My Arthritic Dog 8-21-11

After our unsuccessful attempt at Laser Therapy, we went  with back to the studio with our tails tucked between our legs. I  explained to curious clients that yes, her limp was very bad but we had done our best. Two days later, a funny thing happened. My Sammy woke up in the morning and forgot to limp. She was walking slowly, but quite normally! A grossly abbreviated therapeutic laser treatment had accomplished what pills and potions and diet had not! By mid-afternoon, I had made an appointment with the Laser Therapist for the following week. The Therapist was admittedly a bit reluctant at first to allow my pet back in the building, but I promised her our behavior would be different this time! Personally I feel that if someone who works with dogs is not prepared for an occasional deep scratch or ten and some dark bruising that looks like she has been beaten with a billy club, she should seek out other employment. Prior to leaving the studio, my assistant had filled both ends of a hollow bone with organic peanut butter and concealed it in a plastic bag. Upon out arrival, we were whisked immediately into a back room. The Laser Tech (I swear, they are so meek and wary after just one unpleasant experience) peeked around the open door and limped into the room. I encouraged her to pass out our protective eye gear so that we could begin the treatment forthwith. My assistant produced the bone and my dog began licking it as I slid her into position. The Tech, tentatively at first and then with growing confidence, began the circular treatment  with the laser wand. Six minutes later, we were finished and thirty seconds after that we were paying the receptionist $40 in cash. 56 hours later, I let my dog loose in a nearby park and a squirrel taunted her. My "crippled" dog took chase for the first time in months! Admittedly, she was only able to lope and the squirrel would have to be confined to a wheelchair to be in any danger...but I was encouraged nonetheless!  To be cont... 

My Arthritic Dog 8-5-11

The vet poked and prodded my dog. She felt her spine. She stretched out my Samoyeds front legs and then bent them one way and another. I could tell my dog was getting a little anxious. When the vet picked up the dogs tail and stuck a thermometer in, my pet puckered her lips and her eyes bugged out. My old dog looked up at me with that "I AM READY TO GO NOW" look that she gets sometimes. Then she broke for the door. Arthritic or not, she can still pull very hard. I can move faster than her, so I slammed the door shut the remainder of the way long before she got her nose through. We declined all further testing, and waited for the Laser Therapy Tech to get set up in the next room. By the time we got started on her left front elbow, my dog had absolutely had enough! After exactly one minute of a six minute session, my dog started twisting, yowling, and scrambling for the door. As overweight as she was, however, I still weighed a heckuva lot more, and pinned her to the floor. She continued twisting and panting as the Tech tried to resume again, but finally the Tech suggested I let the dog up while she tried to soothe her and treat the elbow by herself. I complied. My 91 pound dog threw the 110 pound Laser Tech across the room with ease and squeezed herself behind a supply cabinet. The session was over. Back out in the lobby, I paid for the vet's exam and they comped me on the Laser Therapy attempt. My dog and I limped (actually, I felt fine) out to the car. To be cont..