After seven sessions of acupuncture..

Last month I mentioned that the holistic veterinary centre Pea goes to offers acupuncture treatment. Instead I brought him to a well-known acupuncture specialist who treated on animals at the Singapore Zoo. Dr Oh practises at a veterinary centre located very far from home, the treatment fees are high and the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) he dispenses don't come cheap.

I felt Pea deserves the best.

Pea has been through tremendous pain, more so than any other IVDD dog whose owners I have spoken with. He deserves to be pain-free. He deserves to be happy and well.

Moreover, my beliefs regarding medical treatment is, I always consult the best that I can afford. At this moment, I can, so I should.

We've been through seven sessions of acupuncture thus far. Twice weekly, except for two weeks where we have only one session each, because one, the centre is closed for a long public holiday weekend and another which we have to cancel because Dr. Oh has double booked himself.

Pea has done very well. Dr. Oh has performed tremendous work on my little boy.

Getting frisky and back to the scratching business.

• Pea has wobbly hind legs since 8 or 9 years old. After the fifth session, both of his hind legs no longer wobble. Pea has become frisky and impatient in his crate, he has more expandable energy and when he lifts one leg up for the pee business, the legs appear sure-footed.
  

Finally curling to sleep!

• Pea leaks ever since a major surgery where he had bladder stones (struvites) removed. Now, Pea hasn't been leaking much during bedtime. However he leaks when he is excited.

• Since 25th July, there has been no pain attack and no knuckling of the right paw.

• I brought Pea to Dr. Sayaka (who practises at the holistic centre we go to) for grooming and a skin issue last Sunday evening. While we were there, she performed acupuncture on Pea too. She mentioned that Pea is doing very well on the lumbar and thoracic regions.

There is much literature and white papers on acupuncture treatment for animals and this is especially more common and acceptable in the US. Pea is one such testimony.

I hope more dog owners come forward to give acupuncture and TCM a chance. They are a great alternative to surgery and western medication.

Crate rest recovery.

Just discovered a great site and more tips to crating and confinement!

So much information, I wish I knew about this earlier..!

New living arrangements for an IVDD dog.

You're probably here because your dog is suffering from arthritis, a spinal, disc, bone or hip injury. You are anxious because little comforts him and you are looking for methods to help alleviate his pain.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor nor an expert. I learnt what I've had because of what I've been through for the past one month and I'm still learning.

The tricky bit is Doggy only knows about pain at this stage. He does not know what he should avoid or how his living arrangement will change to accommodate the grand plan of rehabilitative care you have in mind. You, as his family and owner, should control and train his behaviour and habits for as complete and holistic care programme you can arrange for.

Confinement - less walk (at home), no play, strict rest and recovery.

Your veterinarian should have recommended by now a confinement period for your dog for at least 8 weeks, depending on his condition and severity.  You can confine your dog to a play pen, crate or even a very small room. Don't worry about him whining or crying if he is not used to being confined to his special recovery area. He will get used to it. Some dogs, like mine, actually prefers the confinement as he feels safer in his own little corner. Pea has been sleeping beside me on his own adult-sized pillow for 11 years, so you can imagine my secret relief that he can take to sleeping on his own while being confined.

Feeling safe and secure in his rehab corner.

The only issue I face regarding confinement is his urine / poo schedule. Please make sure your dog gets carried out gently for regular pee and poo activities. When I am at work, I keep Pea in a larger room where he has access to the bathroom. Sometimes I come back to zero pee activity and this gets me worried. I know how this may cause bladder stones. Pea had bladder stone removal surgery in 2007. To prevent bladder stone development, I supplement his diet with cranberry capsules.

If he is confined to a play pen or small room, make it cosy and familiar for him by having one or two favourite toys with him. Chances are, he won't play. Chewing on toys may even hurt if he has a slipped disc in the cervical area. But I hope, on seeing familar favourite items, the spirits of our little ones may be lifted up. Pea loves nature, so I've taken the trouble to ensure that he gets to enjoy a little nature in a fresh pot or vase of flowers every week.

Now, the next important thing after dog confinement: non-slip / anti-slip mats.

Anti-slip mats are a life saver. I know this through seeing how my dog gains relief from them after his veterinarian advised about it. Please don't think highly of the rug or carpet your dog / cat is sitting on. No amount of duvets, cushions, pillows or soft towels can help alleviate the pain like these anti-slip mats.

