My name is Spicer.
Update 6/10/2005 :
I am eleven now and I am great! A couple of months ago
I felt so good I escaped from my yard (they think they can keep me in).
I spent the day running around the neighborhood and investigating everything.
The humans tried to tempt me with meat but I had too much fun to go home.
I ended my time of freedom at some friends' house, two who just happen to be
massage therapists.
and received a massage. They called my human so it was time to go home.
I was a bit tired the next day but it was worth it.
5/23/04 Update :
I continue to so well, my Vet can't believe it is me. I am still frustrating
my human (Karen) by being the great escape artist.
It is sooo much fun. A Beagle thing, you know. And then I get to tell Sue all
about it when she comes over to see Me.
Update - 2/17/04 :
I am GREAT and going through the wet Texas winter with no apparant
(that is a human term) difficulty or pain.
My human is Karen.
I am a nine year old Beagle with hip displaysia, a bad disk in my neck
and something they call "Alpha Attitude"
Foot reflexology has become an important part of my pain management
program. The pills the doctor gives me don't do the whole job. When
I have my paws done regularly I stay very comfortable and enjoy all of my favorite activities - walking at the lake, chasing squirrels and jumping up on Karen's bed (when I hurt, I can't jump up to her bed and we both hate that)
Karen is learning canine foot reflexology. Sometimes I let her work
on my paws. But sometimes I don't have the patience for her while she is
learning and I tell her to come back when she is really good at it.
Like my hero - Sue. I worship Sue. Sue makes me feel soooo good.
Karen practices on other dogs. She's making progress.
Spicer Case Study:
15" female Beagle approximately nine years old
Fall 2001 she was sensitive to movement and a little grumpy.
She woke up one night in extreme pain. Xrays at the emergency
vet showed a ruptured disk in her neck. She was given a shot
of pain killer and started on Rimadyl. She remained a little
sensitive and would occasionally favor her right front leg.
Summer of 2002 she began showing signs of weakness and pain in her
back left leg. - could not get up on couches and was not walking normally.
Xrays showed hip dsplaysia.The Rimadyl was increased to two tabs per day.
The pain flared up every couple of months requiring vet visits and
additional medication.
February 2003 Sue Stackhouse began reflexology, once a week for three weeks
and then approximately once a month. Her human decreased her Rimadyl to one
a day. Spicer had no more attacks of pain.
July 2003 Her human decreased the Rimadyll to 1/2 tab a day and increased
the reflexology to once a week. She is better than she has been in years.
Her human says, " Not only is she pain free but back to her old self.
It's little things I've noticed - she greets he me at the front door,
again, instead of looking at me from the couch and she's lost all traces
of grumpiness. She's her bossy, mischievous self again."
Her human hopes to discontinue the Rimadyll and use it only if needed.
A rather interesting thing about Spicer is she does not want her person
to do the reflexology on her, though she ( her person ) has learned the
techniques. We hope to change this in the future.
As of 9/20/03 Spicer is now taking 1/4 tablet of Rimadyll and
continues to appear pain free.
Update 12/05/03:
Spicer has been off all pain medicine for five weeks and appears to be pain free!!