Gunner Update 2-9-09----- UPDATE on #14 and 21

[LUVMYGUNNER]

:cheer3: The hospital called this morning and said Gunner has mobility in both legs--HOW great is that?:cheer3:
He ate some chicken--won't eat the Science diet though, but has to be able to pee pee on his own. We thought she said he pee pee'd all over himself but she said no, it was catherer overflow.
So.....I need rays that he can go pee pee on his own soon. :)

[mistyleemom]

that he can go pee pee by himself

[Rae]

pee pee rayz on the way and WHOOO HOOOO for two legged mobility.:cheer3: :cheer3: :cheer3:

[Frzframe]

Great news! He'll be home soon with the rate he's going!! :cheer3: :cheer3:

[areese]

It's good news!!!!!! Laika didn't pee for 3-4 days so don't get worried. I also think the reason she didn't walk for that time was cuz of the fentynal they were giving her..the day they stopped it she stood up and the next day she peed.
Here's some pee:bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz:

[lotsadox]

That's great news that he's got mobility in both back legs :woonana:

Amanda didn't pee for a couple of days after surgery. Since they sent her home the day after the surgery I had to express her bladder. Believe me, you don't want to have to do that. You want him peeing on his own.

Sending :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz:

[Lisa]

:cheer3: :cheer3: :cheer3: Pogo didn't pee until day 3 on his own. Mobility in both legs is totally AWESOME! :cheer3: :cheer3: :cheer3:

Go Gunner Go.

[Barb]

Big time, HUGE PeePee :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: bulleting your way......

Awesome report :cheer3:

Go Gunner !!!

[LUVMYGUNNER]

Hubby and I are resting better, I just got up from a 2 hr nap.
I realy hope he can pee on his own. I'm scared enough to take care of him, as is. I'm gonna be so scared to let him walk on his own, after six-8 weeks of crate rest etc.

[Patt]

Lots of pee :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: on the way.

Irma, take a deep breath everything is going to work out just fine, I know easy for me to say. Your going to worry yourself sick and you don't want to do that. Take one day at a time and all will be well. Good to hear Gunner has the use of his legs, he will be home with you soon. :crossfin:

[Lisa]

Having been there he won't be as fragile as you think he is going to be. Here is my personal experience:

Day 1 - 10: Still very drugged up and groggy. You will have to do passive range of motions with him to keep his muscles strong. Bicycle motions, splits, back leg stretching. You will carry him to a potty spot -- have a hug-a-dox on his front, and they should give you sling to support his back end.

Days 10 - 21: He will get his stitches out around this time, and he will suddenly become incredibly annoying. He will want more freedom and will get sick and tired of crate rest. We let him walk around a bit more in the back yard with his harness and sling, but we still kept him in his crate other than that. Frozen kongs become your best friend.

From week three on: We did bring him to a physio place for an evaluation at week 4. She did give us more exercises to start doing with him which helped alot. We were very strict with Pogo -- rephrase, extremely strict. We worked with him to regain movement, but he didn't interact with the other dogs until a couple weeks ago (week 10). And we still carry him out to potty and he is in the crate if we aren't home. He still gets special alone snuggle time every night, but for us anyway, we are still on eggshells with him. I wouldn't want to every go through this again, but we want him to enjoy being a dogs....it's tough, really tough!

Gunner is going to do GREAT! Your specialist will give you his own set of instructions, and there will be really bad days, and there will be really good days, and there will be oodles of "does he look like he is walking funny today?" back and forth between you and your Hubby. It's what we do every morning, Rafi gets up first, and Pogo's night-time crate is at the end of the bed, he stretches for Rafi and walks out, my first words are always "is he okay?" Rafi goes "yup", picks up Pogo and gives him a good morning kiss (yes Pogo gets kissed before I do!).

There are those of us who have just been through this and we will be here to encourage you. Also if you don't feel comfortable with your vets level of experience with IVDD, it's okay to find another one that is more familiar with the disease.

Hang in there Irma. This sucks so bad, I shed so many tears when this happened to us. We made it through. Is Pogo perfect? Nope, but I would never use that word to describe him anyway. He is still our Poges and we look forward to spending the next 10 - 12 years with him.

[Kasianni]

Excellent news, mobility in both legs is just awesome!!! Take one tiny step at a time, one day at a time, everything is going to be okay!

[LUVMYGUNNER]

Thanks Lisa--awesome advice. Hubby just wants his little boy back....I will see what the vet says also. I hope they will give me instructions on the leg excersises.
He will also be crated a lot.6-8 weeks and then when we go to work.

[LUVMYGUNNER]

Just talked to the hospital and Gunner is doing well-he is also eating pretty good. No pee pee yet :(. They are emptying his bladder ever 12 hrs.

:cheer3: Keep those rays and prayers coming for a pee pee.:cheer3:

[Lisa]

Yup, your specialist will give you a special set of instructions for Gunner. I was just giving you what we experienced. I am sure Amy, Tex and the others who recently had surgery may have gone through something different.

Not to speak for them (please chime in ladies), I think the mental game that you play with yourself is really tough to get over. I personally still have a lot of guilt. I guess I rambled on to let you know that there will be good and bad days and you just have to focus on him still being here and where he is right now, won't be where he will be in 8 weeks, or 12 weeks, or 24 weeks etc. You have to focus on the small victories. Like lifting a leg to pee, and not freaking out when he doesn't one day.

[LUVMYGUNNER]

I know I will expect some accidents, in the crate also. Gunner was potty trained at 7 weeks and never had accidents in the house--so even for him, this will be an experience. I'm hoping that somewhere, the way I took care of him, will kick in. I'm going to put him back on Ester-C and a good salmon oil, if the surgeon says he can. This surgeon was big on those supplements.
Please keep him in your thoughts, right now I know he is being well taken care off.

[Mama S.]

I have no clue where the crap I was when the news came out that Gunner was down but sending love and gentle hugs and even some pee pee :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz:

[Rileybugg]

I managed to miss this whole thread but am sending many many :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: and :hug99: :hug99: :hug99: for your household!!!!!:hearts: :hearts:

[Lisa]

He might not have any accidents. For us, Pogo didn't drink a lot, so he didn't pee a lot. He did happily eat every single meal, but he stuck to his normal schedule. We brought him out about every 4 hours, sometimes he would do stuff, most of the times he wouldn't.

[Tex]

Great news on his leg mobility and sending lots of pee pee :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: !

[LUVMYGUNNER]

Still no pee pee. he is eating--chicken only, won't eat the food I sent. His mobility in both legs is good. Will update more tonight when we call the hospital.
Tomorrow we will visit with him. :)

[Barb]

Good Report !!! He WILL pee on his own....maybe he is waiting to show mommy :hearts: Mobility = excellent news !

[Lisa]

That is a really good update! The peeing will come.

[doxrox]

Pee :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: I'm so happy to hear he's doing so well!