looks like
This is what it looks like
He also rested in the bed with us this morning before we got up.

1:00 - I was able to get him to poop on demand! Yay!!

He's a good boy. I think back to a week ago and how much despair I had. And I'm so glad I've found this board. I don't think I've "Googled" anything IVDD related since then. That was all I was doing and it was consuming my emotional energy. Thanks again!

CarolC in response to your injury question. I was an emotional wreck. They talked to my husband when his surgery was complete and it seems like I "heard" something about L3. His incision runs toward his head from his ribs.
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Re: Newbie but need support

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Ohmygosh! He can walk! :hurray: To his favorite spot! Even on a slippery surface. It's the best news to see him recovering so quickly.
Yay, Tinker!!!!! :snoopy:

Did the surgeon give you guys a sheet of post op instructions with the recommended time of crate rest for him? If not, maybe you can call the hospital and they can find out for you. Here is a general guide for how long to crate rest post-op dogs.
https://dodgerslist.com/2020/02/24/emer ... /%E2%80%8B

I'm glad the poop on demand worked. The pooping after eating is actually caused by a reflex. There is something called the gastrocolic reflex and it seems to work in dogs, too.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549888/ wrote: The gastrocolic reflex is a physiological reflex that controls the motility of the lower gastrointestinal tract following a meal. As a result of the gastrocolic reflex, the colon has increased motility in response to the stretch of the stomach with the ingestion of food.
Tomorrow we have the Daylight Saving Time change to deal with. My dog follows a potty schedule well, and getting up an hour late is probably going to mean a wet dog and a bath tomorrow. A bath is no problem but it's cold out right now. He expects me to take him out at or before 8. I don't know whether to take him out at 7 (which his internal clock will think is 8) or just wait till 8 since he's going to have to get used to the time change anyway. I suppose I'll do 8, which he will think is 9, and plan on a bath... Good luck with your time change tomorrow!
coxmaria3
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Re: Newbie but need support

Post by coxmaria3 »

Yes, they did. The post op instructions were "unlimited excercise with caution." I did double-check with them about staying in the larger, plastic pen during the day. This was because when we did try the smaller kennel I got from my SIL, it was so small that he can barely turn around in it and was throwing himself again the bars and trying to scratch through the bars to get out. I was afraid he would hurt himself more. They recommended leaving him in the smaller recovery pen when I am not working with him directly. He stays in the mesh-like playpen during the day when we are here except when I take him out to pee/poop, eat, or working his PT with him. Yesterday, when I was working with him after breakfast was when I sat him down on the area rug and literally turned around to get his walker. I usually work with him on the carpet in our bedroom or on the area rug so he can get good traction. That is when he decided to get up and move to the rug by the door in his traditional spot. I let him rest in that spot with my eyes on him the entire time. I thought that was probably enough exercise and PT for the time being.

The vets office did tell us to handle him with care but to try not to baby him too much. His personality is such that if he figures out he doesn't have to do something, he isn't going to. Did I mention he is a total DIVA?!

He rests in the bed with us for a little bit in the morning as I rub and stretch his legs, but he does not sleep with us even though he cries at various times throughout the night to get in bed because he is cold. I have tried a warm, hot water bottle to help with that and a thicker blanket because he always like to burrow underneath the covers up next to one of us when he slept with us. He usually fusses for a little bit, but will settle down when he sees I am not going to give in.

I hope your time change went well! Tinker held it and went out this morning with no problem. However, he would hold it forever to keep from having to go out in the mornings. He LOVES to sleep in.

He was a resuce puppy from a huge puppy mill bust in our town in 2011: https://www.parispi.net/news/local_news ... 75880.html. I had to go back and check the dates. My mom fostered him while the case was in court and the woman lost all her dogs so Tinker got to stay with her permanently. So, he is probably 10 - 11 years old. Side note: the same woman was busted 2 years later in another puppy mill bust.
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CarolC
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Re: Newbie but need support

