To say this has been difficult would be an understatement. From the many vets, to surgery, to the sleepless nights, to recovery there have been many ups and downs. There have been times where I thought Hudson may not get better. After surgery Hudson's back legs were completely paralyzed. However, I see a slow improvement each and every day from not moving his legs to slowly kicking, bending, and holding himself up. We have been camping out in bed all week! The last two days I have seen many improvements. Hudson has been able to hold himself up, only for about 10 seconds at a time but hey it's a start!! He has been starting to push himself up and even tried to take steps! You can see his determination, strength, attitude and puppy eyes coming back. I felt like he had lost his energy and personality for a while before surgery and to see his true puppy self-come back brings so much happiness to me!! They are all little improvements, but I am extremely excited to see progress and have you follow along on our crazy journey through recovery!
These are a few things I learned along the way that helped both of us through recovery
Keeping him busy but calm
During the day Hudson spends a lot of time resting but he does get some energy. Whenever Hudson gets energy I make sure to have his favorite chew stick nearby to calm him down and keep him as still as I can. Himalayan dog yack stick are Hudson's favorite.
Always keeping him cool
Hudson loves his cooling mat and it has saved us many times. It has been extremely hot where we live, even when the air is running we are still trying to find a way to stay cool. Any time he starts to get restless it's because his cooling mat is not under him. This mat keeps him super comfortable and keeps him cool enough to keep sleeping.
Keeping up with his nose and feet
Before Hudson’s surgery, he was overusing his front legs because he had no control of his back legs. This lead to his paws becoming raw and red. Along with that, it has been super hot out and his nose has been raw. Once I started using Natural Dog Company sticks they worked miracles.
A couple of other things I learned along the way are doing his exercises as much as I could remember. Some of the exercises we do are bicycles, bending his toes, bending his legs, and helping him stand. Each time we do this I have found he has gained more and more strength. One of the biggest changes for Hudson and I is having him sleep in his own bed next to me! We are both so use to sleeping together. I made it as comfortable as I could and moved my bed to the floor.
The improvement's I have seen in the last couple of days have brought me so much joy. I can't wait to see what this week has to bring. All the support, love, and prayers have helped Hudson heal in so many ways and I am so thankful for each and every one of you. We start acupuncture next Wednesday and then we have our follow-up appointment in San Diego next Friday. Hopefully, in the next week, we see even more improvement! I am excited for all of you to follow along on Hudson’s journey along with some of our favorite brands, activities, travel tips, and more.