Kayla Hikes the Parts of the Appalachian Trail

So this year, guess what!! In my new house with my dad and with Penny (who turns out isn't so bad, but just gets anxious when things aren't done her way) we have a ton of squirrels. I think it's because we went far away in the car ride with mom and dad and the squirrels didn't remember we lived here-- so now they come right up to me when I'm outside and I can chase them. Wohoo!

And where did I go-- well that's kinda cool. A long time ago, mom had said she wanted to take me to hike the whole Appalachian Trail, which for all you dogs who don't know, is a really really big long walk. But then mom changed jobs and moved and then I couldn't walk and, well, everything got different for a while. -- But I guess this place we went hiking last month was right on the Appalachian trail. Even though mom says I probably won't ever hike the whole thing (and probably, if she keeps working like she does, she won't either), we got to hike PARTS of what the other dogs in the area call the AT! We also found a lot of rivers to swim in and drink from, and I learned that Penny doesn't really hate water, she only hates water that's over her head. Kinda how I don't like water that is rushing over rocks (unless I'm REALLY thirsty)... I did a really good job on the Appalachian Trail, though one day on the river walk I was really tired and I needed a day off. And then, on the Hickey Fork trail, I tried to herd mom and dad and I FELL OFF A BRIDGE and landed, squarely, on my four feet, straddling a big rock in the river, with my paws in the water-- Mom was really scared, and I limped for a minute and was afraid to try to stand on all my legs right after, but dad said shake it off, and penny said shake it off, and mom said Oh my god and I shook it off and I was fine. . . and when we got to the tops of the water fall I swam a little and I tore down tree branches, and I chewed a lot and I rolled in mud and mucky things, and I didn't get in trouble. Mom knows, somehow, that this is how I get my scariness out-- and how I feel better, and so there we were, all of us with our paws in the water by the waterfall (except dad who keeps his paw covers on) and I knew, I am not only OK, but I am really ONE LUCKY DOG. I've hiked the Rockies and the Appalachian, I've been in lots of rivers and one great lake, and I've gotten not just one set, but two sets of knees and a lot of love from my (sometimes too nervous) mom.





WOW! So, it's been a long time, and I (Kayla) am feeling great! I never think about blogging anymore, mostly because I never think about my surgery much, and neither does mom. Sometimes if I swim for a long, long time or if I go for a really long walk, I will limp a little bit, but mom usually gives me some peanut butter after a long walk with something crunchy inside and that makes me wake up not so stiff. I love peanut butter. I wish mom would give it to me when I don't hurt. Mostly, I love squirrels.


Anyway, I know mom never put up picturesss of me after my recovery, so I thought I'd post these to show my happy recovery and to tell all you orthodogs that YOU CAN DO IT (and keep up with physical therapy. It sure helps!)

A Mile and a New Attitude!!

Kayla is sleeping peacefully (on the bed!), so I'll post this blog. Clearly, she's been too busy to type!! :-) What a month. Kayla has cleared the 1-mile mark for her rehabilitation walks, and though I'm not religious about her rehab (bad mom), she is doing so very well. She walked her old walk from last year (with a corner cut here and there) and logged about a mile and a half during two walks last week. She wanted to lie down at about a mile and rest, and she earned it! I'm hoping to be to a 1.5 miles, no rest, by the end of the month-- maybe even 2 miles. SO-- all dog walking partners from autumns past, get ready. After two surgeries, a lot of lying around, and a worldwind trip around the Midwest, Kayla is nearly back in action!

CROSS YOUR FINGERS! Kayla is making tentative plans to go up to Lake Michigan and play with her old gang at the end of this month, beginning of September. She hasn't run off leash since her surgery, and she's "cleared" to run two months after her final check up, which she had in July-- so it's any day now, if "mom" could just feel it's safe. I think after two miles, I'll feel more comfy.

ALSO, Congratulations is in order! Kayla has lost 5 more pounds!! It's been tough, and she's been eating 1/4 her recommended feeding schedule, but she is down to 76 pounds, the weight I had initially had as her target. The vet wanted her at 65 (which is unreasonable). She was quite trim at 72 pounds, and I'm hoping with the new longer walks we can get back to that weight without cutting more food. Her food-obsessive behaviors have gotten out of control, and she actually clipped me with her teeth the other day taking a treat out of my mouth to perform a trick. Very unlike her not to be more careful, and she's just fixated on food. At the same time, she's sleeping harder and longer than she has in about two years. She stretches out on the bed and fidgets less frequently. I think we can say she feels much better. Yay Dr. Probst! yay all who contributed!!

Finally, Kay is registered for Doggie Swim Day at Buhr Pool!! Maybe we'll see if her legs can swim before we take her out to Muskegon's Dog beach!! In either event, we'll post the photographs.

Week One, second surgery

Wow!! This time the surgery time is going by so much faster. Maybe it's because there isn't so much snow or because mom's home and not at school, or maybe because I have two-- TWO legs to walk on after this surgery, but I feel pretty great.

Last week when I got home, mom said I looked better than the last surgery, but then when she tried to clean under the bandage, I was pretty touchy. I swelled up a lot more than expected and my leg hurt really badly-- more than last time. I didn't really want to touch it on the floor either, but mom said maybe that means the first surgery just went really well and I feel stable. She put a big collar-thing on my head again so I wouldn't lick my leg, but when she was out of the house, I got aound it and chewed off my bandage. Boy did that feel better!! The swelling went down, the red streaks disappeared. The vet thinks maybe I have an allergy to surgical tape and that's why I acted so angry at mom when she tried to remove it. I've never done that before. I licked mom a lot, and my teeth never touched her, and she didn't seem mad, but I know that I did what bad dogs do, and I felt really bad. I try really hard to be a good dog, and even other dog's moms say I am very, very good. I was glad that mom said it was OK and stopped touching my leg. I also am glad it stopped hurting after I chewed that bandage off. Mom still put ice on it, and I let her, and she made me take that medicine that gives me the falling dream, but the pain got a lot better, and I was ready to run by this week. Mom says "no running." Humans and their rules! I didn't want to tell her last night that my leg hurt after horsing around with my toys after she told me to lie back down, but early this morning, I just had to tell her, and she gave me medicine, and I am doing much better. I get my staples out in a couple of days!! We've started doing bicycle paws too, though I've never liked them much.

Mom says there are a bunch of other Orthodogs up for two surgeries like me, so if you're reading this Maddy and Shadow and the rest, hang in there! Don't let the humans take it all too seriously. It's scary, for sure, and I was a little mad to go back to the vet and get MORE surgery when I thought I was finally all better, but I feel like I'm going to have two strong legs. Maybe we should have a puppy play date after all the surgeries.

HIgh paws to bionic dogs!!!

Kayla