strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff

AP here:
I grew up in a place with real castles, Kings, Queens and Princesses, with stories of Knights and dragons, fairies, gnomes and elves, Mr. Big Ears and Dougal the dog. A place with stories of the brave and the true, of chivalry and happy endings. A land where Dr. James Herriot took care of all the creatures great and small. Puff the magic dragon was loved by a small boy and the search for Nessie was ongoing. This was and is my foundation for imagination and thinking outside of the box and for my love and respect for all animals. So it is hard for me to fathom a less than happy outcome for Tonka dog. In my little corner of the world my brain just knows there has to be a cure and a happy ending.

Having a blind dog will teach you 2 very important things that you need in this world, persistence and patience. People ask me in round about and nonchalant ways about stopping the therapy and the search for diagnosis. To them I am wasting money and should just give up .I try not to get annoyed at this since they do not understand and do not live with the magic dog I call the Tonka. I will continue to be persistent in finding his problem and a cure and patient in taking care of his needs and keeping him happy. Anyone that wants to be part of the solution is welcome and those that don't can just move on.

I don't entertain Tonka with strings and sealing wax but we do have other fancy stuff both to keep him amused and to keep him safe and healthy. We play with puzzles by Nina Ottonson and on really good days when he is fairly mobile we wrestle a bit. To keep him safe and healthy we have all sorts of socks, boots and rubber covers for his feet, belly bands to keep him dry when he leaks, wipes to keep him clean and harnesses to help him up. We even have a hair scrunchy with bells sown on to keep around his foot to maybe make him more aware of where it it and lifting it (therapist suggestion).
Next week we are going back to a neurologist and see what else we can try.

Ouch my toes

Spidey Tape Sock (thanks Aunt Nancy)

Jingle Foot

Rubber Boots and Belly Band

The Present is The Same as the Past

AP here:
Life with Tonka lately is like being stuck in some runaway time warp. Nine months ago something happened to the Tonka Man. Whatever it was it took us on a long and very exhausting trip for 6 months with his left leg. Then just when it seemed to get better and go away it struck again with the right leg. If you follow this blog you know that we have seen a small army of specialists and have some amazing people in our corner. While the fact that he is so loved and spoiled by so many is a wonderful thing it does not dispel the reality that everyday is a crap shoot. Some days he is pretty ambulatory and requires little extra care but others are harder on everyone involved (except him). He takes it all in stride and just wants to be fussed over and loved. Its now July but it feels like a re-run of last December with his symptoms. This leg is the same but slightly different and we met with a new neurologist (Dr. Gainsburg at Mid - Atlantic Veterinary Neurology & Neurosurgery) yesterday and the first thing he noticed was that the muscles to top of Tonka's head have shrunk. We did not have that last time and with this leg he is walking on the outside of his foot and his toes stay flexed up. I don't know what any of that means, if anything and no one else seems to either. If this follows the same path then by October he will be better and it will have been a year. If the universe really wants to add insult to injury then it will be time for the other leg to start downhill again. Should I laugh, should I cry, should I rail against something that has no name - none of that changes a damn thing. So here we sit stuck in this flow of time hoping that the present changes from the past and into a better future.

 Good

 Bad but not horrible.

Canine Summer Safety Tips

AP here:
Tonka and I spend one day a week if not more at a vet's office. As a result  I get to see and hear quite a bit of what is current and happening with clients. A few months ago Ticks were a major topic, due to the mild winter they were out early in the year and very plentiful. This month we have firework anxiety and heat related problems topping the list. Our last post was about fireworks so Tonka thought it might be good idea to pass on some information about summer heat health.

I am not a Veterinarian! If you feel your pet is in distress and needs help - call your vet.

Heat and dogs are just not a good combination and heat stroke, sunburn and blistered paw pads are  common things that veterinarians will see n the summer.
Please remember that this blog is not meant to replace medical advice or attention from your pets Doctor. If you feel you have any health problems with your dog seek professional medical advice from a veterinarian.

