Where We’ve Been – Part 3

This is the third part of a 3 part series:  read Where We’ve Been- Part 1 and Part 2 to see the first portions of the story.

As soon as it was a more holy hour of the morning, we contacted our favorite vet.  He lives in another state, but a few pictures and videos later, he told us that without a doubt, Pippin had torn his rotator cuff.  “Not much you can do, except let it heal,” he told us, “But you can try these things to help speed that process up.”

1. For general purposes I like to see the IGs on chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine.
2. Heating pad.  It’s at the stage (past icing) where I think this would help. It brings healing circulation
3. Gentle massage. It sounds too good to be true but it really works. Work on both shoulders at the same time. Don’t go beyond his pain threshold though. This helps prevent lock up of muscles.
4. Traction. This is flexion and extension of the leg. Call it yoga! All the athletes get it now and it keeps the full range of motion intact and helps guard against reinjury.
5. Homeopathy.  If you have a kit, I’d suggest ARNICA following the injury then RUTA after that. This could be good for the seisures as well, but that requires more work.
6. Acupuncture. Or Chiropractic. They are both good. This may not be needed but is highly recommended if the condition persists.

There you can see all that we have been doing ever since. Doc said it could take a while for his shoulder to heal all the way, and sure enough, Pippin still limps around the house and has occasional pain.  But it’s healing and he’s been a real trooper about everything.  The little guy has managed to find a way to walk quickly without using that shoulder much, has perfected his “paw at the edge of the bed so you can put me down and I don’t have to jump”, and has learned not to chase Strider around the yard because sudden lurching movements forward still hurt (he contents himself with snarling and looking mean while standing in a stationary position).  He even still gets to do his “hungry dance”, because the “hungry dance” has always been on his two hind paws.

Through it all, his attitude has been superb and his aptitude for mischief making hasn’t suffered in the least.  No trashcan is safe with Pippin “The Invalid” around.  Nor is our eardrums!  If someone gets too close too quickly, he screeches like we’ve already injured him.  I theorize it’s a self preservation deal.  Since his shoulder is sore, he’s more sensitive than ever to someone bumping him.  We still feel that a better way to handle it would be to move out of the walkway, but I’ve never figured out how to impart that particular piece of wisdom to him.

All in all, I would say Pippin is holding his own quite well, despite his injured rotator cuff.  But I guess what’s most important of all is that it hasn’t affected his spirits in the slightest.  He’s still my loveable, mischievous, inventive, sweet little Screamin’ Cutie.

And so, now you know what has been going on in the life of Pippin the Italian Greyhound.