Love it When Harley was spayed we brought down duvets, pillows sheets etc and made a huge bed on the floor for her and me.......I didn't go quite as far as a tent though
Yes, it is a good idea - Charlie acts as though he is in a crate, like his fabric travel crate. He just settles down right away. OH will never, ever let me forget that it is a good idea, as I resisted it for some time, at first thinking it was just a stupid idea for a post surgery dog.... To be fair, OH has slept inside a tent with Charlie before and so knew what he would be like, whereas I have not (we had two tents the last time OH inflicted a nightmare of a hard field and compost toilets on me - I think that's called camping).
Fantastic! We were just talking about the fact we haven't been camping since we've had Mira and wondered how she would take to it. I suggested pitching the tent in the garden for a night to try it out. Didn't think about trying it indoors
Hmmmmmm methinks a new trend has been set by Charlie.My Nephew asked me last night if they can sleep in the tent next week in their bedroom at mine and have Dexter in with them.....have the Lambies been passing info around? X
Well, we plug on...the days seem to be passing. We are at 6 weeks on Wednesday - that means 20 minute walks, which we are looking forward to a lot. We are on 17.5 minute walks this week. Physically, Charlie is doing well. He isn't lame on his rear leg. I keep looking at him walk, as he is supposed to be still lame now, but he isn't. He is though, very, very slightly lame on his left fore leg - I honestly could not have seen this without the surgeon pointing it out (my vet missed it too, as did the physio). So, drat it, that creates continued worry over elbows (there was nothing significant on the scan, but the surgeon said that the long term change of gait may have brought about changes, so this has to be kept under review ). There is no point dismissing it as not significant, because that just leaves a problem to build up and I've seen now that with orthopedic problems, you get better results if you don't hang around - it's much preferable not to bury your head in the sand, and face up to things. Sigh.... Next week is the 3rd vet check up, and the week after hydro starts - hopefully. The treadmill anyway. He won't be able to swim for ages yet. Mentally, I'd say he is doing better. The longer walks have definitely helped. If he takes his time sniffing (rather than walking) we can be out of the house for 25 minutes. Since he gets 5 walks a day, this means he can get out of the house for about 2 hours in total. Seems to be making a big difference. Obviously, he's bursting for a good gallop along a beach etc. but at least getting out and about 5 times a day seems to be keeping him sane. The sensitively to noise seems to have worn off as I've been getting him out and about to new and busier places. He is moderately excited when he sees other dogs, but nothing too bad, he just pulls a bit to go say hello but it's not bad at all. But. I have had several incidents of him suddenly getting nervous in the street with no obvious trigger. The first time this happened, I ended up putting it down to a bitch in season being around. And it's perfectly possible there was one. It's happened again though, in a few different locations. It might be that the trigger is the scent of certain other dogs - which other dog, or more than one dog, I don't know...so this is something for me to try to figure out. It seems to be happening less as the walks get longer. So another theory is it's not about other dogs at all, but that he thinks the walk is going to end. The very short walks were intensely frustrating for him, I think.. Anyway. All in, I'm counting my blessings that so far, I seem to be getting away with moderate changes in him only. Elbow worries aside.
Gosh Julie, I'm sorry you are even having to think about elbows right now. Praying that it turns out to be nothing and that Charlie is seeing the last of his recovery days and can return to beach gallops soon. You all live in such a beautiful part of the world that Charlie's recovery days are probably more eventful than Myles normal days right now in hot, flat Texas with the nearest beach 8 hrs away. (Sshh don't tell Myles that there are better things out there than his kiddie pool ) Also, love the tent!
That sounds like good progress. I hope the limp goes as Charlie continues to improve and that the elbow worry turns out to be nothing. Keep making the most of that tent, Charlie!
Really glad that the post op leg is on the mend so well, it's just pants about his fore leg...whilst I'm glad it's been noted I really hope it doesn't become a problem.He sounds like he's really enjoying the increasing outside time,you must be as well x You are good checking in with updates,there must be times when you want to not dwell on it all but we all appreciate hearing how he's doing x Xxx
Sounds like Charlie is getting plenty of exercise now, all be it on a lead. Sorry you are worrying about elbows Is it a watch and wait scenario or do they need to be looked at too? Poor Charlie.
I don't know about the elbows yet. The surgeon changed his mind in favour of not doing anything after he'd seen the CT scan, and said we'd talk about it again next time - that's on the 20th July. I think the decision is since a clinical exam shows problems, but nothing shows up on x-Ray or CT scan whether arthroscopy is appropriate, and even if it might show what is wrong, whether there is going to be a treatment possible anyway. All of this was just parked for re-evaluation once his rear leg was healed.
We've managed to make it to Cornwall - and Charlie's allowed walk time is just long enough to walk into the town to the pub. I think he is enjoying the change of scene, new sniffs and saying hello to all his mates. He was as good as gold on the pub trip (well, by Charlie standards , so not mugging the waitress when she brings the steak), then we sat in the churchyard and listened to the school brass band - they were very good. Almost seemed normal..... pub by Julie T, on Flickr band church by Julie T, on Flickr
Oh, great to see him getting out and about. It must be very cathartic for you, too, to be in the fresh air of Cornwall
