Spike: The Real Life Weeble...

Its official, Spike is a real life Weeble. ….

He wobbles but he never falls over he just bounces back with a smile and makes the most of life.

A couple of weeks ago we feared for Spike’s future as his condition worsened and we made the decision to give him regular pain medication.  He responded well to the experimental doses, proving that he needs our help to keep him happy.  While this makes me sad as I consider the implications of long term drug use on such a young dog, we made a vow to give this boy a happy forever after and we will remain true to that promise.

C'mon Krofti, I have found a really cool path..

We have continued to allow him to run when he wants to, which to be honest is most days!  Not long distances, just enough to keep him happy and make him feel like a husky.

In the past 6 months all attention has been on his elbows.  The lameness and severe stiffening upon rising has been very noticeable in his forelegs and the inability to bend them normally quite obvious.  We have been so aware of his elbow dysplasia that we almost forgot about the fact that he also has hip dysplasia.

This week while walking with him, he suddenly refused to weight bear on his left hind.  Clearly in pain he tried to carry that leg for the duration of the walk.  I started panicking as I suddenly remember the x-rays of his hips, taken long before we knew of his elbow problem.  If he was suddenly down to only having one leg that worked then the future for Spike was bleak.  The “Spike Smile” would not be around for much longer.

As I watched him struggle with his hind leg, I remembered the day I first realised he had a problem with his front legs.  I remember the precise place where it happened and the fear I felt then.

A very relaxed Spike having acupuncture

But Spike is like no other that I have ever known.  As I panicked he just did what he does best, just gets on with making the most out of life.

One thing I should mention is that Spike has the best vet ever looking after him, a vet that I have the utmost respect for and trust implicitly.  She trusts us to make the best ethical decisions for him while helping us understand his physical condition and helping him in every medical way possible.  She also performs acupuncture on him and his best friend Krofti.  Although Spike tries to pull out the little needles, I know he always feels better after a session, as does Krofti (our 14 year old Siberian Husky).  Clearly it is helping them both and I am very grateful.  It has taken me a lifetime to find a vet that I feel this way about and I have met many in my lifetime of sharing my life with animals from hamsters and huskies to horses and hedgehogs!

After the hip scare I did not allow Spike to run for a couple of days and he started looking depressed.  He had an acupuncture session and full physical check without any negative repercussions.

So I decided to let him run again with Kroi.  When Kroi and Spike run together you can guarantee that it will be fast and furious……

And it was. 

Waiting patiently for the next run...

Kroi set the pace and Spike happily followed.  I huffed and puffed and tried to keep up, which is not very easy when your training partners are keen to run sub4 minute mile pace and you are worried about personal injury!  Following my recent injury I have lost my confidence and pain is currently restricting my ability.  Clearly Spike is not concerned about either of those points!!

So while Spike is a Weeble that wobbled but did not fall, I am a defective Weeble that is temporarily on the floor….

(Photos thanks to Ian J Berry)

Chasing dreams with Spike...

Dear Spike,

Did you know that there is a beer that has been created with someone like you in mind?  I found this beer the other day and the description on the label of this bottle of beer had a very profound effect on me.  I stood reading the label thinking of you and the tears rolled down my face.

For as long as I can remember, I have always had an exceptional bond with every animal I have ever lived or worked with.  Rabbits, ducks, chickens, ponies and Siberian Huskies I have always had a very deep connection built on trust, understanding and respect of how that being lives, what it loves what it hates.  Knowing what motivates them has allowed me to do things with them that have taken me beyond my wildest dreams.

I believed that I could not connect with you because I did not understand you.  That you live in a world far removed from mine and while our life together in the husky and human family is harmonious, no special bond exists. 

I recently started fearing that by trying to include you in one of my extreme dreams I was trying to turn you into something that you are not.  Ask you to do something that perhaps you were not capable of.  And so, induced by fear of your ability and my ability, I stopped trying.  I started believing the worst and that both our physical impairments were declining such that some dreams would never be…..

I wondered around for a few days with my mind in a dark place.  I felt guilt about what I was asking you to do and felt sadness for myself as I acknowledged the situation regarding my ankle.  The mind demons came out to play and I let them chase away the little angels of my mind.

I tried to rationalize and not give up completely, perhaps there was still hope.

As long as my mind could cope with my own pain, I could still train towards my dream but without you in the dream team. Giving up on dreams is always very hard, and while I tried to change the dream and pursue it without you, the inspiration to do so lessened, my heart felt heavy and my wings dampened.

