Monday, November 19, 2018

Athena --week 2a-4

Well, overall it was a better week.   She's still no where near 100%.   

We received the harness on Monday and it has definitely helped us and her out.   Getting her up and down the stairs and up from the floor when she slips is definitely much easier with this harness.

Never realized I started a post and didn't complete it.


We're going on week 4 of Athena's ...convalescence. SO for all this time she has not been at playcare, not been to the dog park, and has not "played".   It really is hard to say if she's doing better? I think whatever happened to her may be permanent.   

Not once has she walked 'normal' for her.  She either walks with her body bent at an angle or she can barely lift her body up.  The few times she stands right, her paws fold under her.


My biggest concern is her mental well being.   I'm afraid she'll become depressed from inactivity or stimulation.
We've taken her up to day care to say HI and she's been quite happy.   However otherwise, there isn't much else.  She does interact with her siblings, so that is good--but overall I fear she's not living life.  

Our vet has indicated she is a good candidate for a new therapy.  T-Cyte injections. However, as of right now we cannot afford $125 an injection.   Maybe after the holidays.

Her current regime of meds:

AM
    200mg of Gabapentin
     50mg Rimadyl

1ML 250ml of Cannabidiol

PM
      200mg of Gabapentin
     50mg Rimadyl




Thursday, November 1, 2018

Week 1- Update

A week ago today I picked the doggos up from play care and they alerted me to her limp.
It's been a very exhausting week. 

Athena has not been to play care nor has she done much else    She's been pretty bad.
On Tuesday it was absolutely horrible to watch.   She could not hold herself up at all.   She was literally dragging her lower body around.   Could barely hold herself up. 
We've never seen it this bad. 

Wonder if something happened at day care that might have been "normal" for other dogs, but enough to mess her up.   A new person was there, so I will never know. All I know is this is bad for her and we've never ever seen it like this. 

She sleeps like the dead when she is sleeping (definitely her meds).  We've done a lot of assisting and carrying her up and down the stairs.

We purchased a special harness for her.   This will be helpful for even when she gets better. 
Considering wheels for her as well.  We'll wait a bit more on that.

We're getting her a "Help 'Em Up Dog Harness".

One view

Another view

Today she seems to be doing a bit better getting around.   Still falling and paws still rolling under, but she's stayed on her legs more than she has the past several days!.   

Through this all, she's still in good spirits. Wanting to get cuddles and attention. Barking along with her siblings.. Wanting to be in the room with us.    So that's a good thing.  

She won't be attending day care anytime soon though.   We want her to get some rest and some more time on the meds.

Keep her in your thoughts!

Monday, October 29, 2018

Athena Update-Update (update #2)

It's been very crazy since I posted Thursday morning. 

"Good" news, if you wish to call it that, is that it is arthritis only. 

Doc called and it's not the best news, but considering other issues it could have been, it's ok news.

She has severe arthritis.  Pretty much 70% of her lower spine is riddled with arthritis.   Her hips are bad and so are her knees. 

So it is arthritis as we suspected, but it's a lot worse than we thought.

She is now on medication for inflammation and pain.  She will be on these pills everyday for the rest of her life.   
Small price to pay to allow her to keep going.

She's supposed to go to play-care today.  We'll see how that goes.

Thursday, October 25, 2018

Athena-Update

Adopt Me!
For anyone who has followed this blog since day 1 knows that this bog was originally created to track the progress of Athena.  Read the first post chronicling about her condition at adoption HERE .

From day 1 Athena has had back leg issues.  They've never been strong and all indications-callous placement among them-are that she lived in or spent a lot of time in a small cage.   
In the early days watching her run to try and keep up with other dogs was bittersweet.   She wanted to run with them so badly, but her legs didn't give her the strength to keep up.

It was a joy to watch her legs gain strength so that she could easily climb stairs, keep up with the dogs at the park, and climb onto her window perches around the house.

Overall, Athena has blossomed since adoption.  She is a very happy dog and very emotional.  She expresses her emotions with her whines, moans and barks.   She adores all dogs and is a great big sister.   She absolutely loves to run with dogs at parks and day care.
With us a few weeks here 2014

Nothing makes her happier than being with her "Pack".  Whether it be outside, at the park, in the car, or at play care if she's with them, she's content.  

She also knows her own body.  If she's not ready to go out in the morning, she won't go out.   If she doesn't feel like going to play care, we let her stay home.    We never push her to over do it.

In the last year and a half, we've seen issues with her back legs.   They bother her and when they do it is pretty obvious.  You can see it in her run, her lack of climbing into her bed (a chair in the bedroom), and her need for assistance in getting in the car. 

Sadly this year has been pretty rough for her.   We've noticed her leg issues extending beyond just "getting weak".  At the park once, when her legs gave out, we noticed her dragging her paws.  They were being scraped under as she walked.   Other times she runs "hopping" her back legs along. She can't 'run' with them some days.


Sisters!


Recently her legs have locked up on her.   She ends up sitting in these weird positions because her legs won't bend appropriately.


Best company

In her bed


This morning I dropped her off at the vet for them to look at her.   We're hoping it's something that can be addressed with a shot, pill, or massage even.   We've begun to wonder if maybe she was injured before us and it never healed properly.  All sorts of questions we'll never know the answer.

Besides all this, she's still her wonderful self. At the vet there was a pug there and she was introducing herself to the little thing-like she does anytime she meets a new dog. Her body may not be cooperating with her at the moment, but she's still raring to go.  

Athena is the sweetest dog you will ever meet.  Hoping she gets some relief!  

playing with lil brother
Having a blast at Play Care.
So beautiful
Mommy and Athena
Running with lil Bro
With Daddy!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Play Care!!!

Just a random selection of photos of the kids at play care the past few years. All photos taken by the Canine Club .
It's interesting to watch how Lada and Duchess grow more comfortable as time goes on.
Oscar & Peryn 2016

One of the pack's first visits 2017

The whole pack w/Peryn Standing guard

Back when she was afraid of every thing

Always BFFs

She wouldn't stray too far from him those early days

In the beginning, they always were lying around

Throw it!!!

Duchess' turn to stand guard

Socializing

Lada & Apollo. Apollo was one of Peryn's first wrestling friends.

Chillin my feet

Lada becoming more comfortable of her surroundings

More socialization

Peryn sharing a toy

Lada wanting in the pool

One of Duchess' favorite things to do-Sunbathe

Catching up ...

Athena, out and about

Lada prefers up

Lada and a buddy

Napping

Nap time

Early picture of Duchess and her BF

Play

Add caption

Duchess stalking her man

Sisters

Duchess and her Oscar

The Girls chillin

Always by each other

Inspecting the wall

Keeping big sis company

Again--together

Lada playing w. her friends

Action Shot!! Duchess playing with her man

Lada playing

Napping with a bud

Another shot of her trying to get him up

I'm taller than you!

Cooling down...

PERYN!!!

HI!!!

I can't see from down there!

Sisters playing

Hanging with the crew

Peryn, again!

Peryn getting in on the action!

Duchess and her Oscar...again

And again

the terrible twosome

The Crew Aug 2018