Food to build muscle
Thank you, Tall Turtle |
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| Paging Valerie (Mom of Chum) and Arbuckie (Mom of Max)! These two have had recent experience with serious back surgery on their Sheepies.
A quality diet will be important, but I think you need to check out what really helped these two the most. Good luck! Positive thoughts! And we love pictures. |
| Thank you for replying to my message. I feel so alone with this, I know of no one that has had anything like this surgery in our town.A maajor problem I am also having is putting something under her stomach to take her outside, her hips still drag. I bought a lift and assist belt but it rolls up into a thin thing around her stomach, Any suggestions? Something to support her stomach.
"B" is 13 years old but otherwise in good shape. |
| I never would have guessed there would be so many sheepies with back surgery! I hope your sweetie is recovering well. When was the surgery? Do you know what kind of surgery she had? Was it for a herniated disk, spinal cord compression, or something else?
I am very familiar with the tummy sling. Outward Hound makes a great one that stays attached via velcro. Here is a link to the "Up and Out Lift Harness": http://www.mysimon.com/9015-10992_8-39187701.html More than a particular food or supplement, my Chumley needed physical therapy in order to re-learn how to walk. If you can find a place near you that offers canine rehab -- either an aquatreadmill or swimming -- that would really help alot. I know that Lori and Max have had great success with laser therapy. If you don't know of a place, then Chum's therapist can probably put you in touch with someone because she has a list of nationwide contacts. I'd actually recommend that you start there because an inexperienced therapist can give really bad and discouraging input. You can call Carrie for more info -- tell her you are a friend of Chumley's. http://www.aevh.com/sports/sm_team.asp My very best wishes in getting through this. For what it is worth, Chumley is now running around like a brand new dog. |
| Quick someone -- give her the links to Chummie's threads! |
Ron wrote: Quick someone -- give her the links to Chummie's threads!
Which ones? Where to begin?? Maybe I will dig up a little picture history. . . |
| LOL if I knew the answer to that, I would have!
I was thinking about the surgery forward -- the cart, the first rehab and so on. Sigh, we needed to create a ChumCategory in the beginning. 
Then a follow up with a flashback to all of the mis-diagnoses... |
| Here is a quick recap of Chum's medical journey:
http://forum.oes.org/viewtopic.php?t=13102 |
| Hello, and welcome. Please, first know that you are not alone. You have come to the best place for advise -- and friendship from a group that truly cares!!! Val is the expert on this subject, and I see that she has given you links and some starting places for help.
Our boy Max had spinal surgery at the end of January- ruptured discs from a freak accident playing in the snow. After the go ahead from the surgeon- we started him in Physical Therapy, and , for a number of reasons, decided that it wasn't the answer for us. Val is 100% correct that you need to find someone with experience and the will to fight for "B" and her recovery. Not willing to give up without a fight-- we did some research and calling- and spoke with Carrie at Alameda East- Chumley's PT. She is the most POSITIVE and helpful person!! What a great friend Chumley has in Carrie! After many calls and tears- we found a great ole country doc in our town- he is a large animal vet- and - he has been giving Max deep laser muscle treatments- with REMARKABLE results. That , combined with patience and LOTS OF LOVE- has brought Max to where he is today. Still walking slow and "drunk" but UP and MOVING. He has a long way to go- but he is heads and shoulders beyond where we thought he would be a month ago. We have no doubt that he will be 100% soon! As far as a diet goes- healthy and well balanced is the key. Max is on something called Trixsyn- a natural supplement to generate nerve and cell growth. Is B still on pain meds? What area of the spine was affected? All the best to you and B- it will take time- and you have friends here to help you along the way. Lori |
| You sound so sweet and caring! I think OES make us that way.
In the x-ray the spine had fused together behind her neck and was putting pressure on her spine. They went in and removed the fusion. She has 21 staples down her back. They come out Wednesday. i am going to check out the laser tomorrow. B is still taking 50mg Tramadol every 8 hours. She doesn't seem to be in any pain. I think her back is itching tho. Thank you so much for the info. I have been boiling groundround and rice for her to eat. She had loose bowels after surgery. What dog food do you feed Max? Thank you so much for the news on your treatment. |
| Hi Tall Turtle! Glad you found the forum. Definitely check out the posts from Val regarding Chumley and the posts from abuckie regarding Max. And there are others too.
Also, there's alternative treatments to strengthen the muscles if you are open to that check into vets that have holistic healing therapies. Also the water therapies are excellent. What a lucky dog B is to have an owner willing to give her surgery, etc. I'm sure you already know about you can put a towel under the tummy for support in walking in the beginning. Also there are harnesses too. Just hang in there and keep us updated. Good Luck! |
| I received the instructions for B's therapy but they did not put on there how long or how many times to do each one. This forum seems to answer me faster than the surgeon. The exercise to stretch her back legs by hand should be done for how long or how many times to build up her muscles?
Thank you all for being here. Any other suggestions for strength training.? |
| I have tried the assist and lift slings,a towel and a home made sling to pick up B. None seem very comfortable. Last night I ordered from Handicapped pets the Bottoms up sling. I had it shipped overnight. I hope it gets her up better. Everything seems to roll up under her stomach. I think she is getting frustrated with us. |
tall turtle wrote: I have tried the assist and lift slings,a towel and a home made sling to pick up B. None seem very comfortable. Last night I ordered from Handicapped pets the Bottoms up sling. I had it shipped overnight. I hope it gets her up better. Everything seems to roll up under her stomach. I think she is getting frustrated with us.
