Old Dog with Degenerative Disk Disease

[Lord_Helpus]

Maggie can walk again!!! The Toe Grips are wonderful — like magic, they give her enough traction. She is walking like a drunken sailor but she is walking!

She was enough better that they tried her in the Aquaciser. She paddled for less than a minute because she has no hind leg muscles, but she did it.

Now that she has enough traction to walk, hopefully she will build up her muscles again.

Here she is doing her underwater therapy. You can see how excited she is.
http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/PeteyPuppy/IMG_0522_zpsvdmm8pk3.jpg

[BetterOffRed]

Lord Helpus- are these what you got?
https://www.toegrips.com/

[Lord_Helpus]

Yes. I need to change the name of them in my post.

If you order them, think about getting a size smaller than you might expect. They should be hard to put on. It took the vet about 15 minutes to get them on every toenail.

[BetterOffRed]

I think I will try them too.

[BetterOffRed]

I also talked to a friend of mine who also had a cart for her corgi. she told me that her corgi liked the K9 Cart better than the Eddie’s cart because it wasn’t so bulky. I think I am going to order a different one for my Molly and donate the Eddie’s cart.

[jetsmom]

[QUOTE=Lord Helpus;8554391]
Maggie can walk again!!! The Toe Grips are wonderful — like magic, they give her enough traction. She is walking like a drunken sailor but she is walking!

She was enough better that they tried her in the Aquaciser. She paddled for less than a minute because she has no hind leg muscles, but she did it.

Now that she has enough traction to walk, hopefully she will build up her muscles again.

Here she is doing her underwater therapy. You can see how excited she is.
http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/PeteyPuppy/IMG_0522_zpsvdmm8pk3.jpg[/QUOTE]

Wonderful news! She’s adorabke!

[Bensmom]

Oh, Maggie!! She is such a sweet girl – please give her a hug from me!

So glad that the toe grips are helping and that she can enjoy helping to feed in the golf cart – my puppy is learning how to do that now, and watching him learn how to do all the things that Taggie used to do is very healing in a circle of life sort of way.

Hugs to all of you!

[Lord_Helpus]

Maggie is gone. Last night she was in so much pain from the swimming that I could not make her comfortable, even using every drug I had at the maximum the vet said was safe.

I realized that I was keeping her alive for me, not for her – and I feel comforted that I did the right thing for the right reason.

RIP dear girl.

[Where_sMyWhite]

{{Lord Helpus}}

Thanks for loving and caring for her her entire life…

[LittleblackMorgan]

Lost my male boxer 5 years ago to this. It was exactly one year from diagnosis to the end. One leg went, then the other started and he got depressed. Had a cart for short walks, had to put area rugs down for him in the house.

He was only 7. Average for a boxer, but my girl is 13 and going strong.
My guy wasn’t in any pain. He was just embarrassed, being alpha and all. It was horrid to watch, since his brain was fine but he couldn’t run and play anymore.

[Lord_Helpus]

I think we could have fought the hip dysplasia through swimming, but the places on her spine (where each section joined the next) where the discs were totally gone, was causing the pain and spasticity. The “severe bilateral hip dysplasia” caused the extreme weakness.

At least I think that is what the vet said…

The more we focused on trying to make one thing better, the worse the pain got in the other. Damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. It was like pushing water uphill.

The vet was great. She immediately gave Maggie a strong sedative, and I had 10 minutes to tell her how much I loved her and to say ‘hello’ to Shelbie (her best friend). When she was totally non-responsive (and snoring to beat the band) they took her from me and I left.

She had no pain or fear and just went to sleep in my arms with no one else around. And I have a wonderful last memory of her sleeping (and snoring) on my lap.

The Yappers (2 Yorkies) spent the morning looking for her. But they have already moved on and now are fighting for the attention they have not gotten for the last 6 weeks.

I know Maggie and Shelbie are pain free and happy and together again.

[Where_sMyWhite]

[QUOTE=Lord Helpus;8556950]
She had no pain or fear and just went to sleep in my arms with no one else around. And I have a wonderful last memory of her sleeping (and snoring) on my lap.

…

I know Maggie and Shelbie are pain free and happy and together again.[/QUOTE]

And this is the best part to hold on to… she just fell asleep in your arms and she’s now pain free and happy with Shelbie.

I know hard for you… my heart aches for all that have made these tough, but right, decisions.

[Horsegal984]

Oh I am so very sorry to hear this latest update!! Hugs to you, and I’m glad you have those last peaceful moments to hold onto. You did the right thing, her pain has now become yours to bear and heal from. Hugs and warm thoughts from all us in my household.

[jetsmom]

I’m so very sorry for your loss of maggie. She was so lucky to have had such a loving home.

[PassagePony]

So very very sorry for your loss…it seems the beloved pets always take a piece of us with them don’t they?

We had something similar happen to us with our beloved Siberian Husky who was 16 when we let her go. She collapsed one afternoon at our farm when I took her out to potty, in the green grass, so I called my husband as she was more his dog than mine. We talked about what to do, he said that in the morning to call, just give us the night with her, where he stayed in the grass in the side yard talking to her, watching the stars, petting and loving on her till he carried her in the house.

We checked on her through the night, she was on her favorite pad by the couch, she was alert, would drink water, occasionally lick our face or hand, as each of us, my son was home too, would come out and talk to her so she knew she wasn’t alone. In the morning I called my daughter to let her know, she an her family came out to say good bye to her too and spend some time. She never got up nor moved and we carried her outside to be able to be surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells she so loved.

Our large animal vet came out late morning and in the yard, under her favorite tree, surrounded by family who loved her, my husband holding her head in her lap, we let her go and it was quick as I think she was ready. She is buried under that tree with her best friend Rocky, my GSD/Malamute cross. It will be a year this June we lost her, but my heart still hurts and I still miss her. There were times the first month or so I swore I heard her on the steps or down the hall.

Your not alone…

[KTRider]

So sorry for your loss. She was obviously much loved and led a great life.

[jonquil]

My collie had something similar called degenerative myelopathy. I put him down the first time he dragged his back legs, because I think the integrity of their bodies is primary to non human animals. But it took over a year of increasing weakness to get to that point. I am so sorry you and your dog are going through this.

[Marla_100]

So very, very sorry and sad for you.

“Remember the Good Times”