History:

This is the amazing story of Buddy, aka the Budster or Scooter Boy. Buddy is an 8-year-old shorthaired dachshund. He belonged to a friend of mine. In December of 2001 he jumped off my friend's bed, rupturing a disc in his lower back. My friend took him to the vet who kept him quiet for a few weeks and gave him steroids. Recovery did not look likely and my friend could no longer care for Buddy and was struggling whether or not to euthanise him. I said I would take him. That first week was a panic, finding the right cages, bed and lots of laundry due to lots of peeing! Valerie Sexton and Annie Maxwell were my Dachsie Guardian Angels (from Dachshund Rescue). They answered my questions and gave me great referrals (including Sheila Wells, but I am getting ahead of my story).

My vet referred the Budster Dr. Sinibaldi. Dr. Sinibaldi said that surgery was an option, but since it was at least 6 weeks since the injury occurred the odds of Buddy walking weren't good. I decide to go ahead with surgery. Much to my surprise Dr. Sinibaldi said he could do surgery that day or the next. I left Buddy with the surgery crew feeling very sad and wondering how Buddy felt, I had only had him 4 days and now had left him in a very strange place. He stayed with them a week after surgery so he could be kept quiet (I have four other BIG dogs) and they could squeeze his bladder. Pooping has never been a problem, thank God for minor miracles!

Scooter Boy came home and off we went to Whidbey Island and K9 Karts. He was measured and in the saddle of his new kart (doggie wheelchair) in about an hour. Liberation, he was off and running. We met another dachsie, Gunther, who was getting fitted for a Kart.

The kart was super; Buddy chased the cat and the cattle dog with his new "legs". After about two weeks I found the kart "parked" in front of the dog bed and Buddy in the bed. This became a regular occurrence. At about this time I contacted Sheila Wells. Valerie Sexton said that Sheila did hydrotherapy and massage with dogs and that I should take Buddy to her. As I carried Buddy in for our first session out came another little Dachshund wrapped up in a towel.

Thanks to Sheila, the kart is history. Sheila showed me how to get Buddy swimming in the bathtub. So nightly we would get in the tub, with four furry faces watching us, and Buddy would swim after pieces of hotdog. After weekly swimming and bodywork with Sheila, Buddy started walking. I would find the kart parked outside in the grass and Buddy would be exploring the yard. Due to Sheila's work with Buddy the muscles in his rear legs got really strong, (All those hours of swimming in the pool.)

His muscles are no longer atrophied and he can walk on them just fine now. He loved the massage she lavished on him too. She also taught me how to massage him as well, so I could get the blood circulating in his legs at home and stretch him.

Buddy has come into his own five months post surgery! I have heard stories from my friend, of Buddy escaping from his yard. My neighbor has rats and in the last two weeks this was made obvious to the Budster. I looked up from yard work one day and Buddy was sitting in the neighbor's yard. He had dug under the chain link fence. I am going to have to get creative with the fence, but it is so clear to me that Buddy has recovered his legs and his personality.

I have met the very best dog people with Buddy. My thanks go out to Sheila, Annie, Valerie, Dr. Sinibaldi, Ballard Animal Hospital and K9 Karts crew. On a recent trip to Lincoln Park I saw a dachsie in a kart digging in the sand. His mom and I were sharing stories - same surgery group - K9 Kart and of course Sheila Wells! It's a small wonderful dog world!

©Copyright Wellsprings 2001, all rights reserved.
Revised: 15 Apr 2006 14:48
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