Always something!

D.U. wiped out in his wheels again! This time he was running after the frisbee and went down to pick up the frisbee from a full run and did a complete summersalt! This time he didn't seemed to be too upset about it. We just picked him up with him inside the wheels. I guess we are going to have to be extra careful not to have him run soo fast! Go figure.

One week after D.U. received his wheels!

This morning at 6:30 a.m. D.U. faithfully (last week or so) got up and let me know it was time to get up and go out! He never quite has a dry pad but pretty darn close! He also pooped outside too. Anyone that reads this must think soo what! But he has usually pooped on his bed before I can get him up and out the front door with him. So it is a big deal. I made coffee, put it in a travel mug and brought his wheels out to go for a walk around the farm. I was afraid he wouldn't want to get near the wheels this morning because yesterday he wiped out in them! Yes, I couldn't believe it. He was chasing me and I ran out of room to run so I turned sharply and so did he! I freaked out and so did he. Looking back on the situation I should have just pushed him up instead of undoing his cart and sliding him out, but I guess you live and learn. He was shaking, I felt so bad. But he is a trooper he stood very still for me this morning while I put his feet in the harness. We were off and running. He is running pretty good with alternating feet except when he is "hauling it," he uses both legs at the same time. He is back to his old self loving the frisbee. He just can't leap in the air for it although he tries! It is wonderful to see him chasing me and catching up with me! A little scary too, because I see that he wants to be aggressive. He bit my butt one time catching up with me! I screamed and was crying and laughing all at the same time! It was a wonderful feeling to see him running so fast and being his old self for a brief moment! I can't tell the people who have donated the money for his wheels enough how much of blessing the wheels are to D.U. and me and my family. Walking this morning around the farm was not hard! We walked with ease and played along the way. I am hoping that the regular excercise daily will stimulate the nerves and incourage them to repair themselves so that D.U. will be able to be even more independant. His hurdles right now are, being able to poop with control and stand/squat to do it, urine scald on his legs, and his darn itchy head! We see a new vet June 7th and I am super excited! I hope this vet will work with me once he gets a handle on his condition so that if D.U. has a side affect with the FCE I wont have to go into the vet every single time there is a problem. If I was younger I think I would go back to Vet school and make a difference in the lives of people who have animals. In the way of educating people to help their animals so that they don't have to pay an arm and a leg every time the animal has a problem, and not make people feel bad when they want to try to care for the animal at home because of money. I think I would make house calls and call on my patients to see how they are doing. I don't believe I would want to get so big that I wouldn't remember the animals that I treated and my office staff would be aquainted with the patients and their owners as well. These hospitals are out of touch with their patience. I could see if we lived in a city but we live in small royal area. Maybe I am nieve and vets can't make a living on operating in such a way. Or maybe greed has taken hold of them too. If anyone reading this has suggestions about the itchy head let me know. I really think its nerves causing him to be itchy, can't be for sure. He is treated for fleas and his ears are clean.

One more day till D.U.'s wheels come!

I am super excited for D.U. and us. I can't wait to see if he will just take off in them or not! I am hoping that this will help him not to fall down so much and his knob on his right butt bone will go down some. I think this will help with him peeing all over him self too. He pees on his own but he can't stay still long enough to pee so he zig zags and he gets it all over him. Anyone have any infomation on if their dogs head and upper body gets itchy. I am wondering if he feels itchy because nerves are trying to tell his body what to do. He is brushed every day and he has Front-line on for flees, i really thing its the nervous system. Any thought.

Front Page of The Journal did a story of D.U.! Great article

Journal, The (Harrington, DE)

May 12, 2010


Water aids dog's recovery
Gwen Guerke; The Journal

HARRINGTON - Twice a week, D.U., a massive 115-pound yellow Labrador retriever plunges into the pool at Harrington Raceway.
What's so remarkable about this swimming dog is the aquatic retrieving game he plays with his owner, Tammie Deputy of Greenwood, is very therapeutic.