Feet-
Hot metal surfaces, black asphalt and even white concrete sidewalks and pool decks can become extremely hot in the summer. A good rule of thumb is - if the ground is too hot for your bare-feet, it is too hot for your furry friend.Most dogs are very stoic and you have to really be paying attention to catch the clues that there might be a problem. Some signs that your pet is having a heat related foot issue are:

•  refusing to walk or walking with a limp
• licking or gnawing at the feet
• blisters or discoloration (redness)
• parts of pads are missing

Some dogs spend time in the family pool or in the river to keep cool. Something to keep in mind for the waterlogged dog is that the time in the water will soften their feet. If they then are out on a hot surface they will be more prone to quickly burning or blistering the pads. At the first sign of a burn get them off the hot surface and to a cooler area  immediately. Cool the pads with cool water or a cool compress.
Call your vet as soon as possible and keep the feet cool and clean.  The vet will be able to tell how deep the burns are and help you prevent infection.Your dog might need to have antibiotics or pain medications depending on the severity of the damage. If your dog needs to walk across any hot surface to get somewhere such as the car or across the hot patio to go potty put down rugs or wet towels to allow them to cross safely.

Sunburn-
Dogs can get sunburned especially on the nose and ear tips. Short legged dogs can even get sunburn on their bellies from the reflected sunlight from the pavement or sand. Hairless, short haired, white or light colored dogs are particularly vulnerable to sunburn and skin cancers. Keep your pet in the shade on sunny days or use a sunscreen. If you are going to use a sunscreen make sure it is made for dogs and never use anything containing zinc oxide as it is harmful to animals. Tonka uses a sunscreen made by the Doggles company and wears a visor made by our friend Carolyn  when he is at the beach. Now there are companies making a UV protective clothing line just for pets. Don't forget to make sure that the dog is keeping hydrated and cool under that UV shirt.


Heat Stroke-
Heat Stroke is defined as the inability of your dog to regulate his body temperature.

Excessive salivation, panting rapidly, reddened ears and pads, pale gums, vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst are all signs of a dog that is overheating. You do not have to have all of these present to be in danger but a dog that is disoriented and/or having seizures needs attention fast. A dog with a rectal temperature of 104 and above is extremely serious since at 106 irreversible damage starts to occur to the internal organs and brain. Grab a garden hose and get them cooled down with cool water (NOT COLD or ICE) paying attention to the stomach,groin, head and feet areas. The stomach and groin contain large blood vessels close to the skins surface and will help to cool the dog quicker. Submerging a dog with heatstroke into a pool or tub is not recommended as it will cool the dog too quickly and could complicate matters by causing cardiac problems. Cool running water is best, not ice or cold water as these are counter productive. With cold or ice water the blood vessels will constrict in response to the extreme cold and slow the flow of blood, slowing down the cooling process. Do not cover the dog with towels or blankets as you want the heat to dissipate and leave not get trapped between the dogs body and the blanket. Transport to the closest ER as quickly and safely as possible.

Tonka wants all his friends to be safe and stay cool this summer!
.

The real DOG Day of Summer (July 4th safety tips)

AP here:
Did you know that today is not a good day to be a dog with any sort of fear response to loud noises. Humans all over the country today will shoot off very loud fireworks. It is a known statistic that more dogs run away on July 4th than any other day. It is easy to see how this can happen with even the most laid back and well behaved dogs. People are preparing and gathering for cookouts and to either host or to watch a fireworks show, so the attention is focused elsewhere and the dog can easily get overlooked.
Dogs do not understand fireworks specially puppies who have never experienced anything loud and flashy. The squealing whistle of the initial launch ending with a loud bang and very bright lights repeated over and over is enough to make any dog wonder what is happening. A dog that already has noise issues will be set over the edge and even dogs that are normally OK with loud things can get stressed. Gates and doors might not get closed as securely as usual and  an animal that is reacting out of sheer terror can climb/leap fences that they normally would not attempt. Animals in fight or flight mode are not predictable so once out of the yard a pet that would usually just return home can get disoriented.
If fireworks are going to be set off around your pet today here are some simple precautions.

Things that you can do today-

Collar with name tag and contact phone number - even if your dog is micro-chipped a collar and phone number will get them home faster if found by your neighbor

Take a photo of your pet so you have a current on in case you need to post Lost or Missing flyer's

Keep the daily routine as normal as possible and make sure to get in the dogs daily exercise/walk before the party/fireworks start.

Thundershirt your pet this evening if that usually helps with storms (or any anxiety wrap you use)

Confine your pet to one area or the house or crate before the fireworks start. Turn on fans, music or TV's as background noise to block out the outside commotion. If possible shut the windows and pull the curtains or blinds.

