LOOK AT THOSE LEGS!!!!!

 

LOOK AT HOW STRONG HE LOOKS- AND HAPPY!! Toby is perfect! he even took advantage of an open staircase and went on down- then back up! THEN he jumped onto a chair and then back DOWN when he saw me coming! He is fine!! IT DIDN'T SEEM TO HURT HIM AT ALL!!! SO, the days of worrying are over for us and Toby. He was so BAD a week ago- requiring pain pills every 12 hours. Then the grand kids came....and we put his shirt on him...and WA-LA! It was a miracle! I can't explain it. I don't even want to try. All I know is Toby is FINE. Look at his straight legs. 5 1/2 weeks......and it is over.
By The way- his shirt says "I'M USED TO THE ATTENTION"....

THANK YOU TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO HAVE GIVEN US HELP, AND WORDS OF SUPPORT...AND LOVE. IT IS ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE A DOG WHO CAN REALLY RELATE. I THANK YOU. IT MEANT A LOT.

Haircut.....what a day THAT was.....

 

 

 

 

A week ago tomorrow Toby got a haircut. He needed it so BADLY- he was obviously uncomfortable and had a hard time with the mats that were forming over his eyes! So, we found a company that comes to your house to groom dogs- and even takes special care with Special needs dogs. This gal was wonderful with Toby!! She talked to him and soothed him...and soothed my husband who helped. It was very scary actually, as Toby wasn't happy with the procedure which took 2 full hours as she was verrrry carefully taking her time with him. He had to be 'taken down to the skin' practically, although there was one lower setting, it left him all pink and spotted and definitely NOT looking like a BICHON! The process left him seemingly worse off, weaker,more apt to fall to the side and shaking a lot. He required pain pills twice a day (they are 12 hour ones) and at first he didn't eat a thing- for two full days. But the GOOD news- coupled with the grand kids visits and maybe the haircut (he has always loved being 'pretty') well...he has been running around the yard for the last 2 days as though he is a healed dog!! No more pain pills, no more leash. We DON'T let him jump up on the furniture or run up and down the stairs (we have 2 full flights of stairs in this house)But let me tell you- TOBY thinks he is fully healed- acts it- plays like it- the depression is gone- in fact, when he saw Eliza (our oldest Grand daughter who he considers his 'other mommy') he SMILED- and gave her a kiss! We hadn't seen a smile from him in over 5 weeks......... I am happy to announce that I can NOW change the subjects in this Blog!- WELL- after I TAKE THE FINAL PICTURE- I am HOPING to DO that tomorrow or Tuesday- BECAUSE now it is ME who can't walk.... or bend...or play... some kind of weird bug has hit me BIG time - verrrry painful joints (all of them I think!), my muscles then got involved and a pretty good fever has gone along WITH it. So, tomorrow I am off to the doctor to make ME feel better! (although, my joints have backed off in the pain department leaving only my knees and lower back painfully hurting, I think I'd better try to figure this out- besides my MOM is making me!!)

a light bulb goes off.....

