Ramping up to recovery

It's now twelve days post-episode, and Ian is very much himself: bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, bouncy, and very eager to be free of the ex pen he's been restricted to since coming home from the neurologist. The only indication that I see now that he is not completely recovered in the rear is the fact that he only lifts his leg to pee about half the time, as opposed to all the time; and he slips a little more on the linoleum than he did before. On carpet and on solid ground he looks normal. There haven't been any major side effects to the Prednisone (5 mg dose).

Elli has very much missed snuggling with her big brother. She has also very much missed being able to take his toys away from him. He and they are now safely behind bars, where no amount of whining, pawing, or flopping on her back with her hoohah in his face will net her The Good Bone (which is defined by Webster's Dictionary as "Whatever bone the other dog has at any given time.") I can only wish I had had my camera in hand when she had her lips curled back and one canine through the bars as she tried to get his squeaky toy, or when she was squishing her tongue between bars to try and drink The Good Water

My major focus now is on prevention: What can I do to keep Ian from having a recurrence, and to lower the chances that Elli will suffer a similar incident in the future? For starters, my wonderful hubby spent his Labor Day weekend building a ramp for the back porch. It's only three steps from the deck to the ground, but over the course of a day it adds up.

Before:

After:

Yeah, it's big and white and sticks out like a sore thumb, but it's not exactly like my yard screams "Martha Stewart lives here" when you look at it. And it has the added benefit of prepping Elli for the A-frame, since I like to think there's an agility career in her future. She was reticent at first, but with the liberal use of cookies she was running up and down the ramp like a pro. It never phased Ian at all -- he came out the door, took one look at it, looked up at me like, "Agility! Wheeee!" and ran down it before I could keep him from doing so. *sigh* It's so nice to have my happy, happy boy back!

We have also instituted a strict No Dogs On The Furniture policy; not yet an issue with Ian as he's in the ex pen, but Elli is having a hard time coming to grips with this new draconian measure. If I don't put a gate up between the kitchen and living room to keep her in the former, I no sooner turn my back than she's up on the couch. And not just on the couch, but on the BACK of the couch. I found her up there after a trip to the bathroom this morning. I scolded her and set her on the floor, where I swear she gave the cat a very pointed look, and then looked at me as if to say, "But HE gets to do it!" Poor little princess; Ian's injury has been very hard on her.

Now I need some recommendations on supplements, chiropractic, therapy regimens, etc. I would love to swim Ian, but there is no place anywhere near here that has a pool or PT place for dogs, and it's getting a little cool to be swimming outside now. Anyone have some good suggestions for post-IVDD recovery?