{"id":2431,"date":"2014-09-11T03:43:30","date_gmt":"2014-09-11T03:43:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aercmn.com\/?p=2431"},"modified":"2014-09-11T03:43:30","modified_gmt":"2014-09-11T03:43:30","slug":"sampson-goes-to-rehab","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/sampson-goes-to-rehab\/","title":{"rendered":"Sampson Goes to Rehab"},"content":{"rendered":"

On March 6, 2013, our Akita cross dog, Sampson, was diagnosed with bone cancer in his left front leg. He underwent amputation the next day.<\/p>\n

As a large breed dog almost thirteen years old, Sam had some hurdles in front of him following amputation; namely, he was already arthritic and painful in his remaining limbs. We decided against chemotherapy post-surgery; instead, we focused on maintaining Sampson\u2019s quality of life in as pain-free a manner as possible.<\/p>\n

Our veterinarian, Dr. Houstoun Clinch at\u00a0TLC Veterinary Hospital<\/a>, recommended that we contact the\u00a0Sport & Strength Department<\/a>\u00a0at Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota. Their rehabilitation programs would help to increase Sampson\u2019s mobility and build his muscle tone while keeping Sampson mentally stimulated.<\/p>\n

The therapy team at AERC of MN was excellent with Sam.\u00a0John Nielsen, CVT-VTS (ECC), CVPP, CCRP<\/a>, the technician who runs the program, really tailored his treatment to our goals and to Sam\u2019s abilities and his personality. Many dogs that go through rehabilitation are working dogs\u2014agility, flyball, hunting, or herding. We are just about as far from that as you can get, but John did a great job finding the right workout for Sampson. Sampson is not the most athletic, graceful, or fast dog on the underwater treadmill, but he definitely earned an \u201cA\u201d for effort! Our normal routine included laser therapy, stretching and massage, cavalettis, wobble board exercises, the underwater treadmill, and other exercises to do at home.\u00a0Check out this\u00a0video<\/a>\u00a0of Sampson on the underwater treadmill!<\/p>\n

In providing palliative care for Sampson, I often feel like a little girl plugging one leak in the dam, only to find another sprouting elsewhere. We start a course of medication to address arthritis, and we cause stomach distress and weight loss. We add steroids to boost his appetite, but the pain meds aren\u2019t compatible with the steroids. We change pain meds, but the new ones aren\u2019t quite as effective, so we try something else\u2026and around and around we go.<\/p>\n

It has been five and a half months since Sampson\u2019s amputation. He is happier, more alert, and eating better than he has in the last year and a half. His pain medication dose is very low, and we\u2019ve drastically cut the steroids, too. I absolutely believe that physical rehabilitation at Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota, along with great care from our family vet, have made all that possible.
\nSampson and I have been togethe\"\"r for thirteen years. He is stoic, stubborn, and recalcitrant; goofy, peculiar, and particular. He is everything I ever wanted in a dog and never expect to find again. What I want for Sampson is for his remaining days to be as normal and as happy and as wonder-filled as possible. What brings him joy might be as simple as an endless supply of cardboard paper towel tubes to gnaw on, sparring with his canine sister, chasing bunnies, or breaking into the litterboxes for an afternoon snack! And sure, it can be hamburger for dinner instead of kibble, if that\u2019s what he wants.<\/p>\n

—by Megan, Sampson’s mom<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On March 6, 2013, our Akita cross dog, Sampson, was diagnosed with bone cancer in his left front leg. He underwent amputation the next day. As a large breed dog almost thirteen years old, Sam had some hurdles in front of him following amputation; namely, he was already arthritic and painful in his remaining limbs. 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