       

As I continued training I became aware of a change in you.  Your eyes lost their sparkle and your enthusiasm each day dropped, you struggled to eat and no longer looked like you were enjoying life.  You still ran, but not with the same energy or determination.  You interacted less with the other members of the dream team and your attention seeking behavior became worse.  I did not see that at the time, I just heard yappy barking that continued until I got cross and then you continued some more.  But the reality was that you were desperate for my attention and when you barked and I responded you dashed off with a smile on your face.  The back chatting was just the same, fighting for my attention in the way you know best.    

We decided that your condition must be deteriorating and that daily pain medication was now the next step.  Your almost instant response to the first dose of medicine was completely unexpected and the resultant destruction of several lengths of hosepipe and numerous manic dashes around the house had us believe that the pain relief was working and we had a solution.

We continued for several days and it was clear that you had more energy, but still your eyes were not sparkling.  We still ran little easy runs together, but something was definitely still missing.

And that is when I found myself in the beer aisle of Waitrose…

 

As I read the words on the bottle of beer and thought of you, a crescendo of activity occurred deep inside my mind and body.  I don’t need to understand your behavior; I just need to accept that you do what you do because you want to.  You led a very different life before we met; a life of pain and suffering and close to death when you were rescued.  Perhaps sometimes you do things just because you are happy to be alive.  You clearly love being around people and love doing things that are fun.  And what if I had got it wrong and I was contributing to your sadness by giving up on you and not allowing you to be part of the dream team?  What if you also have dreams….. 

If you did not want to run, then you would not.  The pain in my ankle is probably comparable with the pain that you feel in your elbows and yet I have no plans to stop running any time soon.  To deprive me of running would deprive me of access to my innermost soul.

I hugged the beer bottle as I carried it to the car, a very special beer that was inspiring me to think deeply about you and about me…

As I drove home, I started thinking about the reason why our relationship is so different from the relationship that I have with the other huskies.  I have known them since they were born.  I have watched them grow from suckling puppies into adult dogs, taught them right from wrong and shared my world with them.  We have run thousands of miles together and laughed and cried together.  We have shared some awful experiences and we have shared some glorious experiences.  They have never been short of food or love, and from the day they arrive on the planet they were destined to spend the rest of their lives with me.  We will never know all that you endured before you were rescued and when you arrived here the plan was always to make you better and then send you onwards to another home for the rest of your life.

But fate threw you a cruel blow.  As the extent of your disabilities became clear, we knew that you would ultimately spend the rest of your life with us.  I did not realize how much this decision would impact our lives and I am ashamed to say that sometimes we have struggled and sometimes I feel as if you are a visiting dog and not one of the pack.  I do not trust you as I trust the others, but it is not your fault that this fog hangs over your head.  One day I will tell you the story about a very special little dog. He and I started writing a magical fairytale, but sadly it never reached the “happy ever after” ending that I dreamt of.  However the storybook has remained open ever since and his legacy is what brought you into our lives.

As I drove home I made a vow to return to the story book and bring this fairytale to an end with the most beautiful and happy ever after….    

 

The next morning I allowed you to run with Kroi and your happiness said it all.  You were tired from the sheer efforts of the run but you looked happy and since then when you have run with Kez or with Kroi you have shouted with excitement before the start and smiled every step that you have run.  I will ignore the naughty parts about trying to shoulder charge Kez.  You were not blessed with a working ethic, running is purely about having fun for you and that is ok.  We don’t need to run ultras together, we can just have fun! 

I don’t need to understand, I just need to accept you for and be inspired by your outlook on life.  The simple things in life give you pleasure: a fluttering butterfly; a leaf blowing in the wind or a splash of water.  We sprint for no reason that I can understand and we stop for no reason that I understand, but you do.  You sometimes appear to chase nothingness, motivated by some internal force that only you are aware of.

This week I was reminded just how motivated you are when it comes to racing bikes, trains and other mechanical inventions, probably more so than a deer or a rabbit!  The speed you took off at when the stranger on a bike appeared on the bridle way in front of us was nothing short of spectacular.  I did not try to stop you, just tried to keep up and try to reduce the tension on the line between your harness and mine.  As we neared the river I was sure that you would stop as I believed that water was your first love.  You did not stop, but flew past both fords at breakneck speed.  I smiled a lot on that run as you were clearly having great fun and I was very much not in control of that situation!   

This week you ran again in the dream team, for a full mile.  Not only was it your fastest ever mile, it was also mine.  Together we achieved something that neither of us had ever done before and so very close to the dream Sub 4 minute mile. 

Thank you Spike, you have inspired me to believe again.  With the help of our friends you and I can together write the most beautiful fairytale that will leave a lasting legacy for others to follow.

