Sammie (CH Thidwick Sandcastle Bewitched) joined our family in March of 2005, a breeding of CH Kastle's Sacred Spirit and Thidwicks Angel Baby CD RN by Kim Dargel and Bill Clifton of California (Sandcastle Dalmatians). Sammie was a very sweet puppy who was eager to please. She was very active and loved to run on our fenced, wooded land near Houston.

Sammie earned her championship at 20 months. She finished with a specialty supported major under j. Edd Bivin in Tulsa in 2006.

A week prior to Halloween 2007 Sammie ran out in the backyard with the other dogs just like she’s done a thousand times before. A deer was in the yard and all dogs gave chase. I watched as they disappeared behind some landscaping and heard a strange yelp. I thought they actually caught the deer. I ran out to the back area only to find Sammie flopping around on the ground with her rear totally useless and she with a glazed look on her face. She was limp from the chest down.

To make a long story short, Sammie had broken her back by running into a tree! She underwent several hours of surgery to decompress her spinal fracture and another three weeks doing therapy at Texas A&M Veterinary School. She did water treadmill every day along with physical therapy. We visited often and took her for walks around the clinic yard using a sling under her belly for support. She was still paralyzed from the waist down when she was able to come home just before Thanksgiving. We leash walked her with the sling and continued her physical therapy. Within a week, she could stand with the sling support without collapsing in the rear. However, her legs would just dangle or drag still when she moved. She didn’t have control over her urinary and bowel movements either. I began to have doubts that she would ever walk again and if I was up to the challenge to work her through her rehab.

Sammie's 4 week old puppies were just being weaned when she was injured. All but one, Otto, had gone to their new families by the time Sammie returned home from the hospital. Though she was anxious to play from the day she returned, we had to keep her quiet and crated during her convalescence.

Just before Christmas, Sammie began to walk without assistance. She was unstable and had problems standing, but you could tell she was really trying to be a normal dog. As the months have passed, Sammie can now do most of the things she could do before her injury, though she will never be quite the same. She can trot

And... She can play

And... play

And... play

And... play some more

And... She can run like the wind (sort of)

And at the end of a long day She likes to have a drink (of water)

Life is good!

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