Spike: The Dream lives once again....

It is now 15 weeks since Spike had TPLO surgery to repair his leg following the rupture of his cruciate ligament. 

His recovery has been a very stressful and heart wrenching experience to witness.  We have watched his health and well-being decline during this time.  The happy character that we have all come to love and admire for his tenacious and determined attitude to life moved out and a very depressed and grumpy little Spike moved in.

He was not allowed to play with his friends, interactions with the other pack members had to be carefully managed and he was only allowed a few minutes’ gentle walk from the house.  Running and playing were banned and life for Spike became very mundane and boring.  He lost interest in playing with his toys and got very grumpy if anyone tried to move a toy from where he had carefully arranged it within his special den.  He spent 23 hours of each day sleeping in his den and did not want to eat.   

During this time our worst fears were also realised and Spike’s elbows have deteriorated.  We knew this would happen, we have seen the x-rays, analysed the CT Scans and spoken to several orthopaedic consultants.  But what happened in early December still came as a huge shock.

Spike had been limping heavily on his nearside foreleg for several weeks and suddenly one evening he started limping on his offside fore as well.  Only his offside hind leg was still working, all others were causing him such intense pain that he could not even rise from his bed without our help.

A depressed dog that cannot stand without assistance would not lead the life that we promised Spike would only ever know.  A very restless night ensued as we tried to prepare ourselves to say goodbye to Spike.

However, if you wish upon a falling star, sometimes your wish really can come true…..

The following day Spike struggled to get up, but he did manage it without our assistance and as the day progressed he started looking stronger and happier.  We reinforced our determination that whatever the future held we were going to give Spike as many happy experiences as we could for as long as we could.

We took Spike out in his special buggy to meet people and Ian ran a parkrun with Spike in the buggy the whole way – he loved it!

He was given veterinary approval to return to Hydrotherapy the following week and allowed to once again play in the water and see his special friends at Top Dog Hydrotherapy in Andover.

He has been receiving laser therapy and acupuncture treatment from Shelley Doxley.  And he continues to wear his Trion:z collar.

We took him to Scotland over Christmas to meet my family.  He made some new friends, visited the beach and shared Christmas dinner with the family.  Brussel sprouts were politely refused but roast potatoes were devoured instantly.  Spike loves all form of potatoes, baked, chipped or mashed.  I think potatoes and porridge are his favourite foods as he will choose them over anything else, including all forms of meat.

We stopped off in the Lake District on the way back from Scotland and had some fun on the mountains in the freezing cold.  Spike saw sheep and snow, lakes and standing stones.  He even had a little taste of beer, but only on the tip of his tongue as I was not prepared to share any more!

Since we have returned from Scotland the Spike we all know and love has returned.  He is happy, bouncy, shouts a lot and is a general pain in the backside. 

A few days ago we let Spike have a very short and controlled run.  The smiles on his face during and after were confirmation that we chose well.  As his guardians we have to make very important decisions on his behalf and a “Spike smiles” tells us all that we need to know.

There is a long way to go yet but I now dare to dream that Spike will one day run again in our little Husky team.  A three dog Dream Mile may yet still be possible.

(All images with grateful thanks to Ian J Berry and Paul Hammond) 

The wonders of laser therapy treatment

Ten years ago if you asked me about "laser treatment", I would have pictured in my mind a Jedi Knight using a lightsaber in a battle with a bad dude from the dark side! 

However, fast forward ten years and courtesy of my job and my own personal experience, I have learned a lot about the medical benefits of laser technology.  So when it was suggested that Spike underwent laser treatment to help his medical conditions we had no hesitation in agreeing for him to be zapped by lasers….

Laser treatment works by applying red and near infra-red light over the injury/ site being treated.  The light beams stimulate the cells in the body that reduce pain and inflammation and to repair damaged tissue.

This form of treatment is non-invasive and offers drug free pain relief and enhanced healing of injuries.

Some of the benefits of using laser light to treat injuries:

Anti-inflammatory

Rapid cell repair

Enhanced healing of wounds

Reduces the formation of scar tissue

Increases blood flow to the injury site

Nerve function stimulation

Spike has been receiving laser therapy treatment from Shelley Doxey since his TPLO surgery to repair his ruptured cruciate ligament.  Shelley has been helping take care of Spike since the day he arrived in our home.  She has helped diagnose all of his medical conditions and advised the best forms of treatment and surgical options. 