Emotions in dogs are a lot like humans. They can be happy, mad, anxious, scared, loving and....depressed. Now we know that we have seen this in Toby and have been very worried, as anyone keeping up with this blog knows. But a funny thing happened during the 'pill' event that has kept us wondering...and thinking! As I said in yesterdays blog, we decided to take Toby on an experimental walk. The reason being is during the 'pill event' my husband pointed something out that Toby was doing. While waiting for the hydrogen Peroxide to bring the pill up and out of Toby's tummy, Toby started walking around Linet's yard...exploring. Again: he was WALKING AROUND LINET'S YARD. That morning I had blogged that I was so scared for him as he wasn't able to walk...he was swaying and losing his balance etc. BUT THEN, given a new place, some other doggy scents...a new VIEW so to speak, he became MOBILE and was walking almost completely normal. Sooo we started analyzing this. Could it BE that Toby is faking? NO. A dog doesn't have that capability. So, could it be that he is just so depressed that he doesn't CARE to walk..to TRY? I mean- one day up and about, the next day darn near crippled. Well yesterday evening we decided to try our theory. We took him too far, he even stepped up a curb and right back down before we even THOUGHT: STEP! We've been warned NO STEPS and there it was, disguised. I later added a foot note to the last blog entry that it was a mistake! We were devastated as we just KNEW we hurt him. But later, he started walking a bit better. Today we tried again. Once again this morning and all day long he hasn't been walking very well. As soon as we opened the gate for his walk- he pulled my husband along! He still didn't get far before wearing out- but he was only taken one house and their yard width and back home. He is sooo HAPPY about these little walks that it is very very obvious that we just MAY have found the answer. As my son Ryan pointed out "he needs some physical rehabilitation". After all, 4 WEEKS lying around...who wouldn't? With our Vets blessing, (Dr. Clark of "Critters Care") we are about to embark on just what Ryan suggested! And I truly believe, especially after his eager response both days, that this just may be what he needs now. Nothing else makes sense!

The Emotional Roller Coaster ride for Toby and US...

I am beginning to think this is the way it is going to be forever....

Toby can be doing so well one day, and then super weak and clumsy the next. I don't understand it. As I pointed out, the vet gave him a long-term steroid shot a few days ago along with a vit. B shot. Man, the next day, and especially two days later- he seemed darned near healed! It was amazing how well he was doing! In fact, once again we thought..'YEP! He's going to be FINE'!!
and then yesterday he once again began showing signs of weakness, it started yesterday afternoon. Today, the same thing, even losing balance when he was trying to go poo. I am beginning to feel the same mental exhaustion my husband is feeling....losing hope when I don't want to. It wouldn't be BAD if he was just going to BE this way and we could let him live as is. But BECAUSE he is still showing this 'weakness' in his hind legs we are being told to keep him calm, contained and basically, depressed!! The vet still isn't sure that surgery is the route we want to take since it hasn't any promises and not the highest of success rates. Then he'd still be contained (even if it worked) for most of the summer! Toby's depression is very hard on us...and it is catching. Nothing makes a person feel more hopeless and HELPLESS then trying to deal with a depressed animal that you can do nothing about.

My husband wonders if all this lying around is making him weaker in itself. I mean, if WE were to lie around all day long it would make US weak and sore!! IF we were to break the 'rule' of limited activity and take him for short walks down the street and around the corner for instance, would that be so bad? Of course, there are the fears- what if a loose dog is out? would Toby get hurt trying to be sociable? (he never DID learn to HEEL) we can't pick him up so that wouldn't be an option either. And so...do we chance it? What are our options for a depressed dog? Prozac? Do they make such a thing?? well at any rate...we are still at odds as to what to make of all of this and time is wearing on us and TOBY and our emotional roller coaster ride with this injury is really taking a toll.

I wish I had more answers.....
PS- just talked to my husband and we have decided to take him for a little walk after he gets home from work. Two of us together ought to be able to protect him. Wish us luck....the little guy needs this...it's always been his favorite thing to do (not counting playing with the grandkids!!)

UPDATE at 8:20 PM...

I'm not sure that that was a good idea after all. We took him- he was so HAPPY at first he was even hard to control. right away he jumped the curb. We never THOUGHT of a curb as being step...but it is and we allowed him to go over it and before we could do a thing, he came down it as well. He continued on...seemingly unaffected by the curb. so I don't THINK it hurt him...but it wasn't long at all and Dan realized that Toby wasn't really using his hind feet- his front legs were propelling him forward and he was kind of dragging his hind feet to some extent. He was weak in a flash, and hasn't done too well since we got home. I'll update.......

