Thursday...

I realized and my mom also pointed out that I said nothing about how the laser procedure was :-p Spooky was able to lay down during it and we had to dampen her hair a little because the vet tech said otherwise we would smell her hair burning 8-o But I didn't smell any burning hair. It was very quick, I would say less than 10 minutes. It was a K-Laser, it's hand held and has a "pen" like instrument to apply the treatment. Yes we both had to wear goggles, Spooky didn't, but I kept my hand over her eyes. It didn't seem to bother Spooky at all, she turned to look a couple of times, but didn't try to get away, if she felt anyting it was just heat I was told.
Spooky and I got home around 7:30 last night, long day for her:-) I brought her back to work with me after the vet's and left her in my car, she's used to it and happy enough in there. After work I had to make a few stops, farm and stopped at 2 stores. I got puppy pads, canned pumpkin, yogurt, another kong and some chewies for Limo. Limo has yet to break into her new bone, she just prances around with it and buries it in blankets.
The puppy pads are interesting, but I wonder if they are too "attracting" and a false sense of security for me? She nailed all 3 I put in her X pen over night, well she hit the pad and some of her bedding as well. I still don't know her schedule. But I think I'm going to make it every 3-4 hours and allow her to have more water.
Last night I laid her on a dog bed near me while we watched TV for 2 hours. She slept alot. I rubbed the areas that the Holistic vet recommended, that really thin skin in the hock area (during the acupunture she stuck the pin right THROUGH that area :-) and a place about 2 inches below her hind knee (I don't know how else to say it). She was fast asleep. I also stimulated her toes. I pinched them enough so she would retract them some and she did on both, even on the left side which she was laying on.
I allowed an accident this AM, I got her up to put her blanket on and then remembered I still had to get the bed out of the dryer and put it in the car. When I returned she had pooped:-( I had even her 2 oppurtunitties with in the last 2 hours, but I guess when you have to go you have to go. She can get up on her own, lay down on her own and turn around on her own, she even tried to nest her bed last night.
I brought her to work with me and so she's out in the car. She has her snuggler on and I have the car on and the heat still running for her, but I'll turn it off as soon as the sun hits the car or it gets warmer. She is a warm dog by nature so I am not too worried. I also think now it is important for her to go places that aren't the vets. Lester is getting shoes today so in order to keep with my knew 3-4 hour plan I had to bring her. Plus I think the back of my CR-V is more comfortable then a crate and it's much easier to lift her from:-)
My back is still holding strong, knock on wood! Just muscle soreness, I don't think I'm using my back as badly as I think I might be....

Back from the Laser Treatment...

We are back from the laser treatment. My vet accessed her again and we gave her a steroid shot, soludelta Cortef 500 mg (I'm told it will make her throw up, but so far she hasn't), and upped her Predisone to 50 mg... she has another laser treatment on Friday. What I have been told and have read it takes at least 3 treatments to see any real results. In the meantime I'm really getting a workout on my quads, thighs and arms. She's in the back of my CR-V resting in the shade, makes for a great crate!
During the accessment she tested her ability to "right" her feet and she noted that they were slower to respond then on Friday... I knew this, BUT they were quicker to respond then yesterday, so even though she didn't see it, there has been some improvement.

I was smart this time and brought a bed and did not bring her in the building until we had a room. I would have been smarter had I brought my own rug though, next time! She has a horrible time on their floors even when she's 100%. I carried her in and carried her out, didn't even try walking on that floor.

I told Dr. Johnson that I didn't see the point in taking her to a neurologist because I would not do any surgery and therefore the treatment would be the same, we are doing everything we can. She said that personally she would not put her through surgery in my shoes either. I will do what ever I have to do get Spooky through this, but I can't see having to start all over again and have to have her relearning how to do everything again.

May we have a good night together and make it outside for every potty attempt...

Laser

In a little over an hour I will be taking Spooky for her first Laser treatment. http://www.alternativevet.org/laser.htm I called Dr. Johnson, out regular vet and tearfully told her the update and that we saw a holistic vet yesterday and did acupuncture. She immediately told me about the laser treatment they do and that in the short 6 months they have had this tool that she has seen amazing results. She also mentioned that it works in CONJUCTION with acupuncture so I'm very excited.

