Shadow, the little fish

The hubby and I recently started taking Shadow, our 8 1/2 year old Black lab/Collie, for water therapy at the Canine Water Wellness centre. It's sort of like aquafit for dogs.

She has had cruciate ligament surgery on both her knees within the last few years. The right, done first with the TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) method in December 2008, and about 8 months later, in August 2009, the TTA (Tibial Tuberosity Advancement) procedure on her left knee.

When we first started taking her swimming at the end of January, she was taking 30 kg of Metacam and 100 mg of Tramadol. She had been ok after the surgeries, and medication-free, close to 100%, but not quite. She walked around ok, jogged with us, climbed stairs, jump on beds and couches. She favored her right leg right after that knee was operated on, then, when she had the second surgery, the one on her left knee, she started favoring it and has since.

But both surgeries were deemed successful. We've had x-rays since, most recently in December 2010 and the implanted mechanisms are still ok and look quite good.

Throughout the Spring and Summer 2010, Shadow started limping, and did so more and more. We had tried walking her more, walking her less, nothing helped.

In the Fall, we started the Tramadol and Metacam at 20 kg, gave her glucosamine and changed her food to Hill's Prescription Diet j/d Canine Mobility. No change. We upped her Metacam to 30 kg.

Still, her condition was pretty much the same.

We were very concerned about the Metacam because it can damage the liver. The vet wanted us to try this level of treatment for three months, until March 2011. Then we might think about exploratory surgery if nothing changed. It turned out the vet discovered that Shadow was not only experiencing knee issues, but hip stiffness issues too. Maybe a flipped part of her miniscus, maybe hip dysplasia. Any of these or other reasons might be the cause of her discomfort, limping, strained rising, head jerking and toe-touching.

Before Christmas, along came the Birch Haven Rescue and Rehabilitation Services online auction. One item peaked my curiosity. I bid on it and won it. A Canine Water Wellness voucher for an assessment and swim.

During the assessment in January, Lianne and Jennifer, the hydrotherapists, got in the warm salt-water pool and slowly got Shadow acclimatized to the water. They checked out her movements with an underwater camera, did a few laps with her and showed us how to assist Shadow in the water. (They are Awesome women and teachers!)

After the initial swim, we bought a 20-visit U-Swim package. Twenty one-hour sessions during which the hubby and Shadow do laps in a warm salted pool with jets. He walks along and guides her and she swims.

I took these videos during our third session. The first, at the beginning of the hour, the second, near the end. The difference is like night and day.





As of the fourth U-Swim session, we have stopped the Metacam as she no longer needs it. We reduced it gradually and haven't looked back.

I cannot speak highly enough about this form of therapy.

My only complaint - I wish they were a little closer to me! But I travel there without hesitations as I know what good comes of each visit.