When i started this trip, it was supposed to be an adventure with my two dogs, and to give Leben a chance to make more progress in his recovery from the trauma of the spinal surgery he had in mid-july. The operation itself was not very successful, and the trauma of the surgery left him in pretty bad condition. I went ahead with the operation even though Leben could walk just fine because an MRI revealed two serious disc ruptures which were already showing up in several ways and i was concerned that the same thing that happened to Sonntag would happen to him, and i wanted to avoid that if i could. Leben's progress in his recovery was slow, but i decided to go ahead with the trip, which the vet knew about, because it would actually be easier for leben to manage him on the road because his walks would not involve as long a distance as at home. However, by the time we left on the trip, he was able to function except that his back legs were still a bit wobbly. I thought i saw more progress during the first couple of weeks of the trip.
Unfortunately, starting on Saturday or so, Leben started to fall when walking. Over the next two days, the situation got worse to the point where he can no longer get up on his own and can no longer walk without falling. He seems to have little feeling in his rear toes. he is in worse condition than when i took him home from the vet hospital. He is now in the same condition Sonntag was in when he became paralyzed, what i was trying to avoid. Whether the operation contributed to this or it would have happened anyway, is not a concern of mine. I need to focus on getting my 110-pound dog who cannot walk and his sister and myself home, 2220 miles away. We are staying in a KOA cabin in Thunder Bay, and will try to stay in them along the way home. My problem is that as leben struggles to move around at night, it keeps me awake, but i'll figure out a solution to that one.
I am staying in thunder bay until tomorrow so i can plan our route home and order a canine cart (wheelchair, like Sonntag had) for leben in the event the swim therapy back home does not help. Needless to say, I am in utter disbelief that this happened, on the day of the planned destination and turning point of our trip, especially since i did so much to avoid this very thing. And this is the last thing that this magnificent, loyal, obedient deserved.
I will try to continue some notes during the trip home.
Ed
Ed Mulrenin
202-747-4704 (mobile)
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