Day 43: No Holding the Wild Beast Back!

Samantha Knight
Mar 17, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Apr 6, 2022

After spending a quiet evening snoozing off the general anaesthetic Lloris shows a glimmer of effort to stand but topples over. It gives me an air of positivity to see the determination in him though.

3.30am this morning becomes our magical moment.

I can hear him performing his squealing baby seal impression so up I get to check on the patient. There he is, standing on all fours with a glow of achievement around him and taking steps towards me.

He can walk!!!!!!!!

Satisfied he’s not in pain, he’s just had way too much sleep for the past 24hrs and now he’s bored, I tuck him back in. “Mummy needs her beauty sleep little man!“

He’s turned into a savage beast!

6am and we’re up and breakfast is served in the garden.

He’s back on pain killers once again. He is normally such a good boy when I hand feed tablets to him with a bit of food. Everyone always comments on how gentle he is.

This morning however he’s not in the mood or maybe he’s still not forgiven me for leaving him with people that cut him up and put him in a cage for hours. Oh dear … my first attempt of hand feeding him his sausage and tablet is met by him spitting it back out at me. - charming!

The second attempt…. He growls at me. He actually growls at me!!!

He’s never growled at me EVER. This is one almighty angry pup today.

He got the wrath of my tongue and is looking all sheepish. We will not be making a habit of that kind of behaviour.

I actually feel a bit upset. Not that I thought at any point he was going to bite me, but I don’t like to think he’s angry with me or he’s lost the love. Awwww

No time for dwelling, it’s like stepping back in time 5 weeks because next up is his sponge bath. Yes we are back to that! No full baths or showers for a little while whilst we await his wounds to heal.

The incision has been stitch internally and glued externally to give the best chance of hair regrowth with minimal scarring

I can’t help but want to test his walking capabilities. He’s only taken a few steps around the house and he is unable to go to the park just yet, we don’t want him pulling his wounds apart. So I try to encourage him to take a few steps around the garden.

I have to trick him into thinking I’ve gone out of the back gate to get him to come and look for me!

Yey! He can do it … sort of.

We have gone backwards a good 10 days though. If I think that two weeks ago today he took himself merrily down the stairs. Not that I want him to be doing that but he obviously felt comfortable, capable and able. This morning I found him sat sulking and crying at the top …

He’s back to the major wobbles like in his first week of walking but it’s day 1 post op, i’m trying not to expect too much. He’s built himself up from this point before, it can be done again.

2 Comments

kevmurphy009

Mar 17, 2022

Two absolute heroes in the world today 🥰

Carla Romang

Mar 17, 2022

Baby steps! Well done Lloris, such a trooper! ❤️

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THANK YOU’s

Whilst it goes without saying that a big chunk of credit for Lloris’s rehabilitation to being a walking puppy dog again goes unquestionably to him! There have been many helping hands along the way that are more than deserving of a mention …

Thank you to;

Davies Vet (Johnny & Alex) for their remarkable surgery, prompt action and after care. He came home a calm and happy dog…even if his legs weren’t working…his wound has healed remarkably well without scaring.

To Dr Rinnert van den Bergh - The Holistic Vet who never raised an eyebrow at his little accidents and always progressed him further after every treatment. Lloris is especially grateful for the liver paste you would win him over with!

To Nisha from Paws & Hooves - Hydrotherapy. You have been remarkable in your patience with Lloris. Thank you for answering the phone when many others didn’t that day. Finding you was meant to be.

To Willow Vets in Newport Pagnell who took Lloris on as a new case for his cancer straight away and operated within two days. The entire team of staff have been nothing but kind and professional and whilst Lloris will continue to hate you all (hate may be a bit of strong word…. But I’m not so sure?!) I on the other hand think you are all amazing.

To his Uncle Cristian for building his ‘Frenchie Bouncer’ was a big game changer in our rehab!

To his Grandad for building his Pig Pen which he has grown to love

To his Nanny for his the daily love and company not to mention the endless cleaning of him and my house! We truly couldn’t have got through this without you, you gave me the break I needed to keep my sanity.

To Matt the Chippy for his back door ramp!

To the IVDD Facebook support group. I learned so much from you. https://www.facebook.com/groups/178483559398659/?ref=share

To my friends and family who reached out to help me. Everyone of you that messaged, read our blog and paid an interest in both his and my well being made such a difference on both the dark days and the light. Lloris loves people so the visits and gifts all lifted his spirits and snapped him out of the sulks!

To Dan, Lloris’s dad. You stepped up when he needed you the most and answered our cry for help to get him to the hospital that day. It will always be a shame we couldn’t stay the family unit we had wanted for him. We certainly tried! Thank you for letting him live with me, I can’t imagine the heartache of giving him up.

To the friend in my life that gave me focus from day 1 when I asked for help bringing him home … he said something like “I have the dentist so can’t help you that day, I would if I could but … you’re going to have to get used to handling him and lugging him about on your own, so you may as well just get on with it now”. I thought he was being an unhelpful arse at the time but actually that was the best piece of advice I could have been given. Man up and get on with it. You can’t turn back time or change anything. You are where you are, so take a deep breath and in the words of Nike - Just do it.

And that we did!

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