Sandra xx

The trouble with Spike and I....

Running with the team

I love to run and Spike loves to run and if life was straightforward then this would never be a problem and we would run together forever….

Sadly life is not that straightforward and as a result of certain events in our past lives, both of us have some chronic issues that cause us significant pain and psychological problems on a daily basis.  But please do read on because this is a happy story….

In the early days of life with us

However, before we start all the happy stuff, I would like to make a confession.  I have not always been Spike’s biggest fan and have found him a very difficult dog to work with.  When we agreed to adopt him I made a commitment that I am determined to fulfil.  Life with Spike is fun but it is also very stressful.  He has psychological issues that I struggle to manage as I don’t understand them.  I don’t know what drives him and it is very hard to know if the decision that I make for him is the best one.  With every other dog that I have lived with I have never had to make such decisions, they make them for me and I just do as they ask.  When we are out running and they suddenly run by my side or turn their head to me I know they are not happy and I do what must be done.  I don’t have this relationship with Spike and have to guess when enough is enough.  When we run together he sets the pace I just follow along…  I don’t understand why he chases his tail and attacks sweeping brushes.  I don’t know why he shouts and screeches so much or why he loves strangers so much, but perhaps the reality is that I don’t need to understand, I just need to accept that he does.

Our first official sub 5 minute mile in Poole

It is no secret that I have had a dream to run a Sub 4 minute mile for a very long time.  Siberian Husky assisted mile I must add as the current word record for a female to run a mile is 4 minutes and 12 seconds! 

I would love to run 3:59 with Spike for a great number of reasons, but I genuinely do not know if he is capable of sustaining that speed for a full mile and recently I completely gave up on the dream where he was part of the team.  Although I had been training with him, I decided to drop him from the team and concentrate on running with the two brother huskies instead.  The result was that I got faster and the bond between the two brother huskies and I deepened.  When running at the speeds we have been training at the relationship between human and dog(s) gets stronger with each run.  Frequently during those training sessions I am running well under sub 4 minute mile pace, attached to two dogs capable of pulling 6 times their own weigh with ease.  I weigh just over 50kg and they both weigh around 25kg, you do not need to be a mathematician to work out what that means….

Basically I am relying on trust when I run at speed with them.  I need to know that together we can react as a team to any situation thrown at us – whether it is a rabbit in danger of losing its life, an off lead dog, hole in ground etc.  Trust is something that Spike and I together have yet to master.

A happy Spike

So opting for the easy option I chose to progress my Sub 4 minute mile training with Kez and Kroi.  The result was that my times got quicker, but Spike started becoming depressed.  Although he was still running most days he was no longer part of the main team and his behaviour changed.  For a while we just assumed that it was a sign that his condition was worsening and his running days were almost over.  In January we were forewarned that his life expectancy would be 6-9 months and 4 months later it was sort of expected.

I guess Spike refuses to accept this diagnosis, a bit like me and my ankle situation…..

As I said earlier, we made a commitment when we agreed to adopt him.  We would give him the best life possible and keep him happy for as long as possible.  He was clearly not happy and was getting really upset when I went off running with the others.  So we decided to give him another chance. 

The plan was simple, I would run him with Kroi on a one mile route and if he could keep up without showing any signs of distress then we would bring him back into the “Dream Team”….

And so at 4:15 am one day this week we dragged ourselves out of bed and headed over to the trail that we have been practising on lately.  Ian set off down the trail with Kez and I waited with Spike and Kroi.  After 2 minutes I said “let’s go” and off they went.  First quarter of a mile is uphill, but we covered it in 1 minute and 1 second.  Then a further ascent and two blind 90 degree turns to cope with before the final 1/3 of a mile which includes a gentle decline.  The two turns slowed us down dramatically, but as we exited the second I could see Ian and Kez and knew that we were going to catch them before the one mile point.  I then had to make the decision as to try and overtake which would slow us down considerably or just stop when we reached them.

I opted for the overtake manoeuvre.... placing all my trust in Kroi to take us safely past and that Spike would happily follow.
As Kroi ran alongside his brother he looked over to him, made eye contact and started slowing down.  I took a very deep breath and told Kroi to “go on”, and he did.  He flew past Kez taking Spike and me with him.   I summoned all my physical strength and tried desperately to keep up and Spike ignored Kez and tried to obey me and Kroi.

