((((otto))))

doody, if he does need a cart, try looking on sites like
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or
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or
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Aw, thanks ((Curious)). I will refer back to that if/when the time comes.
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Well, a glimmer of hope? Today daughter and I went at lunch to see Otto. As usual he was all excited and we got lots of slurpy kisses. I got there first and spent about 15 minutes alone with him before daughter arrived.

As I held one of his hind pitties in my hand, his pittie pushed hard against my palm and released. That happened several times, but my logical mind attributes that to that automatic response from the lower part of his spine. It's at the T12-13 where the signal to his brain stops.

When daughter was there and holding him, he moved his tail several times...weakly, but we both saw him move it. We figured it's that auto response.

When the vet tech came to get him we told her about it and she was surprised. She said that was very hopeful as the tail is usually the first movement they see in a recovery.

We've also noticed that when he does his little howls with his little mouth up in the air, his voice sounds so odd, much different than before the surgery. The vet said she's sure that's because of the intubation during the surgery.

He started his physical therapy today. No update tonight.

I'm not sure if we'll be able to make it to visit tomorrow. Huge ice, sleet and snow storm a'comin.

Praying, hoping, praying, hoping that his tail movement is indication of great things to come!

(Hope you don't mind me coming in here and venting and updating. I feel like you guys help surround all of us at NT with powerful love.)


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Yahoo Yipee Wooohooo for tail movement............GREAT sign!!!!!!!

I have a good feeling about his recovery!!

I look forward to your updates, keep em coming!!!

Thanks Dottie! Yes, we thought so too.

Today (knocking on wood) my daughter started to cry when we visited. Otto moved his tail and when she put pressure on his foot he whipped his head around to look. He moved his leg. He also voluntarily sat up just for the briefest moment and then went down again.
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We scratched him lightly on his hind area and he totally relaxed and closed his eyes.

They are teaching us how to express his bladder. We had him on the floor and the vet was showing us how to do it. He heard someone in the hall and started roo-roo-rooing and spun around and started to drag himself across the floor!

They may send him home on Saturday, but not sure. Their rehab facility won't be in operation next week, weird...because of the Christmas break at the university. And of course on release will teach the exercises and massages he's undergoing now. Then after Christmas I think he goes back for more therapy.

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Wishing you a complete and quick recovery, dear Otto

(((doody))) so happy to read this good news this morning.
What a precious pic (((moss))) put up...
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Aw ((Mrs. Moi)) that looks JUST like Otto, lol!

Well, the kids are at the vet college clinic right now. SIL is taking Otto home. I don't have an update on his condition, but they will as soon as they get him. So, I'll have to let you know later. But, he is on his way home until he returns after next week for the aqua therapy.
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They are VERY nervous about taking him home. Me too.

He will Probably do MUCH better once home in familiar surroundings. The key is Strick Crate REST!! Im sure there is still some residual swelling from the surgery and he needs to be as still as possible.

Im sure your Kids will have very strick instructions! I am overjoyed that the little guy is going home!!!!!

Dottie

Thank you for the words of encouragement!

Otto is doing pretty well. I stayed at the kids house last night. A lot to tell about him but just a couple of highlights.

You can tell he's confused about what's going on with him. Occasionally he will yelp with pain when picked up, but not too often. He's eating and drinking very well. He does #2 but I'm assuming that's just his body doing what it needs to do, I'm not sure.

Last night when I massaged and exercised him, his tail did move again. And when daddy got home from the store, he lifted his tail a couple times in excitement and I'm sure that is on his own. Anyway, when I was exercising him, he took his right foot and really pushed down on my hand, so that was exciting.

My daughter tried to express him last night and wasn't having a lot of luck. This morning I told her I was a bit worried about him not peeing so we right away tried again. Well this time she figured it out by laying him on his side instead of standing him up! Holy buckets batman, he went #1 really well.

We also took him for a few short walks across part of the living room floor. Put a towel around him and lifted his hind legs and Otto trotted towards me. It's one of the things the doc said to do.

Then this afternoon when daughter was exercising and massaging him, he suddenly peed on his own! Well, she had been massaging that that but she wasn't applying any pressure when he peed! Fingers crossed!

I don't know that they will have to take him back for further therapy if they continue to do it so well on their own. The check SIL wrote before taking Otto home was $2,982.00.


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Thank you all so much for your words of comfort and sending prayers Otto's way. I know it's been a big part of any recovery he has made so far.


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And yes Dottie, he's on very strict crate rest! They also discovered that he is comfortable in a clothes basket, of course with a pad and blankies. But that's only when someone is sitting with him for fear he may try to climb out. It proved to be very handy to take him room to room with us so he could watch what was going on. A friend of daughter's at work gave them a really nice crate. But it's just humongous.