Canine Case Study: Elderly Dog
Jess was too weak to even lift her head
A slightly improved Jess
First attempt at sitting up
Posted 30th November, 2009
The dog used for this case study is "Jess", a 14 year old Bearded Collie owned by Liz and Mick Jay. Liz and Mick have bred and shown Bearded Collies for many years and believe strongly in having regular maintenance treatments to keep their dogs comfortable and flexible, and so I already knew Jess quite well before the incident which is described in this case study.
Jess became suddenly unwell in October 2009 and was unable to stand, sit up or even lift her head. The vets said her prognosis was very poor, but prescribed Vivitonin followed by steroids, which did not seem to help. Nobody knew what was wrong with Jess, but owners of elderly dogs will recognise the dreaded symptom of "she's off her legs".
Liz called me to book a Reiki session for Jess, as it can boost immunity and enhance mood, and she was willing to try anything to help her dog. I was very shocked to see how unwell Jess was on my first visit. She was lying on her side and was too weak to move, although she did manage a little tail wag when she saw me. I wanted to do whatever I could do help her and did primarily a Reiki and stimulating massage treatment, as her muscles had started to waste. I also did a few very gentle adjustments to her spine. She was also given supplements of ginseng, gingko, Co-Q10 and probiotics.
I arranged to see Jess weekly, and gradually - against all odds - she started to improve. After the first treatment, she was able to lie on her chest and seemed more alert. After the third treatment, she was able to sit up and walk with the assistance of a sling, and after her fourth treatment I was delighted when Liz emailed to tell me Jess was now able to walk unaided (albeit wobbly!). When I saw Jess most recently she met me at the front door and cheerfully showed me that she could negotiate the front steps and walk around almost as well as she could before she became ill.
Everyone who has met Jess (she has a large fan club!) is in agreement that her recovery has been amazing. I believe my treatment helped as part of a coordinated effort between me, Jess's owners (who never gave up faith in her and cared for her tirelessly), and Jess herself - who was clearly determined to get better.
I hope that Jess's story gives some dog owners hope that when an older dog becomes ill it is not necessarily the end for their dog, and that some time and TLC may be just what they need to get better.
