Update on Cody

Sincere and heartfelt thanks go out to everyone in our local communities who have rallied together with prayers and donations for Cody's medical expenses.  You should have received a receipt for your taxes if you've made a donation - if not, please contact us tinylovingcanines@yahoo.com and we'll get it to you right away.  With your support, we were able to cover the vet bills, along with the graciousness and compassion shown by Dr. Friar of Camino Animal Clinic!

Cody has been adopted by the volunteer who found him that horrible night, and we wish them both a long and happy life together!

Thank you again for all your support!

Here is VIDEO of Cody at Oktoberfest

We spent this past Sunday afternoon at Oktoberfest in Moopark which is held every year at Underwood Farms (a very dog friendly establishment by the way). We arrived about 2:30pm and were there about 3 hours with our own dogs and Cody of course! He enjoyed all the smells, people, food, and exploring of the pumpkin patch. As you will see in the video, we pushed him in a doggy stroller for part of the day in order to prevent him from overdoing his leg muscles, but he definitely let us know when he wanted to get out and walk and did a great job! After all the excitement, he slept from the minute we got home until the morning!

The video is a bit shaky as I was walking and taping at the same time, so I apologize for that! Still learning!!!

Here is VIDEO of Cody's 1st Hydrotherapy session!

His next session is next Tuesday, September 29, 2009 so stay tuned as he gets used to what he needs to do in the water tank and builds his strength in his legs!!!

Cody - Am I getting overtime here or what??!

Cody and I have been putting in some long hours to make up for all the time we missed here at work during the first 2 weeks of his medical treatment, so Friday he was demanding overtime pay! I think he FULLY deserves it as he is the best assistant I could ever ask for...

We talked it over and reached an agreement after a long heart-to-heart discussion - he would take a nap until I was done working and I promised him some special surprise treats as soon as we got home. He reluctantly accepted my offer and I covered his little eyes for his nap...

After I covered his little eyes, he took a nap until I rudely woke him up when it was time to leave. Mr. Cody had a YUMMY hot dog later on. He had never had one of those before so it was REALLY special!!! We had a wonderful weekend and Cody is now preparing for his 1st hydrotherapy session this Thursday morning. I will be video taping his session and putting the video up here on his blog for all to see, so keep posted!

Goooood Morning, Cody!

Cody was so cute when he woke up this morning. He had his legs up in the air and when I walked by he looked up at me (on the left), but then he just went back to sleep when he realized it was so early (on the right). His bed is so comfy I could sleep in it myself and would probably have less back pain than I do now! Cody's blankets are a chenille material and he loves to tuck his little nose in them because they are so soft. He's definitely a spoiled little goober!

Cody... another first...

Cody is finally settling in and learning what it means to be a happy, well-loved dog. Here is a picture of him tired out after working for a while on his first ever rawhide chew!

It took some holding and me pretending to chew it myself to teach him what he was supposed to do with it, but eventually he took it from me and began holding it himself. It would have been easier for my own dogs to teach him rather than me (they learn from each other very fast and from us as fast as they choose to!) but I was at work teaching him today rather than at home so we made do!

I was curious to see how he would tackle the chew as each dog goes at it differently and sure enough, he learned very quickly to slice it with his teeth along the top to get the pieces off. The funny thing, is that most dogs want to tear pieces off so they can eat them, he just tore them off in little confetti pieces and left them there (he will learn fast though I am sure!)

He is so smart and looks at everything intellectually, you can just see those wheels spinning all the time!


After a little nap, he needed to go to the bathroom (or so I thought!) so I took him out to the grass as we do a few times each day while we are at work.

He didn't need to go though --- just wanted to sun-bathe and people-watch for a bit. Interestingly enough, even though he was hit by a car only weeks ago, he isn't afraid of them and doesn't get fearful when they are going by.

Here he is on the grass watching the world pass by while we sat together for about 10 minutes for him to get some sun (spoiled rotten I tell ya!)...

Cody - Pre & Post Surgery Xrays

Here are the before and after x-rays of Cody's Femur bones. As you can see, the pre-surgery x-ray shows the femur bones outside the hip sockets and the post-surgery x-ray shows them surgically cut off to eliminate the bone on bone pain he was feeling.

