Over time we have had the pleasure of helping many canines. Some have been routine, others heart touching. We would like to share a few special cases to demonstrate how dramatic and touching the results can be.

Charlie & Parker

Found starving under a bridge with broken legs in Oklahoma, these two Weimaraner pups have made dramatic come backs. With the help of the Heartland Weimaraner Rescue and Cheri Eisen, (formally known as Cheri Kollman), who donated her services, both dogs are happy and healthy with a new home in Victoria, British Columbia.

Read more about Charlie & Parker on their web site, http://www.charlieandparker.com.

Testimonials:

When I first took Chelsea (14 year old Pom) to Cheri, she had stopped walking and had lost all mobility and motor skills.  The vet gave us little hope that she would ever return to walking. As a last attempt to help her, we turned to Cheri for help, and the result was unbelievable. In two months, Chelsea could not only walk, but had full range of motion.  The physical therapy that Cherri provided was compassionate and skilled. She truly cares for her patients and her positive attitude and obvious expertise with these dogs is incredible.Chelsea is acting like she did 5 years ago, and she has the confidence to do things that she was timid about before. I have my baby back, and I cannot recommend Cheri and her services highly enough.

Written by Jill S.

Max’s experience: Surgical and Non-Surgical Recovery from CCL tears.
 
My dog Max was a 78-pound black lab mix who we adopted as a 4-year old. He was mild-mannered, goofy and affectionate. Although he wasn’t an “Alpha” type, he enjoyed being outside and active—long daily walks and ample play time at the park. 
Max was 6 ½ years old when he tore his right CCL. I opted for a TPLO because I thought it provided his best chance to remain active. Besides surgery, he had a handful of traditional physical therapy sessions, though no underwater treadmill exercise. Max recovered nicely and regained his mobility after a 6-month recovery period, but if I had been more knowledgeable, I would have insisted on regular physical therapy. It is as critical to post-surgical recovery for dogs as for human patients.
At 10 ½-years old, Max tore his left CCL. With more experience this time around, I was less eager for him to undergo surgery. I decided on a trial basis of “conservative treatment,” a non-surgical approach that advised exercise restriction, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and weight loss. Following these guidelines, Max gradually regained enough function in his left rear leg to remain active for another 3 years. 
The conservative approach served him well, without the risk of invasive surgery. 
Since its guidelines are also prescribed for aging dogs with arthritis, I continued to follow them even after the left CCL healed. I feared that a sedentary life for Max, without active use of his legs and hips, would have been a form of imprisonment. He continued to have monthly physical therapy until the end of his life, which I believe was critical to his health, both physically and mentally, in his last years. 
 
Written by Susan I.