Here she is after her surgery. I was able to bring her home last Monday. She was paralyzed for several days, then slowly was able to sit up, move a paw, wag her tail. There have been quite a few accidents in the house, and I have the cleanest floors in the neighborhood because I was mopping them once or twice a day!
Meanwhile, I have some awesome arm and leg muscles from lifting a 40-lb dog and carrying her outside every hour and a half. Silver linings!
Here she is about five days ago, sitting up but not really ambulatory. Then at the end of last week it’s like her leg muscles suddenly remembered what they are supposed to do. She’s taken a few shaky steps outside, I’ve been able to entice her to try to walk with biscuits and other treats. She actually took about three steps today and stood, shakily. So I’m starting to think the doctor was right when he said she’d be recovered in two to three weeks. I don’t want her to overdo it, and unfortunately we have hardwood floors in the house, which is hard for her. But we’ll try walking some more outside where the grass is soft and she can dig her claws into the soil and see what happens.
I’m frankly amazed. After seeing her completely paralyzed for so many days, I had little hope that she’d be able to walk, or if so, without some kind of cart or other assistance.
She is truly Zelda the Wonder Dog!