With the Huskies Running team

It worked.  Our last ¼ mile was four minute mile pace precisely.  Our overall time was 4:21 but to finish at the pace we did I truly believe that a flat and straight course will easily help us lose us 10 seconds, but can it help with the rest?  I do not know the answer but I am willing to give it a go, with Spike…

And since this run Spike has started smiling again.  He is clearly not yet ready to give up running with his friends and I still believe I can live the dream J

Spike: The Special Husky

Spike the Special Husky

One year on, our “last ever foster Husky” has become an integral part of the Huskies Running team and has attracted a lot of fame thanks to his personality and determination to live life to the full.  He has severe physical problem, development problems and several other health issues that we keep on finding.  He feels pain every day of his life and yet he remains a happy a delightful little chap with a personality as big as his heart.

Week one

I don’t think I will ever forget the day I met Spike.  I expected a bald and very underweight, but cute blue eyed baby husky of about 3 months.  What actually arrived on our doorstep was a dog that looked a little bit like a husky crossed with a gremlin.  He had comically oversized ears that flapped when he moved and a strange shaped head disproportional in size to his very frail body.  Sparse fur covered his body and his tail looked more fitting for a rat than a husky.  He had huge paws and very weak hind legs that wobbled as he tried to walk.

But the one thing that I remember most of that first meeting was Spike’s smile.  Standing in front of me was a little dog badly treated and abandoned by humans, close to death when he was found and with absolutely no reason to trust or be happy to see a strange person peering at him through suspicious eyes.  He smiled back at me as I stood there trying to absorb the detail of his condition.   He smiled at Ian and he smiled at some people that happened to be walking past when he was led from the van that had brought him to our house.

With his Husky family

Spike has now been with us for nearly a year, he has grown into a beautiful swan and his smile remains.  He loves people and loves life, even when he struggles with pain he remains determined to enjoy life to the full.  The simple things in life give him great happiness and each and every day I learn something new about him and his attitude to life 

Our plan had been to foster him on behalf of SHCGB Welfare and when he was fit and healthy he would be adopted by a loving family.  “Just one more foster” had been my plea to Ian, “I promise it will only be for a few months…..”

Having fun

For those that do not know his story, we achieved the original objective and helped Spike grow a glorious husky fur coat and gain enough weight to achieve the honour of “heaviest dog in the household”.  We even found a family that wanted to adopt him.

But sadly my promise to Ian was broken and will remain broken forever and a day.  Spike will never leave us and will stay here until he breathes his last breath.  We have now adopted him and he lives permanently with us and our little pack of Siberian Huskies.  They all accepted him from day one and have taught him how to be a husky.  We have tried to teach him about life outside of a husky pack, but I think the reality is that he is teaching us more about what really is the best approach to life….

Spike is not a “normal” Husky.  The first 6 month of Spike’s life caused so much damage to his body that he will never be allowed to live the life a Husky should.  Spike has hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and a deformed jaw and those are only the conditions that we have been able to accurately diagnose.  At times he struggles to walk or even get up from a sleeping position.  He should lead a sedentary and lazy life to reflect his condition.  And he has every right to be a grumpy boy with a negative attitude towards the human race and the problems that they have caused him.

But Spike is a dog.  He does not think like a human and he bears no grudges to anyone or anything.  He refuses to accept that he should not run or jump or bounce around.  It does not matter if it hurts him because he loves doing it and no one is ever going to convince him otherwise.  We have tried to restrict what he does, but he ignores us and will perform spectacular “walls of death” manoeuvres in the living room if we dare to tell him to take it easy…

Spike has taught me many things in the past year.  I now smile when I see fluttering leaves blowing in the wind as I think of Spike spending hours pouncing on them.  When I am out running and a train comes alongside I speed up, thinking of Spike and his fascination of chasing trains.  I sometimes splash in the puddles because I can and you should see what happens what a person on a bicycle dares to try and overtake me during a run….

But the greatest thing that Spike is trying to teach me is patience.  Patience is not a virtue that I have been blessed with.  I understand the importance of it, but just choose to ignore it in a world where time is precious to me.  Having lived with Siberian Huskies for nearly twenty years and run thousands upon thousands of miles with them I have had the honour of entering their world and understanding how they view the world around them.  I have studied them for hours, watched how they assess situations, solve problems and interact within a pack.  I understand what motivates them, what drives them to perform certain behaviours and most importantly I trust them.  They can understand my body language instantly, sometimes without even looking at me!  Not sure how that works, I can only assume that there is a slight change in my tone of voice that they pick up on. 

If our running route includes a steep or potentially dangerous terrain, the two brother Sibes (Kez & Kroi) will instantly come and run by my side until we are back on safe terrain. They will then shoot forward and resume normal position of running 6- 8 feet in front of me – on our leisurely long runs I run the dogs on collar and long lead, which allows us all to run freely while retaining control and not endangering the local wildlife.

