Hello every1 sry for catching up wid u late and after a really long time was bizi taking care of Cooper's health his HD has improved a bit but still needs attention vet came and tld tat he showing severe wastage on his left limb which left me in tears :'( :'( :'( neverthless was advised to give him massage and long walks accompained by swimming the problem wid swimming bein though Coop loves water i don knw if he will swim wen exposed to it i feel he will hesitate to cme near the pool let alone jumping and swimming how do i encourage him to swim and will he be able to swim as its his first tym and has not had any exposure to pools reply needed ASAP pls help im given a month to maintain and improve his condition otherwise surgery is the only option which im praying should not happen as i managed to maintain him well despite the condition until last week wen he started to limp and showed signs of muscle wastage so i request all members to try help me in this matter.... Regards Teena and Cooper :'( :'( :'(
Re: Poor Cooper Ah Teena, sorry to hear this. Swimming will indeed be very good for Cooper, and most dogs just swim naturally, especially if there is an easy way to get in and out of the pool. Just be calm with him and take your time. It is also possible to get a sort of life jacket for dogs, to help support him in the water. Poor dear Cooper, and poor you. Chin up, you've done so well with him so far, you can help him through this too. Xx
Re: Poor Cooper Sorry to hear that, teena, I can understand how upsetting this must be for you. What access to water do you have? When we spoke to you a while ago, you said there was nowhere for Cooper to swim. Have you found a pool? What kind of pool is it?
Re: Poor Cooper Oh Teena, that's not so good. Its clear you are upset by this. Swimming is REALLY good though. We started with a life jacket....a bit like this one...... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Outward-Hound-Lifejacket-Medium-Orange/dp/B0081XIKYG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1414612172&sr=8-5&keywords=dog+life+jacket You can find them on ebay too. Just make sure it is a FLOTATION jacket and not just a waterproof rain coat. Sometimes in pictures they look a bit similar. I think it is reassuring for dog and owner and doesn't lessen the benefits of swimming.
Re: Poor Cooper I'm sorry to hear that Cooper is having issues with his leg. Swimming is wonderful exercise. I would take some nice treats and see if you can lure him into the water. If you get in the water too that will encourage him. As Karen said it will help a lot if it is easy for him to get in and out of the water. Take your time and let him go as slow as he wants. Don't pull or push him into the water Let us know how you go!
Re: Poor Cooper I am so sorry to hear poor cooper has problems. I don't have any advice but wish you lots of luck
Re: Poor Cooper Teena Ann, if unfortunately Cooper has to have surgery try not to worry, I had a a dog who had a hip replacement and he was as good as new afterward. You would never had known he had had surgery. It sounds as if the vet has suggested you take Cooper to hydrotherapy? If so, I am sure the people there will know how to get him into the water. If not and you just have to get him swimming in any water, try throwing a ball or even a biscuit which will float.
Re: Poor Cooper Hi Teena, nice to hear from you although I'm sorry Cooper is having trouble. Just take it slow with the water and make it fun and I'm sure Cooper will catch on quickly. I took Simba down to a river a couple times this summer, it was the first time he had been in water so he was a little hesitant at first but he was got more confident the more times he tried it.
Re: Poor Cooper Hi Teena. Sorry to hear Cooper isn't too good at the minute. Where will he be going swimming? If it's in a lake/stream, could you go in first? In a hydro pool there will be staff who have lots of experience who will help. Hope all goes well, let us know
Re: Poor Cooper Hello everyone thank u so much for your wellwishes on Cooper's health hydrotherapy centers are very less here and very far but der is a lake or a pond nearby my place wer i can take him for a swim but im worried tat he may not be co-operative and may not go into the water if der are ways to coax him into the water pls let me knw. Der is a happy news for the past 4 months Coopers attitude towards food has changed and he is behaving like a typical Labrador who eats anything and everythin his fussiness over kibble as gone totally and he started to eat the kibble without any topping to my surprise and tat too more tha 2 cups and still wants more not oly that he eats watever i give him like veggies etc im so happy and relieved thank u guys so much for ur help and ideas towards this particular matter. He is a well behaved dog doesnt lunge or pick up a fight wid other dogs extremely friendly and affectionate and possessive toward me im hoping his leg gets better and stays with us as long as hee can without any surgery Can anyone give me an idea of how to get him to sleep in his bed rather than on the floor as its cold and not good for his legs no matter how cozy his blanket is he prefers to sleep on the floor and casts away his blanket ??? ??? ???
Re: Poor Cooper Teena I missed the start of this post,I'm glad you've come to chat to us when you've needed some help,my best wishes to you and Cooper x I think if it's an outside body of water I can only agree with the others just to have patience ....he will do it when he is ready to do it... I know you are anxious to get him going because of the benefits to his HD but if you force it it may make him nervous and put him off.If you can find somewhere that has a shallow place for him to enter and maybe a favourite toy or ball he likes that you could encourage him in with ,he may find his confidence like that.My friends spaniel was nervous at first but was swimming in about 15 minutes once he saw Dexter in so that might be an idea if you have a dog that Cooper might like to play with... He sounds a lovely dog,you've brought him up really well,if you have any recent pics we' d love to see him x Take care Angela x
Re: Poor Cooper Hi Teena I'm sorry about coopers HD but great news that his appetite has improved. One less thing for you to worry about. With my old lab I encouraged him into the water with a ball. To be honest he didn't need much encouragement he loved swimming. I bet cooper will too once he gets going. If he likes to play with a ball and retrieve it just put it in shallow water first so he only needs to take a few steps in then gradually toss the ball further in.
Re: Poor Cooper Our vet suggested walking UP hills is good to work the hip muscles, so this is something else you could do. Also very small jumps in a corridor - could just be hopping over broom handle sticks. Important not to do it on a slippy surface though. Glad to hear Cooper is doing good.
Re: Poor Cooper Could Cooper sleep in a crate with a foam mattress? That way he'll have to stay on the mattress. Provided it's not too hot for him of course. Best of luck with everything.
Re: Poor Cooper Thank u so much guys im still thinking about the swimming but hopefully will start soon ryt now doc feels tat he has gained some weight and found him to be limping slighly bcoz of it so im gonna reduce his amount of both kibble and homemade food to equal proportions such tat his weight is constant and managed otherwise he doesnt seem to show any signs of discomfort wen touched or massaged i give hima hot water massage for 15mins twice a day along with walking and jogging as a part of his exercise regime hope it helps me
Re: Poor Cooper Hello all u beautiful ladies out der its been a reallyyyyyyyyyyyyyy long time since i posted im really sry for that but hey who cares im back nd with photos of My prince Cooper hope all ur dogs and puppies are doin well Hoping to hear from u guys soon xoxo xoxoo.......
