Funky Foot Question

The other night, I noticed something funky going on with Luna's foot.  I'm sure this is a simple and common problem so I welcome any advice before I head off to the vet's office.  My suspicion is a calloused pad which I'm guessing requires soaking and moisturizer.  Any suggestions?

What's up with the white, dry looking part of the pad?

A Good Week for Luna

Luna got her stitches out yesterday so she is back to her "normal" self.  She still has a goofy haircut which will probably take most of the summer to grow back in.  Oh well.

Luna's "desk" is right next to mine.  She always stays close to me no matter where I go.

Because she had to wear the "cone of shame" to keep her from chewing on her stitches, she was constantly trying to get the cone off by rubbing up against furniture and doors.  It became a problem when she was knocking items over as she violently smacked the cone against bookshelves, dressers, and doors.  We thought crating her would solve that problem, but it didn't.  One night we woke up to her screaming bloody murder in the crate.  Apparently, she had gotten herself stuck in the corner because of the cone.  She could have easily backed up and turned around, but because she freaked herself out she could only think to scream for help.

Luna normally sleeps on the job.

So leaving her loose in the house wasn't an option and neither was crating her.  The only solution was for me to take her to work every day this week.  She really enjoyed the extra attention she received from all my co-workers, the extra cookies, and the surprise visits from volunteers who stopped by the office.  She's in for a real shock when I start leaving her at home next week.

Just waiting for the work day to end.

Luna will headbutt anyone she can so they will pet her.

Invisible Fences Suck!

I apologize for focusing this blog post on my dislike of invisible fences, but I feel it is necessary after recent events.  If any readers use invisible fences, please understand that this is my opinion.

Luna cuddling with her penguin toy.

Invisible fences suck!  They use punishment techniques to train the dog, do not guarantee the dog is securely contained, and provide a false sense of security to the owner.  If a dog is determined to get out of the yard, they're going to do.  Some dogs might get spooked enough to escape or may see something on the other side of the line that is worth getting a small shock.

Luna after she received her stitches.

The following are just a few experiences I've encountered in regards to the effectiveness of invisible fences.

Loose Lab
When I was a kid, I remember coming across a young Labrador Retriever loose on the street.  He was very friendly so I caught him easily and was relieved to see he still had his collar and tags on.  When I tried to return him to his house, the dog would not cross the yard because he still wore the shock collar and would have received a shock if he got too close.  I ended up sending a friend to the door to get the owner.  Apparently, something had inspired the dog to cross the line and he learned to keep away from the yard or else he would get shocked.

Lab wearing his invisible fence collar.

Duncan
One of my neighbors growing up had a German Shepherd that lived to escape their yard and attack neighboring dogs, kids, and sometimes adults.  The family tried everything to contain the dog including adding the invisible fence to the already six foot high solid wood fence.  No improvement.  The dog was determined to get out and she did so without regard to the shock she received.

Collar that the dog wears which delivers the shock.

Kirby
Another neighbor I had growing up decided an invisible fence was the best option to get her hyper Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier to stay on the property.  Unfortunately, Kirby experienced a shock so severe when he ran through the fence that he was terrified to walk across the yard.  The family ended up removing the fence and carrying him across the yard for months before he got over his fear.

Flags show where the boundaries are and indicate that the dog is in training.

Sadie
I've been working with a family friend's dog for the last few months who has a history of bolting out any open door and taking off.  Despite my insistence that an invisible fence would not help at keeping the dog from running off, they decided to invest in the fence to act as a "last line of defense".  It didn't work.  One day, Sadie escaped through the front door and took off down the street at full speed without even recognizing the quick shock.  Luckily, she was caught before anything bad happened, but she did make it well into town, into a restaurant, and into several back yards before she finally stopped to greet another dog.

I'm not a fan of invisible fences and do not recommend their use to anyone.  These fences do not guarantee to protect and contain even the friendliest dogs that respect their boundaries.  The environment is unpredictable, so why depend on something so unreliable to keep your dog safe?  If you are interested in reading more about why invisible fences don't work check out this article.