Spike thinks all hills should be descended at full speed and that the human should either keep up or drop his lead….

Joking aside, when we are running Spike generally does not listen to me.  He will follow and will copy the other dogs, but if I ask him to speed up or slow down he ignores me.  He runs quickly and I speed up to keep up with him, he slows down and so do I.  He controls the pace that we run at, not me!   Sometimes he will be trotting along sedately and then without warning break into a gallop for no apparent reason.  I now just try to “go with the flow” when this happens and try to imagine that we are chasing a polar bear or some other imaginary creature that Spike has suddenly “seen”.

When Spike suddenly stops running I stand and wait for him and then off we go again.  When he first did this I feared the worst and that he had pushed himself too far.  It has now happened on numerous occasions and with no apparent detriment to Spike.  I can offer no explanation for this behaviour other than that he just wants a little break to catch his breath and recover before his next little burst of explosive energy.  I have never known this of any Siberian Husky that I run with, they all naturally know how to pace themselves and will never stop, just slow down depending on temperature and terrain.

Where'd it go...??

Spike does not possess the problem solving ability of Siberian Huskies.  If something is different he does not know how to manage the situation.  Simple things that the other dogs accept and deal with cause him confusion and he requires either husky or human help.  Put his food bowl in a different location than usual and he is unsure what to do until you hand feed him or pretend to eat his dinner.  If there is an obstacle across the path (such as a twig) he stops dead.  He does not realise that he can either go over it or push past it. Instead he waits until I either show him or ask one of the other dogs to show him the best way to negotiate the obstacle.  This does mean I need to be constantly alert and try to view the world as Spike does, otherwise a dog stopping dead right in front of me could prove disastrous, especially while running at speed!  He also believes that if you see a deer in one location then you will always see a deer there.  Just wait long enough and they will appear…..  But make sure that you scream when the human tells you get a move on.  Only the other day he was so adamant that the deer he saw the previous evening were going to appear in exactly the same place that he completely missed two of them crossing directly in front of us less than 10 feet away!

I believe in dreams, it is what propels me forward when I am struggling.  I know that Spike does not have dreams in the way that I do, but I am sure that there is much that he would love to do, if only his body would allow him.  Spike will never be able to run long distances, will never run a marathon, so last Sunday Ian and I ran a marathon for him. 

I decided to run the London marathon knowing that I would struggle because of an injury that requires surgery, but I chose to run for Spike – run a marathon in his name.  It worked, we did it…. Hearing Spike’s name being shouted from the crowds drove me on when I wanted to stop.  Spike is not a quitter and neither am I and my pain is nothing compared with what he has had to cope with all his life.

Several years ago I was told that I would never run more than a mile because of a chronic ankle injury.  Several operations, nearly 100 marathons/ ultras and many dreams later I am still running and refusing to give up what I love.  Spike and I are very similar in that respect as we are both driven to do what we love.  I love to dream and I love to run, combine the two and miracles do happen.  And guess what, the long held dream to run a sub four minute mile with huskies is moving closer and closer and with Spike’s help I am determined to achieve that very special dream……    

Spike: the harsh reality

There is no easy way to share this news.  

When we left Spike at Fitzpatrick Referrals on Monday we knew that x-rays and CT scans would show the full extent of Spike’s condition within both elbows.  We also knew that his condition would fall within a spectrum of severity and possibly quite high up on that spectrum, so relatively aggressive surgery may have been required.  We then hoped that keyhole surgery would provide a solution and help Spike lead a pain free life.  We were prepared for weeks (or months) of recuperation. 

We had decided that whatever it took, we would find a way to manage his recovery and then help give him the life that he deserves. 

We were not prepared for what actually happened…. 

Forever and a day I will remember the phone call that I had yesterday with the consultant.  As I sat staring at the gates to the Broadlands Estate in Romsey tears flowed down my face.  I tried to absorb his words and all that they meant.  I listened intently but all I could see in my mind was Spike and standing beside Spike was Kobi.

They did not operate on Spike because based on the evidence from the x-ray and CT scan there is not a viable surgical option for him. 

The elbow joint is made up of three connecting bones: the ulna and radius on the lower arm and the humerus on the upper arm.  In Spike’s joints, none of them fit together properly.  In simplistic terms it is like fitting a square peg in a round hole or having a jigsaw puzzle where none of the pieces fit together.  As a result of Spike’s bones not fitting together properly they have become damaged as has the cartilage within the joints.  What this means is that Spike has the equivalent of osteoarthritis and there is no viable way to prevent it from getting progressively worse.  Even if we put him in a cage and did not allow him to move for the rest of his life it would still worsen.  Exercise is not going to adversely affect the damage and natural progression of this condition.  It will just happen.

