Day 3

Last night was a rough one...I was up until 2AM with a very needy little bulldog. But today was a new day, it was Bill's turn nursing and things went pretty well. We called the animal hospital to ask questions about Lu's extreme pain reactions and behavior. We were told she is likely experiencing dysphoria, a kind of hyper-reaction to pain killers that manifests in vocalizations (whimpers, yelps, screams), muscle tension, nervousness and increased pain sensation. The people at the clinic related that while this is unusual, when it does occur it is often in bully breeds or rottweilers. The surgeon suggested we decrease the frequency of the oral pain killer to see if we can improve her comfort level.

My good friend Melody informed me today that I was not clear in this blog on Lulu Belle's diagnosis and her prognosis. So here it is; Lu has a disorder most common to Dachshunds called Intervertebral Disc Disease. This article from Dr. Foster & Smith presents the condition in easy-to-read language: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2105&aid=418. Another, somewhat less approachable article I found, indicates that in a Swedish study, Frenchies were discovered to be only second to Dachshunds in the occurrence of the disease: http://www.bulldogfrances.com/discdiseasenglish.html. All articles aside, the most important thing I've learned in the last week is that dogs of certain breeds can be prone to the disorder, but it's the dogs like Lulu who jump and play hard that usually have a disc rupture as a result of the weakened spine. Surgery is only one approach to deal with the issue. Because Lu was deteriorating rapidly, we decided surgical intervention would give her the best possible outcome. The procedure is just the beginning; she still has months of physical therapy and is not expect to walk again for 2 weeks to 6 months. Most dogs recover 80 to 100% of functionality with proper care.

On a less clinical note, life with Lu has been easier than expected. Today, I took her to "the rocks" where she potties, and she lowered her hips and urinated on her own. She has been vigorously eating chicken or turkey baby food from our fingers and even from the jar. She's learning to drink water from a syringe since she can't comfortable support herself to drink from a bowl. We still have a long way to go with therapy. She is having great difficulty sitting due to the stiffness in her front legs which is also characteristic of dysphoria. Walking with the sling seems impossible at the moment but we hope to see improvement in the next coming days. All and all things are more positive than yesterday and I'm in wonder of her ability to cope. Oh, I forgot to mention...when I came home from work this evening, she smiled at me and wagged her nub (what would be considered a tail in another more well-endowed breed).