Pain in the Butt

Luna has been doing well recovering from her wounds.  Two of the three are healing on their own and are looking better each day.  We've been cleaning them at least twice a day and using a triple antibiotic cream.  The third wound (and worse one) was stitched up by the vet on Thursday.  While Luna was under anesthesia, they gave her a dental and clipped her nails (a little too close to the quick).  So in addition to her butt hurting she felt sore on her feet and mouth.  Poor girl.

Luna with a sore butt.

One of Luna's wounds before stitches.

This wound has healed on its own.

This one has been healing well on it's own.

This wound required stitches.

Owchie!

When we brought Luna home from the vet's office she looked as if she had been drinking all day.  She was pretty wobbly, very unfocused, and relied on solid structures to keep her standing.  One of her nails started bleeding on our way home so I stopped her before entering the house.  While I was doctoring her foot, Luna leaned against the side of the house to the point where I thought she was just going to slide down to the ground.  I couldn't help laughing and told Luna the same thing I've told many of my friends after a night of drinking.  "Your job is to keep this wall from running away.  You hold on nice and tight and don't let it go anywhere."  Poor baby.

Luna makes sure the house doesn't go anywhere.  Notice that she is not supporting herself with her left front paw.

After a day resting at home, she was more alert, but her butt was definitely hurting.  It took her a long time to decide that she was going to lie down.  When she did, she circled her bed multiple times and whimpered.  It didn't help that she preferred to lie down on the side that had the stitches.  I know this was an effect of her spinal injury.  She has always favored spinning clockwise since her accident.

Moving around the crate is hard with the cone of shame on your head.

Feeling pretty groggy from the anesthesia.

We took her over to Mike's parent's house on Friday so she could be pampered while we were out for the evening.  Amber was very polite with Luna and did not bother her too much.  Luna mostly stayed in the kitchen and ate some leftover rice as a treat.  She's always so good to help clean up in the kitchen.

Luna models her latest accessory.

She continues to perk up and her wounds look better each day.  In two weeks the stitches will come out.  Then it's just a matter of growing back those patches of fur.

We're Back!...let the drama return...

May was a whirlwind of a month with finals for graduate school, work, and of course our wedding and honeymoon.  It is nice to be home and focusing on returning our home to a state of normalcy.

For the most part, Luna's daily routine has been boring at best.  She spent most days in the crate since we were running so many errands as we prepared for the wedding.  She did great tolerating these dull days and we fully intended to spoil her when we returned from the honeymoon with outings, runs in local parks, and maybe even a trip down to the shore.

Unfortunately, Luna's vacation with friends while we were away did not go as smoothly as we had planned.  While on a walk, Luna was attacked by a German Shepherd who was "contained" by an invisible fence.  Because of her instinct to run in a fight or flight situation, she received three puncture wounds on her sides and buttocks.  She never once tried to defend herself.  Instead, our friend who was caring for Luna had to kick at the dog to get it to back off.  Thankfully, she was wearing jeans which protected her legs from the dog's teeth so she only suffered a few scratches.

Luna spent the rest of the week recovering at my parents' house and has stayed in good spirits despite her tender wounds.  Tomorrow she will undergo surgery for stitches for two of her wounds.  Poor baby.  While she's under she will get a dental, nails clipped and other treatments for a full make-over.  She's going to be a hurtin' cowboy tomorrow evening.

I'll discuss the whole dog attack situation in another post since there is so much to talk about.  In the mean time, Mike, Luna, and I are working to settle back into our regular routine.  Hopefully, her wounds will heal quickly with the stitches so she can start enjoying her summer.

Miracle

 

Recently, my church asked for congregants to submit their uplifting holiday stories.  I could think of nothing better than to share our experience with Luna's accident.  Today marks one year since her accident.  I know I've said over and over how amazed I am with how far Luna has come in a year.  The following is the story I submitted to my minister which I will be reading in front of the congregation later this month.

"Miracles are a common theme in religious stories this time of year.  Celebrated miracles include the birth of Jesus, the oil that lasted eight days, and the enlightenment of Buddha.  In today’s modern world, do miracles still happen?  It all depends on your perspective.

