Dog Physio/Rehab

Gaaah! I feel like I'm going slightly more bonkers! Every walk obviously watching how Ivy is moving and her overall 'vibe', since the reduction of Rheumocam. We're well over two weeks into that now and while I've had some 'hmm...not sure about that' actually she looks good and everything in her hind legs and back seems to be moving well.

If something's 'off' it's very slight - her ears aren't always as bouncy as they can be, not constantly back like when she really has been unhappy/uncomfortable, but still suggesting not quite happy about something. Also, just a bit lower energy. Still full of beans in the morning, keen as anything for her walks, and 'sassy' when she has decided it is dinner time. But not as energetic as she has been. When the cooler weather started coming in, she was really enjoying running around on the long line and we had some indoor zooms; this seems to have mostly stopped now.

I realise now that changing her feed at the same time as the meds change was a poor choice on my part. She had been on a 'high fat', 'high calorie' kibble to help her after the stress of house move and all the vet visits/scans, but I wasn't sure if that was appropriate longer term so as she was looking good took advice from feed company about an alternative.

Next check in with rehab vet is next week so I'm thinking now just don't change anything else until we have her assessment and whether any of the suspect areas are showing signs of pain again.

Another 'I wish they could talk!' moment. I don't want to worry unduly but equally doing my best to not let things deteriorate back to where they were.

ETA - will weigh Ivy at next vet visit to guide the food thing. I keep forgetting rehab vet has scales and record of weight at last visit.
 
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Wahoo! We're down to monthly sessions now and a good report from the vet today. A bit of tightness in muscles but otherwise Ivy is doing well following the first phase of medication reduction.

We'll give her a few more days to recover from her session today and then do the next step down of the medication. If she's still looking good after a week, we can step up the length of some of her walks on a more consistent basis.

We're not at off lead stage yet but did start having a chat about it for the first time today, so hopefully not too much longer now.

Ivy has dropped about half a kg since the last apt so we'll have a look at changing food back again.
 
With floydy, so long as hes happy cantering out on walks I just stop myself squinting and staring at him. If he stops his happy canters we go to the physio so we can squint and stare at him together and then I can have a rational discussion with a qualified person who stops me working myself up about it, but also wont hesitate to pack us back off to the vet if its needed. I'd drive myself insane otherwise!
 
I'm Dun said:
With floydy, so long as hes happy cantering out on walks I just stop myself squinting and staring at him. If he stops his happy canters we go to the physio so we can squint and stare at him together and then I can have a rational discussion with a qualified person who stops me working myself up about it, but also wont hesitate to pack us back off to the vet if its needed. I'd drive myself insane otherwise!
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She was definitely having a canter about this morning. I need to remember to 'zoom out' and look at her as a whole picture.

I suppose I need to remember that we're booked in for our next apt a month away, so if there is a little niggle it's not going to be long until it's picked up and if there's something really wrong we wouldn't need to be squinting to see.

The session must have tired her out as we didn't realise until this morning that we hadn't given her the second half of her dinner. Normally she would not let us forget!
 
Well...crap. Ivy definitely feeling good as she had a zoom about this evening after her dinner. Slipped over out in the garden and scraped her back leg and foot on the resin surface.

Thankfully seems superficial and not bleeding too much. Saline water this evening because I've missed the pet shop opening times and I'll get some antiseptic/protective spray tomorrow. Have checked the vet has slots available on Friday and Saturday in case things start to look like they're getting worse.

Just really hoping she hasn't tweaked or pulled anything!
 
SaddlePsych'D said:
Well...crap. Ivy definitely feeling good as she had a zoom about this evening after her dinner. Slipped over out in the garden and scraped her back leg and foot on the resin surface.

Thankfully seems superficial and not bleeding too much. Saline water this evening because I've missed the pet shop opening times and I'll get some antiseptic/protective spray tomorrow. Have checked the vet has slots available on Friday and Saturday in case things start to look like they're getting worse.

Just really hoping she hasn't tweaked or pulled anything!
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I'm such a worrier! She was...fine. Obviously 😂

Another positive update today. We're clear to drop down the medication again and will then be at less than half dose. Vet says Ivy's got great muscle, looking fit, and dropped a bit of weight which she thought was actually a good thing. Longer weekend walks went well last week, the first barely tired her out. I thought the second was going to be too much but nope! She has been really full of beans at points over the last couple of weeks!

We're finally at a point to consider off-lead time. If all is still well in a couple of weeks we're going to book at short secure field booking, stay on long-lead for most of it, to walk/sniff/train, and then just let her off for a few minutes at the end. Exciting! But also will try to make it uneventful and boring.
 
Great to hear things are progressing and moving towards off-lead. As a minor suggestion, now the mostly whippet is in his dotage (nearly 16! How?!), I have taken to occasionally taking little videos of him out on a walk, particularly towards the end of a walk.
Its more for me to check I'm not missing discomfort or that his exercise levels are okay. It might be helpful for to do this for Ivy, so you can reassure yourself things are going okay?
It did help me after a vet who looked at the most recent video and said she was happy with his movement and that it indicated he still had a good quality of life. Although if you saw him being made to go for a wee in the rain, you'd think otherwise 🤣
 
paisley said:
Great to hear things are progressing and moving towards off-lead. As a minor suggestion, now the mostly whippet is in his dotage (nearly 16! How?!), I have taken to occasionally taking little videos of him out on a walk, particularly towards the end of a walk.
Its more for me to check I'm not missing discomfort or that his exercise levels are okay. It might be helpful for to do this for Ivy, so you can reassure yourself things are going okay?
It did help me after a vet who looked at the most recent video and said she was happy with his movement and that it indicated he still had a good quality of life. Although if you saw him being made to go for a wee in the rain, you'd think otherwise 🤣
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Thank you that's a good tip! I will get some video on our longer walks and definitely when we do the off-lead stuff.

