Well, before we left on vacation, I signed the boy up for swim. This is a salt water pool. Today was our first session. I cleared it with Dr. Scott first. Samson is still limping a bit from his slip on vacation. Been sleeping on an air mattress with him the past 4 nights. He was just launching in the stairs (gets a bedtime scoobie and goes crazy for it).
Anyways....here are a few pics. Signed up for 3 months. Starting off one a week til he builds endurance for it and I see he is doing okay and then we will go twice a week. So fun. Samson was very scared but did well.
He is beautiful! I bet he will be less scared at his next session!
SamsonsMom (11-25-2017)
I don't about scared, he looks pretty happy in that last pic!!!!!
Annette47 (11-25-2017), SamsonsMom (11-25-2017)
he looks happy
Ivy
Hidden Content
SamsonsMom (11-25-2017)
Big guy was very scared. I did my best to stand along the pool and cheer him on. He had to have his eyes on me at all times. He was whining quite a bit. She started out with 3 minutes, then he got out and took a break and by the end he was up to 6 minutes before a break. The first time he got in he didn't flail around- just went straight to the doggie paddle. After the first break was over, she had a very hard time getting him back in the pool. Once he was in, he started flailing around - his paws were splashing on top of the water. Didn't take him long though to go back to instinct and do the doggie paddle. His little webbed paws are simply adorable under that water. He was quivering too. I think the happiness you see in the picture was his happiness to see his mom. :-) I hope after a few sessions he relaxes and enjoys it. When we did the water treadmill therapy, it took a few sessions before he accepted that. Samson just doesn't like that water all that much. He was limping a good bit after. Gave him a long massage and some range of motion exercises last night. During the massage, he would raise his head and look at me when I was rubbing the upper inside of his leg. I'll see if he does the same again today. This morning he's back to barely limping. Dr. Scott suggested an x-ray this coming week.
Sending healing thoughts!
Pool swimming helped Kimber immensely after her spinal injury. She loves water. But we tried the water treadmill with our rehab vet and she flat-out panicked. She wouldn’t be bribed with her favorite toy or even favorite snacks. We gave up after two sessions that went nowhere. We tried again earlier this year. My vet thought, five years later, maybe results would be different. A big NOPE.
i hope Samson adjusts better, and feels better soon!
Stormageddon, Princess of Darkness, aka "Stormy"
Birthday 9-13-18, Gotcha Day 11-11-18
Hidden Content
Miss Kimber, CGC, 6/15/2005-1/27/2018 forever in our hearts
SamsonsMom (11-26-2017)
The only way we could get Samson on the treadmill is if I got him in there and situation. He absolutely refused to go in any other way. I had to be standing right at the front the entire time. I thought for sure he was going to panic when all that water started filling up but he did not. If the pool swimming didn't work, I was going to sign up for the treadmill at my vet again. I think the pool is a go.
Thanks for the good thoughts. I was doing this to keep his right leg healthy.....never dreamed that I'd have to be concerned with a limp on his surgery leg. He just had it checked out about a month ago too and it was in tip top shape.
Awww ... poor guy! Chloe loved the underwater treadmill and all of mine love to swim - both in lakes and in the pool at the boarding place we’ve taken them too. Too bad he can’t relax and enjoy it.
If it’s the upper inside of his leg that is sore, he might have pulled his iliopsoas muscle (hope I spelled that right). It’s a VERY common injury in dogs. Mulder did it once after he caught his leg in a ground hog hole while running at the park.
Annette
Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009
And remembering:
Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015
And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014
Hidden Content
Well, massage today and no reaction. He just fell asleep! Doesn't even bother him when I do the ROM. I also massage around the knee and he doesn't even react. I think I'll feel better if he gets an x-ray. I just hate to do that to him because he whines for almost 2 days after. :-( If I do, I think I'll do it on Friday so I can be home with him right after. Impossible to get any time off from work and I don't want him home crying alone.
I didn't know about the overhead support, that's interesting. I bet that throws some dogs off. Do dogs drink the salt water? I guess that has to be watched out for?
Hidden Content
Castilleja's Dubhgall Oban, the Black Stranger of The Little Bay
Oct. 15, 2007 - June 13, 2021
Oxtongue Rapids Park. Oct. 2019 Hidden Content
Not a Member of the Labrador Retriever Chat Forums Yet? | |
|
|