In early December 2011, I had taken Luna, my newly adopted greyhound, for a run with her fellow sighthounds.  What started off as a wonderful day changed in a second to one of the worst experiences of my life.  In an instant, Luna was t-boned by another greyhound running at roughly 35 m.p.h. Luna struggled to breathe as she laid on the ground, unable to stand.  I rushed her to the veterinarian who discovered that Luna’s first two vertebrae had been affected.  The damage had left Luna paralyzed.

Mike and I were faced with a heartbreaking decision.  Should we keep up the fight in the hopes that Luna would have some quality of life or should we end her pain now?  In either case, we knew we would not be able to keep Luna.  How could we care for a dog that may never walk again or would possibly require a doggie wheelchair?

Luna’s positive attitude despite her discomfort and fear told Mike and me that she was not ready to give up.  We responded with 24/7 intensive care including physical therapy.  Within a week Luna was able to get herself into a sit.  In another week she could stand with little assistance.  Almost a month after her accident, Luna walked unaided.  Soon, she was back to trotting, running, and performing tricks.  There was no need for a wheelchair or to find her a new home.

This certainly is a fantastic story, but is it a miracle?  Let’s take a look at some of the factors that played an important role in this situation.

1. The impact was terrible, but significantly less than it could have been.  Luna was injured, but no bones were broken and no surgery was required. 
2. The woman who drove us to the veterinary hospital did not have a dog with her so she was free to help us all day.
3. The veterinary hospital was not terribly far and was one of the best emergency clinics in New Jersey.  From doctors to secretaries, everyone cared about Luna’s recovery.
4. Our families and friends were available to care for Luna when we needed to go to work.  Caring for a large dog in pain is no easy task, but everyone took a turn.
5. Our bosses were understanding of the situation and made accommodations to support our unusual situation.
6. The physical therapy clinic we visited had all the latest technologies and equipment we needed to rehabilitate Luna.
7. The owner of the dog that collided with Luna volunteered to care for her while we were away on a much needed Christmas vacation.  Her pack of greyhounds encouraged Luna to walk by stealing treats and instigating playtime.

Whether you believe in miracles or not, it is easy to see that many factors played a role in creating the best outcome possible of a worst-case scenario.  It has been a year since Luna’s accident and every day we see her enjoying life we are reminded of our miracle."

Naughty!

Temptation has been calling Luna's name this week and unfortunately she's given in.  It seems that Luna has discovered that she can get into mischief when we are out because she won't be scolded.  Hmmm.

Early in the week Mike came home to find the bin where we keep some of Luna's items was pulled out from it's spot on the shelf.  Any ziplock bags with treats that might have been in there were long gone evident by the carpet being littered with confetti sized plastic.  Yay.

A few days later, Luna struck again.  This time, Mike found a bag of Luna's treats had been pulled off her crate.  I'll admit it was within sniffing distance, but she has never shown this type of behavior before so I never thought anything about it being too close to the edge.  She had happily torn apart the ziplock bags and snacked on all the treats and leftover kibble from our vacation.  Sigh.

Tonight was the final straw.  Mike and I were out for only a few hours.  In that time, she had knocked over the garbage can and retrieved some treats from the furthest part on top of her crate (meaning she had to really work for it).  I was out to dinner with a friend when I received a frantic phone call from Mike describing the scene (notice that it's always Mike who comes home to the crime scene). 

We called the vet because this time we weren't sure what the damage was.  The vet assured us that if she was acting normal (and she was) that she was probably fine.  We will continue to monitor her to make sure everything passes without complication, but let it be known that Luna is a VERY NAUGHTY GIRL!

She's earned herself plenty of crate time when we are out until the foreseeable future.  We'll see if Santa puts her on the naughty list after this latest stunt.

Be Prepared

September is National Preparedness Month.  It is a great time to stock up on all the things you'll need in case of an emergency.  Having grown up in a house that constantly flooded in an area that would cause us to be snowed in after just a few inches, I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what you need in case of power outages, no heat, constant wetness, and overall troubles.

One thing that I am not very prepared for (and thankfully this has never been a problem) is general first aid.  For the most part, we've got the basic drugs and a few band-aids, but we should probably stock up on some gauze, wrap, and other more serious injury supplies.  When it comes to canine first aid our supplies are beyond sorry.