This also means your dog should be off the couch, sofa or bed or tiled / parquet / marbled flooring as he needs to be on the anti-slip mat that provides traction and stability to joints and relief to the nerves in the cords. Any slight movement or fall that results due to the nature of bedding or cushions may cause further nerve irritation or pain, which then further deteriorates the condition. I have DDD (degenerative disc disease) and personally find it comforting to be walking on these mats too.

You may purchase non-slip / anti-slip mats from Amazon, the handy fix store, DIY store, bathroom supplies store, or even at the dollar store. You may also purchase from established brands such as 3M which are anti-fungal (good if you live in a high-humidity area). However, beware that 3M has mats that feature tiny stubs at the bottom of the mat. I personally avoid those.

If you are unsure of the material you should be looking out for, click here. (Disclaimer: this is an example of the material, I did not purchase this.)

The one that Pea uses is slightly thicker but it works. His paws leave a little dent in it and then evens out in seconds. So, that is fine.

I've come to learn that you should:

• Buy more than you need. 

These mats get worn fast if you have a large dog or after a month or two's use. Buy more so that you don't need to run off to the store to grab supplies when time is scarce and required for trips to the vet, acupuncturist or simply to be home to be there for your dog.

Buy more because 'accidents' (pee and poo mishaps) happen when you have a dog with spinal injury. Your dog may leak or get an 'accident' on it. My dog has always been leaking for a couple of years now and with these mats, I find myself washing and scrubbing the mats every morning after he awakes.

• Get yoga mats if you have a larger floor area to cover.

If your dog is not in a very serious condition, the doctor may not advise confinement. Even if the dog does not need to be confined, he deserves a safe place to walk, play and lie on. So, mats are still recommended and encouraged! If your dog is recovering well and the doctor has given you the go-ahead to relax with the confinement rules, you may enjoy the liberty to provide a wider living premise for your dog. In this case, yoga mats are longer and may be more cost-effective than individual mats. Having said that, smaller mats are still good as they can be washed and dried more conveniently than long yoga mats. This is entirely up to your preference.

•  Train that his mat is his new best friend.

Train your dog to behave as if he can only be on areas that are covered with mats. Sometimes, I can't keep an eye on Pea when I am preparing his meals, but I can't have him in his playpen because it is soiled or dirty right after he awakes. So I keep him on one mat and tell him to 'stay' in a corner near me while I get busy. It takes time for dogs to be conditioned especially when they are ill. But their intelligence will get this by.

•  Don't underestimate non-slip / anti-slip mats.

Sometimes Pea gets naughty and tries to walk around the area that is not covered by mats. What happens? Sometimes, nothing. Sometimes, he slips on the tiled floor and his condition worsens. So, don't underestimate the amount of comfort these mats provide.

Looking a little glum, waiting for breakfast to be prepared.

These are the immediate steps you should take after your dog's diagnosis. Of course, give a lot more love, kisses and small touches to your dog to make him to feel happy and safe. Spinal-related diseases are the worst things to happen to a dog.  I hope these steps help in your rehab care programme and may God bless you and your dog in the journey ahead.

Pea's first alone-day.

Unhappy about being home alone.

Today is the first day that Pea spends the entire day alone. Even Samuel, our silky terrier is at another place as the brown fella is too much of a disruptive little one for an IVDD dog.

I worry and fret and think of Pea the whole time I am out at work.

There is also this new dilemma about Pea's resting corner while we are out.

Should we continue to have Pea alone and away from Samuel when there is no human caregiver at home? If so, should we put Pea up at the kitchen where he usually is and allow him more walk space (not recommended) but access to the bathroom?

Or, should we have Pea up at the playpen without any access to bathroom?

Or, at the playpen with access to the bathroom in my room?

To say that all our lives are changed is an understatement. We have to take special care in opening the door and gate as we do not want him to be jumping or standing in anticipation of our arrival. 

Oh, should we crate him completely when we are out to prevent him from standing and jumping? 

I pray for the Lord to guide me in wisdom.

Carrying Pea.

Two weeks ago, I found a particularly useful video that shows me how I can pick up and carry my dog the right way without hurting him. This is not just for a dog with IVDD but any dog with a back problem or injury.