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Story of the Month - June 2009

"Rinku" 

I got Rinku as a puppy, February/March 2000, he is almost 9 now. 
 
When Rinku was brought home by the dealer in a pink plastic basket, my mom thought it's some kind of a fish-ha ha that was so funny. Cause the light was low and he was so black and shiny with his long pointy nose which went ahead of him sniffing his new home and that tail - the cutest thing about Rinku - his waggy waggy just never stopped. He would lay down and simply flip over and lie on his back-till this day Rinku loves to sleep on his back. Rinku LOVES cats and would seek out the cats, a whole bunch of them, Mint Box, Ricky, Joey, Beeboo, Phoolan (named after the dreaded Decoit who dewelled in Madya Pradesh ravines, India) and her babies etc. etc. and would cuddle up with them all to sleep. They were a sight so beautiful that people would stop and look in at Rinku sleeping, playing and eating with the cats. And can you beat this? While Phoolan birthed her babies-Rinku sat by and cleaned them up - YES thats my Rinku for you.
  
Around the 20th of October, 2008 he again showed the same signs of difficulty in walking and hunched back and fever as that last time from almost a year ago. I was now aware of the signs and took him right away to the vet, increased the Neurobion Forte to twice a day again and he was back to near normal again, he was climbing stairs, jumping onto the sofa and everything as usual. I was never aware that the stair climbing and jumping could cause injuries to these small dogs especially dachshunds.
  
On the 28th October, 2008 was when the nightmare started. It was Diwali-(a festival of lights where people decorate their homes with lights and have a lot of fireworks) Rinku never liked the fireworks and hates the loud noisy ones, he hides himself or will climb into a lap to be comforted and sheltered.  This is what gave him the final blow, he was snuggled into my lap and suddenly there was a loud cracker, he jumped out of my lap and off the sofa-BOOM he couldn't get up and was dragging himself and he was in pain, I could see it in his eyes. I called the vet and he was taken right away.
  
Now Rinku has always slept with me on my bed, so my boys brought him home and I took him to bed, he was tucked in but very restless, he peed in the bed and he vomited. I kept just shifting him to another part of the bed, changed the linen and again he would pee, but very little and not like he was aware of the pee coming out. I had to make trips to the vet every day for over 10 days and he was on various medicines.  Finally, when I took him for a review to a vet I believed in, i was told that it now did not look like Rinku will recover. I asked what can be done and the choice was keep a paralyzed dog or put him down.

Then I found Dodgerslist. I continued my visits to the vet, but the hope came from Dodgerslist. I followed their advice, got Rinku a crate, learned to express, learned how important it is to keep the dog calm and rested, learned various tips/ideas to care for an IVDD dog  and just kept my faith. Dodgers guided me every step and Rinku is better today. Almost 2 months of crate rest and Rinku can walk. Yes, he IS walking. He is wobbly and falls down, etc. but he is walking, that is what matters. He is able to pee and poop on his own now and that is all that matters for me....that he is well.
 
He is still on medication, Neurobion Forte twice a day, but just that, I am not taking him to any vet that is going to play guessing games with him, who gives me the impression that they are not too proficient with IVDD treatment. I was just told to keep him still, keep him warm and give him the medicines, no one advised things like crate rest, expressing, stomach protecters nothing. All that information I was able to gather from Dodgerslist. I feel so educated on the topic now, that i can at least guide others, if nothing else to please log on to dodgerslist.com and learn to take care of their pet in case of IVDD and the do's and don'ts of having a dachshund.
 
There is a lot more I can add to Rinku's story, but the purpose here is to let you know that an IVDD pet is curable, you need to be somewhat if not completely educated on the subject. If you keep on reading about it, the somewhat education will improve to near complete and so on.
 
The road to recovery is rest! rest! and more rest for those 8 crucial weeks. Lots and lots of love for the pet and that has be be tough love to make that pet feel wanted and that she/he is the most important part of your life. That gives the pet the determination to get better faster.

 Love your pet,
Linda in India

  Please share your story. Send an email to lindox5@yahoo.com.