The Trufflemobile
September 21, 2009
Truffles, our Chocolate Lab, has not had a very good couple of months. She’s been slowing down for a while, and showing some weakness in her back end that we assumed was due to age. Last July we took her down to Bow-wow beach for what was probably the last time. By the end of July, she was unable to walk for extended periods. By the beginning of August, we took her in to a neurologist for an X-Ray and an MRI. By the end of August, she was unable to stand or sit on her own. The most likely culprit at this point is degenerative myelopathy, though if so it isn’t a typical case. So, at this point we have no definitive diagnosis. (We know it isn’t cancer, or a slipped disk.) I’ve had to carry her outside to go to the bathroom for the past month and a half.
Still, immobile as she is, she still looks up at us with the same goofy grin, and still has her tail waging for us all the time. So we’re not giving up on her yet. We can’t afford official hydrotherapy, but there’s a doggy “spa” just down the street that has a pool and a very nice staff person with experience in special needs dogs, which costs much less than having the vet do it. So we have Truffles swimming again twice a week hopfully going to three), albeit with human assistance and a life-jacket.
And this past weekend we saw a guy who has made it his hobby building wheelchairs for dogs. Every job he does is custom work, which is good because Truffles needed some custom assistance. Unlike hip dysplasia, the strength is gone in her front so badly that she can’t support her weight, even if her back end’s supported.
With her new cart though, she actually managed to push herself along a few feet on the first try. Best case scenario, we’ll get enough muscle back on her so she can move around a bit on her own. But failing that, at least she’s happy to be out and about for even a little while.
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She looks like a happy puppy in the harness. So that’s good. And a lab is in pure heaven when they’re in the water, so it’s good she can still swim.
Wow, Steve! She looks like she is really happy with her new mobility. These are absolutely amazing pictures. She is such a great dog, and it’s so good that she can continue to enjoy life with you and Michelle.
I am telling people about doggy wheelchairs, because this might make such a difference in the lives of other dogs.
Enjoying your blog, as always,
Mary T.
[...] I mentioned Monday that Truffles was having serious issues, and was unable to walk. She is still, however, able to swim. Today she had the best day swimming she’s had to date. Here are some pictures. [...]
[...] improvement in her mobility. She’s still unable to stand on her own, but she can push the Trufflemobile around now without assistance (she still needs to be bribed with treats, but that’s [...]
[...] is still having a hard time. We’re still swimming her 3 days a week, but she’s still unable to walk on her own. All [...]
[...] three times a day she still has had fewer accidents in the house than Lilly the boxer. So we got her a cart, and started swimming her three times a week. And just recently, we discovered that I could get her [...]