SHOCKWAVE

Hyper Piper of Haven

 I have three dogs.  I am insane.  We know this.  The eldest of the three is formally known as "Hyper Piper of Haven," commonly called "Piper."  She is 10 years old, born in October of 2010.  My blonde bombshell, 65 pounds, shedding constantly, Chinook dog.

In August of 2019 (about a year ago) we (the three dogs and me) were on a Long Trip.  Our last stop was in Texas at the home of my sister-from-another-mother, Marjie.  She, her husband and my niece, Cindy are precious to me, and we have a wonderful, loving, teasing relationship.  

The dogs get to run A LOT when we're there.  They have beaucoup acres and much of it is fenced.  They also have two horses, who Piper and Tripp love to harass.  One of these days, one of those horses is going to teach one of my dogs a very harsh lesson about who's bigger and badder.  But so far, the horses pretty much just laugh at the dogs.

Because Tripp is not (until October 15th, this month!) neutered, and he "marked" in the house, my dogs are not allowed inside.  This is No Big Deal (and certainly understandable) as they have space to roam safely, water and of course, they come into Rigbee and sleep with me and anytime I'm out there or we go out.  (Rigbee is my 26' winnebago, another story for another day.)

I noticed that Piper was limping a bit and having a bit of trouble jumping into the motorhome.  It's a high step, but she's a big girl,very athletic and never seemed to have a problem before.  I actually had to help her in a couple of times.  But then she'd seem fine, racing around harassing the horses and playing with the other dogs.

After this happened a couple of times, Bernie (BroInLaw) laughed and said "she's putting it over on you, getting you to help her.  There's nothing wrong with her."  Maybe, maybe not...  When we got home in September, again it was this off-again, on-again limping.  Head bobbing when she trotted.  Hummmm

A trip to the vet and she's on Rimadyl and leash-walking for a month.  As soon as she's off the Rimadyl, and one day off the leash (in our fenced-in yard), and the head-bobbing trot is back.  Back to the vet.  This went on into the new year (2020 - the year that wasn't) and eventually our vets decided (after more testing, more rimadyl, more money) that she should go to Tufts and see what they say.  Because:

Dogs do not have rotator cuffs, they have tendons that hold their shoulders together.  Over-use by athletic, active dogs can cause mineral deposits to build up in those tendons and that causes pain and impinges on their ability to move.

Piper has mineral deposits in the tendons in her shoulders.  She's really not faking it to get me to lift her (65 pounds!) into the camper.  Really. 

The earliest appointment I could get was early in March.  It takes an hour or so to get there and I'm very grateful for my GPS.  It's perfect.  Piper is eager and tail-wagging (as usual) and everyone falls in love with her.

They ultrasound her, confirm the diagnosis and give her the first treatment.  What's the treatment, you ask?  Shockwave!!!  To break up the minerals/crystals.  Of course, they have to really dope her up because she's just too Hyper Piper for the normal amount of sedative, so when they bring her out to me, they're supporting her back end with a large bath towel and we basically have to lift her into the car (no ramp?! Bad Momma!).  They think she'll need three treatments.  She snoozed her way home and we had another appointment set up for April.

 Well, we all know what happened then.  Covid.  Crap.  Appointments' all over the place are cancelled.  Not just postponed, cancelled.  No second and third treatment for my Big Girl.  They have given me Gabapentin and Rimadyl to keep her comfortable, so that's a daily treate-ment (pill pockets are great).  When we ran out, our local vet was happy to provide more.  

FINALLY, the end of August rolls around and I get a call from TUFTS!  They are open again for more than just emergencies and would I like to get Piper in for another SHOCKWAVE!  Oh, yes, I sure would.

Last Wednesday, September 30, Piper and I drove up to Tufts in Grafton, Massachusettes. I will be getting a bill for using I-90, no easy-pass for us.     

I packed my lunch, brought my kindle and chargers and all kinds of "keep momma busy, while they work magic on my baby girl" things.  The protocol is that you drive in, call the front desk and tell them you've arrived and what parking space you're in, what your car looks like and get your mask on.  Eventually, a student comes out and takes your beloved fur-child from you, tells you about how long it will be (two hours?) and leaves with your baby.

I brought food, did I mention that?  Stress eating.  Everything I brought.  They have portapotties in  the parking lot, thank heaven, and they were reasonably clean.  I read a book or two, not that I remember anything that I read.  The day had started out rainy, but became quite beautiful as I sat there, walked around the lot, ate, read, ate, etc.

Eventually, after a year or so had gone by, my cell phone rings and I get to talk to the doctor.  Everything is fine, Piper is doing very well and she's coming out of the sedation slowly so she'll be ready to come home soon.  Breathe.  Just Breathe.

Finally, Piper comes out.  This time she's walking under her own power, but she's definitely not all there, if you know what I mean.  I have the ramp out and ready for her and she makes into the car all on her own.  I put the back seats down so she'd have more space and I can see her easily with the mirror on the visor.  They bring me more Gabapentin and Rimadyl for her and she lies down for the ride home.

They shaved her shoulders.  A little close.  A little too close:

I put triple-antibiotic ointment on them, the red just looked too annoyed.  Since she has some allergic dermatitis, benadryl pill, too.  

She managed to lick them both enough to break the skin.  I've also put some of my vitamin E cream on them to help them heal.  

Rather than put an "elizabethan collar" on her, I dressed her in one of my old tee-shirts.  Isn't she adorable? 

She's adorable.  Of course she figured out how to get out of it, but she's healing up nicely.  One more treatment and she should be cured.  It will worth it if it works.  But you should know:  this is super-expensive.   I'm just relieved that I can pay for it.  

Shockwave Treatment.  Who Knew?