Spike has benefited greatly from acupuncture and laser treatment, both of which have been performed by Shelley.  Shelley is Spike’s special guardian angel and it is delightful to see his face light up and his whole body tremble with excitement every time he sees her. 

Thanks to Shelley, Spike was also introduced to the wonderful world of hydrotherapy at Top Dog Hydrotherapy. 

Shelley uses a Class 3B level laser to treat her patients.  A small handheld device that is positioned over the treatment area and can be done in whatever position the patient is comfortable in.  Spike lies down when he is being treated and looks very much like he is sleeping as the laser works on his cells.

Krofti our 14 year old Siberian Husky has also been receiving treatment from Shelley via acupuncture and laser therapy.  After treatment he is extremely relaxed and sleeps through most of the night.  On the days he is not treated Krofti is very agitated and anxious several times throughout the night, which results in everyone else in the house being deprived of much needed sleep!

(Thanks to Spike the patient, Vet Shelley and Ian for the photos and words for this article)

Spike - a tail of inspiration

Relaxing and dreaming at BSA Ringwood...

It is now two months since Spike had his TPLO Surgery for the ruptured cruciate ligament in his hind leg.  He has been on restricted exercise since then and his mind has struggled to cope with this.  We have tried to manage the situation as best we can and numerous toys and special permissions have been given to him.  Not every dog gets the living room to themselves with their choice of movie playing on the DVD on the rare occasions when both Ian and I need to leave the house together!

The good news is that the operation has been a success and a recent x-ray has confirmed that the bone is healing well.

The face of apprehension - at the Vets

The bad news is that Spike has a very inflamed patellar tendon, which is clearly causing him pain and discomfort.  

He is also acutely lame in his front left leg, a combination of soft tissue damage and his elbow dysplasia worsening, something we have been prepared for ever since we learned of the extent of the damage in his elbow joints.

The really good news is that Spike has already exceeded the life expectancy that was predicted in January and it is clear that his spirit and determination remain strong.  

Spike's devout attitude to wanting to run is one that I can relate to very well. 

However, while I understood why I was not allowed to run for 4 months, Spike is confused and does not understand why he cannot run and have fun with the other doggy members of the team.  It is heart-breaking to see his little face when the others go running.  He has been incredibly accepting of the restrictions imposed on him and not once has he rebelled or become destructive, not even his toys….

Spike has a little den in our living room where (through choice) he spends most of his time.  He has special bes and lots and lots of toys which he neatly piles up in one corner of his den.  Every now and again he rearranges them into the diagonally opposite corner, in just as neat a pile.  He is very protective of his den and his toys and gets quite upset if one of the other dogs wanders into the den and removes a toy.  Being bottom of our pack he cannot stop them and we have to be discrete when “rescuing” his toys from a fatal ending.  

Thankfully the toy destroying husky of the house is very respectful of Spike’s little den and only ventures into Spike’s den when he is trying to get my attention…..

Spike has been receiving excellent help during his recovery.  As well as the amazing support from the North Pole Marathon Spike has had special laser treatment from one of his most special friends.  Without her help and support Spike would never have received the medical help essential to his survival.

Icing Spike's leg - he is very helpful :-)

Spike’s biggest supporter and helper is most definitely Ian.

Ian carries Spike when he needs to be carried; helps him eat when he refuses to eat; ices his leg when it needs to be iced; cuddles him when he needs a cuddle; rescues his toys when they need to be rescued; makes him do his special exercises; basically Ian is there for Spike 24/7.  They have a very special relationship and it is heart-warming to witness.

Spike has many people to thank for giving him the gift of life and hopefully they are reading this and know just how grateful we are for their help.  Without their help Spike would never have made it this far.   There are some wonderful people in this world, people that choose to help save a life no matter what it takes.   

Humanity in its purest form crosses the divide between species and there can be no other greater inspiration than knowing that whatever happens, everybody has a guardian angel for them somewhere.

Ghostly adventures

Huskies Running's Hallowe'en Jack-o'-lantern

Friday 31^st October, the night of terror that comes but once a year….. Hallowe’en night means tricks for some and treats for others.  We prefer the treat option.

