Fufu Updates
Continued
May 5th 2021
Fufu has been back home for 2 weeks after his serious operation which extracted meters of eaten bandages from his intestines.
The vet who operated on Fufu and saved his life warned us that Fufu won't be the same as before. I'm happy to say his character is the same sweet and grumpy boy from one moment to the next! But his body is weak and thin and will take a long time to recover.
His operation wound that hadn't healed well due to Fufu's constant urine dripping has now completely healed. His drag wounds which were minor hadn't healed well at the vet. They're slowly healing but we need to be very careful about Fufu trying to chew the bandages off again. His large collar which he tolerates so well stops him from doing this again.
Our two biggest jobs now are to get Fufu strong and back to his normal weight again. We also have a lot of work to do on his back legs which have suffered badly during his hospital stay.
Fufu used to be able to stand on his back legs even if a bit wobbly. Now he can hardly stand. One back leg is stretched out and Fufu seems unable to pull it back. The other one is completely useless. It's beginning to atrophy in a cramped style so we are massaging it and gently pulling it out to its fullest length and back. Fufu doesn't cry so we're encouraged that with our help Fufu will be able to use it again.
We're very aware of Fufu's fragility. But he can still bark and howl with the rest of the dogs when they commence their evening chorus saying Goodnight to our staff!!!
10th May 2021
Fufu is the unluckiest dog we have. Hit by kids speeding on their motorbike breaking his back. Fufu was depressed for months but he fought back. Fufu was determined to walk again and he did in his wobbly fashion.
But Fufu ate his bandages and had a serious operation. He fought to survive and he did. Now poor Fufu has lost control of his back legs he fought so hard to use.
Was it the operation that caused this big setback? Or was it being in a tiny pen for 2 weeks after his operation that caused them to be useless again?
It's heartbreaking to watch Fufu try to stand like he used to. But we know Fufu will fight hard to regain control of them again with our help.
He won't give up and neither will we.
17th June 2021
I realised I haven't updated you recently on Fufu's post-surgery recovery.
I'm happy to say that Fufu is much happier. He no longer has to wear the horrible collar because he no longer chews his bandages!
The nasty pressure wound he had following his 3 weeks hospital stay has now nearly healed. The other drag wounds have now
gone. Fufu has only one remaining bandage so it's easy to keep track of whether he's eaten it.
We decided to take a gamble and remove his collar which he hated. That was several weeks ago and the bandage on his pressure wound is there every morning!
We've been giving Fufu regular massage and gentle physiotherapy sessions which he tolerates much better. After returning from his operation he growled if we tried to exercise his back legs. Lack of movement for 3 weeks had taken its toll but happily regular massaging and exercising his back legs have helped strengthen the weaker leg and loosen the cramped leg. Fufu didn't like the smell of the massage cream and tried to make a hasty getaway!
Fufu has a long way to go to get back to the strength he had previously when he stood and walked his special walk without our support. It took us a year to get him to that stage so we need to be patient with Fufu's progress.
I updated you on his walkabout in his drag bag which he loved but somehow he managed to get a few drag wounds. So now he's back in his wheelchair for his walkabout explorations.
It's onward and upward for Fufu!