Pawsitive Steps Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine

This week's is Timber showing off his peanut butter eating skills when walking in the underwater treadmill!

This weeks is Badger enjoying the underwater treadmill!

Congratulations Athena on your graduation! We saw Athena for back and neck pain which resolved following her rehab sessions.

Congratulations Dakota on your graduation! We saw Dakota for spinal pain and weight loss and now Dakota is feeling great!

Congratulations Theo on your graduation! We saw Theo following hip surgery.

Way to go Chase on your graduation! Chase was one of our sporting patients that we were seeing for athletic conditioning. He really enjoyed his sessions especially working out in the underwater treadmill.

Your pep talk for the day!

Congratulation Tito on your graduation! We were seeing Tito for Cervical myelopathy with intervertebral disc protrusions. Tito enjoyed his visits here mostly because he earned Cheerios!

Congratulation Captain on your graduation! We saw Captain for a custom prosthetic device.

Dolly graduated from rehab for a cruciate injury. Way to go Dolly!

Mack graduated from his rehab for hemilaminectomy surgery. Congratulations Mack!

Way to go Kaida on your graduation. We saw Kaida for stifle arthritis and she is feeling good and back to hiking with her family!

Happy 1 year anniversary Mr. Puff! We first met Mr. Puff on this day 1 year ago for hind limb weakness. He is such a sweet boy! He is always so happy to be at the clinic with all the staff and has a very go with the flow attitude during his treatments. We are so grateful that Mr. Puff walked into our clinic doors!

This week's is Major showing off his tan lines!

Important research from the team at UC-Davis about considerations regarding when to spay or neuter dogs.

When Should You Neuter or Spay Your Dog? A UC Davis study updates guidelines for when you should neuter or spay your dog to prevent increased risk of certain cancers or joint disorders.

Sasha is a rehab Rockstar! She graduated following a neurologic disease.

Congratulations! Harvey graduated from rehab for Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) surgery.

Congratulations Callie on your graduation from rehab!

Dogs are absolutely amazing! We are sure that this study will yield interesting results! Thank you Penn Vet Working Dog Center and AKC Canine Health Foundation for pursuing this important study.❤️

🐾 New Study Sunday 🐾
🔬🐶 Our canine companions might just be our most powerful tools yet in the fight against cancer! A team at Penn Vet Working Dog Center is studying whether dogs can detect hemangiosarcoma through scent, which could revolutionize early diagnosing.

👀 Learn more about this dog-powered study at https://bit.ly/3vwsKcw.

We are hiring! Seeking a Licensed Veterinary Technician with a passion for patient care and client education to join our amazing team. If this sounds like you, pleased check out our ad on Indeed: https://www.indeed.com/job/licensed-veterinary-rehabilitation-therapy-technician-119a1b829b026d12

Hercules 1/1/2012-5/12/2024
What do you say when a part of your heart leaves? I suppose you share that special soul with the world.

Hercules came into my life as a broken puppy with big dreams. He had a rough beginning, suffering numerous injuries in his original home. A concerned citizen reported a puppy, who couldn’t walk to Animal Control. His removal from that situation started a domino effect, allowing him to literally touch hundreds of lives. He was a special, sweet boy, who was loved by so many before I ever met him.

His first love was Gina, who received him the day Animal Control freed him. She cared for him selflessly through 4 Paws 1 Heart, a wonderful rescue group (newly formed at the time) which provides medical care for stray and abandoned animals in need. His new story began there and he truly knew love for the first time. There were fundraisers to cover his anticipated medical expenses and all who met him fell in love with his spirit. Newspaper articles and news stories followed. Visits to specialists were set up with the hopes of repairing his poorly aligned fractured limbs. Court dates were attended to seek justice for the wrong done to him. So many people showered him with love and Hercules never forgot it. His reunions with Gina were amazing and joyous, regardless of the duration of time between the visits.

Hercules entered my life after two people shared his newspaper article with me. He needed rehabilitation care and Pawsitive Steps was in its infancy. The specialists had determined that it was too late for surgery to help our little hero and his rear legs would remain as they were. There was talk of him needing a wheelchair, but he proved everyone wrong. Herc was supposed to be my rehab foster puppy. However, I failed as a foster and he became my forever rehab guide. I have stated that a cat sent me to vet school and a dog sent me to rehab, but Hercules was rehab and he taught me so much over the years.

This little puppy became one of my greatest teachers, with so many lessons to share. How to strengthen the tissues that could be healed without injuring the damaged areas further. How to occupy the puppy brain while resting the body. How to find the joy in little victories. How to modify exercises to accommodate his handicaps. How to make rehabilitation fun and functional. How new treatment modalities might be useful in different situations. How controlled play can teach the brain and heal the body. How to identify challenges and overcome them. How little improvements can slowly change the world. How to exceed expectations and thrive despite physical limitations.

