Three Months and Counting

It’s been just over three months since I had my surgery (May 21) and overall I’m doing better than I was six weeks ago.

So let’s review the positive stuff first 

•  There’s more feeling further down my spine. More on my left side than on my right but nevertheless there’s been progress.
•  My hind flanks have more mass and my hind legs and feet look better and feel warmer than just a few weeks ago.
•  I have more feeling in some of the toes of my hind feet.
•  I can lift my backend up but I can’t yet use my hind legs to support myself.
• The shaved rectangle on my back has finally grown some fur – winter’s coming.
•  I have really built up the muscles in my front legs and chest from using my wheelchair.
• Attitude and demeanour – I’m my own happy puppy. I don’t spend any time worrying about my condition. My dad and mom do that for me. 
•  I can swim now without a PFD. My swim coach Jacqueline tried me without my PFD a few weeks ago and I haven’t worn one since.
•  I feel more of the acupuncture needles, it might hurt a bit but at least that means I have feeling there and that’s a very good thing.

And the stuff we’re still working on:

• Pooping and peeing – my dad and my mom are still looking after this for me. I’m glad my dad can look after me a lot.
• Time – it might be another 6 or 9 months before we know how much more mobility I’ll be able to regain. There’s certainly been improvements but it’s taken a lot of time and care to have gotten this far.
• Acupuncture is now once every two weeks because my vet (Janice) feels that I am almost as well off on this schedule as I would be going in to see her weekly. And we might as well save my mom and dad some money so they can spend it on almond butter and treats for me. 
• Hydrotherapy is still weekly as I really like it. It helps to loosen up the tightness in my chest and I like my swimming coach Jacqueline at Aquapaws http://www.aquapaws.ca/ . Besides I’ll show signs of walking underwater before I am able to on land.·         I’m still taking Neurotrophin and Neuroplex to help with nerve regeneration.
• The fur on my front legs has not regrown yet but hopefully it will soon. My dad and mom used to call me a “wookie” because my legs looked like the wookie on Star Wars. Right now they look kind of skinny.

Sam I Am

Hi There

I want to say hello to all my new friends and to tell you a little more about myself.

My name is Sam, aka Sammy, aka Sammy Bear, aka Sammy Sofa. I am 5 years old and I will be 6 in September.

I was born on one of the Gulf Islands off the coast of British Columbia and was one of 6 puppies of Toby, my dog mom, who was rescued from a shelter in the United States, just in the knick of time. She was about to be euthanized when some kind folks in British Columbia went into action to save her. ( To see her story and picture of me with Toby when I was really little, click on Toby's story)

Once Toby was in her new home for a while, her adopted parents discovered she was going to have puppies! Surprise : 0} That's where I come in. If Toby had not been rescued from the shelter, I wouldn't be here today.

In November 2004, my mom found out about us from one of her friends. My mom and dad were still really sad because their two other fur kids had just gone to heaven (Wupper in October 2004, aged 18 and Max in July 2004, aged 15) so they weren't sure about taking on a new puppy just yet.

Fortunately they came to see us and decided to take both me and my brother Owen home with them. Owen and I look like spaniels but our other litter mates all looked a little different. They believe our dad was an American Cocker Spaniel and our mom Toby is part Affenpinscher (a That's me and Owen in the picture. of terrier) and part Schnauzer. So our first human parents have said that our breed is "Affenschnocker" Hee Hee.

That's me and Owen in the picture. It doesn't matter what they label us. We 're just a couple of fun loving guys. Good looking, too : )

Toby's story