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coxmaria3 wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 2:08 pm Yes, they did. The post op instructions were "unlimited excercise with caution." I did double-check with them about staying in the larger, plastic pen during the day. This was because when we did try the smaller kennel I got from my SIL, it was so small that he can barely turn around in it and was throwing himself again the bars and trying to scratch through the bars to get out. I was afraid he would hurt himself more. They recommended leaving him in the smaller recovery pen when I am not working with him directly. He stays in the mesh-like playpen during the day when we are here except when I take him out to pee/poop, eat, or working his PT with him. Yesterday, when I was working with him after breakfast was when I sat him down on the area rug and literally turned around to get his walker. I usually work with him on the carpet in our bedroom or on the area rug so he can get good traction. That is when he decided to get up and move to the rug by the door in his traditional spot. I let him rest in that spot with my eyes on him the entire time. I thought that was probably enough exercise and PT for the time being.

I agree there is no single best solution on crating. I think it varies from dog to dog. Some rest quietly and some are high strung or hyper. Dolly was on an anti-inflammatory, a pain med, and a muscle relaxer, but when her neck is acting up she will not even lie down until they add a sedative on top of all the other meds.

They say to restrict the size of the crate to prevent moving around, but it's a judgment call. With Dolly I had a choice of a medium crate or the next size up and I went with the larger one, partly because I did not want to have to keep diapering her while she was supposed to be resting, because that involves lifting her rear to put the diaper on and shifting her weight onto her front legs, and she was supposed to be resting her neck. During the night I want her to be able to move to a dry spot as needed, which she cannot do if she is in a crate only big enough to turn around. She is a very clean dog and it would drive her nuts.

So I just feel like you have to do the best you can with your own particular dog, with love and common sense. I'm glad you found a solution where he can relax and not strain himself, that works for him.


The vets office did tell us to handle him with care but to try not to baby him too much. His personality is such that if he figures out he doesn't have to do something, he isn't going to. Did I mention he is a total DIVA?!

You said something like that. :lol:

He rests in the bed with us for a little bit in the morning as I rub and stretch his legs, but he does not sleep with us even though he cries at various times throughout the night to get in bed because he is cold. I have tried a warm, hot water bottle to help with that and a thicker blanket because he always like to burrow underneath the covers up next to one of us when he slept with us. He usually fusses for a little bit, but will settle down when he sees I am not going to give in.

Sorry for going off on a tangent here, but I've been thinking about cold and dogs, too. I'm in South Texas, so all summer I've had the air conditioning on 79-80, and 77 at night. Now we have been getting cold off and on. I have 2 paralyzed dogs right now. Dolly handles cold OK but her problem is her neck and being cold makes her neck and shoulders tense up. Also I'd rather not have her burrowing under blankets to stay warm if we can avoid it, though she's always done that, but I worry about her neck nosing under the blankets and lifting them. Pip has central cord syndrome from a neck injury and as far as I can tell, he does not thermoregulate well, which can be the case with some spinal injuries. He overheats very easily outdoors :heat: , you have to watch him, and he hates the cold :cold: but does NOT like to go under a blanket, possibly because with his front legs paralyzed he can't get out easily and might worry about breathing, I don't know. If I put a blanket even just up to his waist, he doesn't like it. Maybe he's always been that way, don't know, I adopted him in July.

Anyway, I have decided I'll be keeping the house warm this winter. I have a couple of reasons I would prefer not to do that, but if Pip really doesn't tolerate cold at all and refuses a blanket, and if Dolly tenses up from cold so it affects her neck, it's not worth it. So this week I've had the heat on 78.

Pip's playpen is against an interior wall and he's up off the floor 6", I think he's OK. Dolly's crate is under a double window, so I pulled it out 2 feet and at night I've been adding a thermal curtain in the window in addition to the blinds, but this morning when I woke up she was under her blanket. I think I need to get a blanket to put over her crate to make kind of a dogloo. That is what I'm going to do next. I think they even sell crate covers but I can probably make something cheaper. I've got blankets, just nothing the right size.


I hope your time change went well! Tinker held it and went out this morning with no problem. However, he would hold it forever to keep from having to go out in the mornings. He LOVES to sleep in.

You're lucky! He was wet at 7:20 and we had a bath before breakfast. I don't totally understand what's going on, it must be overflow. When I take him outside and he urinates, he quickly moves himself away from the wet spot. When I find him wet in the morning (which doesn't happen if we keep our schedule) he's lying in it like he didn't notice. I can't have him lying in a wet spot, that will affect his skin. So. Hmm.

