One year ago today...Halloween...Ivy suffered her first CCL rupture. We were on vacation in the mountains of southwest VA for what was supposed to be a hiking vacation on the New River Trail. About five minutes after we arrived, Ivy came back to us on three legs. This has been a challenging year for her but one thing is certain: Ivy is on the way back!!
Friday, October 31, 2008
A Dubious Anniversary
One year ago today...Halloween...Ivy suffered her first CCL rupture. We were on vacation in the mountains of southwest VA for what was supposed to be a hiking vacation on the New River Trail. About five minutes after we arrived, Ivy came back to us on three legs. This has been a challenging year for her but one thing is certain: Ivy is on the way back!!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Staples Out!
Ivy took a road trip to VA Beach to have her staples removed. It is now 18 days post op. She was so excited to be getting out and going for a ride!! The bottom suture line is a bit inflamed. Dr Stallings thinks maybe she can reach it and licking it a bit with the BiteNot collar, but we are skeptical. In any event, she has about 5 more days of wearing the collar, we hope. He says she is where she should be at this point in the recovery. He wants us to continue using the sling for control when we are walking her outside. She is so exuberant!!Her next visit with him is in 4 more weeks for 6 week x-rays and evaluation. Good girl, Ivy!!!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
On the Road to Recovery
Twelve days post op and Ivy is on the road to recovery. She takes 4 potty breaks a day and it usually takes two of us to maneuver as she uses a sling for her back legs. The weather in Virginia has been delightful; cool crisp mornings and evenings and mild afternoons. Ivy loves her time outside, as always, and tolerates the sling well. We still have her wearing the E Collar when she is unsupervised, but she does well with that also. What a good dog!!!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
E Collar Alert!
We have had to use the E collar a lot more as we did catch Ivy licking at her staples which is a big NONO!! She does well with it, however. We now have her sleeping with it on in the X pen all night. She wakes us promptly at 7:30am for a walk and breakfast.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
One Week Post Op TPLO #2
It's been a week since the second surgery and Ivy is progressing nicely. We are walking her over to her "field" on the condo property where she likes to do her business. The bitenot collar has been on occasionally, just in case we have to leave her unsupervised during the next two weeks. Her vet wanted it on 24/7, but it is just not going to happen. She is not paying much attention to her staples anyway and never touched them after the first TPLO either. She has been enjoying some sunny days on the balcony and getting really good at napping! And so have we!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The strange zombie dog is gone.....hello, Ivy!!!
What a difference a day makes! We woke up about 6:30 am this morning to Ivy standing in her pen, wagging her tail at us! We gave her some food, which she consumed very enthusiastically, then went for a quick potty walk. By 7:00 am we were back in bed, enjoying a Sunday morning snooze. That strange zombie dog we brought home from the hospital on Friday afternoon is gone......hello Ivy!!!
Our neighbors left Ivy a Get Well Soon basket with all kinds of goodies inside. Ivy is enjoying that during NFL Sunday.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Ivy comes home
We brought Ivy home about 1 pm from her TPLO yesterday. It was very stressful getting her into the SUV, with the ramp, BiteNot collar, sling, etc. You would never know she was familiar with all that and I am not sure she even recognized us. Anyway, I removed the BiteNot for the ride home and sat in the back with her. We live in a condo and got her into the elevator and upstairs. She would not settle down, crying and whining, so we thought...maybe she has to pee. So, we got her in the sling and took her outside and she peed for a VERY LONG time! Now, she is sleeping fairly peacefully and we are going to take a nap while we can.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
TPLO # 2 is over!!!
Ivy is now our "bionic dog!" We are so very happy that she will now have 4 good legs to stand on. Her CCL was completely ruptured and Dr Stallings said she should be released back to us tomorrow afternoon. What a relief......bring on the rehab!!!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Canine Good Citizen
We decided to take Ivy on a final outing before her second TPLO, scheduled for Thursday, October 9th. We went to the Chesapeake Humane Society's "Bark in the Park," their annual fundraiser. On a whim, we had Ivy go through the test for the AKC Canine Good Citizen.....and she passed!!! This is not an easy test...see the 10 tests below:
Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger
This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach it and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday situation. The evaluator walks up to the dog and handler and greets the handler in a friendly manner, ignoring the dog. The evaluator and handler shake hands and exchange pleasantries. The dog must show no sign of resentment or shyness, and must not break position or try to go to the evaluator.
Test 2: Sitting politely for petting
This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to touch it while it is out with its handler. With the dog sitting at the handler's side, to begin the exercise, the evaluator pets the dog on the head and body. The handler may talk to his or her dog throughout the exercise. The dog may stand in place as it is petted. The dog must not show shyness or resentment.
