This is the last part of our 5-part series “Hip Dysplasia in a Golden Retriever named Wotan”, the true story of Wotan, a Golden Retriever suffering from hip dysplasia.
Wotan’s recovery went much better than I could have ever imagined. He is his old good self again!! Oh, and he loves Kosher Pickles…
Wotan may have hip dysplasia but he sure loves Kosher Pickles.
Wotan is his good old self again
Wotan and I live in Palm Springs, California where we are lucky to have many restaurants with outdoor patios where Wotan is welcome to lie at my feet while I enjoy a relaxing lunch or dinner. Obviously he can’t go inside the restaurants because he’s not a service dog.
It’s still quite warm during these hot summer months but the outdoor patios often have misters that cool the air and lower the temperature about 10 degrees, even when it’s a 100 degrees or more in the shade.
Last week we visited one of my favorite places, a Thai restaurant owned by a woman and her two daughters who came here several years ago from Thailand and opened the restaurant. Of course, Wotan and I sat outside on the outdoor patio, and with the misters it was quite comfortable. Before I ordered lunch I asked to change tables because the sun was shining directly into my eyes and I was given a table under a big shady umbrella.
At the table next to us sat two orthodox rabbis dressed all in black. That’s not an uncommon sight here but I noticed them because they were sitting directly in the hot sun and I wondered how they were able to handle the heat dressed like that.
I ordered a tropical iced tea and the waitress brought Wotan a bowl of fresh, cold water. Inscribed on the bowl were the words “For our four-legged customers”.
I was halfway through my tasty Pad Thai when one of the Rabbis leaned over and said , “You have a beautiful dog, Sir.”
I thanked him and continued eating my salad.
“How old is he?”
I didn’t immediately realize that the Rabbi was speaking to me again. “Oh, he’s going to be 13 in October”, I answered.
“Really,” said the Rabbi. “He looks very healthy for a dog that old. I have a brother who has a Golden Retriever also.
“That poor dog has been having a lot of trouble with his hips – arthritis, or hip something or other – I can’t remember for sure. His dog has lots of problems just trying to stand up, and he limps badly when he walks. The dog has trouble with both of his rear legs. The vet gave him a prescription drug of some kind, but the dog seems to be getting worse.”
“He probably has hip dysplasia like my dog”, I said.
“Hmm, sounds similar to what my brother called it. But you must be joking with me about your dog not being well!
“I noticed him when you first came in and he sure doesn’t look like he has anything wrong with him at all! He looks very healthy – especially for as old as you say he is.
“He jumped right up when you changed tables.”
I told him that Wotan did indeed have and that he had suffered terribly with it for more than a year. I said he used to take a lot of time just standing up and also lying back down – like an old man with arthritis. He seemed sad all the time and he wasn’t able to go on walks and do the things he always enjoyed like riding in the car, jumping up on my bed and watching TV with me.
“I wish my brother’s dog could get better like yours has. That dog is number one in my brother’s house. His wife and kids love that dog to death and that’s what makes it so hard when the poor animal struggles to get up and down and has lost all interest in playing with the kids or going out for walks with my brother or his wife.”
“Your brother could probably get the same results with his dog that I have with Wotan,” I told him.
“I found some natural supplements online at a place called DogsHealth.com. The product is Winston’s Joint System and it was developed by a doctor who needed to cure his own pet dog and couldn’t find anything safe and effective to help the dog so he decided to formulate his own.
“Once I started giving my dog those supplements he started getting better even in the first week. And now he doesn’t have any problems getting up and down.
“Tell your brother to go online and find DogsHealth.com and order the Winston’s Joint System. It works. Here’s living proof right in front of you.”
“I thank you for the advice. I will tell my brother when I visit with them tomorrow night. By the way, does your dog like kosher pickles? My brother’s dog loves them.”
I said, “ I don’t know as he’s never had one, but he loves to eat just about anything.”
“Would it be alright if I offered him a pickle?”
“It’s okay with me. If he likes the smell of it he’ll eat it.”
The Rabbi offered Wotan the pickle and he scarfed it down.
“He sure seemed to like that,” said the Rabbi. “Can I give him another?”
“I don’t think he’d say no. Actually, he’s fixated on your other pickle right now. Just be careful he doesn’t chomp on your finger. When he really likes the taste of something he gets a little too eager to eat it.”
The Rabbi got up from the table, lifted the kosher pickle in the air and Wotan jumped up and swallowed it in one bite. The Rabbi smiled and said, “You are a good pickle retriever and you know kosher when you taste it, don’t you.”
The couple at the table on the other side of me were watching the entire pickle transaction and they enticed Wotan to come get their kosher dills too.
Soon Wotan was flitting from table to table eating one kosher pickle after another. As he ran from one table to the next the waitress tripped over him and dropped a tray filled with two bowls of noodles.
That in itself was not a crisis except the noodles went all over Wotan’s back. I would have expected him to freak out at that but instead he calmly started licking them off every part of his body he could reach.
This brought cheers and clapping from some of the other customers and someone shouted, “Bring that dog a martini!”
I was horrified and offered to pay for the dishes, heck I was ready to DO the dishes after the chaos Wotan had just created. The waitress kept apologizing profusely but it wasn’t her fault and I told her I was very sorry for the mess.
Meanwhile, Wotan was having a heyday, going from table to table where he was being offered shrimp, bites of hamburger, and more kosher pickles. I paid the bill, apologized to everyone and hurried out the door; me feeling guilty, and Wotan looking fat and happy with a bellyful of yummy foods.
I know Wotan and I will be going out to eat together again and even though I really love the food there, I think we better wait a while before trying that particular restaurant again. At least until they clean the noodles off the floor!
Do any of you have a favorite restaurant where you’re allowed to take your pet? Let us know the name and the city, I’m sure the restaurant owners would appreciate the mention.
Since 1990, Winston’s Joint System and Winston’s Pain Formula have helped heal over twenty thousand dogs from all over the world. Our staff specializes in hip dysplasia, arthritis and all joint, pain and mobility issues.
There is an excellent chance we can help your dog, so please contact us at: www.dogshealth.com or call our toll free number at 888-901-5557.
