After reading about Bailey, I knew I had to share his story. Bailey is an adorable 5 year old Dachshund who is currently in the loving care of a Furbaby Rescue foster home. Like our Greta, he suffers from disk disease. Sadly, Bailey's previous family refused to treat him and his condition worsened to point where his back legs were completely paralyzed. After he had grown completely incapacitated, the family took him to a shelter in Oregon which contacted Furbaby Rescue for help. Furbaby is comprised entirely of volunteers who work with many special needs pups, including paralyzed dogs like Bailey. Way to go Furbaby Rescue!
Bailey was evaluated by a specialty vet who determined that his spinal injuries couldn't be corrected by surgery, but that he was a perfect candidate for hydrotherapy, acupuncture, and a wheelchair.
Bailey began water therapy at Sumner Vet Hospital (see photo above) where he was able to practice walking on the underwater treadmill. Hydrotheraphy is a great form of rehabilitation / treatment for dogs with arthritis, hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, and intevertebral disk disease. There are professional facilities across the country, or dog guardians can do hydrotherapy at home (as long as the dog is small enough!), which is what we did with Greta.
After his acupuncture and water therapy were under way, the next order of business was to get Bailey fitted for a wheelchair. Furbaby Rescue has a relationship with Dewey's Wheelchairs For Dogs in Oregon, and Dewey Springer provided custom wheels for Bailey at a significant discount. What a guy!
As you can see from the photo above, Bailey loves his new mobility! His foster mom writes that "Bailey is off and running in his new chair... a hundred miles an hour, down the stairs and around the yard and back again." Despite everything Bailey has been through, he is still full of happiness and energy. Furbaby Rescue describes him this way: "His spirit and his joy in living are never ending. He warms the hearts of everyone he meets."
Best of all, Bailey is still making progress and improving with each passing month. Recently he began standing on his own for 20 - 30 seconds at a time! His story is a great example of canine resilience and endurance. Three cheers for Bailey!
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2 comments:
Thank God for people who will take in these special needs dogs and help them gain their mobility... even if with a wheelchair.
These dogs are so amazing! I have a "Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog" and she has been such a blessing to me. Like you, and your blog, she brings a positive face to animals with disabilities. Her children's book teaches children about overcoming challenges and also teaches them about disabilities. It is our goal to educate others so someday these little dogs will all be given a chance to live long full lives.
Thank you for your continued work to bring such a positive message to animals with disabilities.
Barbara & Frankie
www.joyfulpaws.com
Hooray for Frankie! We truly appreciate all of your encouragement, Barbara. You and Frankie do great work and have such a positive approach. Keep it up!
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