Tag: wcac

Rockie – Part Two – keeping a dog engaged during recovery

As reported in my earlier blog in January 2016, Rockie is a dog that I first encountered during a Tails of the Trails hike at Williamson County Animal Center. He is a Feist mix that loves walking. The only drawback is that he lifts his rear, right leg off and on during those walks. After a consult at Nashville Vet Specialists (NVS), Rockie underwent surgery to repair a luxating patella (a kneecap that would move in and out of place thus causing the limp to come and go). We are now six weeks into his eight week rehabilitation period and I’m happy to report first and foremost that Rockie is doing AMAZING!

Let me paint the picture of his rehabilitation period: he has been restricted in his movements, not allowed to run, jump, climb stairs, play with other dogs, jump on furniture or any other movements that would deter his healing process.

For the first two weeks, he had to wear an E-collar (also known as an Elizabethan collar) around his neck so he didn’t lick or bite his surgery incision. Though somewhat cumbersome, he did great with the E-collar and more than tolerated it. After a follow-up exam at NVS, his surgical staples were removed because the incision had healed so well and he was no longer required to wear the E-collar—freedom! To keep him confined and away from the other dogs in my house, Rockie got a “man cave” of his own in my bedroom, a portion of the room sectioned off by a crate and plywood walls. He has been allowed to be out of his man cave during bathroom breaks and feeding only.

[av_gallery ids=’1311,1312,1313′ style=’thumbnails’ preview_size=’portfolio’ crop_big_preview_thumbnail=’avia-gallery-big-crop-thumb’ thumb_size=’square’ columns=’3′ imagelink=’lightbox’ lazyload=’avia_lazyload’]

My initial concern was that he would be going stir crazy being confined so much. He’s a young, energetic, happy dog who loves people. Yet, he spends most of his days in this confined area with only a 12 foot space to move around. I engage his mind with food puzzles, food-stuffed toys and the like. It’s said that if you engage a dog’s brain in these types of behaviors, you wear the dog out mentally and that can be four times more exhausting than physical activity. Even with that, I was still concerned his desire for activity would far outreach his imposed restrictions.

One of the amazing aspects of Rockie is his ability to stay in the confined area without being hyper, destructive, or other such behaviors. He also doesn’t complain when he has to go back into his area after bathroom and feeding breaks. When he is out, he is the snuggliest, happiest, most affectionate dog you can imagine. He’s my kind of dog. He loves it when I sit on the floor with him. He snuggles in my lap and laps up all the love and petting I give him. He allows me to gently rub his healed incision to stimulate blood flow to the area. In addition, he loves to chew on bones which has the benefit of releasing his energy while keeping him off of his feet.

My fears of an emotionally and physically pent-up dog who needs sedation have not come to fruition. He’s been the easiest foster I’ve ever had and has endured this time with happiness, contentment, and willingness to accept all the restrictions necessary. I’ve learned a lot from his example; to not grumble so much when I go through a tough situation. For that he’s a true champion.

He continues to be a delight and brings such a smile to my face. I look forward to two weeks from now when x-rays show him healed and ready for action!

Stay tuned to this blog for updates on Rockie’s next consult with NVS which will determine if the activity restrictions can be lifted and what the future holds for him.

Read More
Rocky! Rocky! Rocky! – Part One: Identifying injury and seeking treatment

As a child of the 70s and 80s, that chant conjured up emotions of triumph. The Rocky movies symbolized overcoming adversity and finding the strength to reach the pinnacle of success.

Now there’s a new guy reaching for the stars. No, I’m not talking about the new movie Creed where Rocky trains a former fighter’s son. I’m talking about a dog with that name (spelled slightly different: “Rockie”).