Recovering Slowly - Cody

Yesterday Cody saw Dr. Frier for a follow up visit so he could re-check his incisions and take a look at how he is doing. It has been a really tough couple of days for the little guy, he has been in a lot of pain and cries when we flip or move him which makes it REALLY hard to do :(

Cody is coming along and I see that he is getting better as each day passes. Dr. Frier showed me how to do some leg exercises with him 3-4 times a day at home and how to hold him in a standing position for 10-15 second intervals daily. He is still not sitting or standing on his own and barely moves his legs, but that should come in time. For now, Cody sleeps most of the day but even his sleeps are getting more peaceful...

Cody had his FHO surgery today!

8:00am... Its Cody's big day and he and I are a bit nervous. We are driving to Camino Animal Hospital. I am hopeful that Dr. Frier can complete the surgery today after confirming that his lungs are clear, but I'm concerned about Cody being under for such an extensive procedure after so much trauma. I know that I am going to chew my nails all day...

6:30pm... I just met with Dr. Frier and he has brought me up to speed on today's events. Firstly, before starting the surgery Dr. Frier got a new radiology report to confirm that Cody's lungs were clear and check the disposition of his spine & scapula fractures and damaged vertebrae since the initial report.

Today's radiology report revealed good news about those three matters. Per the new report, the fractures and damaged vertebrae appear stable and should continue improving with forced rest. Dr. Frier will keep a close eye on them over the next few weeks and we will keep out fingers crossed!

Secondly, Dr. Frier removed the splint from Cody's left front elbow and confirmed it had remained in its socket and further splinting was not necessary. Hopefully it will remain stable because there are fewer options for the elbow. More good news for the little guy!

Thirdly, Cody's surgery went as well as could be hoped for. Both hips were treated with FHO procedures. Each incision on the right and left hip is about three inches long. A bi-lateral FHO is grueling but I have been given plenty of pain medication as well as an antibiotic to prevent any infection to keep Cody as comfortable as can be expected given the situation.

I will need to turn him every two to three hours as he cannot turn himself and to keep the incisions healing. I must assist him to bear some weight on his rear legs over the next couple of days as the doctor wants him to begin strengthening those muscles as soon as possible. His recovery will be slower than the usual recovery time for FHO patients because in other cases patients have three good legs and one bad leg but in his case he has three bad legs and one bruised one.

Cody and I will return to Camino Animal Hospital in 48hours to make sure everything is progressing in the right direction. He can have ice chips and if he will eat, a small amount of soft food tonight. I don't know if he will feel like eating at all as he is quite out of it and in pain, but I will try throughout the night and see if he will eat something small at least.

Getting Cody to surgery ASAP!

Today I spoke to Dr. Frier of Camino Animal Hospital in Thousand Oaks. Last Friday, when Cody was picked up from the emergency pet hospital by his temporary owners, he was taken to Camino Animal Hospital where upon his arrival, Dr. Frier took x-rays and blood work. Having never met Dr. Frier, I wanted to take the time this morning to contact him and talk about his x-rays as well as thank him for donating such extensive time to Cody. In addition to his time, Dr. Frier donated all diagnostic tests and radiology that he preformed that day.

During my call with Dr. Frier, I was saddened to learn that according to his radiology report, Cody also has a fractured scapula, a spinal fracture, and possibly a collapsed vertebrae. How much more can this little guy handle?

Dr. Frier advised that Cody receive his bi-lateral FHO surgery as soon as his lungs permitted. After a thorough discussion, we scheduled Cody for his surgery with Dr. Frier for Monday morning. The morning of his surgery Dr. Frier will confirm that Cody's lungs are clear for surgery. A bi-lateral FHO is a major surgery but a necessary one as Cody can not live with two lame rear legs.

A FHO is a surgical procedure that removes the femoral head and neck from the femur. This surgery is performed to alleviate pain and restore function to the rear legs. It is a salvage procedure, reserved for a condition where pain can not be alleviated in any other way. Unlike most other hip surgeries, the head of the femur is not replaced, but is allowed to heal and develop its own fibrous scar tissue so that the joint is no longer bone−to-bone. The neck of the femur is usually removed at the same time as the head. This prevents the post operative complication of bone rubbing on bone and continued pain.