Wish us well.

A Happy moment...

Spooky pooped outside this AM! I must have had her timing perfect. I picked her up- I have found that if I lean over some first and then pick her up using my back then I can get to my feet- yeah not good for me, but carrying her saves time and accidents. So after she ate, standing up, I took picked her up and got her outside. I had the towel around her waist and put a little pressure on it and she squatted like she was going to pee, but pooped instead! I was so freak'n happy and excited, big praises for her and I swear she had such a look of accomplishment and happyness on her face. So I carried her back inside and put her in her crate- I feel so much better knowing she is in her crate and not the Xpen. She is getting up on her own and can even turn on her own. Still needs help walking, but I have noticed that she is "righting" (placing her feet correctly) every few steps, not always knuckeling over.
Last night wasn't all good. We had a pee accident. I was trying to help her up and just messed it all up, hit the bladder trigger and she squatted, peed and fell on her hiney, screaming of course. :-( I set my phone alarm to wake me up at midnight to pill her again and she was happy about a midnight snack. Even with getting up like that I feel pretty rested today.

Acupuncture

I took Spooky to a Holistic vet today that does acupuncture. There are non near Newnan so I went to Altoona Animal Hospital in Woodstock, at least this place is kinda close to my parents so I can visit with them some when Spooky goes for acupuncture. I called them at 8am and they gave me a 10 am appointment. I quickly got ready and loaded Spooky in the back of my CRV. Then I had to run into the house 3 different times because I first forgot the directions, then my phone, then my purse....
Traffic wasn't bad and we pulled in right at 9:45. She got up and repositioned herself about 3 different times on the way up. When we got there I went in first and the lady at the desk got 2 vet techs to help me get her out. I lifted her out of the car and she immediately squatted and pee-ed. I evidently hit the bladder trigger. We wobbled and stumbled in and were put in a nice exam room with a blanket. She plopped down with my help and laid flat on her left side. She doesn't seem to have a preference of sides at this point. The vet tech came in and took our history and all the important info as to how I thought this happened and how it's progressed from pain to this. The vet, Dr. Wansky then came in and did some tests. Pinched her toes on both back legs which she squeaked at so she does have feeling in her toes still. She took a pin or needle and poked down her spine, again she had feeling all the way down. Spooky can stand, well support herself, but once she trys to take a step she will fall over. She will get up on her own at home, but she couldn't do it in the office, I think it was because of the blanket slipping on the floor and she just didn't have any traction.
Dr. Wansky didn't sugar coat anything and was straight forward. If it's bone cancer then she doesn't have a lot of time and the acupuncture could even excel the spread of cancer. But we are all hoping it is not cancer and have had one treatment of acupuncture and she on Predisone now which is a steroid that will reduce inflammation if it's a disk problem.
I did not see the point in taking her to a neurologist:-( I would not opted for the surgery. She's 11 and having to carry her like this for only 1 and 1/2 days has showed me that we would both be miserable:-( I hurt her everytime I have to get her up, I hurt her when I have to move her. She is 63 lbs and I just can't carry her everywhere and she would hate that anyways. She doesn't understand what is going on with her and she's so not happy. I haven't seen her wag her tail in days:-( We just have to hope and pray that the steroids and acupuncture will get her mobile again, enough to be happy.
So I chose to go ahead with the acupuncture today. The vet stuck her with 14 needles, not one made her make a peep. It was intersting to see them and how flexible and small the needles are. She missed the target when laying back down on the blanket so I believe she was cold laying on the floor as she quivered some. I put the sweatshirt over her and layed over her and talked to her. She got that happy, rub my belly look a couple of times after the needles where taken out, she also did a big stretch which I haven't seen. Getting her back in the car was awful. The sweatshirt around her waist hit her bladder trigger again and she pee'd 4 times before we made it to the car with the help of a tech. I picked her up and put her in and got her home. I put her on the ground and couldn't get her to lift up enough to put the sweatshirt around her waist so I just picked her up, man what a workout. I put her in an xpen behind the couch and it's right next to the back door so it's working pretty good. She soiled her blanket again around 4pm, I just can't get her schedule:-(