He was a resuce puppy from a huge puppy mill bust in our town in 2011: https://www.parispi.net/news/local_news ... 75880.html. I had to go back and check the dates. My mom fostered him while the case was in court and the woman lost all her dogs so Tinker got to stay with her permanently. So, he is probably 10 - 11 years old. Side note: the same woman was busted 2 years later in another puppy mill bust.

Thank goodness someone found her out. Looks like the sheriff is a dog lover, too. Tinker is very lucky where he ended up. It took the neighbor, the sheriff, the Humane Society, your mom offering to foster and adopt, and now you adopting him, to give him the life he deserves. Good people can make up for a lot. He's beautiful, and he's come a long way from puppy mill rescue to Diva! :lol:
coxmaria3
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Re: Newbie but need support

Post by coxmaria3 »

I have no idea how to reply in a post. Sorry!

I have I have gotten several large pieces of fleece at Walmart in the fabric section for about $6. They are really large. Maybe that would work to go over her pen?

Hot and cold are so hit and miss with Tinker. We keep it a constant 71 in the house but he has always one that wants to bury under the blankets then he gets hot and would jump off the bed too get underneath the bed too cool off. Since he's been in his pen I just have to wrap him up in his fleece, then he unwaraps himself at night when he gets hot, cools off then whines until I wake up to cover him back up. It seems to cycle all night. But it always has.

He stayed at my MIL's today because our housekeeper was coming to clean. This is the message I got: "I am so excited. Tinker was in his pen and I opened the gate for him to go potty. He came out walking and standing. Did great that round. 👏"

This afternoon he was walking all over as I got him out to potty and eat. If he's focused and takes his time, he walks really quite normally and slowly. If he's excited, he gets a head of himself and kind of hops around. I don't like that. At all.

Our Sheriff is a definite dog lover and Tinker is definitely living his best life now. My husband is leaving for a week long hunting trip and I can't wait for him to see the progress he makes while he's gone.
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Re: Newbie but need support

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coxmaria3 wrote: Mon Nov 08, 2021 8:41 pm I have no idea how to reply in a post. Sorry!

Most people don't do it that way. I find it easier so I don't miss anything, short term memory :roll: being what it is now. You click the "quotation marks" icon, then you can add color using the "droplet" icon.

I have I have gotten several large pieces of fleece at Walmart in the fabric section for about $6. They are really large. Maybe that would work to go over her pen?

Yeah, something just like that, something simple. I'm still staying out of stores, but if I get a chance, that would work well. I had a fleece blanket in the car I was planning to put in the thrift store donation box and I pulled that back out and am using that. It only covers the back of the crate plus half of the top and about 10" on each side, but she has been on top of her blankets in the morning so it's working for now. It isn't really cold yet, we'll need something better soon. If I could waltz in and out of the thrift store like I used to do, I could find all kinds of things that would work. That's where I did most of my pet shopping! :D

Hot and cold are so hit and miss with Tinker. We keep it a constant 71 in the house but he has always one that wants to bury under the blankets then he gets hot and would jump off the bed too get underneath the bed too cool off. Since he's been in his pen I just have to wrap him up in his fleece, then he unwaraps himself at night when he gets hot, cools off then whines until I wake up to cover him back up. It seems to cycle all night. But it always has.

That's awfully nice of you to get up repeatedly during the night to care for the little guy. Like having a new baby. :D

He stayed at my MIL's today because our housekeeper was coming to clean. This is the message I got: "I am so excited. Tinker was in his pen and I opened the gate for him to go potty. He came out walking and standing. Did great that round. 👏"

This afternoon he was walking all over as I got him out to potty and eat. If he's focused and takes his time, he walks really quite normally and slowly. If he's excited, he gets a head of himself and kind of hops around. I don't like that. At all.

Awww! That is great. He is doing really well. Bunny hopping is not uncommon. I think you're saying you don't want him being too active yet, which I understand, but the bunny hopping gait itself will probably happen less as time goes on. Pip is a little bit like that. He can walk if he goes slow and thinks about it. Too much exuberance, trying to do things too fast, and he'll often wipe out. The one time I saw him run, he was bunny hopping. He's a 7-year old active breed and slow is not really in their nature. I admire and respect his maturity when he does make himself go slow.

