wasser-en

Water therapy

Shibas are true athletes. And, as athletes go, Shibas are also subject to sprains, breaks, aches and pains. What do you do?

As we celebrated our "youngest ever Shiba to Champion, at 6 months and 8 days" we were on our way to compete in the Best of Breed ring. Only one problem, while chasing her very favorite tennis ball, Akiko leaped high into the air and landing on her front right foot, rolling it under the knee joint and suffering a severe sprain. The result was beyond limping, she couldn't walk. Our first thought was that a great future competition career was ended; and, unlike professional sports figures, she didn't have much of a future career in the broadcast booth.

A trip to our veterinarian of the past 24 years resulted in a suggestion that turned out to be our little girl's healing salvation. Water therapy!

Off to our local Wally-Mart and a purchase of a $19.95 Kiddie wading pool was just what the Dr. ordered. When filled, Akiko couldn't touch bottom and was forced to swim around the pool. Morning, noon and night we did a dozen or so laps on lead until she got the "hang of it" and began to jump in on her own and do her laps like an Olympic swimmer.

One day, led to one week and one week led to a second week. The third week she stopped limping and the fourth week we returned to the competition ring, with a Best of Breed and a Group II finish the first day out after therapy. We had our star athlete back and we were on our way to our "swimmer" finishing the competition year as the Number 1 Shiba Bitch in the country (even with a month off for swimming therapy); and, our first trip to Westminster at the end of her first competition year.

We have since encountered one of our boy pups couch wrestling and tossing his brother off onto the hardwood floor on his back. The result was a very painful back sprain and another round of therapy and a one month rest.

The bottom line on Shibas seems to be that they (1) are tough as nails (2) they have remarkable recovery powers; and, (3) NOTHING is going to sideline them for any length of time. To say that a Shiba is an "athlete" is a real understatement!