EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL THERAPY.  Despite Muddy's weak hips, we managed to keep him moving over the years.  A big part of that was, of course, pain management, and we have a page dedicated to that topic. But we also found that exercise kept him going.  It had to be the right amount of exercise.  If he overdid it (which he would happily do if he was at one of his favorite places, like the beach), he was sore for a couple of days.  We always did at least three walks a day, whatever the weather (yes, even in the depths of a Chicago winter--Muddy's favorite time of year).  Over the years the length and pace of our walks dropped considerably, but we still did them, watching Muddy closely for signs that he was getting overtired; latterly, that meant hyperextending the right rear leg (his "good" side).  When that started to happen on a walk, it was time for a sit-down or lie-down rest for a minute or two.

CHIROPRACTIC CARE. Muddy received chiropractic adjustments regularly from Chicago-based animal chiropractor, Dr Sig Hansen.  In fact, years ago, when Muddy was still very active, Sig identified the cause of some left elbow pain that was perplexing us. Nothing showed up on x-rays;  after a day of prescribed rest, Muddy was galloping on the end of the leash, so that was counterproductive.  Dr Hansen found a misalignment in Muddy's vertebrae that was referring pain to the elbow.  For the rest of Muddy's life, Sig took excellent care of him, with appointments becoming more frequent as Muddy's structural issues became more severe. If you live in the Chicago area and would like to take your dog to Dr Hansen, please consult your vet, as Sig requires a veterinary referral.  If you live elsewhere, ask your vet for a local referral, or look up animal chiropractors in your area on the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association's website.

HYDROTHERAPY.  We started taking Muddy for physical therapy in 2006, after he was attacked by another dog in our local park, sustaining a painful puncture wound on his right shoulder.  This impacted his mobility and the state of his hips by causing him to shift weight from the front end to the back.  Also, within a week of the attack, he started limping on his left shoulder; x-rays showed arthritis developing on that side, almost certainly from favoring the wounded right shoulder. We consulted with Dr Julie Mayer, a DVM who offers holistic treatments and veterinary rehabilitation, at Integrative Pet Care in Chicago, and she prescribed a series of underwater treadmill sessions. Muddy took to the underwater treadmill like....well, like a duck to water; after a couple of initial sessions with a lifevest and with Doris, his lovely therapist, in the tank guiding him, he started doing his exercise alone and naked!  

Once Muddy got used to the treadmill and made it clear he could do it alone, Doris would stand on a platform beside the treadmill and play with Muddy while he walked;  he always had a tennis ball to play with, and Doris splashed him so he could catch water in his mouth, a game he loved;  this usually caused enthusiastic barking.  He did a 20 minute session once a week, right up until the last week before he died;  the water supported his joints and offered him a low impact workout, but it also provided resistance, strengthening his muscles and relieving stiffness.  

Muddy loved the therapy. As soon as we arrived at IPC, he would lean on the leash trying to get closer and closer to the hydrotherapy room;  when Doris came out to get him, he'd rush forward, apparently to greet her, but at the last minute he would veer past her and into the room.  Once in there, he went to the toy chest to get his tennis ball, and then dashed up the ramp and into the treadmill tank by himself.  

When he felt the water at the right level (about halfway up his haunches), Muddy would stand with his face pressed up against the glass in front, waiting for the belt to start.  Despite the play, he took his exercise very seriously and seemed to view it as a job, which he carried out with pride.   The photo on the right shows Muddy and Doris, his very first time on the treadmill. Below, he's going it alone.

Muddy was also lucky enough to receive a gift from IPC of a huge box of tennis balls.  The photo below shows him greedily counting the treasure. This qualifies as the "best gift ever"!

Is there any doubt Muddy was enjoying his treatment? Look at that contented face (below).

ACUPUNCTURE.  Again at Integrative Pet Care (where else?!), Muddy occasionally benefited from acupuncture treatments.  These were particularly helpful one summer when Muddy had a mystery injury that caused him sciatic pain. Along with homeopathic remedies, acupuncture was very effective in relieving this condition. You might think it's hard to keep a dog still with a bunch of needles in his body, but Muddy relaxed quietly on his side and seemed to respond well.  Both Dr Mayer and Dr Curtis provided Muddy with acupuncture treatments, and we were always happy to note that they were very skilled at finding the needles again when it was time to remove them - quite a challenge in a thick Samoyed coat!

IPC's website has more technical descriptions of these, and other therapies.  Please note that, as of June 2010, Dr Mayer has moved out of state and is not available for routine appointments at IPC.  However, she is still associated with IPC as a consultant, and makes special appearances back in Chicago from time to time!

Again, if you don't live in the Chicago area, ask your vet or find a practitioner via The Veterinary Institute of Integrative Medicine (which also lists a number of other sources of information on holistic vets, acupuncturists, homeopaths, etc.)