For the last three years Believe and Achieve have organised the fabulous Ghost Race, which takes place on the Friday closest to the night of Hallowe’en.  It is a 5 mile race starting at Alexandra Park in Portsmouth and runs across varied terrain around the Hilsea Lido and Foxes Forest.  It is run in complete darkness and there are many ghouls and beasts that leap out from the trees as you negotiate the course which includes wooden bridges, narrow paths and exposed tree roots.  Not for the faint hearted this is a course that requires a very good torch, focused mind and courage to enter the woods…..

Krofti the Moth

Or if you just fancy having some fun on a Friday evening then this is the perfect event for you.  Fancy dress is not compulsory, but is recommended for extra fun.

We first learned of this event in 2012 when our good friend Amanda ran it with Krofti our eldest Siberian Husky (dressed as a moth).    We would have loved to run it with them but had been invited to run New York Marathon as official pace team members.  Amanda and Krofti had such a fabulous time that we decided that we would definitely run it in 2013, and we did.  I ran as a Fairy Princess with my two pumpkin Siberian Huskies providing the “ride” and Ian ran as a Ghostbuster.  I don’t think anyone had ever seen two pumpkins move as quickly as those two did off the start line!  We slowed as soon as we encountered the first ghoul as one of the husky pumpkins decided that it was better to trot and “woo woo” at any nasty ghouls that dared cross his path.

Ghost Race 2013

This year the plan was to just potter round the course as I was wearing a fracture boot and am currently recovering from injury. 

This year I was dressed a ghost and Ian was a werewolf.  Ian ran with Kez while Kroi helped guide me round the course. 

The werewolf and the Ghost....

We had fun.  I tripped over my sheet and landed in a heap on the floor, had my head torch yanked off my head by a low overhanging branch and went a little bit quicker than just a potter.  Ian the werewolf zoomed of in the distance at supersonic speed with Kez the Husky by his side ready to protect him from any Zombie threat…..

Kroi remembered the course and his experience from last year and instead of “wooing” at ghouls he laughed at them and trotted past, cursing me for slowing him down.  He also let me know when I managed to wander off course due to a lapse in my concentration.

The medals: 2012, 2013 & 2014

Awaiting us at the finish was a fabulous bespoke medal and goody bag with lots of sweet treats.  Even the dogs got medals.  The Huskies Running team are all now the proud owners of a full set of these fabulous medals.

If you fancy some fun next Hallowe’en Friday, check out this race, you will not be disappointed.

(Images thanks to Ian J Berry, Ian Burnett, Amanda Tattersall & me)

Spike: Negotiating Mountains together

A smiling Spike

It was with great trepidation that we decided to take Spike with us on our little family trip to North Wales.  Only weeks after major surgery on his hind leg and currently under very strict restrictions combined with the fact that he struggles to cope with new situations had us thinking that the best option would be to leave him at home.  

Life has been very stressful lately for our little “family” and we were concerned that our plans could potentially compound the situation.

A sad Spike

The three Siberian Huskies we have had since babies are very flexible and relaxed about their attitude towards change and new things.  They follow my lead and if I am cool about it, then so are they.  Spike has a completely different attitude and struggles with any form of change.  He needs to eat in the same place, sleep in the same place and keep his toys in the same place (neatly arranged in his sleeping quarters in the living room of our house).  “New” or “different” brings fear to Spike and brings about a very negative response, a responses that can be both unpredictable and hard to manage.

Spike’s recovery from surgery is very slow, fraught with worry and full of fear and there are many occasions when it feels like we have huge mountains to climb together.  Precipitous peaks that we fear will never be negotiated satisfactorily.

However, Spike is an integral part of our family and to leave him at home would have been both heart breaking and worrying.   We decided to take him and deal with come what may…

Scary sand, where paws sink

The good news is that we (okay me), over-thought the situation and Spike absolutely loved his little family holiday and thrived on the experience.  In the past three weeks he has not smiled much, but while we were away he smiled a lot.  He ate very little, but that is okay as food is not a priority to him and never has been.

Spike got to meet lovely people and watch the Snowdonia Marathon, where the love of his life (Ian) ran an amazing time of 2:56.  One of his ambitions in life was to run a sub 3 on Snowdonia Marathon and this year he totally nailed it!  I personally think that his 5 am very fast running with Siberian Huskies on muddy hills helped him a little bit. Ian believes that it was solely down to the beer and pizza that he consumed before the race at the awesome Gallt-y-Glyn.  The reality is that he works very hard and digs deeper than most when he needs to.

