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Thursday, December 1, 2011

Swimming Dachshund Finds Cure For His Arthritis


Meet handsome wirehaired 'Teddy,' who hails from Old Basing, a village in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire, UK.  At just 9-years-old, Teddy's arthritis was so bad that his humans were contemplating putting him down.  But hydrotherapy has given him his life back.  Excerpt from the Basingstoke Observer:

Mrs King, who has had Teddy since he was six-months old, first noticed his ill health in October last year and he was sent to the Mildmay Veterinary Centre for special aid.
Each week Teddy dons a canine life jacked and swims laps of the four-foot, deep heated pool.
According to nurse Chris Norris, the treatment helps ease pain by letting dogs exercise their muscles without stressing the joints.
Mrs King insists that the treatment is more than a gimmick. “People have thought that it is a gimmick,” she said. “But a dog can’t say it’s not going to work and I judge it on its results. It was breaking my heart when Teddy was ill. It was not the Teddy I knew.
"If he was suffering I would of taken the decision [to put him down] but now he is a different dog altogether.”

6 comments:

  1. So happy for Teddy...amazing what a heated swimming pool will do for a determined dachshund!

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  2. I have to say - in that picture, Teddy looks like a Viking Dachshund! That silver ring behind him (or is it a painting on the wall?) just sets off the orange (ahem) Personal Floatation Device perfectly! All he needs is a spear and a little Wagner in the background!!

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  3. Jayne D. and AnnieBelleDecember 1, 2011 at 11:44 AM

    Who among us doesn't love a happy ending? Very good news that Teddy is feeling so much better!! This is the first time I have seen a wet wire haired doxie - very cute!! Kindly, Jayne and Annie

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  4. Adorable! I've been trying to get Piper into some hydrotherapy, but I haven't found a good place yet. This encourages me to get on it again!

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  5. Handsome boy...and he does look like a Viking! But no "fat lady" singing here, cause he should have many more happy years ahead of him. Great story!

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  6. I called the Oklahoma State University Vet Med School & asked them if they had water therapy for dogs. I got a call back today & they said OSU does have water therapy & a certified rehab tech there. There are two other water therapy places one in Tulsa & one in OKC. She didn't say where they at. Could you please spread this word for me please? Bruce

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