Long few days-

After the fiasco with what is now known as 'the pill day' followed by the "we can't get him to stop throwing up!" days, Toby is once again improving. Dr. Clark came day before yesterday to check him out AGAIN and decided to give the VERY wobbly, very WEAK little pink-faced dog a shot of vitamin B complex and another steroid shot as well. This one is long term, so we don't have to worry about trying to hide that little white pilled called Prednisone in his food! He was doing so GOOD before the pill incident which will haunt me for a very LONG time. Now he has suffered a set-back but the vet said that he is still considers it a good sign that he has not gone into complete paralysis. He thinks that if he was going to, he would have by now. Four weeks...and counting.

The two shots have helped remarkably! He has improved once again and the real worry was, when holding him down to get the 5 or 6 syringes filled with hydrogen peroxide down his throat (see post before the Pepto Post by clicking on blog header~ which will take you to my entire blog) and then two days later having to struggle with Pepto Bismol to stop his puking. We were VERY WORRIED about having hurt him further. We had done everything possible to brace his back when administering those life-saving meds...but man- even sick, a dog can struggle!! SO, we are MORE then relieved to see that once again Toby is beginning to walk- he is still wobbly of course, but he is getting stronger and a bit crankier with our other little bouncy, happy chihuahua Meeka. (good sign- she is pestering him from boredom!)

Another bit of GOOD news- we were able to wash his little face, which is still PINK, but lighter!

The pepto-wrestle...

 

Toby's stomach lining is burned and his esophagus probably in the same condition. This is caused from the hydrogen peroxide that he took yesterday to make him throw up the pill he was given by accident. He has been vomiting ever since. So, after 36 hours of not being able to keep stuff down longer then 2 hours at a time, he had to be given Pepto Bismol@ to coat his stomach and calm it down. I can give him a couple of tablespoons of water at a time, about 1-2 hours apart. He isn't dehydrated as my daughter in law pointed out. He wouldn't be going pee if he was, and he did. SO, that is a good sign- obviously some of the water we have given him is staying in his system. He hasn't had food stay down - and he is hungry! But in order to help his tummy we have to hold off on the food until his stomach has had time to rest.

I tried and tried and coaxed and plead to get Toby to open his mouth and take his pink medicine, but he refused and I am sooo afraid of hurting his back that I just couldn't FORCE it in him. So, I called Jennifer, my daughter in law- who is in town for three weeks, staying with her parents first and then when my son gets in town they will come here (on the 16th OF JULY!)ANYWAY, she is amazing with animals...and people. She is very calm. I am very NOT calm right now. I am quite frantic in dealing with my poor Toby. I am afraid...and so I over-react...panicking a bit too quickly over things like this. So, she came over and the 2 of us were able to pry my little guys mouth open enough to get the stuff in him...and on him..and nope- he will NOT allow me to wash his face. I think tonight he has HAD IT WITH ME. I cannot blame him.

With seconds ticking...

I never have, in my life...felt the uncontrolled horror of my own actions as I did yesterday. Today I thank God for the answered prayers of my sweet Grand daughters who never left their knees once they found out the horror that Toby was going through. (they absolutely love him) With seconds ticking down the time span for that pill to dissolve into Toby's system we were all frantic. ME especially, as I was the one who gave it to him by accident. After one and one half hours the pill was removed, in tact...WHOLE, as though untouched. I am still amazed! The Vet was as well (he called around 7PM. He had been on vacation!)

Toby's tummy was upset all day long after 'the incident' and he threw up everything that he was given, even water. But today is a new day and I feel so grateful that Toby did the simplest of things when he saw me. He wagged his tail. I guess he doesnt' understand that I was the one who caused the day to spin out of his control, and ours. But even if he did- he would forgive me, that I have no doubt. Dog's are amazing. Little Earth angels, with tiny horns! LOL!

Thanks Linet for 'being there' when no one else could be. We didn't have time to drive clear up to the south hill to save him...we had minutes to get that out...it should have dissolved and been gone...but the pill waited for us! THANK YOU, thank you...thank you.

it went down hill...