The other day I was clipping Luna's nails.  She is good about letting me do the job, but she is more resistant than my last greyhound.  Luna's tolerance is much shorter than Eris' was so she starts pulling her feet away from me before I've even finished the first paw.  She will also yelp if she pulls her foot and I don't let go causing her to fall off balance.  On top of this, she is not afraid to give me a warning nip if she is really stressed.  It makes the whole experience more stressful for me than it ever was with Eris which I'm sure Luna picks up.

So there I was clipping nails as quickly as possible when Luna started her foot pulling routine.  I clipped, she pulled, and she yelped.  Blood was instantly everywhere.  I can count the number of times I have clipped a dog's quick on one hand, all of which were extremely minor.  In the big picture, this was also a minor cut, but the blood flow would suggest that I had taken off half her toenail.  They always say greyhounds are great bleeders. Case in point.

I caked flour on the nail and instantly we had solid blood to stop the flow.  I was worried about Luna's nail bleeding again while she was in the house.  Since we didn't have any bandages or wrap, Mike and I improvised with a paper towel, band-aids, and saran wrap.  It barely stays on when she moves, but it's the best we could do.

Luna doesn't like modeling her new accessory.

The moral of this story is to celebrate National Preparedness Month by stocking up on all first aid necessities. 

P.S. Luna was fine, although this incident is probably going to make nail cutting in the future even more fun. :-(

A Big Turn Around in Six Months

It's hard to believe that six months ago today we were unsure if Luna would still be in our lives.  You are probably tired of hearing me say how amazing her recovery has been, but it's true!  She has come so far and her quality of life is fantastic.

Here is a list of Luna's accomplishments since her accident in December:

1. She has relearned how to walk, trot, and run.
2. She has relearned how to navigate stairs and hard floors.
3. She has learned how to walk on a treadmill underwater and balance on a yoga ball. 
4. She has learned how to play.
5. She has successfully completed a basic obedience class.
6. She has been certified as a therapy dog.
7. She has helped me teach 4-H members about dog physical therapy.
8. She has learned how to bark and has shown more of her personality.
9. She has become more independent.
10. She has strengthened her bond with Mike and me.

Whenever I share her story, people are amazed by Mike and my commitment to Luna during that rocky first month.  I always credit the people who supported us through that time.  Without the help of our family, friends, and internet cheerleaders, I'm not sure we would have been so successful.  Luna's story is a success because of the many people who supported her every step of the way.  Thank you.

First day home.

Plenty of soft items to catch a "mobile" dog.

Harness to help her get up.

First time on the yoga peanut.

First time in the underwater treadmill.

The living room during her toddling stage.

Getting the hang of physical therapy.

Walking on her own in the tank.

Enjoying walks again.

Enjoying the park again.

Enjoying life in the Garden State.

Four Months Ago...

Four months ago today was Luna's accident.  She has improved so much that it is hard for me to believe that it has only been four months.  I am so proud of her and her recovery.  This blog has really helped me see the value of all those small achievements.  When you're in the middle of a crisis, it is hard to see all the pieces that make up forward movement.

Last week, Luna did her hour of obedience training followed by a half hour of physical therapy.  She was totally wiped out for the car ride home.  Every week her stamina has improved to the point where she is walking at a brisk pace for about 30 minutes with 12 inches of water.  She still has a slight delay in her back left leg, but all the other legs are looking good.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, Luna is starting to get the hang of "play".  It is obvious when she is in play mode that she is not completely focused on her feet placement.  She becomes unsteady and folds over her left front leg a bit.  This is something that may improve over time.  It is good that she practices moving her body in play mode so she becomes more comfortable with how to handle her body and exercise those neurons.

Again, I am just amazed with how far Luna has come in such a short amount of time.  I am so thankful to still have her in my life and to see her enjoying every day with us.  I am also thankful for the wonderful doctors, vet techs, and physical therapists that have helped us come so far.  Most of all, I am thankful for everyone who has supported Mike, Luna and I through this experience.  This was certainly a team effort and Luna had a great team rooting for her every step of the way.