The only surgical solution is joint replacement and that is not a viable option for a number of reasons.

1. There is no guarantee of success and it is a relatively new advancement in surgical solutions for dogs with elbow dysplasia.
2. Only one elbow can be operated on at a time – the recovery period for each elbow would be 6 months minimum.  So for 12 months Spike would be stuck in a cage, limited exercise and probably in a lot of pain.
3. Spike has hip dysplasia which has improved with exercise.  If we reduce this exercise we risk making this condition worse and ending up with Spike in pain on all four limbs.
4. Spike is one year old, probably around 14 months of age.  A life time of operations and recovery would be all that he ever knows.

From an ethical perspective we cannot contemplate putting this little dude through 12 months of potential torture.  Several operations, the stress of being away from his family and then confined to a cage for long periods of time….

So what does this mean for Spike?

We will all enjoy sunsets together...

Well that one is easy to answer…. For the remainder of his life he will live as part of a pack within a happy family environment.  He will eat good quality food, have unlimited cuddles and free access to as much exercise as he wants.  If he wants to run, he can, if he wants to stay in bed all day then he can do that.  Hell if he wants to drink beer we will even let him do that…. But maybe only in moderation….

The only downside is that the rest of his life will not be long.  He will not reach full adulthood and will never run as a Siberian Husky was born to run.

I had so many dreams for Spike, which now lay shattered by the wayside, but I refuse to lose sight of why he is a part of our lives.  His life is more important than my dreams and anyway it is thanks to him that I have been able to live some dreams and how ultimately I will live the biggest of them all.

We might even allow this....

For the rest of Spike’s life I will work towards that dream and with his help I will make it happen.  He has inspired me to create a wonderful world where good triumphs over bad.  Disabilities can be overcome and life is lived to its full.  Each time Spike has a real life adventure I create a story from it that fills pages…. The words flow and the pages take on a life of their own.  Spike has given me a great gift that I intend to share while he still lays by my side and I can still snuggle my nose into his fur.  He may not be a working husky is the conventional sense, but he certainly has a very important job to do….

Cuddles, there will be lots of cuddles...

I wish the real story could end differently, but the reality is that this little boy should never have been born.  His frail and damaged body is a direct result of human selfishness, greed and neglect.

But for the rest of his life he will know love, trust and happiness.  We can promise him that.

Spike's Christmas Dreams come true...

Spike's Christmas dream list

We have been an active foster family for several husky rescue organisations.  Our own pack of Siberian Huskies has welcomed several huskies and helped them on their way to a happy future.  Each foster dog has given us something special.  Our experience with one dog in particular left a lasting memory with us all and my time shared with him has helped me to pursue an almost forgotten dream with renewed determination.

Kobi: learning to fly without wings

Kobi had been very badly treated before he came into our lives.  Underweight, flea ridden and absolutely petrified of all human beings he had clearly been traumatised by what he experienced as a very young puppy.  I felt a connection to him the first time I looked into his eyes and believed that I could help him…..

During our short time together I taught him how to love and trust a human being and in return he helped show me that the seemingly impossible can be made possible.

Sadly Kobi is no longer with us as the damage done to him before he was rescued was too severe.   As he fell asleep in my arms for the last time I promised him that our experience together would leave a lasting legacy.  I have remained true to that promise.....

Spike when he was first found

Spike was found hiding under a tarpaulin in Brentwood railway station in April this year.  Dangerously underweight and covered in mange his future did not look good.  But thanks to the kind actions of a local family and their friend he was rescued and then taken into care by Siberian Husky Club of GB Welfare. 

We became his foster family on 22^nd April and our objective was to help him gain weight, grow fur and then find him a family that would adopt him and give him happiness for the rest of his life.

Spike rapidly gained weight and soon grew a luxurious husky fur coat.  His eyes shone with health and happiness and his great character and personality shone through.  However we became more and more concerned about certain aspects of his behaviour and his conformation.  He loved to run and bounce around but he struggled to do it and frequently appeared to be in extreme pain.  As time passed we feared the worst.

Sadly our worst fears were confirmed.  Spike has hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, a deformed jaw plus other little issues that we keep discovering as time passes.

However, Spike refuses to accept that any of his “disabilities” should restrain him.  He has an amazing personality and determination to succeed in all that he does.  He loves to run and when we watch him run freely we can easily forget that he has any disabilities.  But then we watch him try to rise from a sleeping position or hobble around the house and are harshly reminded of his daily struggle with pain.  He accepts all that life harshly throws at him and does all that he can to live a normal life each and every day.

