Mary Jean and all my Cairn-loving friends -
I wanted to update you on Jack.
He is such a tiny bundle of love! He fits in well with the other dogs (once he decided to stop picking fights with the 100-pound Bull mastiff) and with my kitty-boy (once he stopped trying to hump a cat bigger than he was!) He is comfortable in his crate at night and at the hospital during the day, (and he loves to read with me at night), and always rounds up the choice toys both at home and work. He brazenly steals them from the other dogs, carries them to a safe spot that only he can fit in, and there he sits with them, like a dragon on top of his hoard!
He's now completely converted to a raw diet and really loves his food. He's also on a traditional Chinese herb formula I made up for him, plus joint support and vitamins, and he gets chiropractic adjustments every 2 weeks and infrasonic treatments weekly. I've re-radiographed his pelvis- it's still in pieces and I really have no idea how he manages to use the other hind leg, since it isn't really connected to an intact pelvis - I'm not sure that the plate he has in there is doing much. He goes to see an orthopedic surgeon friend of mine next month, and we'll get another opinion. Despite all that, he runs and plays like a maniac, and skitters up and down stairs in the house and up and down his ramps outside. Nothing slows Jack down - neither chipmunks or deer are safe on our five acres!
At the hospital, his favorite playmate is our associate Doctor's young blind Australian Shepherd, Piper. Out of all the dogs at work, three-legged Jack and blind Piper are the two that run and tumble and play the most. Clients love to meet them and watch them play. Those two have certainly given a lot of clients with health-challenged dogs the courage and confidence to proceed with treatment! Piper competes in agility and Jack will start agility training also, next year, if he likes it enough to do so - we'll see....
Of course, he is also a lot of work - he is not really potty-trained (at least not in my home), and a belly-band doesn't work - with only one hind leg, it slides right off him! He is a SERIOUS little pee-er, and has gotten all the boys in the house in on the act, but we are working on it and are making headway. Everyone put their heads together at work, and we have come up with a "belly-band and suspenders" get-up that hooks to his collar (and works some of the time).
I hope you will check out the August column that Lizzie writes on the hospital website, There, Lizzie talks about her family, and finishes her column with news about her new family member, his background, and his friends and fans: Jack, his wonderful, caring, foster-Mom and "sisters", and all the fabulous people at Col. Potters. Here's the site: http://knollwoodhospitalforpets.com/
May you and your family (including all furry members) be well,
Dr. Deb M
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