It's A Dog's Life.....

Five weeks post-op and Dash had his first swimming lesson at Soozoo on Monday. 

He started with a shower and was buckled into a life jacket, then up the ramp and down another into the water. 

He was nervous about the new experience but thanks to the reassuring manner of the trainers he was soon swimming around the pool and chasing toys which made the activity fun for him as well as being just what the doctor ordered. 

Since his wound healed he's only been allowed to have 5-minute walks once or twice a day. No exercise off-lead until July, a gradual build-up until then. Even going into the garden has to be supervised as a sudden twist or turn chasing a cat or squirrel could destabilise the repair and make another operation necessary. 

Swimming takes all pressure off the joint and apparently a minute in the pool is the equivalent of a mile walking! So after 30 minutes he was well and truly ready for a cup of bovril and a packet of crisps. 

Just joking...a quick shampoo, a bit of a blow-dry then into the boot and home. Mmmm.....that lovely smell of damp dog.....

Dog Paddle

Back in Whitley Bay for the weekend. Last time we were here, Dash had his escapade on the prom. We thought we'd escaped relatively lightly - he had to have four small teeth removed - but no bones broken. 
However, at a follow-up check at the vet's a week later, the limp he'd developed indicated damage to the cruciate ligament in his back leg and required an operation. 
Three weeks ago the ruptured ligament was removed and replaced by a band to stabilise the joint, as the tissue around it heals. The bad news is that he'll be unable to have proper walks until July. He can walk 100 yards five or six times a day, but he has to be on a lead in case he makes any sudden movements which could twist the joint. Building up the exercise will happen very slowly. Already this walkless regime is agony for us all.
Then suddenly I thought about hydrotherapy - if racehorses can have it, why not dogs? It would give him an outlet for his energy and at the same time help him to exercise without  causing damage to the healing joint. The vet has confirmed canine hydrotherapy is a good idea and if we want he can start in a couple of weeks. 
I'm looking into the possibilities on offer near us and who knows - maybe he'll get a taste for it and join us on the Great North Swim! Or turn into a mer-dog like these guys