If you normally use a sedative or any other calming agent for storms talk to your vet about using it tonight (FYI -July 3rd is a very busy day for your vet as people are refilling their prescriptions for sedatives and asking for tips on how to handle July 4th)

If you are having people over that will be going in and out of gates and doors post signs reminding them to shut them completely due to the dog/cat

There are other dangers lurking for your pet today as well and the ASPCA Tips is a good read.

I make it a point on the morning of July 5th to patrol for any remnants of fireworks that might have fallen  in my yard first before letting Tonka out. This was more important when he was a puppy and everything was a chew toy or something to try and eat but I still do it now to keep him safe.

Just as the 3rd is a busy day for veterinarians the 5th of July is one of the busiest day for your local shelter. If the worst has happened and your dog is missing you will want to contact them first thing before it becomes a complete zoo.

Tonka wants everyone to have a safe and happy 4th.

Payback or - Did you really just walk me into a car?

AP here:
The T-Man and I are still walking twice a day although we only travel about 4 or 5 houses up the block and then turn around. He cannot touch concrete or anything rough with the middle two toenails on that bad foot as they are completely worn down and become a bloody mess. Once out of the backyard he has to have either socks or a boot on to protect the toes.

He is managing to lift the foot with his Ruff Wear Skyliner boot (see this post) for a good portion of the walk so that is promising. This is exactly where we were in November of last year with the other leg. I sometimes feel like I am just repeating the days over and over again like the Groundhog day movie..
The boot thing is a huge deal in my little corner of the world since it means I don't have to deal with socks and duct tape. Socks and duct tape require stopping every few feet to reposition since they roll around and sag no matter how much duct tape you use or how tight you make them. I had created some sock boots but they suffer from the same rolling problem.

He is doing well (since this weekend) with the boot. He takes slow methodical steps and his back end does not seem to be drifting as bad to the right like it had been. He still thinks he can go further than I will let him which is also a good sign.

 June 22nd

On the way back when he gets sloppy we do some thera-band work to keep him going and to train his foot and leg to lift.

This morning I was walking him home with the thera-band and I was looking down at his foot so that I could get the proper placement and he subtly drifted a bit and walked me right into a parked car.
I had to chuckle a bit because there have been times over the years that I have walked him into some items such as a tree, a car, and the occasional fence.
I had to wonder if he was silently thinking "YES-Payback"

                                                                 June 23rd

I am encouraged by these little baby steps of progress and so we will keep "walking" forward and try to avoid the obstacles in our path..

Stubborn, Rotten Boy

AP here:
Walking for the boy this weekend was crappy. This video is of him walking on Saturday morning.
Sunday was not a whole lot better and he was up several times trying to get comfortable.

The week did not start off much better and Monday night was a disaster
We went for a walk with his friends Nala and Duke and when he got tired I went to put him in the trailer. I did not have it secured enough and it rolled forward when he went to step in which caused him to fall. I got him up and we attempted to get back in the trailer. he stepped in and I lifted his back end up. I put my arm behind him to help him sit back and he pooped as he sat which ended up on me and in the trailer. So I got him back up and out and then got most of it up before putting him back in.

Once we were home I got him cleaned up and then broke down the trailer and disinfected it. Thankfully the trailer is a cinch to clean.

I am sure he really put himself out of sorts when he fell because he was up all night trying to get comfortable. The problem is he wants you to sleep on the floor with him and snuggle which works great for him but not so much for me. So with not much sleep both Sunday and Monday night I must have been a sight because everywhere we went on Tuesday people told me how tired I looked.

When we went for a little walk on Tuesday morning he was dragging his foot so I shortened our already little excursion and when we got to the house at our corner he put on the breaks. He can be so stubborn (if you own a Pyr you know) and will refuse to go forward if he thinks he has been cheated on the walk. He was so shaky I couldn't just pull on him so I let him off the leash and sat down on the curb about 8 feet in front of him and just started to cry. Now it takes a lot to make me cry so I really was very tired.  Next thing I know there is a cold wet nose in my ear. The rotten boy had walked up beside me and then proceeded to lick my ear and the side of my face.
How can you stay upset or angry with a Tonka Dog giving you kisses?
I got up kissed his head and we staggered home.

Tonka's Trailer (Cycletote)

AP here:
People always ask me about Tonka's Cycletote trailer. We have posted about it before we did not get into specifics about how he gets in and out. Obviously at 134lbs I cannot lift him and I was worried when I ordered it that we would have trouble getting him to use it. The good thing is he  listens so well that teaching him did not take long. We have created a short video to show you  (please pardon the appearance of my posterior in several of the scenes).
We shot this after a walk with me pushing him home for a mile and a half on a hot afternoon. In hindsight we should have done it another time when we were not so tired.