Dr. Frier has generously offered to donate 50% of his surgical and post-operative veterinary services as well as 100% of Cody's post-operative hydrotherapy sessions. I am extremely touched by the doctor's offer, as we are scrambling to raise the money necessary to provide all the medical care this little guy needs.

How will I take care of Cody during the week?

After going back and forth, I decided that it would be best for Cody to be at the vet hospital during the weekdays under their supervision and care while I am at work. I took him there this morning and picked him up this afternoon and brought him home.

Cody has been reluctant to go to the bathroom as he can't get up and move, so their use of a catheter relieved him and minimizes his stress over this. It has also become apparent to me in the last day or so that the pain and anti-inflammatory medication has dampened his appetite significantly as well as his desire to drink, so IV fluids were good for him during the day as well.

As things move along, I can always bring him to work with me and he can sleep near my desk, but I think he could use the extra care during the day right now...

Cody - Back to the vets!

After returning to the vet this morning, doctors decided that it was worth an attempt to put Cody's hips and elbow back into their sockets non-surgically by manipulation. While it is a longshot that this non-surgical intervention will actually work, it is the only option they have until his lungs heal which will then allow for an invasive procedure like a bilateral femoral head ostectomy surgery (which is the removal of the femoral head on each of the rear hips). Given the extent of his damage, the success of this non-surgical procedure is remote but if this option succeeds on even one of his legs then that will be a major victory on his road to recovery.

Under a very light anesthesia, 2 doctors and a tech worked on Cody's limbs until they were finally set back to where they belong. After they were done, his front elbow was splinted in order to keep it in place and his back 2 legs were wrapped in slings/hog-tied (hog-tying is a common practice after hips are put back into their sockets to prevent the dog from moving and allow the muscle tissue to build up around the sockets holding them in place). The chance that all 3 will turn out successful is not very high as the ligaments around the sockets are badly damaged, but the less Cody moves around, the better his chance that any of these will take.

In order to maximize his chance at this succeeding, I am keeping Cody crate rested with no way to move around and his pain medication will keep him rather sedated for the time being. The more he sleeps, the faster the time will pass for him. It will be interesting to see how Cody will urinate and such in his current state, but the vet says he will learn eventually that he has no choice and will go on the pitty pads he lays on. I have lots of bath wipes here for when it happens, and will just have to clean him the best I can to keep him comfortable.

Cody - 1st night with his new foster family

Here is an x-ray of Cody (temporarily known as Ira) taken at the emergency hospital the night he was hit by a car. As you can see in this image of his rear legs, both of his hips had been torn from their sockets.

When I brought Cody home last night it was obvious that he was in a lot of pain. As I suspected, he would not eat, would not drink and could not get comfortable. Cody spent most of the night taking shallow, rapid breaths which worried me... I couldn't tell if this was the result of his pain or a worsening of his lungs. Cody's body temperature was still low (around 98.5 degrees), so I kept him snug and covered, making sure to monitor his temperature hourly throughout the night.

It was hard to watch him like this. This poor little guy had gone through so much. From a plane ride in a cargo hold... from one stranger to another... hit by a car... to a pet ER... and now to another stranger in an unfamiliar place - but even after all he had been through, he still managed to look at you with thankfulness and appreciation for keeping him as warm and comfortable as he could be.

The night that changed Cody's life

It was Thursday night about 11pm and I decided on a whim to go out and get a hamburger. As I was driving down one of the two major streets in Moorpark, I spotted what looked to me from a distance like a garbage bag in the middle of the road.

It was late and dark and I was unsure of what it was so I slowed down. As my headlights approached, I remember seeing the glistening of this little boy's eyes. He was a small, scared little puppy curled up in a ball. I knew right away that this dog had been hit by a car and just could not believe how someone could leave him in the middle of this major street!

I slammed on my breaks, put the car in reverse and as fast as possible jumped out to see how badly he was hurt. Scared and not knowing who I was, he pulled his body to the side of the road. It was clear that he could not move his back legs as he dragged them behind him with blood dripping from his mouth.

