Get your rehab and general canine health questions ready! Dr. Jessica Waldman from California Animal Rehabilitation Center is dropping by. Dr. Waldman can answer just about any canine health questions you have: amputation, surgery recovery, exercise, mobility, alternative medicine, diet, aging and more.

Saturday, July 10

8:00 PM Eastern / 5:00 PM Pacific

In the Tripawds Chat Room

Jessica H. Waldman, VMD, CVA, CCRT

Dr. Waldman is co-founder of California Animal Rehabilitation Center, one of the few rehab centers in the country with both a doctor and a physical therapist on staff, both of whom are certified canine rehabilitation practitioners. Dr. Waldman speaks at veterinary meetings on the subject of Canine Rehabilitation and she has a special interest in neurological rehabilitation and in nutrition for all life stages. She loves to see her patients’ quality of life improve, and she counsels in nutrition utilizing a combination of Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine for the best possible outcome.

Dr. Waldman completed a certificate program from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute to become a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist. She is also a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist through the Chi Institute. She is one of the founding members of the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians.

If you haven't already watched our blog post series with Dr. Waldman, check them out:

Canine Rehabilitation: Exercises and Stretches with CARE

Canine Rehabilitation: Amputation Recovery Advice with CARE

Canine Rehabilitation: Pain Meds and Supplement Tips from CARE

Read the original blog post for this topic.

Many thanks to Dr. Waldman and all who partcipated in the recent chat – one of our most popular yet! And thank you for your patience with us posting these live chat script highlights a few days late …

Tripawds Live Chat

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Ask A Vet with Jessica H. Waldman, VMD, CVA, CCRT

‹admin› Mackenzie had this question… OK..my question is about how will I know if Mackenzie is overdoing it now that she has the start of lung mets? She's swimming a lot and I also take her on walks where she runs but she manages to take breaks along the way.  Should I be concerned or limit her time with these kinds of activities?

‹Dr.Waldman› Sorry, your to hear about the mets…Often times pets don't  show clinical signs of mets until the final stages, watch their breathing at rest to make sure it's not labored, if not labored, feel free to do whatever!

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‹hstanek› Denali is still 'bunny hopping' and everybody said it's because her muscles are not used to her bearing her weight on the muscles (at time of amputation she was bearing ALL her weight on her 'bad' leg) are there any exercises I can do to help build her muscles?

‹admin›  did you watch the CARE exercise and stretching videos?

‹admin› lots of exercise and stretching tips in those!

‹hstanek› Cool – I don't think anybody has pointed me there yet… or I didn't catch it

‹Dr.Waldman› So, Denali had a forelimb amputation? Is she "bunny hopping" at all gaits, slower and faster?

‹hstanek› she has one speed which is for me is a slight jog

‹Dr.Waldman› Can you get her to go more slowly to reciprocate forlimb steps? You can often times do this "gait training" through putting poles on the ground as obstacles and having her step slowly over them

‹Dr.Waldman› It's natural for tripawds to use the remaining two front limbs together at a faster gait but usually you can train reciprocal steps at a slower one. Remember when they use two limbs at once they lose extension in forelimbs and hind limbs because of their altered gait so active and passive extension for hips and shoulders is key for long term flexibility

‹Dr.Waldman›  Unstable surface work is important for tripawds too, weight shifting, cookie stretches to the shoulder and hips on a couch pillow on the ground daily!

‹admin› check out Wyatt's new boogie board video too! (Blog post coming soon.)

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‹ubermojo› Mojo lost his right hind leg 3 months ago.  Recently, he started developing facial depressions on the right side of his head.  Our veterinarian said that it was probably nerve damage from the accident (hit by car).  Is there anything we should worry about?  He is eating fine and acting normal…just wondering if you have seen experienced this with other tripawds.

‹Dr.Waldman›  was this following anesthesia or later?

‹admin› like the effects of a stroke victim?

‹ubermojo›  a week after he fully recovered.  About 2 weeks after the anesthesia

‹ubermojo› @admin: sort of…it definitely looks like a cavity.

‹Dr.Waldman› Does his eyelid droop and face droop as well? Is there a pink eyelid showing on the right side? Can he blink normally on the right side?

‹ubermojo› His lower right cheek sometimes droops…there is a cavity above his eye and on his jaw.  It does get lazy but generally perks up.  No pink eyelid and he blinks normally.  His attempt at yawning sometimes fails until his muscles get going.

‹Dr.Waldman› Hmnm, there is a facial nerve palalysis that often times affects one side of the face (we can this cause, "idiopathic" which means we don't know the cause. I've seen this resolve within 3 months or stay permanently.   It could be related to anesthesia or trauma but given two weeks follwoing the accident I would guess vascular event

‹ubermojo› Thank you Dr., Waldman.  We would breathe easier if we knew if it was anything to worry about, or simply cosmetic

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‹siobhan› hello, how long should the vet keep her in after her op, and what pain relief should i ask for, since she was diagnosed with cancer, and it a BIG lump on her foot, they said 3/4 asprin a day, i hope they will  prescribe more than that

‹Dr.Waldman› Siobhan, it depends on how she is recovering from anesthesia how long she stays in the hospital. I'm not a fan of aspirin, too hard on the stomach, plus, if you give it, I usually give Pecpid AC (10 mg per 30 pounds) orally twice a day with it. I like giving SamE 400 mg per 30 pounds 30  min before a meal in the am also for pain, I also  think you should ask for Gabapentin for pain relief.

