The question anyone nursing their little piglets from this devastating disease all want to know the answer to is;

I thought it may be helpful to some, now we have hit two weeks of home rehab to see a basic run down of the milestones we have achieved and at what stages.

From the many other stories I have now become aware of from the IVDD Facebook support group, it’s become evidently clear that these markers we so desperately want to know if we are hitting are very different in each and every case.

But for Lloris who was;

1. Completely paralysed prior to his surgery and after

2. Was operated on within hours of paralysis

3. Had 4 slipped discs & internal bleeding

4. Little to no deep pain feeling in his paws.

5. Grade 5

6. 50/60% chance of ever walking again

7. Completely incontinent after surgery

8. 3yrs old and generally full of beans!

This is the summary of our progress:

Day 1 home (7 days post op)

• Home Physio exercises 3x per day every day from now on

• Supplements added to his food from now on

• Incontinent

Day 2 home (8 days post op)

• No change

Day 3 home (9 days post op)

• 4 second balance stand if put into position

Day 4 home (10 days post op)

• Introduce electric toothbrush to limbs

• Last day of medication

• 5 second balance stand if put into position

Day 5 home (11 days post op)

• 9 second balance stand if put into position

• Dry at night from now on (no nighttime nappies)

Day 6 home (12 days post op)

• 10 second balance stand if put into position

• Laser therapy session

Day 7 home (13 days post op)

• 16 second balance stand if put into position

• Electro Acupuncture session

Day 8 home (14 days post op)

• Baby bouncer introduced into physio

Day 9 home (15 days post op)

• Incision healed enough for a bath

• He stands on his own in the bath

Day 10 home (16 days post op)

• He stands up on his own in the garden.

• Massage machine used on him daily from now on

Day 11 home (17 days post op)

• Gets into a stands on his own easily

• Stumbling around on his own a little

• Sling walking commences - those legs are wiggling

• Home laser therapy daily from now on

Day 12 home (18 days post op)

• He can drunken walk unsupported if encouraged - is scuffing toes

• Sling walking on different terrains

• Hydrotherapy session

• Electro magnetic blanket therapy

Day 13 home (19 days post op)

• Indoor unsupported walking if encouraged.

• Struggles with tiles floors

• Outdoor unsupported walking improving but legs dragging and very unbalanced

Day 14 home (20 days post op)

• Second acupuncture session

• Feet now being bandaged as so scuffed

• Outdoor unsupported stumbling continues to improve (is just for seconds at a time) but still a very very long way to go.

NOTE:

He has remained incontinent throughout (Much to my dismay!) Some days better than others.

His back is still swollen along his spine/incision

I can honestly say this is the hardest and most over whelming thing I have ever had to do. I have certainly felt the pressure when at times this furry little piglet looks up at me with those same playful eyes that he has always had and is asking me to fix him.

When a dog gets older they slowly deteriorate over time allowing you each day to gradually adjust to their care needs and get used to an adapted version of life, but when your 3yr old bouncing bundle of joy is suddenly cut off in his prime and all the lovely ways of life that you once shared together now seem like a distant fantasy, you ask yourself in a moment of disbelief What on earth just happened and how? then of course follows Am I doing the right thing here?

All just fleeting moments of course. We are where we are and I’ve just got to get on with it. I know Lloris is a fighter and his progress to date gives me all the confidence I need to believe in him. I said from the start I am not giving up on him unless he tells me to.… and trust me, the spark is still burning very brightly in this little pooch.

I was thinking just the other day why above all other hurdles and obstacle’s in my life to date am I suffering this one the most?

There is just the one simple answer.

This French Bulldog has stolen my heart

So how am I doing? If he’s happy, I’m happy