The bottoms up is good for walking a dog with weak hind limbs but in my experience the Outward Hound lift assist is really the best for keeping on the dog and helping her get up when she is stuck. I agree that the towel and the ordinary slings are annoying to use because they bunch up. My outward hound sling does not bunch up. It stays put and it is the only one that Chum does not hate. It is great that you've been instructed in how to do passive motion exercises. As for how often to do the exercises, I really encourage you to call Carrie at Alameda East to discuss it. She will give you really helpful input and she may be able to recommend a therapist in your area. |
| Now that I know you like the outward sling, I will order one of those also.
And for sure I will call Carrie this afternoon.do you have her number? Thank you again, I feel like I have a new best friend!! |
tall turtle wrote: Thank you again, I feel like I have a new best friend!! This place is amazing.
:sniffle: |
tall turtle wrote: Now that I know you like the outward sling, I will order one of those also.
And for sure I will call Carrie this afternoon.do you have her number? Thank you again, I feel like I have a new best friend!! Excellent! Be sure to tell her you are a friend of Chumley's. Carrie is part of the Sports Med group. The number is here: http://www.aevh.com/contact_us.asp Good luck!! |
| Hello again!
You asked about Max's food. He is on Science Diet now- but- his favorite is IAMS. After the surgery he wouldn't eat- and I was boiling the hamburger and rice- and spoon feeding him. He has lost 10 pounds of muscle mass- and the Science Diet is helping him to regain that mass- along with his range of motion excercises. We had hoped that the PT would work- they offered the same aqua therapy that Val's faciltiy did. When that didn't work out- the laser was a God send. I would be happy to talk to you off line- please send me private message or email if you have questions or just need a friend. This is a trying time- and we are here to help! . You will get through this- and so will B!!! Lori |
| Protein is good for building muscle and healing. This holds true for humans too. The only time you dont want to feed protein is in cases of cancer. |
| Hi Tall Turtle:
I almost didn't reply to this one since you've received such fabulous advice from the other members of the board. However, we've just been through a rough few days with Baxter, our 5 year old (98.8 pound) OES. Last Thursday evening, Baxter could barely move and was in too much pain to even eat his dinner (a first for him - he NEVER refuses food). We got him to a conventional veterinarian that identified him with either a slipped disc or strained muscle in his back. Anyway he came home with Deramaxx and Tramadol and we were told to keep him on restricted activity and call immediately if there was any sign of paralysis (yikes!). Needless to say, the weekend was very rough. Monday I was able to get him to his chiropractor who spent close to an hour working on him trying to ease his back spasms. The treatment was a combination of chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture and deep laser treatments. It was obvious that he felt much better after the treatments, but the doctor encouraged me to continue on the restricted activity program. Tuesday, I took him to another holistic veterinarian who specializes in acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Not only did he get another acupuncture treatment, but she also provided him with some Chinese herbs that are supposed to help with rebuilding the muscle and the back spasms. We've used one of these herbs before with great success with Cassiopia, our other OES. It's called "Great Mender" and you can get it over the Internet. Obviously, I'd check with a veterinarian first before you use it. By the way - this morning, Baxter is feeling much better (way too much better at times). We are going to keep him on restricted activity for the next two weeks to get his muscles built back up. And if needed, we will be taking him for hydrotherapy sessions. Good luck and please keep us informed. Jennifer, Baxter, Cassiopia and Sharkey |
| Poor Baxter! |
Just wondering if there are any updates on B?
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| Thank you for asking about B. We are to go again Monday to get her staples out. She really does not like to be helped up, she startrd growling at us.Once we get her up she looks like she is walking but it is because we are holding her up with strap.She goes outside and does her business, and we bring her back in. She plops down and waits for us to pick her up again. We do the physiotherapy on her. We e-mailed Chumley's friend in Denver, but have not heard back from her to see if anyone in our area does therapy. I will call her Monday if I don't hear from her by then. We received the Bottoms Up leash today and we will try it out but she growls when we try raising her bqck legs to put it on. |
| I am so familiar with that don't touch me growling. Usually it meant Chum was in pain. Is B on any painkillers? |
| every 8 hours,she doesn't growl unless we try to move her or raise her back end. |
| Chum took tramadol too. At her peak, she took 2 50mg tablets every 8 hours. I would ask the neurologist to examine her to see if she is growling because it hurts or because she is afraid it will hurt (because it used to hurt). I have so much sympathy for your dear B. I hope that there is more than can be done for her to get her back on her feet. . . If tramadol is not eliminating her pain, perhaps there is something else she could try. |
| I know it is a difficult time- worrying if B is in pain when you lift her- worrying if her recovery is on track...
I would encourage you to talk to your doctor- like Val said- the meds may need adjustment- or a different lifting technique may be helpful. Was B's surgery done by a neurosurgeon? The fact that she is going outside to potty is a good sign. Max did not have control of his bladder for the first 4 weeks- and had a catheter that had to be changed weekly. Poor thing- we had to load him in the car- at that time he was 85 pounds of dead weight. And I must say- there were times that we came close to dropping him. 
Val's contact is wonderful. I called her and left a message- and within four hours she had returned my call. In fact- when I was speaking to her- Val was there to pick up Chummie to take her home!! Keep us updated- we are all here to help - we have sympathy AND empathy for what you and B are going through. I will be thinking about you tomorrow- Getting the staples out will be a relief to B. Take care- 
Lori |
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