Bella on Wheels
By Lorraine Houston
Margaret Gates has a soft spot for senior dogs, so it wasn’t surprising that when she went to the Toronto Animal Services East shelter in March 2005 she fell head over heels for the nine year old Border Collie/Retriever mix in the adoption room. She asked the staff if she could have some one-on-one time with the long coated black and white dog in the exercise yard to get a chance to interact with her.
“When I took her outside she started rolling and tunneling in the snow and had a look of sheer delight in her soulful eyes. Although her face was covered with snow flakes and she was ‘letting loose,’ she still had an air of dignity that was undeniable” reflects Margaret. After spending some time with dog, Margaret was convinced she was ‘the one’. Back inside, she asked the staff how this beautiful girl came to be in their care and was told the only history they had on the dog was she had been admitted in as a stray. Margaret found the situation inconceivable and speculated that perhaps she’d had an elderly owner who had fallen ill and could no longer look after their companion. As the gentle dog looked up her hopefully, Margaret led her to the front desk area to fill out permanent adoption documents.
On the drive home, Margaret decided that a dog who was so beautiful both inside and out should have a name that symbolized such beauty and decided that “Bella” was just the name for the dog who seemed to sense that better days were ahead.
Once home, Bella was introduced to Sparkey Margaret’s other Border Collie mix. “The two hit it off and began playing and romping as if they were old friends. She also adored my teenage son David from the moment she laid eyes on him” said Margaret.
Bella transitioned into her new family with ease and grace. It was evident from the beginning that she had an exceptional gift for making people feel special, always had a warm welcome for visitors who came to the home and enjoyed engaging folks and other dogs while on her daily walks. The foursome were as they should be – happy, healthy and having fun with life. However, that life changed dramatically less than a year after Bella’s arrival at the Gates home.
“One evening she was unable to get up the stairs, and was unsteady on her back legs. We weren’t sure what was going on and called our veterinarian to tell her about the incident and make an appointment to get her checked from tip to toe. Perhaps she had taken the stairs too quickly, over exerted herself at the park, or twisted her leg.” Margaret recalls. By early the next morning however, Margaret knew that something far more serious was happening to Bella because she could barely walk. Margaret rushed Bella to the clinic she had been referred to and the veterinarians arranged MRI’s and other tests to determine what was wrong with Bella. “It’s a day I’ll never forget. When the vets told me that Bella was suffering from advanced Intervertebral Disc Disease I had no idea what it was, how it happened or if it could have been prevented. I was told that because of her age and the severity of her condition surgery was recommended but even with that there was only a 20 percent chance of recovering the use of her legs. I didn’t think twice about authorizing the surgery, since Bella is family and if there was a chance the mobility in her legs could be saved, we were going to try. I could never deny our gentle, stoic lady the chance to have the use of her legs” said Margaret.
Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) is debilitating condition of the spine, which can in some cases, cause permanent paralysis. More commonly inherent in Dachshunds and other dogs with longer spines, IVDD occurs as disks age, lose water content and become less able to withstand compression and forces placed upon them. In some instances discs can be squeezed and expand or rupture. In Bella’s case, a disc had ruptured.
After the surgery the veterinarian who performed the procedure explained to Margaret that the operation had relieved the pressure and Bella was no longer feeling any pain from the ruptured disc. However, there was a six to eight week post operative recuperation period to help her regain the use of her legs. Each day Margaret cared for Bella she prayed she would see some sign Bella was regaining some sense of feeling, but days, then weeks went by and Bella remained paralyzed. Bella attended physiotherapy and hydrotherapy sessions in an effort to give her every possible chance of recovering.
“Throughout the postoperative process Bella’s gentle, good nature never wavered, it was me that was a struggling with stress and conflict. When the eight week mark came I knew she was never going to walk again. In my heart I think I knew much sooner but I was in denial. What was the best thing for Bella? Could I cope and care for a paralyzed dog? Was I being fair to keep Bella alive? Would she have any quality of life? How could she? These thoughts went through my mind over and over again until I finally made the decision to find a way to make it work. Once I came to that, I became proactive. I remembered one of the vets at the referral clinic mentioning that if the surgery didn’t work I might consider a wheelchair for Bella. At that time, I wanted no part of hearing that the surgery was not going to be successful and dismissed the suggestion, but now I was rethinking it. Perhaps a wheelchair would work - but how would I know if I didn’t try?” said Margaret.
Margaret called the vet clinic and spoke to the staff about the use of a wheelchair for Bella. They encouraged and supported the idea and gave her the number of a family that they thought might still have a wheelchair she could try. Ironically, the chair was the exact size that Bella would require. Margaret made arrangements to take Bella over and see if she took to the wheelchair.
“When we arrived that day there was still snow on the ground and I didn’t think we would have the chance to actually use it, but I was interested to see how it fit and worked. However, once we got Bella into it, she had her own ideas. It was as if she had been using the chair her entire life, I couldn’t believe my eyes! She wheeled around the driveway like a pro, pranced down and back as if to say “Look Mom, I can walk again!” Since that day, we have never looked back. Bella has daily walks in the park, and goes swimming, hiking, and camping with me, just like any other companion dog”.
One year and many wheelchair miles later, Margaret decided that she wanted to have Bella tested for therapy work. “Her temperament is well suited, but it is her courage, capability and inspiration that people need to know about. I chose therapy work because I realized the way she has handled her handicap is so remarkable, perhaps her story will give someone the strength they need to move forward. Bella accepts her situation, makes the best of it and moves beyond it. She is an extraordinary example of how one turns disability into ability”.
In early January 2007, Bella was tested with Therapeutic Paws of Canada as a therapy dog. She successfully passed each component of the test. Bella is currently visiting a retirement home in the Toronto area. Future plans for Bella include Variety Village and possibly Sunnybrook Veterans Hospital.
Lorraine Houston is a feature writer for Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! and an evaluator for Therapeutic Paws of Canada and St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs. She is a member of the Etobicoke Humane Society’s dog adoption team and the director of Speaking of Dogs, an organization devoted to education, outreach and rescue. A Maxwell Award winner from Dog Writers Assoc. of America, Lorraine lives in Don Mills with her husband, two sons and family dogs. She may be contacted at lhh4dogs@rogers.com or through www.speakingofdogs.com
