After my IVDD surgery and 6 weeks of kennel rest, I was able to move my back legs. I couldn't control them well, and I got tired quickly, but they worked! The told me that if I went to rehab I could walk better, so I said yes, yes, yes!
I don't have any pictures or videos of myself in rehab, but I went once a week for 6 weeks. We did a number of things, but the strangest thing was a machine for walking in the water. They would put me in a glass box, and then water would start coming in from the floor. This scared me at first, but a person named Thai made me feel more comfortable. Thai said everything would be OK, and I believed it.
Then, the floor started moving, and I started walking. It was very strange, but it felt like my legs didn't have to carry my weight. It felt like I was flying or something. It felt great and strange.
Here's a video showing something like what I did:
The rehab helped me walk at home as well. As part of my therapy, I got to finally go on short walks again. Here's a video of my walking. You can see that all my fur didn't grow back yet. I am limping a bit and having trouble lifting my toes, but you can't tell much in the video.
After months of rehab and hard work, I am back to being healthy and active! I'm also looking pretty good if I do say so myself.
Looking good
Having IVDD was a scary experience for sure. However, if any other puppies out there get IVDD, please know that it can be overcome. I hope that my story helps some other pups get better and not give up hope. There were times when I almost did, but I pushed myself, and it all paid off.
I heard that some person with a strange name of Winston once said, "If you're going through hell, keep going." I agree, but I like the musical version better.