While waiting for the vet to call we knew that, although Toby had NO appetite, we HAD to get his prednisone in him. We tried all the usual foods to hide it in but he wouldn't even pay attention to it. We kept coming in, with foods of choice, pill in hand thinking we could quickly stick it in the food when he opened his mouth to eat whatever it was. NOTHING was working. IN the mean time, I had to take MY med, which is taken with food or it upsets my stomach,so I had taken it out and put it on the counter top when I thought- wait- PEANUT butter! SO, waiting to take MY med, I quickly grabbed the jar and a spoon and went in to see if he would be interested! YEP- he was! SO, I went to the kitchen, grabbed his pill and went back in to feed him a spoon of peanut butter laced with the little white pill.....GOT it in him! felt great relief- and went in to take my own pill with my cereal....
but I couldn't find it...
... MY little white pill was GONE!

My husband had seen Toby's pill sitting there and put it back in his bottle. I didn't know it. I FED MY MEDICATION TO TOBY. So, NOW we are in panic mode as we haven't yet been able to get hold of a vet and the pet emergency clinic had just closed. (open all night) SO, I dial 411 to find a number of another one- only it can't recognized what I am SAYING because when I am scared, my voice shakes. I SLAM the phone DOWN and Dan calls the poison center- and they say that my pill can cause 'severe seizures' in a dog- take him to Pet emergency. PANIC!!
SO NOW I am trying to FIND SOME VET THAT IS OPEN AT and I can't and SINCE I AM SHAKING SO BADLY I CAN barely EVEN READ THE PHONE BOOK let alone TURN THE PAGES. so we call Linet, my daughter in laws Mom, who has 3 dogs and ask HER if she knows a vet we could call- she says to give Toby a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting. I THINK I have some... at least 10 minutes have NOW passed. My husband runs upstairs, I run to the other bath- to the laundry room...NONE- we call her back- do you have any??!!! YES- My husband puts Toby into the Kennel and rushes over there. now 15-20 minutes.... Linet gives him the first dose, then 10 minutes later another one since he didn't vomit with the first dose. I don't know how many doses she gave him but STILL NOTHING- so she tests the hydrogen peroxide with baking soda. It's DEAD! SO Dan rushes to Albertson's to get more- by now....about an hour has passed. I am thinking...He's going to die and I did it to him. I am frantic and broken hearted. My eldest son, Ryan who was contacted by my youngest son Scotty, got on the computer and looked up area vets and talked to a vet asst on the south hill who sounded like 1 hour? oooohhh noooo....it might be too late..(he didn't' tell me THAT tho) and then Ryan's kids hit their knees praying for Toby. He said they didn't even get up, they stayed there praying for him- they love him like their own dog. FINALLY Toby Puked and the pill emerged after about 1 1/2 hours (SEEMED like 6) The pill was WHOLE. It was completely formed and the numbers in tact. Prayers answered. My blood pressure is quite high after this fun episode and I can't remember when I have EVER felt so completely helpless. We are so exhausted, and Toby is still not feeling well- but he is safe from the pills harmful canine effects. Now to get this little guy back on his feet.

The name of this Blog is "NOT MISTAKES...Lessons". Daddy always said that if you aren't going to do that again it is a LESSON not a mistake. This was a lesson. I know now to have a syringe, (no needle-it's used to squirt the liquid down the dogs throat) and to have FRESH Hydrogen Peroxide on HAND always- throw out the old- it does expire!! I will also never give a pill to an animal or any other, without re-checking that it is the correct one!! Lesson learned Dad.....

with hands shaking....

