Tripawds Community member zeni is recipient #31 of the Maggie Moo Fund for Tripawd Rehab. Read on for details about the benefits of canine rehabilitation for this Tripawd German Shpherd Dog.
See all Tripawds who have received free rehab sessions and read details about how you can get reimbursed for a certified rehabilitation evaluation thanks to your support.
Canine Rehab for Tripawd GSD Zeni
My tripawds name is Zeni. He is a 4 year old German Shepherd that was unfortunately hit by a car and had to get his left front leg amputated. After the surgery, his recovery seemed to go smoothly. He was resting the first two weeks and slowly we started to increase his amount of exercise. He started showing interest in toys again and his appetite was great. Once we started getting up to our 10 – 15 minute walks, I noticed that he was skipping and keeping weight off his left rear leg (same side as his amputation).
After consulting with some of the friendly people on the Tripawds forums, I was convinced to take him to Aqua Dog Rehabilitation center. His first visit was on 04/17/2018, about a month post amputation. Very quickly, the specialists at the center were able to find out that Zeni was actually in pain because of an overstretched hip. They inspected his incision site and showed us a few massages to do to break up some of the tight muscles and scar tissue there that we can do a few times a day. His back was also very tight and needed regular massages. After a little bit of laser therapy to increase circulation, we were told he needed extra rest and time to recover for his hip/rear leg. We were shown a stretch he could do from the down and sit positions that would help his back and hip.
We will be doing it 2-3 times a day and making sure to watch for signs of fatigue from him, as not to overdo it. On our next visit, once he is feeling better, we will start strengthening his core and maybe even doing some water treadmill. I’m so glad I went to a rehab center. I would have never been able to tell by myself what was the matter and how much attention Zeni is really in need of. I already made my next appointment for the following week.
Thank You to the Tripawds Foundation as well as the website for putting the helpful information out there that all Tripawd parents are desperately searching for!
~Kornelia (aka: zeni)