Update from the forum...

Re: Cheer Up Chinzi !
by Kirsti Kingwill on Wed Dec 03, 2008 4:22 pm

Glendyr if you looking for any more rehabilitation cases you can always try Nilla. Also a real water baby. But for those who dont know. Annaret obviously does. Nilla has all of sudden shown some vast improvement and has even ventured back onto the agility course - jumping small height only but still its so wonderfull.

Re: Cheer Up Chinzi !
by Glendyr on Wed Dec 03, 2008 7:14 pm

That is fantastic news - there is going to be a lot of swimming going on this summer - really hope she has turned the corner - she had sooo much talent & many people have asked me about her cos she stood out & made a big impression on them with her "agility ability"

Re: Cheer Up Chinzi !
by Annaret on Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:56 pm

Am holding all our fingers, thumbs and paws this side for Nilla to come back with a BANG! She's definitely looking better by the day and SO SO happy to be doing what she loves, that I hope she can continue enjoying the sport in competition level soon.

Re: Cheer Up Chinzi !
by Annaret on Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:15 pm

UPDATE ON CHINZI'S PROGRESS
I am happy to announce that Chinzi made the 12 week mark (which was yesterday) in absolute fine style. We started trotting with tendon support about 2 weeks ago, building it up slowly and we are now trotting without support and running with support. Only short distances, but it's a start. I leave her in a down, then walk away and call her to me. Just far enough for her to not break into a sprint.

She is loving every minute of it and she is also jumping in my arms, to her great delight. So she is starting to "take off" without landing on full weight.Her weight has still not come down and is pretty much stable on 15.8kg, but hopefully as soon as she starts running more she will tone some of the muscle built up by the swimming. She is of course still swimming in full force and also enjoying it thoroughly. She's bouncing around freely on our walks now, and because she is such an obedient dog, it's not too hard to control her and keep her from sprinting, so far we are doing well.

We just had one near-sprint yesterday when Emma took off in full force after a bird and Chinzi could barely contain herself and wanted to follow, but obeyed when told to down. What an AMAZING dog! Levi's been walking on the leash for the last few days due to his slight limp, so luckily he wasn't too much of an instigator to excite Chinzi further. Happy to say he is MUCH better and his limp has disappeared. We will however still take it slow (if you can with a dog like Levi!) for another few days before we will go wild again, and hope for the best.

Next week Wednesday is the 3 MONTH MARK! Some vets would call it... "out of the woods"... and trust me, Chinzi (and me!) will be most happy to get there! She will then slowly start doing straight-line sprints, building it up to the end of the month, and hopefully at the end of the month, we will start doing low jumps, in straight lines at first. Turns, weave-poles and A-frame will wait till last. First we are going to see how she does over jumps and then slowly introduce slight turns, see-saw and dogwalk. Obviously we can't wait, but we are working with a plan and if we stick to it, our chances are best to get a good result.Almost can't believe we managed it so far so good, very very thankful for all the support and of course our angel, MARINETTE! Without her none of this would have been possible. Chinzi was treated at least twice, sometimes 3 times a week and everything was carefully monitored, controlled and planned. A stitch that was given a 1% chance of holding, is still holding!

My mom also deserves a MEDAL for her watchful eye on keeping Chinzi still in the early days and especially after the splint came off and she wanted to continue as normal, but couldn't. To keep Chinzi from running & playing around Beagles is a most DIFFICULT task, and my mom managed it every day while I had to work. Thanks to a MOM IN A MILLION!

Chinzi will be seeing the vet who did the op tomorrow for her yearly check-up and injections and I am sure he will be just as happy with the result so far. She walks normal and her toe is standing normal. All a near-miracle. Lets all hope&pray for this trend to continue, so that this SPECIAL SPECIAL girl can come back to Agility & Flyball with a bang, the stuff she loves and lives for!

Thanks to Glendyr, my 24h support and rehab centre, where Chinzi did most of her swimming over the last 10 weeks. I owe you big time, you are a STAR! I guess I'll have to make this a special Xmas! I'll have to buy David & Brandyn special gifts as well... David for having to continually dig hair out the pool pump and Brandyn who had to study with dog squeals in the background. Thank goodness his results were great! Chinzi sends hugs to all her friends and can't wait to see you all in 2009!

Re: Cheer Up Chinzi !
by CLEO on Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:16 am

Hat off to you mom! Can just imagine how tough it could have been to keep her still for 3 months! I could not get Cleo to take it easy for 2 weeks when she got "snipped"!Gonna have to get some tips from Glendyr in the swimming department, I think Cleo was born in the desert - she is terrified of the see and the pool!Hava good weekend ya all!

Re: Cheer Up Chinzi !
by Annaret on Fri Dec 19, 2008 3:54 pm

WE MADE IT!!!
3 MONTHS!!!

Chinzi has been doing some straight line sprints for the last 2 days, and so far so good! She's running more and more on our walks, and are down to 15.6kg already.The smile on her face says it all! She is a different dog since the moment I "let her go"... The first time she could run on the field without me yelling to stop her but actually encouraging her and telling her it's OK, she came back with a HUGE grin on her face! She couldn't believe her luck. Now she gives me even more kisses than before, she is just so so happy! She would still love to chase Beagles, balls and birds, but mom hasn't OK'd that yet, so for now she's just elated to be running free. The first few sprints really had me nervous, and I was watching CLOSELY to see any sign of favouring a leg or picking it up somewhat, to my relief, NONE of that! She is running fine, 100% normal. Now we will slowly build on that.

The first evening she was really tired compared to our walks of late, which just showed me she is by no means running fit, she might be swimming fit, but running fit is another story & that's what we will be working on in the coming weeks.It is somewhat difficult by not being able to throw a ball, or for her to chase any movable object due to the upredictableness of the "bounce"/movement and we want to rule out any sudden stops/turns or crazy movements, which comes quite naturally for a Border Collie who only has one thing on her mind when chasing, stopping the moving object! So we now do lots of down stays and recalls over longer distances to get her to build up speed. In between she herds in circles at semi-full speed, which will hopefully help with the fitness.

Our walks as slowly starting to return to normal, and having been so different for the last 3 months, it is feeling quite strange, but very welcome.

Here's to Chinzi and a very prosperous 2009!

Re: Cheer Up Chinzi !
by Jean on Fri Dec 19, 2008 3:58 pm

FANTASTIC NEWS I am so glad to hear that Chinzi is running a little bit. Considering no one knew if she would ever be able to do that again, you must be ecstatic. What a wonderful Christmas and New Years present! Keep up the good work and may Chinz go from strength to strength. YIPPEE on her progress.Jean

Re: Cheer Up Chinzi !
by Annaret on Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:59 pm

Thanks Jean! Definitelyl ecstatic! Will keep all posted on the progress.

Re: Cheer Up Chinzi !
by Glendyr on Fri Dec 19, 2008 5:42 pm

Unbelievable & really Chinzi is very lucky to have such a determined & caring owner - Annaret even has my other half in awe & not a peep said about all the hair in the pool - miraculous on all fronts No looking back now - hopefully AWC 2009 here we come

Re: Cheer Up Chinzi !
by Annaret on Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:09 pm

Some Chinz-Chels swimming action... taken some 3 weeks ago...



Some Chinzi sprints... taken today...Lookin' good!



Excuse the camera-man, still in training...

Re: Cheer Up Chinzi !
by Hilary on Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:28 pm

Wonderful new - a great result at the end of a trying year. As I always say - what you put in is what you get out. She'll do you proud in the near future - just watch!