Our Sheriff is a definite dog lover and Tinker is definitely living his best life now. My husband is leaving for a week long hunting trip and I can't wait for him to see the progress he makes while he's gone.

And you will get to notice the little daily gains that are exciting, too! I'm keeping a log on Pip to have somewhere to record the little things I'd forget otherwise. :D
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Re: Newbie but need support

Post by coxmaria3 »

Lord love a duck! Tinker is going to be the death of me. Today's adventures:
1. Broke out of the pen that had been reinforced in so many number ways because he broke out yesterday.

2. Pooped in his pen which is why I think he broke out (he doesn't want to be near it). He had various pieces stuck in his fur. SMH. Even though I can get him to poop on demand he's on a regular schedule now and it's always in the afternoon before I get home. I can't get him to poop in the morning because I can barely get him to go pee because he's not a morning dog and it's slightly chilly outside. No way is he going to go in the house on a pad. He absolutely refuses to.

3. Did pee in his belly band but it stayed on. I've finally found one that will stay: Etsy - CodysHaven. I'm counting this as a win.

4. Walks every where he goes now. He gets up and walks and sits on his own. It's not always beautiful and he has a side gate that's absolutely adorable. He does extremely well on slippery surfaces if he pays attention to what he's doing. THIS IS A HUGE WIN!!

5. Pulls both of his back legs away from me when I'm massaging them and really getting up in between his toes.

My plan for tomorrow is just to shut him in our tile floor bathroom with rugs down. No way will he be able to get out because I can shut the door and there's nothing to try to jump on. He will also be able to get away from the poop when that happens. I have to feel like he will recover complete control of peeing and pooping but it's going to be a bit.

I feel like my life is a crap show right now. My husband just left for a hunting trip, my freshman in college DD has the flu, my 15YO DS is getting sick, and I'm dealing with this out of control Tinker dog. Ok. I feel better. Just had to put that out there. I'm counting all the blessings though!
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CarolC
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Re: Newbie but need support

Post by CarolC »

coxmaria3 wrote: Wed Nov 10, 2021 7:52 pm Lord love a duck! Tinker is going to be the death of me. Today's adventures:
1. Broke out of the pen that had been reinforced in so many number ways because he broke out yesterday.

That dog needs to be in supermax! He's an escape artist!

2. Pooped in his pen which is why I think he broke out (he doesn't want to be near it). He had various pieces stuck in his fur. SMH. Even though I can get him to poop on demand he's on a regular schedule now and it's always in the afternoon before I get home. I can't get him to poop in the morning because I can barely get him to go pee because he's not a morning dog and it's slightly chilly outside. No way is he going to go in the house on a pad. He absolutely refuses to.
My dog Millie won't go out in the cold wet grass till she's good and ready, either. I open the door for her, she takes one look, and decides to wait till after breakfast.

3. Did pee in his belly band but it stayed on. I've finally found one that will stay: Etsy - CodysHaven. I'm counting this as a win.
Yay and double yay! That looks similar to the kind I like, no elastic, slim fitting and streamlined.

4. Walks every where he goes now. He gets up and walks and sits on his own. It's not always beautiful and he has a side gate that's absolutely adorable. He does extremely well on slippery surfaces if he pays attention to what he's doing. THIS IS A HUGE WIN!!
Yes, it's beautiful even when it's not beautiful. :hearts:

5. Pulls both of his back legs away from me when I'm massaging them and really getting up in between his toes.

My plan for tomorrow is just to shut him in our tile floor bathroom with rugs down. No way will he be able to get out because I can shut the door and there's nothing to try to jump on. He will also be able to get away from the poop when that happens. I have to feel like he will recover complete control of peeing and pooping but it's going to be a bit.
The only question I have is, is there any chance he could end up in the middle of the tile and be unable to scramble to his feet? You said you are putting rugs down. Will they say in place? I only ask because I once boarded my senior dog, Old Dog, overnight and he had mobility problems. Apparently he got off his blanket in the middle of the night, urinated, and laid in the wet spot for however long, I'm guessing hours. When I went to pick him up, he had a raw weeping urine burn on his hip that we fought till he passed away. They are much more easily prevented than cured once you get one. I'll never know exactly what happened, but I think you want to be sure the rugs can't be kicked out of the way, flipped up, etc. I imagine Old Dog laid on the hard surface and kicked his feet trying and trying to get up, and couldn't. It was one of those vet clinics where everybody goes home at closing time and comes back the next morning and there's nobody there overnight to watch them.