Hercules taught others too. He became the CEO (Canine Executive Officer) at Pawsitive Steps, going to work regularly. He was the first to try the new underwater treadmill before the clinic officially opened. He tried out all the new rehab equipment. He was the 5th dog to receive an orthotic device at the practice. His custom orthosis helped correct his limb length discrepancy, leveling his pelvis and spine. He could walk more comfortably for longer distances and run faster with it. He loved to show off his fancy shoe while out on walks, making ordinary moments educational opportunities. He showed kids that being different was cool. He demonstrated therapeutic exercises for new team members, veterinary students, guests at clinic open houses, and even conference attendees when we had a booth in the exhibit hall. His rehab journey has been shared in state and national veterinary presentations, showcasing the benefits of proactive preventative rehab care over time.

The lessons changed as we aged together. Which frequency of care worked best for the activities that took place to make the muscles sore. What type of massage felt best on rainy days wasn’t necessarily the same as after a summer walk. As his vision changed and hearing failed, we learned how best to communicate and keep him engaged. Mental engagement helped soothe the feeling of being trapped inside his head when those senses dimmed. Most importantly, that regardless of age, the puppy was still inside there and zoomies were still possible!

With all that stated, Hercules was not perfect, but he was always perfectly himself!

He counter-surfed because he could! The first time it happened, my husband recalls that Dr. Kern was very proud of his skills because rehab worked, while Mom was very disappointed with his decision. Hercules found many activities in life that were self-rewarding over the years, much to my dismay!

Hercules didn’t share well with others. Everything was about the Herc! If someone else was getting attention, he would sneak in to steal a bit more than his fair share. His favorite game was keep-away because playing fetch was beneath him. If the toy squeaked in both directions (on the squish and the expansion phase), it needed to be repeated constantly.

Herc knew how to play the crowd. He recognized the sound of a camera shutter and posed well. He could charm food from strangers in the most unusual places. His fan club was broad, including all ages. He had trading cards to share at events, schools, and his numerous walks in town. Kids collected them, after he licked their faces clean.

He never believed in boundaries. Why limit what you could do and where you could go?? Hercules had an awful “come” command. Everything else apparently was more interesting than returning to a cue. It took losing him to fully understand why. He was the world’s dog and he was really only on loan to me.

Hercules left us suddenly, but didn’t suffer. Cancer silently grew in his heart until he quickly was not himself. The diagnosis took us by surprise, leaving no time for long good-byes. Herc never would have wanted it to be any other way.

Hercules, I miss you so much already. My teacher, my friend, my heart.

Hercules has returned to the Universe, free of all the issues that made him the World’s dog. Run free sweet boy. We will meet again.
- Forever loved by Dr. Kern/Mom and Dad

You are welcome to see Hercules Facebook Photo Album here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.955414899924542&type=3

Proud to support the PLEA Foundation Inc. mission! If you are looking for a fun 5K, tomorrow's event at River Bends Park will be worth your time!

We would personally thank our Event Sponsors for our annual I Support the K9s Color Run 5K happening tomorrow!

Silver Sponsor- Clarkston Capital Partners
Bronze Sponsor- Pawsitive Steps Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine
Crystal Sponsors- Republic Underwriters, Inc., Interpro Technology Inc., VCA St. Clair Shores Animal Hospital & Hunch Free

We truly appreciate your generosity and your continued support for our cause!

Proud to be a sponsor for 4 Paws 1 Heart! They have provided medical care funding for so many stray and abandoned animals in southeast Michigan over the years. If you're on the east side, this event is a lot of fun and would be right up your alley! ❤️🐾

5/17/24 - Tomorrow, May 18, is the big night for our annual fundraiser. Please support the many businesses who have generously offered to sponsor a lane:

Java Junk Coffee Shop & Resale Store, The Pleasure Zone, Sterling Heights, Pawsitive Steps Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine, Firehouse Pub and Grill, St. Clair Shores, Arden Courts, Sterling Heights, BAS Security Systems, St. Clair Shores, Advanced Animal Emergency, Clinton Twp., Farmers Market, Clinton Twp, Michigan Fire Training Consultants, Simply Social Media, Orion Animal Hospital, The Wedding Shoppe, Team Lisa Mortgage 1, Five Mile Animal Hospital, Spina Electric Co., Hometown Grill, Bunzo's Liquor, Re/Max First, Galeana's Van D**e Dodge/Ram.

We couldn't do what we do without the support of our community.
diana

This week's is CoCo enjoying her laser therapy.