[av_image src=’https://tailsofthetrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/rockie-on-hike-face-180×180.jpg’ attachment=’1119′ attachment_size=’square’ align=’left’ styling=” hover=’av-hover-grow’ link=’lightbox’ target=” caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’][/av_image]

I first met Rockie while attending a Tails of the Trail event at Williamson County Animal Center in Tennessee. He was a happy-go-lucky guy with a love of walking. But there was one problem: Rockie showed signs of an impairment with his back legs. He would limp off and on. Since it would come and go, volunteers didn’t know if they should continue on his beloved walk.

 

The implications of an injured dog in the shelter system are more than just the dog’s pain or inconvenience. An impaired shelter dog is less likely to get adopted, and some shelters might turn to euthanasia. 

After taking one look at him, I knew what needed to happen: an orthopedic consultation with Nashville Vet Specialists (NVS).

[av_image src=’https://tailsofthetrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/logo1-180×180.png’ attachment=’603′ attachment_size=’square’ align=’right’ styling=” hover=’av-hover-grow’ link=’manually,http://www.nashvillevetspecialists.com/’ target=’_blank’ caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’av-rotateIn’][/av_image]

Enter Dr. Wes Roach, board certified veterinary surgeon on staff with NVS since 2010. He examined Rockie and confirmed the initial diagnosis of two rear luxating patellae (kneecaps that move side to side out of the normal position which caused the limp to come and go). With a grade 3 out of 4 for severity on the right and 2 out of 4 on the left, he recommended surgery. Since surgery on both patellae would make his 8-week recovery extremely difficult, he recommend repairing the right leg and a reexamination of the severity of the left one after his recovery. It’s possible repairing the right one will allow the left one to remain stable and avoid further surgery.

[av_image src=’https://tailsofthetrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/rockie-dr-roach-IMG_20151230_171734908-192×300.jpg’ attachment=’1114′ attachment_size=’medium’ align=’left’ styling=” hover=’av-hover-grow’ link=’lightbox’ target=” caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’][/av_image]

On Tuesday, December 29, I brought Rockie to NVS for his surgery, gave him a hug and a kiss and told him I’d be there for him when he was awake.  Rockie came through surgery like the champ that he is and Dr. Roach is confident the surgery was a success.  

After a few days of severely limited activity and I can report Rockie is still the same happy-go-lucky guy I met that fateful day.  

After the upcoming eight weeks of recovery time, he’ll be available for adoption. Stay tuned to the Tails of the Trail blog and Facebook page for updates and photos of our champion!

Read More
Shedding light on bully breeds and impacting the canine community: Madison Shedd and Axle Bites

We met Madison Shedd when she helped run our first Tails of the Trail event with Williamson County Animal Center in July. We quickly learned of her talents as a graphic designer and maker of organic dog treats. Her company Axle Bites subsequently became a sustaining sponsor of Tails of the Trail outreach events. 

We sat down with Madison for a conversation about her life and loves.

What is your background?

I am originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, but grew up in Brentwood, Tennessee. I have always been interested in art, which led me to a career in graphic design. My day job is at a print shop in Franklin in the design department. I live in Nashville and collect antiques and restore vintage taxidermy.

Tell us about your own pets, past or present.

Bunners, our eldest, is an 8 year old Dwarf English Spot mix rabbit. I adopted him when I was in high school. While he is only 2 pounds and is mostly blind in both eyes, he is full of “grumpy old man” personality.

Axle is our 6 year old Red Heeler mix who we adopted from a small rural shelter in Tennessee. Axle is my shadow, and I take him with me wherever I can. He often accompanies me on hiking and camping adventures, and does his part to make sure whichever weekend foster dog we have feel right at home.

[av_gallery ids=’728,722,732,737′ style=’thumbnails’ preview_size=’portfolio’ crop_big_preview_thumbnail=’avia-gallery-big-crop-thumb’ thumb_size=’portfolio’ columns=’4′ imagelink=’lightbox’ lazyload=’avia_lazyload’]

Clover, my fiancé’s dog, is the middle sister of our “pack”. She is a soon-to-be 5 year old Husky/Golden Retriever mix. She was adopted at 4 months old, and is still full of puppy energy. Clover is sweet, loves to give kisses, and is one huge, blue eyed, lovable ball of fluff.