Two Months of Therapy

This week, Luna celebrated two months of physical therapy by taking a nice long walk in the underwater treadmill.  The therapist was very pleased with her performance.  Luna walked at a slightly slower speed than last session because the therapist wanted Luna to focus on balancing herself evenly when she walks.  At high speeds, she favors her left side so she is not practicing walking with a normal gait.

My last post discussed the therapists suggestion for Luna to start jogging to build up her strength and stamina.  Since she is not quite ready for faster speeds, I'll have to spend some time getting myself in shape before we can run together.  Once we get the all clear from the therapist to start her jogging we'll be out for some short runs.

Silly Luna.  Sneakers won't help you run faster.

A Real Workout

Luna has been driving Mike and me crazy with her cabin fever.  Last night she was in the way so much she knocked over a cup of hot tea on herself.  (She's fine, don't worry.  She just smells like vanilla tea now.)  Luckily, tonight was our seventh session of physical therapy.  I told the physical therapist that Luna had a lot of pent up energy so she could work Luna extra hard tonight.

Her underwater treadmill time has really improved.  She walked for over 20 minutes and most of that time was spent on a high speed.  She had no rest periods except to walk slower for a few minutes.  Her foot placement was very good.  However, her left side is definitely weak since she was walking a bit sideways.  It will take some time, but I know she'll get better.  Here is her latest video:

Her floor exercises were not too different from last week, except this time they had her balance all four legs on a balance mat.  She was more than happy to put her feet on the mats and eat treats.  I'm glad I taught her "touch" because it made this new "trick" so much more fun for her.  She stretched her neck to either side while balancing.  To me, she looked like one of the elephants from "Dumbo" balancing on the ball.

Two legs balancing.

Four legs balancing.

The therapist was very pleased with Luna's progress.  Her exact words were, "really, really good!"  My favorite comment of the day!

Impressing the Therapist

Last night was another physical therapy session.  Our physical therapist had been away last week so she was seeing Luna after two weeks.  She was very impressed with her progress.  There is still some wobble in her back end and she needs to improve on her left front, but overall she is progressing very well.  Here is Luna in the tank all by herself...

Following the underwater treadmill, the therapist worked Luna on some new equipment.  Luna's favorite was the blue dome ball (seen below) which she happily stood on for treats.  I'm thinking of purchasing one of these balance balls since it is something she likes and there are plenty of exercises that can be done on it.

I spent some time asking the therapist some big questions regarding Luna's future.  One big question I've had is when can she be allowed to run off leash.  Since she stumbles when she is distracted (and that happens so easily), the therapist does not recommend her running off leash for about six months.  We can start jogging with her and encouraging her to run a very short distance (throw a toy and have her bring it back).  Once she is consistent with using all four feet we can start looking at having her run in a small yard by herself.  It is going to be a long time before she can run with another dog.

So the good news is Luna is continuing to show great progress and is enjoying her exercises.  It's been almost two months since her accident and I could never have imagined she would have made so much progress by this time.

Physical Therapy is Hard Work

Last night was another physical therapy session.  The report I had for Mike when we got home was, "She did awesome and she was a total brat."

We started with the underwater treadmill.  Up until now a therapist has always been in the tank with Luna to help her move her feet, walk straight, and remain standing.  Last night we threw her in the tank by herself.  She did outstanding!  The therapist commented on how nicely she was placing her feet and that her stamina had definitely improved.  In fact, she walked for a total of 20 minutes with only one short break.  A couple of times she became distracted and stopped walking.  It was very funny to see her space out and then suddenly leap forward when her butt hit the back of the tank.  We would laugh and say, "Pay attention, Luna!  Watch where you're going."

After the treadmill we put her on the peanut yoga ball for some balancing exercises.  For me, this is the most stressful part of her physical therapy sessions.  In order for her to strengthen her muscles, she needs to balance on her own.  I have a hard time letting her go because I am so afraid she will fall.  Despite my constant worrying, she did very well and was eventually able to stand, sit, and lie down on the ball.  She still has a lot more practice ahead of her and it would help if her mom didn't hover so much.  (Can you hear my helicopter blades?)