She's quite tired today bless her. Moving fine but we did one of our regular ~30min walks this morning and it was a very gentle pootle home. We'll take it easy for a day or two and see how she is. I could hear her zooming about when OH got up to let her out this morning, so she's in good spirits but probably just tired from the treadmill stuff yesterday.
 
Woohooo! Today Ivy has been for her first bit of off lead time since April this year. Weather was pretty grim but I'm so pleased for her; she was such a jolly little soul pootling about doing her own thing.

We were aiming for minimal zooming if at all possible but she did have one short blast and I sort of don't blame her! Got her back on the lead straight away, checked her over, and no signs of discomfort as far as I could tell. We decided to quit while ahead and not push our luck with additional zooms. Her hind muscles are probably the best they have been since we have had her but still I guess we need to be gradual in building up.

Home now and all seems well. Next vet visit is Friday this week so we'll be back to usual on lead walks until then and looking forward to getting the vet's feedback.
 
Good god I hope the vet gives us sign off for more off lead time!

Sunday certainly hasn't set Ivy back. She's also getting quite full of beans in the evenings in a way which walking doesn't quite seem to be taking the edge off! In the past this would be prime 'we're overdue a visit to the secure field' time.

Maybe she's getting in the Christmas spirit?! 😂
 
Another positive update with the rehab journey. Vet has given us go ahead to do a bit of off-lead once per week, aiming to keep full zooming to a minimum as best we can.

Apart from some muscle tightness, no concerns at the appointment last week. Ivy fell asleep during her acupuncture treatment for the first time 😂 She's also really doing well on the treadmill. Still no water but amazing what fears a decent helping of chicken will overcome.

We were back off lead yesterday and if anything Ivy was even more full of beans on her walk this morning!

It's just been fantastic to see her having some freedom back and the absolute joy she has when she's running.

Next goals are to see if we can reduce medication again in a few weeks and to space out the rehab appointments further apart. Ivy had bloods done recently which came back showing her to be in really good health, which I believe means if we do need a low maintenance dose of medication we have that option available.

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Hmm... a setback. We can't pinpoint what's set it off. Ivy's had a few times off lead now and each time come away from it with no sign of injury or pain, full of energy and walking just fine on her walks in the following days. Got her out of the car after an on lead walk last weekend and thought 'heck she just took a couple of dodgy steps there!' then she's been looking a bit stiff in her back legs all week. Otherwise seeming very happy in herself.

Helpfully we were due back with vet yesterday anyway so that was good timing. There's no sign of new injury but probably (if I've understood correctly) a flare of inflammation causing nerve pain. Poor Ivy was quite sensitive during her treatment but the vet really is so good and patient with her. We aren't completely back to square one but still upsetting to see her uncomfortable. OH says Ivy has been a bit 'sassy' today so I hope thins means she is feeling a bit better!

We've got some homework exercises/stretches to do and Rheumocam has gone back up for a few days. The vet thought doing off lead still will be okay just continue trying to avoid Ivy twisting/turning sharply.
 
Indy said:
What was Ivy's diagnosis?
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One of them is spondylosis in her spine - I think relatively mild. Another is a wonky pelvis (technical term there 😂) where literally one of her pelvis bones is bigger than the other. The other is to do with where the spine ends and tail starts, right at the base of her tail. Again I think it's bone abnormality which can cause pressure on the nerves. Apologies I'm not explaining very well! The vet said it's a bit like sciatica. My understanding is that probably from time to time something may cause some inflammation/irritate the problem areas and then where she gets uncomfortable it starts impacting on other areas because she's not moving properly.
Clodagh said:
Im glad the vet thought it wasn’t too bad. I suppose like an OTTB perhaps they are prone to carrying a problem.
You are the best owner!
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I have in mind that I might get a non-ridden OTTB. The dog and the horse can do their pole work exercises together 😂

One of the homework things is applying a heat pack which Ivy seemed to very much enjoy this evening.
 
SaddlePsych'D said:
One of them is spondylosis in her spine - I think relatively mild. Another is a wonky pelvis (technical term there 😂) where literally one of her pelvis bones is bigger than the other. The other is to do with where the spine ends and tail starts, right at the base of her tail. Again I think it's bone abnormality which can cause pressure on the nerves. Apologies I'm not explaining very well! The vet said it's a bit like sciatica. My understanding is that probably from time to time something may cause some inflammation/irritate the problem areas and then where she gets uncomfortable it starts impacting on other areas because she's not moving properly.

I have in mind that I might get a non-ridden OTTB. The dog and the horse can do their pole work exercises together 😂

One of the homework things is applying a heat pack which Ivy seemed to very much enjoy this evening.
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Bandit's was diagnosed with Lumbarsacral Disease in November which the vet likened to sciatica.
 
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