Grinder’s Road to Recovery
Grinder’s first water treadmill experience (2018)
Grinder was born in a litter of sled dogs destined for the Iditarod. His brother Bandsaw has run it already. But, once Grinder was about six months old, he began to walk a little funny. As he grew, it became apparent that there was something wrong with his back end. His dedicated musher in Alaska had the veterinarian examine him but could not find anything wrong with his spine or his hips, which were the most likely culprits. So, sweet Grinder continued to romp around the yard, pester his team mates, and generally have a good time. But, he could not be harnessed to train for the Iditarod team.
In March of 2017 I was in Alaska helping his musher prepare for the Iditarod race start and was asked if Grinder could retire in Florida. The joke was, Grinder can still run but you can catch him (unlike the true athletes on the dog team). It was impossible to say no and I had not even met Grinder yet!
My husband was a more-than-willing accomplice in this ridiculous endeavor. After flight changes, a crate purchase, and a last minute vet visit for the pre-flight check-up Grinder flew back to Florida after seeing his team off in Willow for the 2017 Iditarod. Once back in Florida, we brought him to our local vet who wanted to do additional x-rays on the back and hips. Before I left the office for that to be completed, she asked if she could add images of his knees because one of them looked slightly larger than the other. Of course we authorized it; Grinder stole my heart the moment I met him and I wanted to do everything possible to help him.
The x-ray results were unique and we were referred to the University of Florida Small Animal Hospital (“UF”) because our local vet had never seen anything like this. Both of Grinder’s knees were incapable of straightening. By May of 2017, we learned from Dr. Lewis, Dr. Townsend, and Dr. De Armond (and their teams) that both of Grinder’s tibia grew at an angle of about 70 degrees, causing the knee problems. The UF team was spectacular in terms of knowledge and compassion. Grinder ended up having three surgeries to improve the angle of the tibia, which were all successful. UF initiated the use of a 3-D model of his leg to ensure the restructuring of his legs was as accurate as possible.
During the recovery from each surgery, poor Grinder was crate confined and often in a Help ‘Em Up harness when out of the crate to keep him from putting full weight on his back legs. I spent much of my limited free time on the floor in the front of the dog crate to give him comfort and entertainment. He grew accustomed to me holding his chew toys for him while he chewed on them. He was a trooper throughout all of this and only expressed his frustration occasionally (husky families know what a husky tantrum looks and sounds like).
Once Grinder got past the initial recovery after the last surgery, we held our breath for the next 12 months hoping that an infection would not develop from all of the metal in his legs. Spoiler alert—no infections! On recommendation of the UF team, we were fortunate to be connected with Dr. Toni Yang who is certified in canine rehabilitation. Dr. Yang started Grinder off with passive therapies such as laser treatments (thus, the doggles in the photo), acupuncture, and massage. She then included the water treadmill and various other active rehabilitation “games” where Grinder has absolutely thrived.
At Dr. Yang’s suggestion, I started agility lessons to keep Grinder active and engaged. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I learned that agility is not just a dog sport, it’s a team sport with the human handler a critical part of the team. I felt bad for Grinder, who loved the tunnels, jumps and ramps, because I frequently got “lost” on the course and would disrupt his flow (he’d let me know by giving me the equivalent of a teenager eye roll). But, he stuck with me and he continues to enjoy agility.
I probably would have brought Grinder back to Florida even if I knew all of the medical issues we would need to help him overcome. It was not easy for either of us. But, we have a strong bond because of it and our connection is deep. I encourage anyone to consider accepting any dog with medical issues or special needs into their home so long as you can absorb the cost both financially and emotionally during the recovery process. It was a long road but we’ve had loads of fun together since he finished his surgeries. And, the silver lining is he actually still loves going to the vet thanks to the wonderful doctors that gave him the mobility he deserves!
Grinder “before”
Grinder “after”