I immediately needed help moving this little guy into my car, so I called the Moorpark Police and then another local TLC volunteer to help. As soon as the Moorpark Police arrived, they put cones out to block off oncoming traffic.

Some good Samaritans stopped their cars and helped by providing blankets to keep him warm, then felt his body for obvious breaks before we lifted him. This little puppy was in shock. He laid there still and did not even blink. After we covered him in blankets, we all proceeded to move him into my car, and I along with another TLC volunteer rushed him to a local pet emergency hospital.

We talked to this pup the whole way there. We tried to keep him lucid and aware of his surroundings as we wanted to try to size up the severity of his injuries. It was very hard to do as this dog was just hit by a car, was in shock and we weren't familiar with him. We had to proceed carefully to prevent being bitten. On the way, we phoned the hospital and they were there waiting to take him out of the car as soon as we arrived.

We waited in the waiting room to hear his status. Was he going to die? Was he going to make it? Who does he belong to? How did he get out? How are we going to call his owners and tell them that he is here? All those thoughts run through your mind as you sit and wait for the news.

Within a few minutes, the vet tech came out and apprised us of the situation. This pup was not wearing an identification tag and had no microchip -- therefore we did not have anyone to contact for him. His blood pressure and body temperature were very low, he had blood in his urine and he was hooked up to oxygen and IV's while they ran blood work and x-rays.

As they worked to stabilize him further, they told us that both of Cody's hips were torn from their sockets and that he was in A LOT of pain. They could not identify what the blood was dripping from his mouth and did not yet have the results as to what was going on with his organs.

We went to the back where they were trying to stabilize him. We took a few pictures to hang up around Moorpark where he was found, hoping to get the attention of his owners by the morning. After waiting to hear for about 30 minutes, we left for home to hang these posters while ER continued to perform life-saving treatment on him.

A few hours later we gave a call to check on him. Cody had been hooked up to IV fluids for many hours and despite the catheter they had put in him, he was not urinating. In addition to his dislocated pelvis, now the concern was that he had a perforated bladder. Ultrasounds were being done right away and we had to wait to hear his fate. Feeling heavy hearted, we plugged away at the 50 posters we were hanging throughout the city in the early hours of the morning...

Cody - The Next Morning

Around 5AM Friday morning, we finally had all 50 signs hung and were hopeful we would get a call from Cody's owners sometime during the day. It was at that moment that the phone rang.

It was a woman who found one of our signs while she went out to hang her own. Cody had been given to her the night before by a local resident who had bought him from a breeder in the Midwest a few days earlier. He was shipped by plane to California and upon his arrival, they decided they did not want him and gave him away to her. Cody (then named "Ira"), anxious and afraid of his new environment, escaped from their yard and minutes later was hit by traffic.

I brought his new owner up to speed on what had happened, told her how I found him and gave her the phone number of the pet hospital to call and get more information on how he was doing.

After getting a few hours of sleep, I called the hospital again myself to check on Cody and his progress and they informed me that he had been released to his owner and taken to another facility for further care.

About 4 hours later the phone rang again. It was his current owner of roughly 12 hours. She explained her situation and her inability to provide Cody with the 24 hour care he needed as a result of his hit and run. Even though his vitals were now stable, Cody was in need of further veterinary care and was badly injured... 3 of his legs were torn from their sockets. In order for Cody to live with any quality of life, he would need multiple surgeries giving him movement in his legs again and extensive care and rehabilitation.

His new family asked and TLC Rescue agreed to take possession of Cody in order to give him the treatment he needed and restore his ability to walk.

In order to assess his stability and injuries further, he was then taken to one of the veterinary facilities that TLC uses regularly. We visited with the veterinary staff to further assess Cody's needs and his most immediate medical concerns as well as give him shots of antibiotics and pain medication to relieve his suffering.

It was at that point the medical staff determined that his most immediate medical concern was the increasing fluid building in his lungs that could not be accounted for with certainty. Any surgical procedures on his legs would have to wait until the condition of his lungs were resolved.