Spike went to the beach for the first time ever and his response was both heart-warming and heart-breaking.  He loved the waves as he watched them crescendo on the beach.  But he was petrified when his paws sunk into deep sand as we walked close to the surf.  He dropped to the sand, scared to walk further.  I tried to convince him that it was safe, but I failed and we had to return to the sanctuary of the other huskies and Ian that were waiting for us on the sand dunes.

Meeting a jelly fish... I try to help

Meeting a jelly fish

Spike also met a jelly fish.  Sadly it was a dead jelly fish left on the sea shore when the tide ebbed away to the ocean.  When he first saw it, Spike froze and tried to leap over it.  But I was determined to help him understand that although he needed to “respect” it, there was no imminent danger.  He hesitated and tried to approach it, appearing confused when he saw his reflection upon its shiny surface.  He stood staring at it for a very long time before slowly advancing forwards and “testing” it with his teeth.  

After that he decided that all was well and whenever we went near it he tried to pull me towards it!  I guess that must mean that Jelly Fish taste nice, perhaps a little like a jelly bean?

Meanwhile we took one of the other Huskies over to “meet” the Jelly Fish and he merely looked at the creature for a millisecond and tapped it with his paw before moving on to explore the rest of the beach.

I wonder if Spike dreams like I do...

We are home now and as I write, Spike is sleeping in his special place with his toys nestled against his back.  He is smiling and looks very content.  We made the right decision taking him with us, of that I am sure.

Spike: Stepping Stones to Success

It has been nearly three weeks since Spike had the surgery to repair his ruptured cruciate ligament.  Three weeks full of many ups and many downs.  The wound on his leg has almost fully healed and the fur is growing back on both his leg and the area of his spine that was shaved for the epidural.

Spike is putting weight on his leg, but is struggling to always fully weight bear as he has lost confidence using that leg. He hops on three legs given the opportunity as that is his preference.  Hopping is quicker that walking on a weakened leg and we all know that Spike likes to move as quickly as possible!

We are working hard to help him regain his confidence and leg strength, but recovery is long and slow and a process fraught with fear and worry.

Big stepping stone - scratching an ear with his injured leg

Spike is not allowed to play with his husky friends which makes him very sad.  He cannot go upstairs, mix freely with his pack or run around the garden.  He is confined to one room in the house on the rare occasions when neither of us humans are not home to take care of him.  Our lives revolve around his care and welfare, a situation that we are fully committed to and leaving him alone is very difficult.  

He has a big cage which has become his special place, it has his special beds and toys and treats in it and none of the other huskies ever venture inside.  We placed the cage in his favourite place in the living room, very close to where Ian does most of his work during the day.  This is a place where Spike feels happy and secure, close to his favourite human.  We have never had to close the door on the cage, for which I am extremely grateful as to force him to live in such a confined space would be heart-breaking.  Spike chooses to spend 90% of each day in his special place, with his toys and treats, resting and recovering.  Spike has little desire to eat and we have to tempt him with whatever we can.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not.

Our dogs have not historically been given dog chews or dog treats.  They are fed raw and natural food and have never been trained using food as motivation.  Although the exception to this is probably the homemade flapjack that I make especially for them! Spike struggles with bones due to his deformed jaw and lack of strength and technique, so the option to use bones as a boredom reliever does not work.  We decided to get some raw hide treats for him to try….  I am pleased to report that our plan appears to be working as he likes the raw hide chews and they don’t upset his tummy.

Meeting new friends

Following on from the success of the chew treats, we decided today to take Spike out for the morning as a special treat and to break the monotony and boredom of his current situation.  We took him to a parkrun event in Bath where there would be lots of people and lots of trees to sniff.  His friend Krofti came too.  Krofti at 14 years of age no longer runs further than once around the block, is completely deaf and a big bit senile, but loves being with people and going on little adventures.

A pre run cuddle and promise for the future

I am pleased to report that Spike and Krofti loved today’s little adventure.  For the first time in nearly three weeks Spike smiled.  That very special smile that we have all come to love was on display for most of the morning.  He tried to jump around every time a person came to say hello, his enthusiasm was delightful to witness but quite hazardous for me to experience.  Trying to restrain an over enthusiastic young dog with my broken foot in a special boot and in the mud requires a great deal of concentration!  Fracture boots do not provide the same grip or control that Salomon shoes do!!