‹Dr.Waldman› Ubermojo:  I think it's cosmetic!! Don't worry

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‹brian› Hi Dr. Waldman, my dog was diagnosed with bone cancer and had her front leg amputated this week. The x Ray of her chest (digital) showed no sign of cancer and the biopsy of her lymph was negative as well. Question is, do you recommend further testing with an oncologist?

‹Dr.Waldman› brian sorry to hear abt your dog. Good news abt the chest films and biopsy.  I don't think you need further testing, unfortunately at the time of diagnoses of bone cancer, there are already micrometastisis (it's already spread but we can't see it). Therefore, I would progress with treatment as your oncologist recommends.

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‹winterfleur› Hi Dr. Waldman. I'm considering adopting a 3-legged 7-month old lab, shepherd mix, and I'm concerned about long-term health implications–are there any?

‹Dr.Waldman›  Winterfleur- No long term health implications, just a lot of excercise modifications. Do it!! Tripawds are pawesome!

‹jerry› Here! Here!

‹admin› don't miss our stretching and exercise videos from CARE.

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‹hugapitbull› My question relates to establishing how much activity is too much for a senior tripawd, especially one who has never been extremely active.

‹Dr.Waldman› Tripawds (and all dogs) shouldn't have to take breaks on walks or walk behind you on a walk. Walks should be limited to the length of time that the pet can be energetic and walk without rest.  Uncontrolled play and running, jumping, etc should be limited. LESS IS MORE FOR ENDURANCE ACTIVITIES!

‹admin› be sure to review maggie's core strengthening exercise videos!

‹admin› so, shorter, more frequent walks.

‹Dr.Waldman› Much shorter, more frequent walks, yes

‹jerry› So if a dog sits down during walks, is that a bad sign?

‹Dr.Waldman› Yes, if the dog sits on the walk, the walk is too long!  Endurnace is not rehab, strengthening ex are!

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‹GerrysMom› Oh boy, I can tell from that last answer about activity that I'm in trouble already…  While at the park this morning Gerry started to play with another dog. Just sort of pivoting, not much contact between the two happened yet, when Gerry shrieked…

‹GerrysMom› As the other dog left, Gerry finally started walking it off without crying.  I didn't think he was limping in any way, but I'm not good at perceiving that with a three-legged dog yet.  I'm confident by now that he's moving normally again.  He also did go on to run and play a bit at the park while we were there with no more crying out…

‹GerrysMom›  Perhaps he was less active than usual, but it was hot.  Is something like this, which seems to have passed still something you would recommend taking him in to be seen?  And though I now I haven't given much to go on, does it sound like anything in particular to you?  (Pulled muscle maybe?)

‹Dr.Waldman› If they cry, usually they are in a lot of pain…I would rest rest rest for the next week and then slowly reintroduce regular activities one at a time.

‹Dr.Waldman› GerrysMom, rest and see if it resolved after you slowly reintroduce activity in a week.  If you are noticing limping or stiffness when gettin up, bring him in. Also, to test neck and back comfort, have him turn to the side reachign for cookies to shoulders and hips and look for restrictions in movement or crying.  Acupuncutuire is GREAT for neck/back pain

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‹oniongrrrrl› is there anything I can do to help strengthen that leg?

‹Dr.Waldman› Lots.  Check the videos, flexibility:  shoulder and hip extension, strenghtening:  unstable surface work, wt shifts, treats to all directions, sit to stands in reps on good flooring, obstacle course, and limit ballistic movements and longer endurance exercises

‹Dr.Waldman› Stairs are fine for function but too much for exercises. Sometiems we use aerobics steps with carpet on top to do weight shifitng exercises with legs elevated to work on legs on the ground more. also, can do exercises on  a ramp as well

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‹Kathy› Duncan (145-lb. St. Bernard) will be having his surgery soon.  Should I buy him a special bed?  He usually sleeps on the floor

‹Dr.Waldman› Hi Kathy.  In Chinese Medicine, we (and pets) run either hot or cool so if he prefers a cooler spot (floor) he will continue to do so. there are some cooling beds that have gels that some pets that are "hot" prefer

‹admin›  jerry slept on a wrapped 3" foam pad during recovery

‹Kathy› Not so much the LL Bean beds then, right?

‹admin› threre are some great therapeutic and thermoregulating dog beds in the gear blog.

‹admin› we're not vets but we believe "bean bag" beds that bunch up easily can trip new tripawds.

‹admin› especially as they get up alot trying to get comfortable.

‹Dr.Waldman› Firmer beds are better. Something else to consider is that if your pet isn't able to flip from side to side post-op (like maybe your St Bernard, beds with an egg crate mattress prevent bed sores

‹Dr.Waldman› Also, post-op, make sure to flip him with both sides down  every 4-6 hours, assisted stand him as much as possible.  Don't like any slings that go around the belly, only like ones that go around the pelvis/shoulder girdle

‹Dr.Waldman› If you can find a place (pool, rehab spot, etc) to have him stand in water (hip heights) that would be great once sutures are removed too