[christiers]

[F so Belle, my non-yorkie furbaby has had a few spinal issues. I will give the abbreviated version, or try to. In January 2004 we came home later in the evening to find Belle paralyzed in her hind legs. We had not noticed any previous issues, she just couldn't use her back legs. Took her to the ER vet, they admitted her and they gave her prednisone thoughout the night trying to reduce the whatever may have been pressing on her back. The next morning at 6:45 Dr. Motley phoned to tell us that she hadn't improved at all, she actually seemed worse. His suggestion was a myelogram and if anything was noticed they would immediately do surgery. She has a disc that had calcified and herniated. Surgery was necessary. One of the surgeons happened to have an opening that morning. She was home by the weekend. Sling-walking, therapy at home, equestrian center for aquatherapy. I was taking her to work with me daily the next week to do her therapy. After a several months of hard work she walked again with a funny gait, but who cared.

For most that would be the happy ending to the story. Not Belle, just about 17 months later to the day, we got up a Tuesday morning in June 2005 to find her paralyzed again. We rushed her back to the same ER vet, given her history and the factor that the head surgeon had just had a cancelation that morning they immediately recommended the myelogram. After the success with the first surgery, there was no question. Of course I blamed myself. I didn't research any information in regards to her condition so I thought it was something we had or had not done for her. She is shihtzu/pekingese...this health issue is not uncommon for pekingese, I would later learn. It was indeed another calcified disc that had herniated. Dr. Stobie told me that even with surgery it was very unlikely that she would recover as much as she had last time, because of the previous time. I didn't want her in any pain and wanted her to have the best possible chance so it was another surgery. I will never forget, he told me not to expect her home until sometime the following week.

We had planned a trip to Alabama that we were suppose to leave for that week, if was cancelled...but my mother was suppose to come back to NJ with us so after they began her surgery I hoped in my car and meet my mom and step-dad halfway in NC to bring her back to my house for a month. It would work out perfect, Belle could stay home and my mom would do her therapy and take her to the equestrian center down the street. The next morning, we had just crossed the NC/VA state line and my phone rang...it was Dr. Stobie. He was calling to update me on Belle, much to his amazement she was progressing phenomenally well. She was trying to kick her back legs when they would sling walk her outside and was voiding on her on. She could go home that evening. (I feel it is important to share that I live 0.2 miles from my ER vet. And they had learned I was neurotic.)

Within a month she was walking out of her sling, everyone was impressed. Hindsight, I think she knew her one sister was sick and not for this world much longer and that is why she healed so quickly. I lost my first yorkie the very next month at a mere 10 and half years old.

So part two for Belle was a bitter-sweet happy ending. Again, her story wasn't over. In the summer of 2007, one day she was walking slowly and her tail wasn't curled up. She exhibited a few signs of pain. We took her to the regular vet, Dr. Scholan placed her on a 3 week prednisone therapy, added vetri-disc to her daily regimen and mention a possible long term steriod treatment for management. Now I have been in the medical field since right after high school, while completing college...mostly in a pediatric office. Long term steriods....I had rather have another surgery (which we were told was an option as in her films from 2005 there was another calcified disc). On the computer I went...I connected with this amazing woman and shared Belle's story with her. This lovely women must have spent days doing her own research even though she didn't have a furbaby that had experienced anything like Belle.

At that time I was feeding my girls what I found out to be an inferior diet. I didn't know about by-products, fillers, corn, gluten, wheat, ect. My first yorkie joined our family when I was still in high school and I just continued caring for her the way my stepmom had when I moved out and acquired her. It was "working" for her so I continued to do the same for another yorkie and Belle as they joined our family. If only I could turn back time. Anywho....hindsight....just makes you kick yourself over and over again. I took the recommendations my internet friend had sent me, the research I had done and made an appointment with one of my vets. Her recheck after her 3 week therapy.

This time I met with Dr. Glicker, Dr. Scholan's wife. I went in with nutritional information, supplement info, alternatives to long-term prednisone info, ect. We switch from the food that I had thought was so good for them to a diet consisting of Merrick dry and canned food. We added Zuke's hip action for the daily dose of glucosamine and chondroitin. We added fish oil daily to all of there diets. Belle continued and still gets Vetri-Disc and instead of long-term prednisone Dr. Glicker and I agreed on maintance therapy of Metacam. We have altered her regimen here and there, trying Orijen, adding Stella & Chewy's raw diet. Belle has been thriving very well ever since (knock on wood)...I fear typing that because I would never want to jinx us.

We still do therapy exercises with her, never consulted a chiropractor but have considered adding accupunture but have been lacks in checking into that further due to the last year we have had. One I get a complete handle on Coco's MVD then I am back to considering ways to continue helping Belle strengthen her back. One issue at a time, right?

The best of luck with what you are going through. I will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers.


For most that would be the end of the story, 17 months later Belle
[/FONT]