Now that Luna was completely exhausted, the therapist moved on to some stretches we can do with Luna in a "sit".  Yeah, right.  She was not interested in performing.  "She knows how to sit," I kept insisting.  "She does it all the time at home.  Come on, Luna.  Sit."  Eventually, the fed up therapist handed her over to me in the hopes that she would sit for me.  Nope.  I only got a couple of sits out of her and the whole time she was giving me a look that said, "Just give me the cheese."  Thanks for making me a liar.  We gave up and called over the resident black lab.  He was more than eager to sit for the cheese and let us do the stretches.  At least this way I could see what Luna and I were supposed to do at home.

After her laser therapy, we headed home where Mike greeted Luna with some cuddling on the spare bed.  You can tell that she was feeling pretty relaxed.

What the Vet and Therapist Said

I mentioned that Luna visited the vet and her physical therapist, but I realized that I did not report how the visits went.

Taking Luna into the vet's office was pretty emotional.  This was the place that took care of her right after her accident.  We spent a lot of time crying, hoping, and praying in that building.  Since she was there for several days just about everyone who works in the office (including the receptionists) knows Luna and has a personal connection with her.  The doctors took amazing care of her, the vet techs sat with her when she was whining, and the receptionists visited her on their breaks.  To have Luna walk into the office with a smile on her face and her tail wagging was just awesome.

The doctor was floored when she saw Luna.  "Oh, Luna!  You just made my week!" she said.  After a little Q&A and plenty of cookies the doctor announced that Luna was done with doctor visits.  We hope to return to the vet clinic soon to get Luna into the blood donor program.  I think the staff would really like to see her once in a while and it would be nice for Luna to give back to the amazing people who took such great care of her.

So what does the physical therapist think?  She is very impressed with Luna's progress.  She spent about 20 minutes in the underwater treadmill, practiced balancing on the yoga ball, and relaxed during her laser therapy.  There is still plenty of work we need to do to keep the healing going, but she is definitely on the fast track.  I mentioned to the therapist that I was concerned about Luna's running in the future.  I reminded her that she is a greyhound and preventing her from running for the rest of her life is near impossible.  The therapist said that although she will never be 100% we should be able to get her back to 90-95%.  How awesome is that?!

It is great to know that the doctor and therapist believe that Luna is going to make a wonderful come back.

A Christmas Miracle

Mike and I were away on vacation this past weekend and left Luna with fellow greyhound enthusiast, Mary Pat.  She has three other greyhounds to keep Luna company (Opal, Emerald, and Tanzanite).  We were very nervous leaving Luna because we didn't want her to be a burden, but our fears were quickly put to rest when we received a phone call the night we dropped her off.  "I just wanted to let you know that she has been walking around the house unassisted for a few hours."  This was just the start of our Christmas miracle.

Every time I called to check in we had another fantastic report on Luna's progress.  First, she was walking around unassisted.  Then, she was trotting with the other greyhounds.  By the end of the weekend she was basically a normal dog with a funny gait.  She can now do a slow run, go up and down the stairs (but she is very nervous about them), and walk outside for her potty time.  The best part is her helicopter tail has returned which makes us so happy.

It is amazing that we dropped off a dog that could barely move and in just five days we picked up a totally different dog.  I really think that the other greyhounds inspired Luna to get up and move.  They helped her forget her limitations so she was eager to keep up with the pack.  We will definitely need to visit again so she can hang with her buddies.

A big "thank you" to Mary Pat and her loving pack for taking such great care of Luna.  We can't imagine a better place for her to stay.  Below is a video Mary Pat took of Luna.  Notice that everyone is relaxing, but Luna won't let anyone rest because she's got places to go.

 

Physical Therapy Round 2

Last night was Luna's second visit to physical therapy.  We got there early and stayed a little late so she actually had almost 1.5 hours of therapy.  Boy, was she tired when we got home!

We started with stretching the legs and practicing standing.  Afterwards, we spent a lot of time encouraging her to walk around the room.  Her back left leg was showing progress, but she was having trouble with the front left.  She did not want to use it and would keep it braced as long as possible until it knuckled over.  The physical therapsit has some more tricks up her sleeve to encourage her to work the front left if she still doesn't want to next time.

