Anna - April 20 doing well

We are doing well with Anna's recovery. She is getting back to her normal behaviours and feeling so much better. Also back to eating her dog food, so meal time is less cumbersome if we aren't at home when she needs to be fed. Currently feeding her three times a day, where she previously was fed twice a day. She has to put on some weight, so I am not rushing to get her back to twice a day until she has gained back some of the weight she has lost.

When we meet dogs on our walk she wants to say hi and play. She can't understand why I won't let her and she has to sit :-(.

There has been a big change in the movement of her tail since we left Vancouver, and even since she was released from hospital in Victoria. Looking very promising that she will not lose it. Yeah!!!

I have had to be in the office two days this week, so Anna of course has joined me. She is so comfortable coming up the elevator now. A HUGE change since we moved to this office space in December... then she was a quivering blob of jello traveling in the elevator.

Looking forward to a nice, relatively dry weekend so I can get in lots of short walks with my Anna pup.

Hugs,
Debs

Anna update April 15

We have had a great progress over the last few days. So nice to see.

Friday had a follow up appointment with our vet. She knew we were in as a follow up to hospitalization due to a kidney infection, but was surprised that Anna was also the one who was in an accident with a car. The vet was pleased with how she looked, her progress with eating, urination and bowel movements plus a normal temperature. Also Anna wagged her tail while there which the vet indicated is a very good sign that she won't lose her tail (cautiously optimistic!!!). She cautioned that the two weeks of antibiotics should be extended by another 3 weeks to ensure that the infection is truly gone, so we will be taking in a number of urine samples to be tested and extending her course of antibiotics.

Started mixing in Anna's regular food with the home made (chicken, rice and chicken broth) and she is happily gobbling it all down. She has lost about 1.5 kg (a little over 3 lbs) so is very slim now. Need to work on getting her back up to her normal weight.

We have an appointment to return to the vet clinic in Vancouver so they can ultrasound her kidneys and the mass by her spine near the fracture site. The mass is believed to be a hematoma, but when Anna was released from the hospital last week neither had reduced in size as the vets had expected. So we will have the specialists in Vancouver check them out.

Since Thursday Anna has been getting into her toy basket and starting to play with her toys. Was on Skype with my parents on Friday with the camera on Anna... she went into her toy box, got out a ball and proceeded to play with it in front of us. My parents were overjoyed to see this!

We are gradually working on longer walks daily. Anna would probably go for hours if I let her, but we have kept the initial walks to a few blocks and will increase our wanders daily. She met her best buddy on one of our walks and they so wanted to play and rough-house. Still have to keep her quiet so the fracture can heal correctly, that is probably going to be difficult as she is feeling better and ready to start jumping and playing as she did before the accident.

Anna has started ringing the bell at the front door when she needs to get out to use the washroom. I trained her to so this a few months after getting her as she had no clear signal that she needed to get out and I didn't enjoy cleaning up puddles on the carpets. So she has started this again, very promising sign as it is a clear indicator that she is feeling the need to urinate!

Time to get out for a wander with the pup... we both need some fresh air!

Hugs,

Debs

Anna -April 11

Things are progressing well. Last night after work Anna wanted to go for a walk, so we went for a stroll which we both enjoyed.

She is continuing to eat, small quantities so meals are offered to her frequently.

This morning she went into her toy basket and got out her bone... really good sign that she is feeling better!

Debs and Anna

Anna - April 10

Anna came home last night. YEAH!!! So very good to have her home with me.

Yesterday she was taken off the IV fluids and antibiotics. When I arrive at the vets last night she was having her supper, she wasn't interested in finishing it after I arrived. Breakfast this morning was spoon fed to her... she wasn't interested in eating on her own. Since she has had another 2 meals/snacks the last one she voluntarily ate quite a bit from her plate (YEAH!!!).

She has the spring back in her step now... So nice to see. When I take her out to use the washroom she is wanting to wander around and sniff checking out what dogs have been visiting the area. :-)

Smiling,

Debs

Anna - April 9 morning update :-)

Just a quick note right now... Talked with the vet this morning and if Anna continues improving as she has the last 24 hours she might be able come home tonight!!! Keeping my fingers crossed.

During our visit last night the vet tech indicated that Anna is a favorite of all the staff (not surprising to me) and the night staff will curl up with her on her bed if things are quiet. She would definitely enjoy that!!!

Debs

Anna - April 8 back in hospital

Anna developed a kidney infection as a result of the trauma and having the urinary catheter in place. She is in the 24 hour vet clinic in Victoria, the update from the vet this morning wasn't as promising as I had hoped. Her liver enzymes and bilirubin count are elevated which they are not certain the cause, could be due to the breakdown of a hematoma that they found or other causes. The vet indicated that re-admitting her to the vet in Vancouver might be possible if she doesn't improve over the next day.

Please continue sending healing thoughts and prayers for my baby girl.

Hugs,

Debs

Anna - April 4

Anna's catheter has been removed and she urinated successfully!!! YEAH!!! So we can plan on heading back to Victoria.

The neurologist indicated today that there was no change in the tail or the second side of the bladder. He is optimistic that there will be improvement with the bladder, seemed less so with the tail, but indicated that improvement is possible. There is a time threshold where further improvement may occur within 4-6 weeks of the incident, from my understanding in this situation the myelin sheath which allows the nerve impulse to conduct is damaged but will regenerate in 4-6 weeks. The myelin sheath can be thought of as a straw, when it is whole you are able to move liquid through it, but when there is a hole in the straw liquid does not move through.

Anna hadn't been interested in eating her food, so we have been cooking chicken to mix with her regular food to keep her eating. Last night when Christine was feeding her dog Darwin, Anna cleaned up some of his dry food from the floor... So I took advantage of this and got her dry food into a bowl for her which she devoured!!! Nice to see!

Have to contact our vet and make an appointment with them so they can get up to date on Anna's situation. Notified the vet here about our family vet, so they should get some documentation about what happened and care provided.

It has been a hectic week, ready to be home and have a few days down time. Thankfully this is a long weekend so we can hang out at home and relax/recooperate.

I want everyone to know how much I appreciate the well wishes and prayers sent out for Anna's recovery. It has been pretty amazing the advances she has made in just a few days. She is loved by so many people!

Later,

Debs