Danu, often just referred to as “kitty” is my fiancé’s cat and the baby, just turned a year old this spring. She is a solid black ball of trouble, often terrorizing the dogs which each have 50 plus pounds on her. She was found by my fiancé under a truck as just a teeny tiny 2 pound kitten.

What inspired you to create Axle Bites products?

When we adopted Axle four years ago, it was pretty apparent that he was having some serious digestive issues. He just seemed to be getting sicker and our vet was trying everything. Axle was getting weekly shots, pills, special food additives, and steroids. But nothing seemed to be working. The diagnosis jumped from pancreatitis, to Crohn’s disease, to acid reflux, to missing enzymes. After about a year of trying one treatment after the other our vet finally suggested putting him on a food trial, thinking maybe Pumpkin Axle BitesAxle’s issues were something external like an allergy. So we tried brand after brand of food, at least half a dozen. finally we tried a higher end, grain free food, and sure enough, after about 3 weeks Axle started gaining weight; he was eating and not immediately getting sick. That’s why I started home making his treats: I could control the ingredients and know for sure nothing he was allergic to was in the treats.

After a while I started giving bags of the treats to friends who had dogs. They were a hit! And I was getting requests for different flavors too. I never set out intending to start a business, but with my design background, it wasn’t a big step for me to create branding, packaging, marketing, and an online shop. Now I take Axle with me to most of the local markets I participate in. He was the inspiration for the business, and always draws a big crowd at events!

Do you offer more than the organic dog treats?

Pit Crew shirts

Aside from the Axle Bites treats I also offer a small clothing line called PitCrew Apparel. The tanks, t-shirts and hoodies help promote a positive image for a very misunderstood breed of dog.

This clothing line is a great way to promote “bully breeds” and help educate anyone who inquires about the product. In my experience, pittie advocates are always more than happy to talk about their dogs and shed light on any of the countless myths surrounding pits and pit mixes. Whenever true information can be shared and a mind can be changed about these dogs based on a conversation about a t-shirt, I consider that a success!

How has working with shelters changed your outlook on life?

Shelter work has really given me a greater purpose. As a designer, I love what I do, but I feel I’m not making a huge impact on the world. Yeah, I can create a killer logo or marketing piece. But I’m not a firefighter saving someone from a burning building, or a scientist coming up with a cure for a disease. But working with shelter animals I’m at least making their world better. Shelters can be loud and scary and no matter how many times you have cleaned, cleaned, and re-cleaned the kennels that day, its still going to be some level of smelly and dirty.

Madison Shedd - tott-meetup-reiner-441458540When I walk into a kennel and bring out a shy, confused dog and walk her out into the grass it can be a scary experience. But I sit next to that dog and talk quietly to her, gently petting her back. And when she finally leans into my chest and lets out a hard sigh of relief, that moment of complete trust and gratitude is what makes it all worth it. Even great shelters like Williamson County can still be pretty stressful for the animals. And when you make that connection with a dog or a cat, you can 100% see how much they appreciate it. And that’s what really got me hooked, seeing what an impact spending time with these animals has. They all crave attention and human contact, and I can do that. I can make a difference in that animal’s life, and in turn her family’s life when they get adopted.

I’ve also formed a strong group of friends from the shelter, people I would have never met if not for my involvement in rescue. It really has become a huge part of my life and how I see my place in the world. If I’ve had a hard day, I will head to the shelter and spend some time with the dogs and my friends. It really has become a stress relief for me, and a way for me to make an impact in my community. If I’m walking dogs after work, spending six hours at a Saturday adoption event, weekend fostering, or transporting a dog to new home or rescue, I’m making a difference and it really gives me a sense of accomplishment and worth.

Read More