...I'm waiting for the vet to call, I wonder- "what the hell"? How does Toby go from being GREAT yesterday to not wanting to eat a THING (not even tuna (his favorite) and walking 'tipsy' today??!! He acts like he hurts again- and like he is too weak to keep his back side from swaying. This, once again is the day AFTER an 'off day' of his prednisone. Can that alone be what makes him do this? Is he worse then we THINK so just 'one day' without the steroids cause this to occur?? We are waiting right now for a call back from Dr. Clark. Are we going to HAVE to have the surgery done?? If so- maybe we should just DO IT- so that he doesn't have to spend the entire summer in a crate!! I want to scream, I want to cry. I'm glad that my husband is home today or I would have to take the day off to tend to him. He needs someone with him again...this is really scary.
........and here I thought I could start posting things that aren't about TOBY.....

Toby's SLIPPERS

 

We were wondering WHY Toby has the hardest problem with our wood floors- which he HAS to walk on to get to the French doors where the ramp is built! He does fine outside, he does fine on the carpet...but when he comes in the house we see that he has a little less ability to 'stay afoot'.... slipping...slidding...then when he was laying down in the TV room I saw WHY- Toby is wearing SLIPPERS without GRIPPERS!! He was DUE for a grooming when he was hurt~well, now he is past due!! He needs his foot-hair cut! Kind of like Nose and EAR hair, isn't it? You have to keep it trimmed or the guy will grow a forest!

Anyway, he continues to improve! In fact, he is doing VERY WELL now! We still do the 'chiropractic stretch' on him, but not as often as we would like. Why? because Toby want's to SEE what we are doing! He turns his head to LOOK, causing his body to turn as well. We have to keep his body straight during this procedure. It's not a big deal now, as we see such an improvement in him that we aren't worried now. He is obviously on the road to health. He will be re-evaluated the week of the 18th and we feel that the vet will give us a thumbs up on letting him be a happy FREE little guy!

GREAT morning!

Yesterday turned out to be a difficult day with Toby, for the first half anyway. The afternoon brought a change- and I think it had to do with GREEN GRASS. He ate it...lots of it. I think he had a tummy ache. After he consumed more then I thought he would- he acted so much better. He 'patrolled the perimeter of the yard, even going around and through the bushes! He hasn't DONE That once since this began. I'd say that is another 'very good sign' of improvement!

This morning he was 'up and at em' first thing! His mood seems good, his body is moving all right- he still has some obvious weakness in his left hind quarter but...it's is most diffidently improved from the beginning.

I think it is obvious that there will be some up days and some down days. From what I can find through other peoples blogs is that it seems to be the norm to feel that way. Slipped disks or herniated disks, (which I was told are the same thing by the vet) take time. They are painful, ask any human! I don't imagine that it is any less painful to a dog. Now, For my husband and I to learn to 'ride with it' is going to be the assignment from me!! We are 'up and down' right along with Toby! Not good. Too emotional!! Another thing that makes this all even harder- try to get stuff DONE!! Geech!! It took me all day yesterday to weed ONE flower bed and mow the lawn! I was out standing with Toby waiting for him to 'be ready' to come inside! He has 'gotten it'...he has figured out that we cannot pick him up, drag him in....or anything! He has all power!! LOL! This must be kind of entertaining for him.............

What NOW?

Day 14 has started out badly. I can't figure out what happened. Toby did get up, walk out on his leash outside...verrrry slowly though, like he was sore. He squatted (he's been lifting his leg) and ever so slowly came back in. I tried to give him his pill (prednisone which we give every other day now) in the normal canned dog food. He wouldn't take it. So I put it in tuna- and he did. (first time he has turned done the alpo) and then he started to slightly shake. Right now he is STILL laying down and refusing to do anything but that. SO, yes.... we are back to being a bit worried about him. He was doing so WELL. The ONLY thing that I can think of is we let him lay on 'his doggy bed' last night. It is round, with edges and a pillow. I don't know if that alone could cause a back ache as he DOES slightly bend when he is laying in that bed...and maybe sleeping like that all night made him stiff??? I just don't know, it doesn't SEEM like that could cause a set back... but maybe it did. SIGH. We have just been worried about him being so MAD/SAD about the crate that we THOUGHT he'd be OK in his bed. Maybe we were wrong.