My dog's physical therapist said you have to give it at least 3 months to see if bladder control will return, and 6 months to be sure. Whatever you have at 6 months is probably pretty much what you're going to have. But that being said, experience on this board has shown that some dogs have recovered bladder control even months after that.


I feel like my life is a crap show right now. My husband just left for a hunting trip, my freshman in college DD has the flu, my 15YO DS is getting sick, and I'm dealing with this out of control Tinker dog. Ok. I feel better. Just had to put that out there. I'm counting all the blessings though!
Yeah, no kidding. Just in time for Thanksgiving. :roll: But don't forget the best part, when DH comes home from the woods with the sniffles! :sick: Just kidding, hope NOT. If I had to choose between a walking, sitting escape artist and a dog who could only lie around, I'd take Houdini! :D
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critters
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Re: Newbie but need support

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coxmaria3 wrote: Mon Nov 08, 2021 8:41 pm I have no idea how to reply in a post. Sorry!

I have I have gotten several large pieces of fleece at Walmart in the fabric section for about $6. They are really large. Maybe that would work to go over her pen?

Hot and cold are so hit and miss with Tinker. We keep it a constant 71 in the house but he has always one that wants to bury under the blankets then he gets hot and would jump off the bed too get underneath the bed too cool off. Since he's been in his pen I just have to wrap him up in his fleece, then he unwaraps himself at night when he gets hot, cools off then whines until I wake up to cover him back up. It seems to cycle all night. But it always has. I wonder if he could work baby comforters with a lot of "body?" My brain damaged permakittens have usually been able to get themselves in and out alone. The key is to finding blankets that still have enough thickness or stiffness; they tend to go flat after enough washing, then they can't get in anymore. Sometimes I've left the comforters bunched up a little to make it easier for them.

He stayed at my MIL's today because our housekeeper was coming to clean. This is the message I got: "I am so excited. Tinker was in his pen and I opened the gate for him to go potty. He came out walking and standing. Did great that round. 👏"

This afternoon he was walking all over as I got him out to potty and eat. If he's focused and takes his time, he walks really quite normally and slowly. If he's excited, he gets a head of himself and kind of hops around. I don't like that. At all.I expect it's downright typical that excitement, fatigue, and the like can change their gaits, but it doesn't seem to hurt anything.

Our Sheriff is a definite dog lover and Tinker is definitely living his best life now. My husband is leaving for a week long hunting trip and I can't wait for him to see the progress he makes while he's gone.
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Re: Newbie but need support

Post by coxmaria3 »

Critters - that is a nice idea to try with a baby comforter! That might just work for him to burrow in and out of!

He did NOT bust out of the bathroom today. I was honestly expecting him to have chewed a hole in the door because at this point anything is possible. He also had not made pee in his belly band and made big pee when I took him out. We did get home about an hour earlier so that might have contributed to no pee. He had made a poop, but DS got it cleaned up before I got a good look to see "how much."

Just now when I took him out for the final night pee, he made a poop all by himself. Even squatted down and held himself. He's been doing this when he pees too.

Three weeks ago today. I never dreamed he would be where he is today when I brought him home after surgery. He continues to improve every day and my heart feels a little lighter everyday to see that improvement.

Funny NOT FUNNY, where Tinker had his accident yesterday when I got home, I thought I had cleaned it up really well. Used the Nature's Miracle and the handheld carpet cleaner with more Nature's Miracle on top. Tinker's brother, Colonel, decided to mark right on top of where he had his accident about 2 minutes before we had to be out the door this morning. He's NEVER done that and he only has one testicle. SMH
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Re: Newbie but need support

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It's hard to find the right texture, but it works when you do. I've never tried using a little starch to add more body, but it might work.
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