D.U. was stricken with Fibro cartilaginous embolism, or FCE, on Oct. 6, 2009, and the rare condition left his hindquarters paralyzed.

Some of the pulpy substance of one or more of DU's discs has penetrated the blood vessels surrounding the spine, blocking blood supply to the spine and causing the paralysis.

Mrs. Deputy, a paraprofessional teacher who works with autistic children in the Cape Henlopen School District, recalls noticing that DU, who is just 3 1/2 years old, at first seemed to have a problem with his right leg, something her family thought might be a minor injury or simply stiffness.

"Within 24 hours, he was paralyzed. It happened that quickly," she said.

A visit to a veterinarian offered little hope.

"The prognosis was grim," she said, remembering that the vet told her that he would need to be put down if there was no improvement within 24 hours if he didn't respond to the medication.

"We had to hire somebody to dig the hole for him. We couldn't do it," she said.

"Our first ray of hope was that the vet tech said to take him home and give him the meds and spend some time with him. It was really a rough couple of weeks."

Because of the paralysis, D.U. became incontinent. His bedding needed frequent washings to keep him clean. He had to be turned to avoid bed sores. He developed pneumonia.

In addition, he had to be carried outside through all the snow and rain of the past winter.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Deputy went online to learn more about FCE, and there she discovered blogs, online discussions with others dealing with the same situation.

"That gave me hope. He was making progress but it was so slow," she said.

She also found supplies for handicapped dogs and even started her own blog.

Much like a disabled person, D.U. needs constant attention and he goes to a chiropractor for regular acupuncture treatments.

Mrs. Deputy learned about the equine exercise pool inside the Jack Walls barn at Harrington Raceway.

"When I heard it was $5 or $6 for a half hour, I just cried. There's no place around here, no therapy for dogs," she said.

"When he first came here, D.U. was afraid of the water. I had to wade in to push him in. He wore a man's life jacket and had the lead."

Times have changed, and now D.U. is eager to swim.

"It's been seven months now. He's on a schedule. I need to find an orthopedic vet, one who knows enough about his condition. Some days he looks good. I have faith in him and in a higher being," she said.

It was at the pool that Mrs. Deputy became acquainted with Karen Craft, Harrington Raceway's facilities manager.

Ms. Craft, also an active Kent County SPCA board member, is all too familiar with the issues associated with dog therapy. Her dog, Toby, also a yellow Lab, had successful flexor tendon surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's small animal clinic.

Toby's rehab also included pool swimming.

Dr. Annie Renzetti, Delaware Harness Racing Commission veterinarian, said aquatic therapy "is huge. It's the best therapy because of the weightlessness and the resistance of the water. It also provides cardiovascular training and saves wear and tear on joints."

Ms. Craft, like Mrs. Deputy, also noticed D.U.'s progress, but realized D.U. could regain more mobility if he had a cart, or wheels, attached to his hindquarters.

Mrs. Deputy started making dog biscuits to sell as a way to raise money for the cart which is custom made to meet each dog's need.

However Ms. Craft, deciding the D.U.'s need was more urgent, solicited eight or nine friends and co-workers to raise the $600 need to buy it.

Mrs. Deputy's taken the measurements and sent them to Eddie's Wheels, so the cart is expected to arrive next week.

D.U. is a family dog. Mrs. Deputy and her husband have three children, ages 20, 14 and 10 and a working chicken farm.

Mrs. Deputy is attending school to become an occupational therapist, and because of her experience with D.U.'s condition she's investigating the possibility of using those skills on dogs.

"If I listened to the vet, I would have buried him. What a blessing it was to find this place, and it's affordable. And the gift of the wheels, it's very heart-warming. Hopefully, I will be able to return the favor some day."

News Editor Gwen Guerke can be reached at tell2gwen@aol.com or 422-1200.




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