Day 29: He’s Won the Gold! Now time for a New Routine

There is a smell of excitement in the air this morning (or certainly a smell of something- oh dear). This morning we are heading back to Davies Vets (our regional Super Vet) where he had his surgery on 3rd February 2022 exactly 4 weeks ago today.

Lloris will be seeing the physio team to have a check up on his progress and for them to give us a new exercise routine to aid his recovery further.

I set my alarm for an early 6.45am wake-up but there is no need. My furry alarm clock is squealing at me at 6.30am. He is clearly eager to receive his gold medal for achievement today!

With such excitement appears to bring lack of control and with my eyes literally open for no more than 10 minutes I am presented with a poop staring back at me on the living room rug. Great start!!

Oh Lloris! … I thought we were passed this!

As we drive I am thinking of all the questions I want to ask.

I am eager to talk to them about:

1. He is still puffy around his incision is this normal to see at this stage?

2. Correcting his weaker right leg to stop the paw scuffing

3. Is he spinal walking or normally walking (I’ll explain this another time)

4. Have we achieved as much as we can or can he achieve even more!

As we approach Davies Vets I’m reminded how those words and looks of sympathy from the staff destroyed me on that miserable day I rushed him in just 4 weeks ago.

“He has no deep pain feeling in his legs”

“The damage is very severe”

“He may never walk again”

“This will be a very very slow process and you should expect to see very tiny improvements weekly if at all, it’s not going to be vast daily improvements”

I remember the words on the referral form for his hydrotherapy saying they expect his progress to be very slow.

So as I lift Lloris from the boot of the car just 4 weeks on, he merrily trots (well his lopsided little wobbly strut) towards the entrance and I couldn’t be more proud! We have defied the experts prognosis so far, so we can most definitely correct this wonky right foot! I’m sure of it!

Our physiotherapist is amazed at his progress and gushing over how well he has done! Woo hoo, he’s won the gold!

We are given a series of new exercises to start practising and in contrast to Lloris’s good behaviour on his original physio video, today he is not quite so co-operative! He’s sticking to me like glue, acting all shy and not even tempted with treats. What can I say? He loves his mumma!!

We’re given a little balloon type sock to protect his foot when we go for his walk. It’s worth a try!

Whilst the physiotherapist leaves the room to print out the details of his new ‘routine’, Lloris suddenly becomes more inquisitive at his surroundings and is sniffing his way around the room.

Without warning a little ‘piddle pee spray’ hits the floor!! Oh No!!! I’ve just been telling our physiotherapist how he can now control his peeing and we have very few accidents bla bla bla. … not wanting him to be stripped of his gold medal I frantically scan the room looking for some tissue or anything to clean it up with - nothing!!

I’ve foolishly come in without my bag which is ‘normally packed with tissues, nappies, dettol spray, poop bags etc! Gone are the days when my handbag contains perfume, make-up and my sunglasses!

The only thing I can find in my coat pocket is a couple of dried up wet wipes and a Tesco receipt. With time against me here, I do my best on a clean up. Luckily it was only a little tinkle and not a full on lake!

The door opens just as I finish with the wipe up. We’ve got away with it! Phew. His medal remains firmly in place (albeit we are now fraudsters!)

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Today is the end of his official crate rest although little will change for Lloris as I am still intending to keep his pen at home for nighttime and when I go out as I can shut him in and know he’s safe and not jumping on the sofas. So I’ve decided not to tell him it’s ‘freedom day’ today … it’s for the best!

I realise that life will never quite be the same for both of us again. We will both need to adapt, as will things in the house to give him the best possible chance of no relapsing. I realise just how fearful of that I am. If I could wrap him up in cotton wool I would ! (Well I already do with his sore paw!)

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Tonight is party night! A group of 10 screeching girlfriends embarking on me to belatedly celebrate my birthday. I somehow don’t think it will be me hogging the limelight tonight! A quick bath for the pup so he’s smelling his best ready for all of the cuddles he’s going to get at his Freedom Party!

I’m intrigued to see how he gets on. This is the most visitors all in one go since his surgery. Will he lap it up, go crazy, get upset or snooze through it??? And will there be any exciteable ‘accidents’ … if this morning is to go by, i‘d say that’s a given! oh let’s hope not!

I shall tell you all about it tomorrow!