I sought out canine water therapy for my paralyzed 11 year old pug. In the end, it was hard to say which of us benefited more. Dugan had lost the ability to walk due to a degenerative nerve disease. My hope was that the warm water therapy would help him keep some muscle tone, encourage his failing circulation, and provide him with a sense of movement and relaxation. Pugs are not exactly water dogs, and Dugan himself was a bit …
Carrie and Owen came in to swim for conditioning purposes only – to build up Owen’s stamina and body so that his muscles would ripple in the show ring and it worked great!!! They earned their CHAMPIONSHIP and we are SO PROUD of both of them! More Happy Therapy Stories
To all interested in our experience at La Paw Spa: We have a 13 month old Golden Retriever, Kate. When she was about 8-9 months old we found out she has bilateral hip dysphasia. We were devastated until we learned that there were many surgeries and treatments available. The first surgeon we went to wanted to do surgery on BOTH hips at the same time. We didn’t like this option as one hip was much better than the other, and …
Zion, a beautiful German Shepherd, has Degenerative Myelopathy.. and a family who loves him greatly. My sister’s beautiful boy dog, Zion, has DM. Zion’s deterioration is heartbreaking, but Janet meets it with a fortitude I do not possess. Instead, I deal with the grief in the only way I can — I’m a writer, I write. The following story was written as a Beauty and the Beast TV fanfic. For those unfamiliar with fandom, the writer takes the world and …
At the center of my family is a wonderful beagle named Lucy. Lucy had the perfect beagle’s life running and sniffing, playing and with our kids, and being spoiled by our family. About two years ago she required ACL surgery and seemed to be recovering until she was attacked by a large dog that passed through our yard. Months after the attack, Lucy stopped improving; in fact she seemed to be regressing. She was no longer able to use any …
Tuggy was Cindy’s boy… He entered the scene like a whirlwind and brought immeasurable joy to her life for over 10 years. He brought gentle lessons for Cindy in the areas of boundaries, discernment and the proper way to laugh and play. The poem below was written by Janet, a client of La Paw Spa and a dear friend of Cindy’s, to honor Tuggy’s life. In Praise of Tuggy Oh you are so Bold a DogLook at You!!!You fly across …
I just wanted to send you some feedback on Tex. It seems you and Martha have introduced me to a whole new area of care/rehab for the fur kids, and Tex continues to be the master teacher. Even my husband noticed a difference in Tex yesterday. Here is a brief overview of what I can see: As long as I have owned Tex, trotting has not been easy for him, and has not be his gait of choice. Early attempts …
Our day begins in October of 2005. It was a lovely fall morning of running and playing at the local Junior High school football field. By the end of that walk, a new journey would begin. This journey would take time, love, patience, and a true belief in another human being with an incredible ability to heal. Biz is my 5-year-old Schipperke. He is a playful Zen dog with a lighthearted approach to the world so when he wanted to …
A Broken Angel Heals – Maggie’s Story In the last 2 1/2 years I have become the caregiver of a beautiful, partially paralyzed, yellow lab girl named Maggie. While she was previously owned by my neighbors she had been struck with a condition called Fibro cartilaginous Embolism (FCE) – pretty much a stroke in the spine. My neighbors did their best in caring for her for 6 months however it became more demanding for them with a baby on the …
by Cindy Horsfall La Paw Spa Today was one of those good days, the kind that makes you glad to be alive. It began when I met Sarah and ended as I drove home under a beautiful sunset sky that matched the warm glow inside of me. Sarah is a six-year-old lab who has had some spondylosis in her spine. She is a perfect candidate for water therapy and enjoyed her session today, but that’s just part of the story …