Smokey

Smokey (Basset Hound/Pointer mix) started swim therapy with Marna at Dog Paddle after he was diagnosed with arthritis in his left knee at the age of 3-1/2.  I was looking for an alternative to years and years of giving Smokey NSAIDs for pain and inflammation.  My vet thought it would be a good idea to try swim therapy and said it would help keep his muscles from atrophying because Smokey didn't slow down when his knee was bothering him. He just tucked that leg out of the way and continued to go full speed on 3 legs.  

When Smokey started swim therapy in November 2004 he was visibly limping all the time when he was willing to use that leg, but mostly he just used 3 legs when going down stairs, running and playing etc.  He was taking Metacam 3 to 4 days a week (he probably needed it more often but I was afraid to use it too much).

I have been thrilled with the results Marna has achieved.  The monthly sessions at Dog Paddle seem to be just what Smokey needs to keep him feeling good. He uses that leg almost all the time now and only needs Metacam once or twice a month (if that). 

I plan on making sessions at Dog Paddle a long term commitment for Smokey to keep his knee in as good shape as possible.  In addition to the health benefits for Smokey, watching him swim is just about the funniest thing I have ever seen.  For me, Dog Paddle is an excellent source of entertainment!

Milo’s Dilemma
 

Milo is a mixed breed who is about 15 years old. He has always been the most active dog I have ever known. Frisbee’s tennis balls, squirrels, chipmunks and an assortment of toys were Milo’s entertainment.

Then one night around 11pm as he was making his way back into the house for bedtime he collapsed before our very eyes, when he stood up his head was tilted, his eyes were shaking back and forth he was walking in circles and then he threw up.

You can imagine our response. We rushed him to the Sandy Springs 24-hour emergency pet hospital. We feared a stroke or poison but were relieved to find the diagnosis to be VESTIBULAR SYNDROME.

Learn all about it at:

http://ilil.essortment.com/dogearproblems_rmib.htm

Milo has since recovered but continued to be what seemed to be in constant discomfort, unable to use his back legs very well and not running at all and walking very stiff.

I decided to try hydrotherapy. I had read about it 2 years ago so I did my research and found Marna Stein at Dog Paddle Canine Swim Therapy.

Milo came in a tense crippled dog and after 2 sessions the difference was amazing. His muscles relaxed his spine realigned and he came home and chased his first squirrel in 6 months. He is still old and feeble but he is our loveable dog again.

He has been two more times and still is doing great and I will continue to bring him once a month.

Thank you Marna.

Jarid Neff

mrhaney@earthlink.net

Homer (also known as Reece)

One of the successes I am most proud of. I really wasn’t sure I would be able to help him, because of the severity of his problem. Once again, I was reminded that nothing is impossible.

Coonhound Rescue’s Testimonial about Reece:

http://www.coonhoundrescue.com/reece_happy.html

Jazz

June 17, 2003

Dear Marna Stein:

We want to thank you for your expertise and your love that has helped our fourteen year old dog, Jazz, to get better. As you know, Jazz lost the total use of his front legs and partial use of his back legs last December due to disc problems. When we met you, Jazz had been through acupressure, acupuncture, and chiropractic. He was not responding to these treatments and we had resigned ourselves to the fact that he would live out the rest of his years needing to be carried around. At home, Jazz lay in a very stiff position with all four legs in a catatonic-like position. He could not move his neck and head and had tender spots in his spine. The vet said that he was not a candidate for spinal surgery because of his heart murmur. He continued to have a hearty appetite and a pretty good spirit. He did not seem to be in extreme pain so we declined advice from others to put him down “mercifully.”

When you suggested that you could possibly help Jazz through swim therapy, we admittedly, were doubtful of this treatment. We decided to give it a try around late January. We saw results after the first treatment. Of course, you used your “dogspeak” to let Jazz know that he needed to participate if he wanted to get better. He spent most of the first session in a stiff state and seemed to think he was there to just drink from a giant water bowl.

We continued the treatments most times once a week and saw some improvement each week. While being held, he would use his back legs to swim. He developed a strong kick in his back legs and really loved going to the pool. By late April, he was able to sit up on his haunches and we ordered a walkabout harness from K-9 Carts. We stood him in the harness a couple of times a day in order to strengthen his legs. We still just thought we were giving him a better quality of life and did not dare to dream that he would walk again.

We began to add left over rice to his dog food as a supplement. Some days we cooked a little oatmeal and added that to his food. We began to crush one large tablet of Shark cartilage and added that once a day. He did a lot of “nose walking” and managed to get himself around the house in spite of the hard wood floors. He could roll just about anywhere. He adjusted his bathroom habits by lifting his backside up in the air and doing both number one and number two that way. He kept himself clean by rolling away from his mess. He would lick our hands in appreciation when we cleaned his legs of overspray.

