Mama Bear's been under the weather so my apology for no updates over the past few days.  Jersey Girl is clearly getting stronger so we're starting to feel better about her progress.  She's getting up and moving around the living room during the day and she's even tried to get on the couch a couple of times.   That nearly gave me a heart attack.  We have a big leather sectional and were pretty impressed when she got up and walked by herself from one end of it to the other so she could cuddle with Papa Bear.  So cute.  She also walked into the bedroom one day to visit me while I was sick in bed.  That touched my heart.  She sized up the bed like she was figuring out how to get on it. Luckily Gregg was right behind her and helped her up so we could cuddle a bit.  She even rolled onto her back for a belly rub.  That's huge because up until then she was barely ever even laying on her side and she'd simply been refusing to roll onto her back.  

She FINALLY popped on day 7.  It was even the size of a 7 day poop we were so relieved she got all that out of her. Lol.   Holding the poop position for so long must have wiped her out because she had to lay down for awhile after that.  We don't care, we'll take it.  She's also figured out how to squat and pee so she's no longer falling into her pee.  Yay!  

Food and water consumption is improving too.  She still needs home cooked food mixed in with her wet dog food and I've found she's more willing to eat the wet stuff if I warm it up in the microwave.  I wonder if she'll ever go back to kibble.  Lol.  Honestly, I don't care if she doesn't as long as we can keep her properly nourished.

I just can't believe how quickly some other dogs have bounced back from this surgery!  Shelby has done remarkably well and so has Eva!!!  I've been amazed.  My baby has been really weak in comparison but I think she's finally starting to come back.  Last night she even came up the stairs (only 2) from the yard on her own.  She was lying on the lawn when I stepped inside the house to get a tissue.  When I turned around to go outside again, there she was standing in front of me INSIDE the house.   Whaaaat?!  I was very impressed.  Up until then her walks have looked like drunken swaggers.  She's definitely improving.  

QUESTION:  A couple times over the last 2 days she's panted heavily and we haven't been able to figure out the problem.  Pain meds were good (she's on Metacam, #70 dose once a day), poo and pee done, not hungry or thirsty, not hot.  In checking out her body it seemed like she was having spasms between her shoulders, on her chest near the amp site and also in her butt.  I thought near the amp site it might be nerves or muscles reacting to the surgery and maybe the other spasms were over-worked muscles??  Don't know.  Any thoughts or suggestions on what to do for her, if anything?  The last time this happened it lasted over an hour.

Thanks everyone!  

Claudia