Test 3: Appearance and grooming
This practical test demonstrates that the dog will welcome being groomed and examined and will permit someone, such as a veterinarian, groomer or friend of the owner, to do so. It also demonstrates the owner's care, concern and sense of responsibility. The evaluator inspects the dog to determine if it is clean and groomed. The dog must appear to be in healthy condition (i.e., proper weight, clean, healthy and alert). The handler should supply the comb or brush commonly used on the dog. The evaluator then softly combs or brushes the dog, and in a natural manner, lightly examines the ears and gently picks up each front foot. It is not necessary for the dog to hold a specific position during the examination, and the handler may talk to the dog, praise it and give encouragement throughout.
Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)
This test demonstrates that the handler is in control of the dog. The dog may be on either side of the handler. The dog's position should leave no doubt that the dog is attentive to the handler and is responding to the handler's movements and changes of direction. The dog need not be perfectly aligned with the handler and need not sit when the handler stops. The evaluator may use a pre-plotted course or may direct the handler/dog team by issuing instructions or commands. In either case, there should be a right turn, left turn, and an about turn with at least one stop in between and another at the end. The handler may talk to the dog along the way, praise the dog, or give commands in a normal tone of voice. The handler may sit the dog at the halts if desired.
Test 5: Walking through a crowd
This test demonstrates that the dog can move about politely in pedestrian traffic and is under control in public places. The dog and handler walk around and pass close to several people (at least three). The dog may show some interest in the strangers but should continue to walk with the handler, without evidence of over-exuberance, shyness or resentment. The handler may talk to the dog and encourage or praise the dog throughout the test. The dog should not jump on people in the crowd or strain on the leash.
Test 6: Sit and down on command and Staying in place
This test demonstrates that the dog has training, will respond to the handler's commands to sit and down and will remain in the place commanded by the handler (sit or down position, whichever the handler prefers). The dog must do sit AND down on command, then the owner chooses the position for leaving the dog in the stay. Prior to this test, the dog's leash is replaced with a line 20 feet long. The handler may take a reasonable amount of time and use more than one command to get the dog to sit and then down. The evaluator must determine if the dog has responded to the handler's commands. The handler may not force the dog into position but may touch the dog to offer gentle guidance. When instructed by the evaluator, the handler tells the dog to stay and walks forward the length of the line, turns and returns to the dog at a natural pace. The dog must remain in the place in which it was left (it may change position) until the evaluator instructs the handler to release the dog. The dog may be released from the front or the side.
Test 7: Coming when called
This test demonstrates that the dog will come when called by the handler. The handler will walk 10 feet from the dog, turn to face the dog, and call the dog. The handler may use encouragement to get the dog to come. Handlers may choose to tell dogs to "stay" or "wait" or they may simply walk away, giving no instructions to the dog.
Test 8: Reaction to another dog
This test demonstrates that the dog can behave politely around other dogs. Two handlers and their dogs approach each other from a distance of about 20 feet, stop, shake hands and exchange pleasantries, and continue on for about 10 feet. The dogs should show no more than casual interest in each other. Neither dog should go to the other dog or its handler.
Test 9: Reaction to distraction
This test demonstrates that the dog is confident at all times when faced with common distracting situations. The evaluator will select and present two distractions. Examples of distractions include dropping a chair, rolling a crate dolly past the dog, having a jogger run in front of the dog, or dropping a crutch or cane. The dog may express natural interest and curiosity and/or may appear slightly startled but should not panic, try to run away, show aggressiveness, or bark. The handler may talk to the dog and encourage or praise it throughout the exercise.
Test 10: Supervised separation
This test demonstrates that a dog can be left with a trusted person, if necessary, and will maintain training and good manners. Evaluators are encouraged to say something like, "Would you like me to watch your dog?" and then take hold of the dog's leash. The owner will go out of sight for three minutes. The dog does not have to stay in position but should not continually bark, whine, or pace unnecessarily, or show anything stronger than mild agitation or nervousness. Evaluators may talk to the dog but should not engage in excessive talking, petting, or management attempts (e.g, "there, there, it's alright").
We are so very proud of Ivy, CGC!!!
Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger
This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach it and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday situation. The evaluator walks up to the dog and handler and greets the handler in a friendly manner, ignoring the dog. The evaluator and handler shake hands and exchange pleasantries. The dog must show no sign of resentment or shyness, and must not break position or try to go to the evaluator.
Test 2: Sitting politely for petting
This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to touch it while it is out with its handler. With the dog sitting at the handler's side, to begin the exercise, the evaluator pets the dog on the head and body. The handler may talk to his or her dog throughout the exercise. The dog may stand in place as it is petted. The dog must not show shyness or resentment.