One day in May, we had him on the carpet in the bedroom and he started to rock himself into an upright position. He used his back legs to push himself up and he walked about 10 feet in a tippy-toe like fashion. Tears of joy came to my eyes and I ran and got the camera! It occurred to me that we had never really put him on the carpeted surface for very long because we carried him around all the time! He needed the traction to get moving. After that, we began to put him on the carpet or throw rugs to practice his walking It was funny because he knew he could not walk on the slippery hardwood floors and would walk to the edge of the carpet and stop when he saw the wood!

Jazz is now in therapy every other week. He is using his front legs now during the

therapy and he loves to walk every chance he gets. His front legs do cross and his back legs are shaky, but he is walking. Lately, he eases himself very gently across the hardwood floors. He does fall sometimes but he amazingly has developed a perfect drop and roll like an expert football player. We had to laugh at him the other day because he actually walked from the bedroom across the tile floor in the bathroom and into the toilet stall. When he got into the toilet stall, he squatted and did number two! He thinks he is a human being now!

We give him lots of hugs and kisses and praise him for his courage. Jazz is a survivor and he is to be pointed to as a lesson for us to never give up! Thank you Marna Stein for bringing the Dog Paddle Company to the East Coast!

Sincerely,

Lucas, Marilyn and Katie Banks

Lyda

Marna,

I want to again thank you for the marvelous things you do for my Lyda. We’ve been seeing you now for ten months, so I’ve had the opportunity to see you work with many other dogs. Your knowledge of dogs and deep concern you have for them never ceases to amaze me.

A concern to me of course, was your background and training with dogs. Your background and training are superb. You go the extra mile for your clients – both dogs and people. I am so glad you chose this profession. Many dogs are benefiting from your swim therapy program.

Sincerely,

Jan R.
 

Padi

Marna,

Two years ago my dog, Padi, a 40 lb. yellow lab mix who is 13 years old now, had an emergency splenectomy due to a hemangiosarcoma on her spleen.  It was suggested that she receive chemotherapy for the next three months.  So, once a week for the following three months I took her in for therapy.  She lost a few pounds and lost some muscle mass in her hind quarters.  She became a little less sure-footed than normal; she couldn’t quite make it up on the bed or into the back of the SUV without help and began hesitating before going up the stairs. She also seemed to fatigue quickly on our regular hiking routes.

I saw the ad for Dog Paddle and confirmed with my Vet that this would be good therapy for her.  After her initial three day session with Marna at Dog Paddle, she almost immediately seemed to pick up her pace on our hikes and then after only a few follow-up sessions she quickly moved out ahead on her favorite hike with her best friend Wyley, who is half her age.  She no longer misses the jump to the bed or “loading up” in the back of the SUV.  At just the mention of “swimming with Marna” she gets excited and runs for the door.  Now, when I come home she often meets me with her tennis ball for a game of fetch.

Padi adores Marna and loves her swim sessions, specially the massage.  Marna gives her a great workout consisting of swim, rest, swim, rest, swim and massage.  Dog Paddle’s facility is a perfect environment for dogs.  There is a heated pool and hydraulic lift for entrance and exit to the water, there is no stress involved and the fenced yard gives the dogs a chance to rest and play between swims.  Dog Paddle even provides shelter from the weather and a “warming hut” for the swimmers and the owners.  An integral part of Padi’s future health maintenance will include swim therapy with Dog Paddle.  Thank you Dog Paddle for Padi ’s returned agility and for my hiking buddy!

Walker

Marna,

My lab mix, Walker, was diagnosed with hip dysplasia in September of 2003 when he was 6 months old.  At that point, the vets recommended that we limit his activity to leash walking and swimming only.  As a puppy, he had a lot of energy and no way to release it.  I soon found that leash walks were not enough to keep him satisfied.  He had so much energy!  After a couple of weeks, I began to research swim therapy.  I came across the Dog Paddle website and immediately called to get more information.  Marna fit us in that weekend for three days of swimming and it was amazing at the difference it made.  For the first time since he was placed on restricted activity, Walker acted relaxed and content.  He even took naps after every swim session!  I continued to use Dog Paddle throughout his restriction time.  In October 2003, Walker had the hip dysplasia on his left side corrected through a surgery called TPO.  The recovery period for this surgery required him to be confined to his kennel for 8 weeks.  Again, swimming was our salvation.  Swim therapy has not only helped to build Walker's muscle in his left hip but has given him a way to play and release his energy.  He loves swimming and has so much fun!  The TPO surgery was not performed on his right hip. Therefore, Walker still swims with Dog Paddle in order to keep his right side in good condition so hopefully, further surgeries can be prevented.  In addition, Marna was a valuable resource for me during Walker's surgery and recovery.  It was nice to have someone take the terminology used by Walker's vets and explain them to me in ways that I could understand.  

I would recommend Dog Paddle swim therapy for any dog.  Walker is proof of the beneficial exercise that it provides.  

Greycie
 

Marna,

Thank you so much for helping her “re-develop” her back leg…she is doing much better. She will use all 4 legs when walking at a normal pace – she only picks up her back leg when moving fast enough to hop. We’ll keep working with her & if she needs another swim, we’ll give you a call.