We do not know what the future holds for Spike, but if he could write a Christmas wish list I believe I know what it would be.  And this year with the help of a very special Christmas Angel his dreams are about the come true….

The Christmas Angel

It was the night before Christmas.  The last gift had been lovingly wrapped and placed beneath the tree, the lights dimmed and sleepy huskies ushered from the room.  The mince pie and carrot were placed beside the fireplace along with the glass of milk.  A visitor was expected, but no one had foreseen who would visit and what was about to happen….

As the humans climbed the stairs to bed, the huskies settled in their bedroom, but one little husky puppy felt restless and struggled to settle.  All day he had sensed something different in the house.  He did not understand what it meant and sleep did not provide the answers….

As the husky puppy wandered around the kitchen, there was suddenly a bright flash which startled him and he scampered into the corner.  When he turned around, he realised that he was not alone.  In front of him stood a husky with fur the colour of the sun and eyes that sparkled brightly.  The husky with fur the colour of the sun carried something upon his back, something that looked a lot like the bird fur that the husky puppy frequently played with…..

The husky puppy was not scared as there was something about this husky that made him instantly feel at ease.  “Who are you?” he asked of the stranger.

“I am the Christmas Angel” replied the husky with fur the colour of the sun.  “I travelled from afar because someone very special called for me.  She needs my help because she wants to give you an amazing gift, but she is scared and knows she needs the help of others”

The husky puppy was confused, but he wanted to know more as he sensed that the stranger was good and that he spoke the truth.  “What is the gift that you speak of and why does she want me to have it?”

The Christmas Angel smiled and as he did, his eyes sparkled….. “All your questions will be answered this night, but first you must come on a journey with me”

 “I cannot run far without stopping and sometimes I have to lie down as my legs hurt” said the puppy with a forlorn look upon his face.

“I will help you” replied the Christmas Angel.  And with that he did a little twirl and the husky puppy was suddenly on top of his back, between the bird fur, which was warm and snuggly.  “Hold on” he said and suddenly the bird fur grew very big and moved swiftly back and forth.

“Wow” said the husky puppy “you have wings like a bird!”

And with that, the Christmas Angel leapt high into the night sky and soon they were soaring above the twinkling Christmas lights of the sleeping village.

They flew across the world as the husky puppy gazed in wonder at everything on the ground far below and in the sky around him.  The stars twinkled in the night sky and the city lights below them cast light and shadows that were fascinating to watch. 

The Christmas Angel suddenly swooped down and landed in front of a barn where a donkey was standing.  People were wondering in and out of the barn doors carrying little gifts which they were placing beside a manger in the corner of the barn.  In the manger was a sleeping baby.

“We cannot go in there” said the Christmas Angel “you are looking at a vision from the past.  Many people in the modern world have long forgotten about the birth of this special baby and they celebrate something they either fear or do not understand.  I bring you here so that you know why tomorrow is a special day – it is a celebration of this child’s birth day.  It can also be a day of magic if you believe…”

The Christmas Angel once again took to the skies as the people below continued to smile sweetly upon the child asleep in the manger.

There was darkness beneath them as they flew across the sea and then bright whiteness.  The Christmas Angel suddenly dropped from the sky and landed on the whiteness.  It was cold but very beautiful and the husky puppy was entranced by the sight and smell of it.  He wanted to leap into it and dig deep beneath the surface, but the Christmas Angel stopped him.

“No, you are not yet ready to run here.  We are where everyone aspires to be and one must be ready before they are allowed this privilege”

“Where are we?” asked the husky puppy, “What is so special about this place?”

“We are on top of the world” replied the Christmas Angel.  “Imagine what it would feel like to run on top of the world…” And with that, he flapped his wings and they were flying across the world once again.

They arrived in front of a house with a very big garden and inside the house were a little family playing with their little pack of dogs.  All of them were smiling and laughing at the youngest dog that was rapidly dashing from room to room with a big fluffy toy in his mouth.

Spike with his forever pack

“Can I play with them?  Please.” asked the husky puppy.  “They look so happy and friendly and it would be great to be part of a family and fun to play with a fluffy toy”

The Christmas Angel smiled and swiftly flapped his wings.  “Not yet” was the reply.  “I have more to show you”….

They travelled to many places and saw a great many things.  There was a glistening silver trophy, a harness with the puppy’s name upon it and bits of paper that also had the puppy’s name on them.

They flew above a big building where lots of un-well dogs were being treated by special vets.  The poorly dogs went in one end of the building unhappy and in pain and came out the other end of the building all bouncy and happy.

