Christina, Dog Guardian

It's been three weeks since Moxie came home from surgery. Her recovery has been some steps forward, some backwards. When she overdoes it, the next 2-3 days are a pullback to little or no exercise. She lets me know when she's in pain and I freak out for a while about what it means before I can chill out into, "Self, she's in pain, just put her in her pen for rest for a while and get out of her way."  Thanks to my angels for talking me down from those crazy moments of worst case scenarios, to just dealing with the present.

The staff at Aspen tell me she's doing fine, and that when she's limping, just slow things back down to bed rest. Occasional pain pills as needed. Major surgery, after all. I don't have to explain who I am when I call now... they all know me -- Moxie's crazy person -- or "guardian," as Boulder city ordinance denotes pet people, (and pets are "companions" rather than property). I do find interesting places to live, don't I?!

So, we go on very slow walks around the court so that she is encouraged to put her weight on her leg. Otherwise she tends to want to be a three-legged dog hop-a-long Cassidy, so she can go at her customary speedy clip, to investigate all those new smells along the way.

We also do leg stretches, massages, and some strengthening exercises, such as sit, stand, lean, and step up's. She gets stinky liver treats for some of these...loves those.

And, when she's laying down, I sit with her and play with her new favorite toy (thanks, Monica!), the plastic water bottle stuffed pig. The crunchy sound keeps her busy for a while, and it's actually preferable to the squeaky toys. Though she also loves those horrendous squeaks...and I suffer them out of love for her.

It's been quite amazing to spend this much time in concentrated contact with her. I realized I haven't played like this with her since she was a puppy. Sure, I've walked with her everyday, and thrown her toys for her...but usually I'm multitasking (phone or dishes or computer, etc).

These days, it's just me and her for hours.

It's a special time.

Water Treadmill Today and "Our" Mountains

Moxie had her second PT appointment. Amanda did her yummy muscle massage and then tempted Moxie into the treadmill for some underwater walk therapy. Here's a series of shots... Moxie was nervous at first, but quickly figured it out. And the liver treats didn't hurt...

Moxie's left hind leg muscles are pretty atrophied from her lack of use, so we've got lots of stretching and strengthening exercises to be doing each day at home. I'll also take her for a few treadmill sessions over the next few weeks to assure her leg muscles are developing at an optimum rate.

Amanda is great. Again, big kudos to Aspen and associates.

On the way home, I snapped a couple of the views we have around here. The first one is right before turning into our neighborhood:

 
I like this one for all the layers of blues... makes me want to paint!

No Cone Zone!

Yay -- Moxie's two weeks post-surgery re-check appointment went well! Her staples are removed. Doc says her incision cut looks well-healed and her knee feels solid. She's hobbling along, but at the pace, says the doc, that she should be. Cone is off!

Still needs very low exercise, but I can start her daily 5 minute walks this week and slowly build her up to 25 minutes a few times a day over the course of the next 6 weeks.

Meanwhile, no jumping, climbing stairs, running, bolting after squirrels, etc, until after her 8 week check and xrays.

So, we went on a joy ride after her appointment -- I wish I could have taken shots of her with the wind blowing her ears back as we drove along. She loves car rides. So perhaps I can help her into the car over the next few weeks and go on long drives at least, if not hikes. Let's see... is there someplace around here to go for scenic drives?!

This morning, we're all hanging out (Jenna is inside telecommuting, but the whole pack is home). That's Kokoro, the Shiba Inu pup there in the front. Today, I'm studying Stephen Quiller color theory. Good stuff :)

Happy Face!

Here's the happy face I love to see!
She got a cone-off, bone-chewing break yesterday.... until she sneaked some licks on that knee, and the cone went back on.
She's been out of her pen on a couple of occasions and seems to be using the leg more.
She gave me a scare the other day by climbing out over the couch...

She seems like she pulled a muscle perhaps from that caper... not quite back to where she was before then, so she's under strict watch and low exercise. 
Quite the nerve-wracking couple of weeks -- I'll be grateful when she gets her re-check next Tuesday. I hope all is well!

Convalescence Art

One of the really nice things about Moxie feeling better is that I'M feeling better, and can do some things now besides waiting and watching her. Today I set up a table in the living room near Moxie and explored my Prismacolor pencils and Faber Castell black ink pens.

Here's a little portrait of a sweet moment I caught in a photo from some years ago...

Love that dog :)

We're into the second critical week of the post-surgery recovery, and Moxie is doing great!