When we returned home both Spike and Krofti were very tired, but they looked content as they lay down on their special beds.  Both were soundly asleep and dreaming within minutes of walking through the front door.

Watching and waiting.  One day we will run again....

Spike and I both have a long road ahead of us before we will be able to run again, but days like today are amazing stepping stones in our adventure.  

Spike: born to be a Champion

I get a boot, Spike gets just a sticky plaster....

A couple of weeks ago I set a challenge for Spike and I.  The challenge sounds like a simple one, with the winner being the first one to run without limping for a distance of one mile.  The hard part is that we both need to recover from having a few nuts and bolts and metal bits fitted to our bones first.

Last week Spike had the operation to repair his ruptured cruciate ligament.  Spike had an operation called Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO), which basically means that they broke his leg, changed the angle of his tibial plateau and secured with a metal plate.  It sounds harsh but due to Spike’s chronic problems with hip and elbow dysplaysia it was the only viable option.  He needs all four legs to work and distribute the strain applied to his weakened joints, extra force on a weakened joint could ultimately spell disaster for Spike.  TPLO surgery would hopefully allow Spike to weight bear on his damaged leg within hours of surgery, or so we hoped.

Thanks to the wonderful support of the North Pole Marathon, Spike was able to have this very expensive surgery, which took place on 22^nd September.

Resting, and relaxing

When we picked Spike up from Anderson Moores after his operation we were prepared to see a very subdued and unhappy Spike having had to undergo another medical procedure and spend more time away from his family.  But we were not prepared for what we were told.

Spike had been more than just “unhappy” during the 24 hours he had been away from us and had reacted very badly to strange people handling him.  They had been very fearful of his aggression and had resorted to heavily sedating him.  This is the same Spike that we have come to love for his strength of character and determination, the dog that is bottom of our pack and allows us to do anything to him because he trusts us and respects us.  But he is a survivor and a fighter and he now has major issues with most veterinary people as he thinks they mean him harm.  While we are with him he accepts what must be done, when we are absent he trusts no one.  This breaks my heart as we cannot be with him every time he needs treatment. 

There is one exception to this, this only vet I have ever met that has my full and utmost trust and respect.  She knows Spike and sees the amazing little dude that we have all come to know and love.  Spike trusts her, probably only one of three people in this world that he now completely trusts.  She has diagnosed Spike’s condition right from the start.  I describe the symptoms and she knows what is happening inside his body.  Without her in his life Spike may well have had to experience far more exploratory procedures that would have caused him more emotional harm.  She is good, very good and we are so very grateful for that.

Huge progress - a post operative scratch with his bad leg

It is not yet two weeks since Spike’s operation, but already our worst fears have been dispelled.  He walked on his leg within 24 hours of the operation and today he tried to “do a zoomie” around the garden.  Thankfully I stopped him in time!  He is on very restricted exercise for the next 12 weeks, but he is refusing to accept that….

He requires lots of physiotherapy treatment and lots of tender loving care.  He has the determination and the attitude to recover from this minor setback and one day he will return to running one day, of that I am sure. 

The beer that was created with Spike in mind

Behind all the smiles and happy Facebook uploads lay countless hours of trying really hard to teach Spike to walk again.  Spike will only regain his proper conformation by learning to walk properly. This means that every time we work with him we have to go VERY slowly while desperately trying to curb his enthusiasm to leap around on three legs.  It tests our patience and we mutter bad words under our breath, but it is what he needs and we want the best for him.  We can manage our frustration by having a few beers while he sleeps.

The past two weeks have been very stressful as we worry about every move that Spike makes.  He did not eat for a couple of days which worried us lots.  But we tempted him with special treats and lovingly prepared dinners and it worked, eventually he started eating and has not looked back.  He hates his medicine, much like me!  I force it down his throat while refusing to take mine, which I agree is a little bit hypocritical.

Our combined drugs basket

I have not yet had my operation and continue to limp around under a dark cloud, feeling sorry for myself, meanwhile Spike sleeps a lot but when he is awake he acts just like a normal Husky.  He wants to run and wants to live life to the full.  At the moment he is definitely leading the way in our one mile running challenge.  I firmly believe he will run that mile before I do and he will so love his special prize.  He is the most worthy winner and deserves recognition for the fact that he has the right attitude and the right determination to succeed.  This boy deserves to be a Champion and one day he will be just that.