R.I.P. Colleen

Colleen was humanely sent to doggie heaven last week. The calcification of her spine spread into her other leg and she became paralysed and was in a lot of pain.

Colleen, we know you have an endless supply of pine cones to play with and a strong healthy body.

Colleen and the pine cone

Everytime Colleen (Border Collie) comes for treatment she brings her favourite toy...a pine

cone. She'll follow the pine cone absolutely anywhere so it's a useful tool to get her to co-operate...not that she's unco-operative.

Colleen

Colleen, a 10 yr old Border Collie, still full of beans despite calcification of some of her vertebrae. Here she is pulling on the legs of Michelle's jeans wanting to play.

Colleen and Bradley

Little Bradley came with his granny and Colleen for her treatment yesterday. Colleen loved having her family around while she was having her Photizo light therapy session.

"Come on Bradley...throw the pine cone for me!!"

Update on Colleen

Colleen is making steady progress. She swims wonderfully and every third stroke she uses her lame left hind leg to kick. She is obsessive about pine cones so it is easy to get her to do anything using the pine cone as her treat.

Case Study on Colleen the Border Collie

Colleen is a 10 year old Border Collie who came to the hydro 3 weeks ago with calcification of her spine which has resulted in lameness in her left hind leg. If you look at the photo you can see the toe is turned under. She had no feeling in her foot when we first evaluated her. Colleen has been having weekly Photizo light therapy treatments and doing rehabilitative swimming as well.

Today when we tested her for feeling in her foot she felt the pressure for the first time. So exciting!!! This is after months of being lame. Michelle (the therapist) was also able to get Colleen to flatten the pad of her foot. Previously she had it turned back all the time. Hopefully this wonderfully intelligent and obedient girl can look forward to getting some function in the leg to take her through her retirement.