Doodles Visits Dr Black
It was an ordinary Thursday morning and I took Doodles and Gizi down to the club for their morning run. When we got there I opened the car door as usual and they both rushed out and went off running. This was when I noticed that Doodles was limping really badly on his left front leg. I was very concerned but carried on as it did not seem as if he was in any pain. I had checked for thorns, cut pads, broken nails but could find nothing.
When we got home I examined him further. I pushed and bent his leg and pressed really hard all over, and not a sound from him. This was very strange as Doodles is the kind of dog that cries for the smallest thing and if he was sore in his leg or shoulder and he was in pain, he would have let me know without a doubt. I just could not understand it.
I decided to leave him for a while and not exercise him and see perhaps if he improved but after a week, he was still limping really badly. So eventually I decided to take him to the vet. They could not find anything either. They gave him Rimadyl and sent him home. After another week of still no exercise and Rimadyl, he was the same. But yet he was jumping on the bed and he even had a run around with Gizi in the garden. No crying, no pain but still bad limping. He was absolutely fine in all ways except for his bad limp.
After week 3 I decided to take him for x-rays . He was x-rayed and even had ultrasound. The x-rays were clear and the ultrasound also showed nothing. I was very pleased about this as I was now sure there was no cancer or anything else causing Doodles` limp but his problem was still not solved.
He came home with pain killers and more Rimadyl. After yet another week there was still no change. I was desperate! That was when a friend of mine suggested I take him to a chiropractor she knew well and who does work on animals.
So I made an appointment with Dr David Black in Noordhoek and we went off to see him. Dr Black examined Doodles and said he was very stiff and tense in his neck. (see Chiropractorial Newsletter for Dr Black's full account). He worked on Doodles for about 20minutes and assured me that he was almost sure that his limping was referred pain.
He also warned that it might appear that Doodles was actually worse after the first couple of sessions but that was normal and to be expected.
And so it was. It seemed to me that Doodles was actually limping even worse after the first session. But we carried on going back because this was not a thing that could be cured overnight and would take time.
Doodles started to show major improvement after about his 4th session. I could not believe it.!! I came home one day and there was my Doodles walking almost perfectly. I must confess, I was ready to give up round the 3rd session and go and have an MRI done but thanks to Dr Black`s constant encouragement and reassurance, I stuck it out. And thank goodness for that.
Now Doodles is running around again and acting like a 5 year old. I cannot thank Dr Black enough for what he did for Doodles. Who would have thought… a trapped nerve in a dog?
And a word from Doodles: “Thanks so much Dr Black for making me walk properly again but especially thank you for the delicious treats I gobbled down every time I came for a visit. I know I was a bit forward at times (jumping up on the table) but Gabriella`s treats were just too yummy to resist”
When we got home I examined him further. I pushed and bent his leg and pressed really hard all over, and not a sound from him. This was very strange as Doodles is the kind of dog that cries for the smallest thing and if he was sore in his leg or shoulder and he was in pain, he would have let me know without a doubt. I just could not understand it.
I decided to leave him for a while and not exercise him and see perhaps if he improved but after a week, he was still limping really badly. So eventually I decided to take him to the vet. They could not find anything either. They gave him Rimadyl and sent him home. After another week of still no exercise and Rimadyl, he was the same. But yet he was jumping on the bed and he even had a run around with Gizi in the garden. No crying, no pain but still bad limping. He was absolutely fine in all ways except for his bad limp.
After week 3 I decided to take him for x-rays . He was x-rayed and even had ultrasound. The x-rays were clear and the ultrasound also showed nothing. I was very pleased about this as I was now sure there was no cancer or anything else causing Doodles` limp but his problem was still not solved.
He came home with pain killers and more Rimadyl. After yet another week there was still no change. I was desperate! That was when a friend of mine suggested I take him to a chiropractor she knew well and who does work on animals.
So I made an appointment with Dr David Black in Noordhoek and we went off to see him. Dr Black examined Doodles and said he was very stiff and tense in his neck. (see Chiropractorial Newsletter for Dr Black's full account). He worked on Doodles for about 20minutes and assured me that he was almost sure that his limping was referred pain.
He also warned that it might appear that Doodles was actually worse after the first couple of sessions but that was normal and to be expected.
And so it was. It seemed to me that Doodles was actually limping even worse after the first session. But we carried on going back because this was not a thing that could be cured overnight and would take time.
Doodles started to show major improvement after about his 4th session. I could not believe it.!! I came home one day and there was my Doodles walking almost perfectly. I must confess, I was ready to give up round the 3rd session and go and have an MRI done but thanks to Dr Black`s constant encouragement and reassurance, I stuck it out. And thank goodness for that.
Now Doodles is running around again and acting like a 5 year old. I cannot thank Dr Black enough for what he did for Doodles. Who would have thought… a trapped nerve in a dog?
And a word from Doodles: “Thanks so much Dr Black for making me walk properly again but especially thank you for the delicious treats I gobbled down every time I came for a visit. I know I was a bit forward at times (jumping up on the table) but Gabriella`s treats were just too yummy to resist”
THANK YOU DR BLACK! YOU ARE THE BEST!!