Test 3: Appearance and grooming
This practical test demonstrates that the dog will welcome being groomed and examined and will permit someone, such as a veterinarian, groomer or friend of the owner, to do so. It also demonstrates the owner's care, concern and sense of responsibility. The evaluator inspects the dog to determine if it is clean and groomed. The dog must appear to be in healthy condition (i.e., proper weight, clean, healthy and alert). The handler should supply the comb or brush commonly used on the dog. The evaluator then softly combs or brushes the dog, and in a natural manner, lightly examines the ears and gently picks up each front foot. It is not necessary for the dog to hold a specific position during the examination, and the handler may talk to the dog, praise it and give encouragement throughout.
Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)
This test demonstrates that the handler is in control of the dog. The dog may be on either side of the handler. The dog's position should leave no doubt that the dog is attentive to the handler and is responding to the handler's movements and changes of direction. The dog need not be perfectly aligned with the handler and need not sit when the handler stops. The evaluator may use a pre-plotted course or may direct the handler/dog team by issuing instructions or commands. In either case, there should be a right turn, left turn, and an about turn with at least one stop in between and another at the end. The handler may talk to the dog along the way, praise the dog, or give commands in a normal tone of voice. The handler may sit the dog at the halts if desired.
Test 5: Walking through a crowd
This test demonstrates that the dog can move about politely in pedestrian traffic and is under control in public places. The dog and handler walk around and pass close to several people (at least three). The dog may show some interest in the strangers but should continue to walk with the handler, without evidence of over-exuberance, shyness or resentment. The handler may talk to the dog and encourage or praise the dog throughout the test. The dog should not jump on people in the crowd or strain on the leash.
Test 6: Sit and down on command and Staying in place
This test demonstrates that the dog has training, will respond to the handler's commands to sit and down and will remain in the place commanded by the handler (sit or down position, whichever the handler prefers). The dog must do sit AND down on command, then the owner chooses the position for leaving the dog in the stay. Prior to this test, the dog's leash is replaced with a line 20 feet long. The handler may take a reasonable amount of time and use more than one command to get the dog to sit and then down. The evaluator must determine if the dog has responded to the handler's commands. The handler may not force the dog into position but may touch the dog to offer gentle guidance. When instructed by the evaluator, the handler tells the dog to stay and walks forward the length of the line, turns and returns to the dog at a natural pace. The dog must remain in the place in which it was left (it may change position) until the evaluator instructs the handler to release the dog. The dog may be released from the front or the side.
Test 7: Coming when called
This test demonstrates that the dog will come when called by the handler. The handler will walk 10 feet from the dog, turn to face the dog, and call the dog. The handler may use encouragement to get the dog to come. Handlers may choose to tell dogs to "stay" or "wait" or they may simply walk away, giving no instructions to the dog.
Test 8: Reaction to another dog
This test demonstrates that the dog can behave politely around other dogs. Two handlers and their dogs approach each other from a distance of about 20 feet, stop, shake hands and exchange pleasantries, and continue on for about 10 feet. The dogs should show no more than casual interest in each other. Neither dog should go to the other dog or its handler.
Test 9: Reaction to distraction
This test demonstrates that the dog is confident at all times when faced with common distracting situations. The evaluator will select and present two distractions. Examples of distractions include dropping a chair, rolling a crate dolly past the dog, having a jogger run in front of the dog, or dropping a crutch or cane. The dog may express natural interest and curiosity and/or may appear slightly startled but should not panic, try to run away, show aggressiveness, or bark. The handler may talk to the dog and encourage or praise it throughout the exercise.
Test 10: Supervised separation
This test demonstrates that a dog can be left with a trusted person, if necessary, and will maintain training and good manners. Evaluators are encouraged to say something like, "Would you like me to watch your dog?" and then take hold of the dog's leash. The owner will go out of sight for three minutes. The dog does not have to stay in position but should not continually bark, whine, or pace unnecessarily, or show anything stronger than mild agitation or nervousness. Evaluators may talk to the dog but should not engage in excessive talking, petting, or management attempts (e.g, "there, there, it's alright").
We are so very proud of Ivy, CGC!!!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
TPLO # 2 Coming Up!!
We have scheduled Ivy's second TPLO surgery for Thursday, October 9th, in Virginia Beach. Dr. Stallings will perform the surgery. We have been acclimating Ivy to the x-pen again and purchased her a new E-Collar, called the "BITENOT," so she will be unable to lick her sutures. She has been generally accepting of this...it is way better than the "lampshade" that the vet wants to sell you.
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