Belle: the TriPawd Rotti

I had started having trouble walking and I was using my leg at a funny angle, plus I was in pain, so Mom and Shawn took me to the vet yesterday. He said that my ACL is torn, but not totally torn. Mommy got very happy and invited a bunch of people for my birthday party on January 6th. I will be 9 on January 9th.

I haven’t peed in over 24 hours and my back end is paralyzed today. We will be running into the vet’s office first thing in the morning. Mommy is SUPER scared. I’m hungry and my spirits are good. Even though Mom and Shawn pretty much have to carry me, I pooped in my favorite spot, but I didn’t pee.

Please pray for me, that this is some minor thing. Mommy will get me a wheelchair if she needs to, but the bladder thing is very worrisome, especially because I had kidney failure before.

I haven’t posted in a while. My health is great! My attitude, not so much. Mommy had to take the reins as far as my care. I was confused about who is the alpha dog with Uncle Shawn. He is so nice, and has helped so much, but he lets me get away with a lot and treats me like I’m a queen, and that doesn’t work for us Rotties. Mommy is a fair, but strict ruler. I was snapping at people when they did things I didn’t like. I even drew blood on one woman who approached me while I was sitting on the porch unsupervised. Mommy was out of town. When she got back, WOW! There was a new sheriff in town and my life changed. Now Mommy doesn’t let me out of the apartment without a leash and I have to wear a “Caution, I will bite” collar. At first I pouted, but now it’s OK. We are walking all the way around the block twice a day and I get to visit with Shawn, but not all day like I used to. Mommy spoke to my trainer and she said that I am having a medical issue, not an aggression issue, so with some tight Rotti rules, things are going to be just fine. Once the sore on my bum clears up, I hope to be a nice girl again and maybe get a few privileges back.

Last Saturday we went to the vet (again) for a checkup. My blood test came back “Excellent!” We are all so happy. I feel better and Mommy has proof.

The other good news is that I’m walking much better. I have built up the core strength I need for the TriPawd Shuffle. I had a hard time, because the start of my “physical therapy” was delayed over a week from my surgery because I really crashed and burned. Mommy was afraid I wouldn’t make it, but we have lots of friends and everyone sent lots of love my way, I got my will to live back, and I pulled through.

Here’s a video of me doing the TriPawd shuffle, and not listening to Mommy, as usual.

I’m walking  more and more, and sometimes standing, just because. (Mommy still has to help me up the knee wall, but I can go up small steps on my own.)

I’m really doing well, and I owe a lot of my rehab to my friend, Shawn, because he takes care of me when Mommy’s at work. Yesterday Mommy went paddling for the first time since I got sick. Shawn doggy-sat, as usual. When he took me for my walk, I just kept wanting to go further, so we went all the way around the block. Before I got sick, Mommy and I would walk around that block every day, so I could sniff and mark my territory. I’m so glad to be walking around the block again (with rest stops, of course). This morning Mommy came, too, so now it’s twice I’ve been around the block.

On a bad note, everyone has been treating me like I’m the Queen, so I think I’m the Queen, and now that I’m feeling better, I’m not as nice as I should be. I snapped at Shawn when he went to grab my binky this morning, and now I’m on restriction. Mommy is making me stay in her apartment while she does chores. I really prefer Shawn’s apartment, and I really love Shawn like hes’ my boyfriend, so I vow to be a nicer doggy from now on. We are back to having rules about hugging, touching paws and binkies, because, after all, I am a dog, a protective breed, and I am not the Queen.