Today, she and I took the first of this week's 5 minute short-leash walks around the block -- this one was just halfway around the court where we're living, but to see her, you'd think she was going for a big adventure.  I had to keep her from trotting along -- anything beyond a slow walk is not allowed yet. She's also been responding well to our physical therapy exercises, various knee bendings/stretchings and muscle massages. Who wouldn't?!

Aspen Meadows has just been fantastic, contacting me to check on "our kiddo" every other day. They have continued to allow Moxie's account to remain open for donations, so I'm relieved from the pressure of having to pay the bill right away. I'm so grateful to have found a gem of a veterinary hospital right here in Longmont.

Lucky me. Lucky Mox!

Physical Therapy A+

Moxie's lovely physical therapist Amanda said Moxie is doing great -- in some ways well beyond where dogs often are at this stage (minimal swelling, nice range of motion in her leg, calm disposition during the appointment). Well, no wonder about the calm disposition -- Amanda massaged her the entire time we sat there (about 45 minutes). Of course, the Mox is generally a putty-in-your-hands kind of pup, anyway.

The physical therapy room is like a playschool for dogs -- really fun place with lots of toys and things to get nosy about. It was good to see Moxie walking around the place without me assisting with the sling. Amanda wanted to see how she used her leg. She pretty much stays off it so far, not hopping, but barely toeing down. Normal, says Amanda.

She showed us how to massage Moxie's back and hind end where her muscles are tight from holding her leg up when she walks (hobbles) outside to potty.  Her incision is healing nicely as well. Cone stays on though, until those staples come out, in another week and a half.

She says after next Tuesday we should start leash-walking her 2-3 times a day for 5 minutes each time, and then start to add minutes up to 10 minutes, 3-4 times a day for the second week.

Painstakingly slow, it feels, but we're on our way up!

Next appointment, in about two weeks, Moxie will get to do the underwater treadmill. I'm interested to see how she handles that.

A leg up, soon!

 Awww. It's pitiful :(

But she's apparently not in pain -- thanks to huge quantities of Tramadol and lots of sleeping. 

I've never seriously celebrated Mother's Day in relation to pet care, but somehow this time with Moxie reminds me a lot of what we all need in mothering, so...I guess it makes some sense. Besides the joy of spending time cleaning her hind end from where she soiled herself during surgery, I have spent long hours just sitting with her, stroking and cooing while she settles down from whimpering into a dopey snooze. She's my pup for sure.

Tomorrow she goes in for physical therapy where they'll test her leg use, and show me the things I'll need to be doing with her for the next two months.  She gets a swimming PT appt later on. Aspen has just been wonderful.

As has Jenna -- who has taken great care of both of us during this time. And some wonderful emails, posts and donations from Moxie's fan club.

I'm grateful for all the love in my life!

Queen Moxie

Awww.
Pitiful, but at least home on her own blanket.
She's on some serious pain killers (Tramadol, for those of you who are medically aware) and is out of sorts.
But she seems to be doing well enough.
Tonight I'll stay out in the living room and sleep nearby.
The leg looks surprisingly clean -- the incision is on the inside and I'm amazed at how unscary it looks. She's got a poodle haircut on her left hind leg and, as you can see in the pic, a shaved ring around her right front leg.
The vet gave me a sling to support her hind end when we're walking outside for a bathroom break. Alarmingly, she wants to walk faster than she should. So we're a strange-looking pair, me puppeteering her movements; her in that Elizabethan collar.

So, off we go on the next phase of the adventure...

Thank you for all the cheering.
Keep sending those healing thoughts -- and calming ones for me :)  Thanks!

Howl, Grasshopper, Howl!

I received a call this morning from Aspen Meadow:
"Hello Christina. We're just calling to let you know that Moxie is doing great this morning. She is eating, is happy, and is doing a nice job teaching the Golden next to her how to howl."
That Mox is a master howler... I love the little "o" her mouth forms when she goes. Jenna's neighborhood is one of those where all the dogs get to howling at the sirens...and she lives a block or so from the fire department, so lots of music.
We'll see if she teaches Kokoro (Jenna's Shiba Inu) to howl...so far not yet.
Looking forward to picking her up at 11... :)

Surgery went without a hitch!

Great news! The surgeon called me and told me that Moxie's surgery went without any problems. She's resting in recovery now. She'll be there, monitored all day and night. I'll be able to pick her up tomorrow morning at 11am.

YIPPEEEEEE!
And a shout-out, right here in Longmont, 5 minutes away, to ....

Sketching the Mox

 

Looking forward to some nice opportunities to sketch my pup during her recovery. 

Surgery one week from today...