Buddy is on the road to Recovery!

Thanks everyone for all your support and well wishes! Overall Buddy is doing ok, that said here is a summary of his progress and treatment thus far:

Treatment Plan:

• Oral Steroids – twice per day – manage pain, reduce inflammation and swelling of the disk, accelerate the healing process
• Antibiotics – twice per day – this is to prevent bladder infection
• Chinese Herbal Therapy – with every meal, this is to treat “blood deficiency” in Chinese medicine
• Acupuncture – once per week – Lena is treating a variety of issues including: heart, liver, back…
• Restriction – he lives in a small pet carrier for now, in a week or so I will move him back in the big kennel with Frankie

Physical Condition/Limitations: As of today Buddy continues to suffer complete paralyses of both hind legs and impaired/limited bladder control. I have had him to the vet a couple times to have them “help him go”. This is a concern as complications could develop including: bladder infection, damage to the bladder's muscle fibers or worse his bladder could rupture. They showed me two procedures to use at home to help manage this. Lucky for me Buddy has figured out how to make this process happen as well however, by no means does he have control over this function, just asked Nick! BTW, Buddy says opps sorry 'bout that Nick :)

Mental/emotional Health: Buddy is in good spirits, he has shown/told me that he has the desire and will to get through this once again. At times he seems uncomfortable but not in pain, both of his doctors checked him out and feel his pain is being properly managed. He actually has so much spirit that I have to keep a close watch on him when he is out of his cage. He crawls all over the place like nothing is wrong, he would head for the front door I he saw a dog leash in my hand!

What’s on Buddy’s Mind: For those of you who believe in the unconventional; he met with both an animal communicator and a psychic; they both had nice little chats with him. Here’s what Buddy has to say about all this….

• He is doing fine but is worried about me, he wants me to let this go and not to be sad for him
• He wants peanut butter not spray cheese with his pills
• He wants more "one on one time" with me. Frankie keeps cutting in for attention all the time
• He wants to wear the bandana Grandma made for him, it makes him look cool!

What’s Next: He has acupuncture again this Tuesday, January 30th. Soon after that I will be able to start physical therapy to get his legs moving again. A lot of people are asking about putting him in a cart, that is an option that I am holding at bay for now. As long as he shows strong progress, his rehabilitation will progress faster if I force him to use his legs.

Progress!!!!

• Last night and then again this morning he adjusted his legs so that he could sit properly while he ate
• This morning he peed on his own “like normal”… well almost, he did it on the living room carpet, but hey progress is progress!