Since Luna was showing progress with her back left, the therapist wanted to see if we could get more from her with the underwater treadmill.  Instead of supporting her with the pool noodles, we suited her up with a life jacket.  It helped her stay afloat while forcing her to stand on her own.  Another therapist worked her front left leg, but as you'll see in the video, she did awesome!

I'm glad she got a chance to walk and that her back left is improving.  Hopefully, we'll see some progress with the front left and get to spend more time in the tub at our next visit.

Camping at Home

Thank goodness I bought a new air mattress this past summer because we've been using it every night.  Our bedrooms are upstairs and there is no way I am carrying her up and down those stairs just to go to bed.  It is too risky.  Until Luna can navigate the stairs safely with our help, we are camping in our living room.  The room gets pretty cold at night so we have added an electric blanket to our pile of three to four blankets.  Luna also gets bundled up at night just in case she gets cold.

Can you spot Luna?

It is hard to sleep on the air mattress every night so Mike and I take turns.  I enjoy sleeping in my own bed because I'll get a better night's sleep, but I do like falling asleep next to Luna.  When I was in 4-H my dog club would host a sleepover at the 4-H center for members and their dogs.  We would stay up late training our dogs, playing games, and getting to know each other.  When it was lights out we would settle down with our puppies next to us (ok, some of us would stay up).  Sleeping next to Luna in the living room reminds me of how much fun I had at those sleepovers with Eris.  It's kind of nice to spend some bonding time with Luna.

Luna is all tucked in.

Goodnight Moon...I mean, Luna.

Early Christmas Parties

"What is this doing on my pillow?"

It was another busy day for Luna.  Mike's family was celebrating Christmas early since everyone will be away for the holiday.  There was no way we were leaving Luna out of the loop so we packed up her gear and headed out for the party.  Luna was very nervous at first and had a hard time relaxing.  I spent most of my time sitting nearby so she could see or touch me.  If I got out of eyesight she would begin whining.  Maddie, the resident Golden Retriever, was very concerned when Luna cried and would come running from all corners of the house to check that she was OK.  What a good host.  After some time Luna settled down with her yogurt filled Kong and took a nap.

Next, we headed out to Mike's parents' house for Christmas part two.  Luna was very agitated here and would not settle down.  The specific reason for her acting up is unknown, but we guess that it was due to her desire to get up and follow people around.  She seemed upset every time someone left the living room.  I think seeing Amber was comforting for her, but also a reminder that she could not get up and follow her like she did a few weeks ago.

At one point, she stood up and refused to lie down so we just let her stand for a few minutes.  She even took a couple of steps which was great.  She probably stood for more than five minutes and was finally tired enough to lie down and take another nap.

Speaking of Luna's mobility, she is really progressing well.  She can now get herself up in to a stand and can take steps with her right feet.  Her left is weak and that is where we are focusing her physical therapy.  I think it is working because this evening she took a successful step with her back left leg!  Got to love progress.

A Grand Day Out

What a busy day it has been.  This morning Luna visited the vet to check in.  The doctor was very impressed with her progress and was grinning from ear to ear.  She said we totally made her day.  :-)  The doctor's recommendation for the next step of recovery was hydro therapy.  We located a rehab place that had an underwater treadmill and got an appointment for this evening.

Luna did way better than I had expected.  I figured she would be terrified by the whole experience (and she was pretty freak out at first), but once the cheese treats came out she forgot her fear and focused on getting the food.

"Mmmm...cheese!"

Basket muzzle just in case she got scared.

"I'm liking this thing."

We did some work on her legs while she was lying down, worked her while she was standing on a peanut ball, used a laser to help the muscles, and tested out how she would do on the underwater treadmill.  At this time she is very good at standing and she really wants to move.  The problem is her flexer muscles in her left legs are not ready yet.  The underwater treadmill was no good since she couldn't step with her left legs so we will have to focus our rehab on those muscles while she is on dry land.

Her time at therapy showed me how much she has improved in just two weeks.  She can curl herself up into a ball, move herself so she is lying on her stomach, and stand on her own as long as she has the strength.  We have another physical therapy session scheduled for next week.  In the mean time, Mike and I have a lot of homework to keep us busy.