Finally they returned to the house where all the other huskies slept and the Christmas Angel gently folded his wings as the husky puppy jumped onto the ground.

“Thank you” said the husky puppy as he was a very polite dog and was grateful for the experience he has just had with the Christmas Angel.

The Christmas Angel smiled at him and looked towards the little bit of paper that the husky puppy had lovingly carried throughout their journey.  It was his dream list….

Dear Father Christmas,

Please, for Christmas may I ask for…

1.       A family all of my own that I can live with forever

2.       Big strong legs that don’t hurt so I can run like the big boy huskies

3.       My own fluffy toy that big boy huskies don’t steal from me

Spike

Dreaming of fluffy toys...

“When you wake tomorrow your dreams will start coming true” said the Christmas Angel.  “There is a family who are ready to adopt you and welcome you into their family forever.  A very special Veterinary is ready to use all his experience to make your legs better and underneath the Christmas tree in the corner is a present that I think you will like…”

The husky puppy was speechless (for once) and gazed in wonder at the Christmas Angel.

“I only ask for one thing in return” said the Christmas Angel “your dreams will be realised if you can make me one promise?”

He and I refuse to accept that we should not run...

The husky puppy nodded and tried to mumble some words, but only a soft woo, wooing noise could be heard.

The Christmas Angel smiled and echoing the “woo, woo” noise he said to the husky puppy “just be yourself, that is all I ask you to promise.  Always be yourself and that alone will provide an amazing gift to the one that wants to help you.  She will share your story and together you will inspire others to believe that the impossible is possible…. but maybe just tone down the barking a little as well as huskies are not supposed to bark!”   And with that there was a bright flash and the Christmas Angel was gone.

Tomorrow is another special day

The husky puppy was suddenly very sleepy.  He closed his eyes and fell fast asleep knowing that tomorrow was going to be a very special day…..

(Photos courtesy of the Coppin family and Ian J Berry)

Spike: against all odds he wants to run

Our foster husky Spike has been chronically lame in his front legs for nearly 4 months.  While his hind legs (hip dysplasia) have improved immensely through a combination of hydrotherapy, exercise and good nutrition his front leg lameness has progressively worsened.

This week we took Spike to Fitzpatrick Referrals to determine what is causing his lameness.  The consultant we met had already been given the full details of Spike’s medical history from our local vet who has treated him since April.  He also had the x-rays of all four limbs taken in August.

Long story short, Spike has degenerative joint disease in his elbows and without surgical intervention it will worsen.  Based on his deterioration in the past few months this means that if we do not act quickly Spike does not have a long term future.

The orthopaedic consultant was able to see the elbow joint abnormalities on the original x-rays.  How much it has worsened since then is presently a guess based on Spike’s behaviour and movement.

His elbow joints will continue to deteriorate and he will require more and more assisted pain relief.  There will come a time when his body will no longer be able to cope with the medication and the pain.

If we intervene with surgery then we can prolong his life and with careful rehabilitation he may go on to live a semi normal pet dog life.

Surgery is very expensive, between £4k and £15k and involves between 3-6 months of cage rest, which as you can imagine would be quite a challenge for a husky puppy.

As we do not know the extent of the damage within the joints, the corrective surgery and rehabilitation is an estimate within this spectrum.

Watching the big boy huskies run....

My immediate thought when told the news was that Spike should not run, full stop.  However, the consultant has advised us to continue doing exactly what we have been doing since Spike came to live with us.  The combination of hydrotherapy and controlled running is without a doubt helping him.  In general he is fit and healthy and the muscle development in his hind legs is helping his hip dysplasia.  If we reduce his exercise furthermore this will deteriorate and we risk a more rapid deterioration in his mental health and well-being.  This is good news as Spike loves to run and when he does not he becomes depressed and stressed. 

Happiness is...

Through all of this, Spike continues to smile when he can and run when he can.  I have no intention of denying him this basic right.

His condition is not dissimilar to the condition of my ankle joint prior to surgical intervention and look what happened there…. For those that do not know me I was advised to never run more than a mile and that I would be a cripple within 5 years…. I refused to accept this and since then have run nearly 100 marathons and ultra marathons and represented Scotland and Great Britain in international competitions.

Spike was born with deformed hip, elbow and jaw joints and his poor start in life has contributed to their deterioration.  It is highly likely that Spike has other health issues that will be discovered over time.

Realistically Spike will never run the way normal well-bred Siberian Huskies can, but he can still have a happy future that includes running - if we can find a way to manage his surgery and rehabilitation.

We have tough decisions to make in the coming days and we will make them with Spike’s best interests in our hearts and minds.