My dog has suffered unnecessarily for years. He has had every type of anxiety pill thrown at him. We have had endless visits to many different veterinarians to find relief for his pain-related reactivity. We have tried the physical therapy, the “calm protocol,” training, etc. Despite not being a believer, I even consulted a pet psychic for advice on how to help him, which led to doing meditation sessions with him several times a day.
Last year, he bit a vet tech who grabbed him without warning. Since then, he has been painted as an evil, bad dog. The veterinarians would not see him without a muzzle despite the fact that we could not get a muzzle on him ourselves. He went about six months without a nail trim because of this. One veterinarian suggested putting him down this past January. I fought them hard and refused to give up on him.
I adopted my dog in March of 2023. He was a stray that had been hit by a car that left him with his knee coming out of its socket for months before the shelter veterinarian removed his leg. He spent six months total at three different shelters. One family adopted him just to return him two days later because he did not get along with their other dog.
I had just gone through a major trauma in my life, and I was looking for a kindred spirit. I read about my dog, Damon, on the local SPCA website and thought we could heal together. For years following, I thought this was a mistake because no matter what we tried, he was not healing. He was actually becoming more reactive as he got older. I felt like a failure. I felt like I was never meant to have a dog. I loved him, but I felt like he deserved better than me.
I do not believe in giving up on an animal after adopting them. For me, adoption is a serious life commitment. With all of the trials and tribulations, with all of my self-doubt, I refused to give him up. I kept trying. I also kept crying, but I kept trying. Damon is a stubborn, scared dog, but he is not a bad dog.
Last month, we finally found a veterinarian at a fear-free clinic who was willing to try out seeing him without a muzzle and while respecting his boundaries. The first appointment went so well I cried happy tears. He has been on their membership plan, which is surprisingly worth every penny, so he goes in for “happy” visits once a week when they do not need to see him for anything medical. They spoil him. He loves it. He does not want to leave. He comes home happy.
The veterinarian also suggested a PEMF pad for dogs. PEMF pads are not cheap, but they are worth all of the money in the world. We invested in one and run the pain and stress relief modes every day. Damon snuggles down into it, and it is pure bliss for him. He cannot get enough. I have never him happier.
In less than two weeks of use, Damon’s energy has increased and his sleep has improved drastically. He has also been so much calmer. He is no longer barking hysterically at our neighbors. He is not snapping when we try to put his collar on him. He does not freak out when we drop something. He is now not only a good dog but a very happy and calm dog.
I wish desperately that we would have found this veterinarian and about this device three years ago. I wish he was never marked as an “aggressive” dog because that one vet tech mishandled him. I wish he never had to swallow all of those pills that made things worse. I wish he did not suffer with intense anxiety and pain for years. I wish he did not feel the need to cower or snap at people when they disrespected his boundaries. I wish that I never had to completely melt down time after time because I could not figure out how to help him.
But I found the device now. I found the good veterinarian now. They exist in our lives now, and for the rest of his life these will be tools to let him finally be a happy dog. I just hate that it had to be found so late in his life, but I am grateful we finally found a solution. Now, we can all heal and feel safe.
Don’t give up on your pets. They need you. Even if you are breaking down, even if you feel like they deserve better than you, even if you are pulling out your hair in frustration. Fight for them. Don’t give up.