The back of the trailer frame is a little lower right under the handlebars so that is the entry point.

I have the chocks in place so that the wheels don't move forward. The wheel chocks are a yoga block I sliced in half and then cut out a space for the wheel to sit in.

These help stabilize the trailer when he is getting in and out. I also hold up on the handlebars so when he steps in the back does not rock back and flip the front up. Once he steps in I lift his back end up and into the trailer. I shift him as far forward as he can go and then have him sit.
I use a treat to get him to lie down and then I put the chocks in with him and away we go.

When we get to our destination I put the chocks back on the wheels and give him the command to get up. I put my foot in to weight the front and to keep it steady while I help lift him to a standing position. Once he is standing I take my foot out and put my arm under him to help him when he steps out. He takes a minute to get his bearings and his balance and then he steps up and out to the left. When his front feet are out I then lift his back legs and swing them up and out.
The last thing I do is sure his back feet are where they should be on the ground before I let him start walking.


To carry things I started out with one big bike bag attached to the lower bar but then found it cumbersome and in the way when going up and down curbs. I found some little bike bags (Goodie Too) made by a company called Detours.
The bags use a special mount called the minibug that adapts to almost any handlebar size. I have two down low on the frame that carry spare tubes, tools and air in case we get a flat and two up on the handlebars for poop bags, treats, keys, cell phone and any other misc. stuff.
The trailer is very well made and is really easy to push and maneuver. The customer service is excellent and every trailer is handmade. Is you are looking for a trailer for your pets or kids I would definitely give them a call. I talked to several different companies but once I spoke to Sue at cycletote and told her my dilemma she was the only one to respond back with  a positive, "I think we can help". She even pulled up this blog to get an idea of how big Tonka is - that is customer service. A few phone calls later and we were ordering the Tonka trailer. I sincerely hope that in the near future we have no need of the trailer for our daily walks. If that day never comes, I at least know I have a product that will last. The frame has a lifetime warranty, all the fabric is CORDURA® which is very tough stuff and the back wheels are full size with narrow bike tires making for a smooth ride with less rolling resistance. It can be converted to either stroller or bike mode and if/when he recovers and we don't need it for walks I will use it to pull him on the bike trails.

Perspective

AP here:
I have started and stopped a new post over the past 2 weeks more times than I can remember now. I have been finding it hard to write about Tonka since he has not been doing well.
I think I am still very lost in my own head without a diagnosis for him. I research everyday and try to brainstorm (read grasp) for a reason or a solution to his inability to walk correctly.
Is the fact that both sides have now been affected relevant? Why is this side behaving  different than the other did? Is the cause one single event or did he have 2 separate events?  The list of questions is endless - all without answers.
He has been in therapy about a month now for this side and instead of making progress he is slipping backwards.
He stays in his house most days even if someone is home with him and the crate door is open. Maybe the coolness of the canine coolers feels good on his leg.

Lazy boy

I climbed in his crate for a kiss

He still wants to go for his afternoon walk with his friends but we cannot go very far without putting him in his cart.

I am trying very hard to stay positive and keep in mind that it took 3 months for his other side to come around..


Today I got an email from a friend who always has a positive outlook on things even in the face of extreme adversity and I was reminded that our problems are very small in comparison to some.

Perspective - its a wonderful thing to have but a hard thing to keep when you are caught up in the day to day stuff.
I need to keep the following in mind:
-he is not in pain (although I think his leg feels strange to him - perhaps pins and needle -ish)
-he can still walk (just not well or far)
-he can still make it outside to go to the bathroom
-he still loves to eat
-he still loves to be fussed over
-he does not have anything life threatening or anything needing surgical intervention
-there are many out there without a home or without the ability to walk at all or that are fighting cancer

So the problem is mine not his. I am the one that feels bad for him when he drags his foot or sits down so slowly and awkwardly when his leg won't bend. I am the one that grieves for the things we cant do anymore, he just accepts whatever the day brings.
I have learned this lesson before with the other leg but obviously I did not learn it well. We have all heard that we should count our blessings every day and if you really think about and stop to do it your troubles do seem to shrink.
I have to go hug my huggable now!