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Thursday, June 26, 2008
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Disabled Dane Special dog receives special care Staff Writer Winter, an almost 6-year-old Great Dane, has always been a special dog.
She has been deaf since birth and has limited vision, relying on cues from her canine counterparts, Montego, 1, and Lexi, 4, two other Great Danes owned by Jim and Kathleen Tischler. Great Danes, predominantly white, are typically deaf and may have various eye problems.
The Tischlers, who live south of Brainerd, got their two younger dogs as companions for Winter, who was adopted from a breeder in Wadena who could have decided to put down the dog because of its physical limitations but chose to find a home for her. The family has always had Great Danes and Winter has been one of the most loving dogs - all 140 pounds of her - that they've ever had.
"I would take 20 dogs like her," said Kathleen Tischler of Winter. "She's just a doll. She's the gentlest, sweetest dog."
But after playing all day in the yard on May 1, Winter jumped up on the couch and suddenly wouldn't move. She didn't want to get down to eat. While the Tischlers thought she wasn't feeling well, it wasn't until they tried to get her to go outside when they noticed her hind legs were paralyzed.
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Jim and Kathleen Tischler, who live south of Brainerd, assisted their Great Dane named Winter as she utilized a modified wheelchair Wednesday to try to regain muscle strength in her back legs. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
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The next morning they took Winter to the Garrison Animal Hospital and their veterinarian, Dr. Deb Eskedahl, believed she may have fibrocartilaginous embolization. A trip to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center confirmed that Winter had this affliction, which is the functional equivalent of a stroke to the spinal cord, rather than the brain. It may occur without cause or warning and happens more often in large breed dogs. While it's not painful, it can't be surgically fixed. The only possible cure is physical therapy.
The Tischlers knew Winter wasn't in pain and decided to attempt the long process of rehabilitation, rather than give up. They also had been through a similar situation before, but with their daughter.
Briana Beckworth, now 25, was driving up a hill three years ago in Nebraska and swerved to avoid striking a car that had veered into her lane. Her vehicle left the roadway and rolled. The driver of the second vehicle fled the scene. Beckworth suffered a compression blowout fracture of her L4 vertebra and was airlifted to a Lincoln, Neb., hospital, where she endured several surgeries. Doctors said the best prognosis for her would be that she'd be able to walk short distances using a cane, but Beckworth has exceeded all expectations, said her mom. She had initially lost feeling from the waist down but has slowly regained a lot of feeling and mobility through a lot of hard work. She went through vigorous physical therapy and is able to walk now wearing leg braces. She now works to train service dogs and is a pre-med student, said her mom.
Ironically, Winter's spinal damage also occurred in the L4 vertebra. Because the Tischlers knew how important physical therapy was in their daughter's recovery, they felt optimistic that Winter could overcome her paralysis, too. So they went to work, manipulating her unusable legs several times a day to try to help her regain feeling. Kathleen Tischler is a flight attendant for U.S. Airways, so she was able to be home to work with Winter. Jim is a conservation officer.
But with a 140-pound dog, lifting Winter's back legs is physically demanding even for two people. Kathleen Tischler did some research on the Internet and found instructions on how to modify a wheelchair specifically for a Great Dane. She called North Central Medical Supply in Brainerd and asked if they had any used wheelchairs for sale. A salesman told her the used ones they get back typically aren't in the best shape and Tischler said that's exactly the type of wheelchair they needed.
"I think they thought we didn't care much about grandma," she said with a laugh. When she explained what they needed the wheelchair for, he told her he'd call her back in 20 minutes. Tischler said the owners, Dennis and Julie Lavalle, donated a wheelchair for Winter. The Tischlers were amazed and grateful.
And the donated wheelchair has worked wonders for Winter. The dog has slowly regained nearly full use of her right hind leg and some use of her left leg. The couple strap her into the wheelchair about twice a day, and using doggie treats as an incentive, help her walk around the yard. She can walk without the wheelchair, but she drags her left hind leg and hops. The Tischlers want her to develop use of this leg, too, so the wheelchair is still needed to provide Winter with that support she needs.
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In Jim and Kathleen Tischler's rural Brainerd home, it may sometimes feel like the Great Danes have taken over. Kathleen Tischler is shown with their three dogs, Lexi (left), Montego and Winter. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
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"As soon as she began using this, she began to relearn how to walk," said Jim Tischler of the wheelchair. "The chair really has helped her."
Veterinarians told them that the first four months are critical in Winter's recovery and she's already doing well. She's regained control of her bladder and bowels, in addition to her limited walking ability. The couple plan to build a ramp into their home because Winter is afraid of the stairs.
Kathleen Tischler said she has often called her daughter and asked her questions about how it felt when she began regaining feeling in her legs because Winter is going through the same process. Winter would sometimes lay there and just stare at her legs and Tischler's daughter told her how her legs felt painful and tingly when she began to regain feeling. This is likely what Winter is going through, Tischler thought.
"Without having that knowledge (that we have) of what is possible for the body to do with physical therapy, I think Winter would have been put down," Tischler said if Winter had other owners. "And if I had a 9 to 5 job, I wouldn't have been able to do this."
Tischler said they use some sign language to communicate with Winter but even though she is deaf, there still is no way to explain to the large dog what is happening to her.
"My daughter at least knew what was going on," said Tischler. "I can't explain it to Winter."
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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